Race fans are once again descending upon one of the most iconic half mile tracks in eastern Tennessee. Attending fans and viewers at home are going to be witness again to the excitement that Bristol has to offer. I am going to give you my drivers to watch this Sunday. My way of determining these picks are based off the previous four races at each track and the driver stats from those races. Those stat’s include total laps led, average finishing position, and even career wins. So, nonetheless here we go again race fans.
Chevy Camp
My first two drivers to watch are going to be teammates. Chip Ganassi racing in the past eight races at Bristol have led 489 combined laps. They also have a team average finishing position of eighth. This team has definitely been solid and that is mainly because my first driver.
Kyle Larson in the last four races has done just about all he can except pull out the win at Bristol. The Camaro driver has led a whopping 489 laps, and has a fourth place average finish. This track suites Kyle in my opinion he’s one of those drivers who search for the fastest line. Bristol may be small, but the racing surface changes and allows for Larson to be a driver to watch this weekend.
Kurt Busch made my list last week at Texas, and he did provide a solid ninth place finish. In the last four races he doesn’t have the stats his teammate does but he does have something better. Kurt took a trip to victory lane last August. Yes, I know he was with SHR and in a ford. My belly up racing colleague and I talked about this briefly on the schedule change Chairgatin’ episode. Kurt goes to new teams and make them better instantly in my opinion. He doesn’t have a win this year, and this weekend he could be the driver to watch for his first trip to victory lane.
The Pony Car’s
One half of the Ford camp has had a dominant season thus far, the other has not carried over any dominance from last year. Penske has claimed three wins out of seven races this season. One of those victories coming from 2018 series champion Joey Logano
Joey is similar to Kyle Larson at Bristol in the last four races. He has led a good bit of laps with 168 led, but has no wins in the past four races. He does however have two career wins both coming back in 2015. Joey does know how to get into victory lane and is the first of my Ford camp drivers to watch.
My second driver has never won at Bristol in twenty four starts, but has been one of the most consistent. Clint Bowyer in the past four races has led 120 laps and averaged a finishing position of eighth. Bowyer snapped his winless streak last year on a short track at Martinsville. There is no reason why this veteran driver can’t grab his team’s first win for the year and his first Bristol win.
Toyota Dominance
This driver to watch is a no brainer and once again has made his way onto my list. The “Candy man” has also in his career swept the weekend series twice. In the last four races he has won two and led 273 laps. Kyle also has five other wins bringing his win total to seven in twenty seven career starts. How can you not add him to the drivers to watch list for Bristol.
Denny Hamlin is off to a hot start this year, a Daytona 500 win and then another win last weekend at Texas. After not winning all last season he seems to be a man on a mission and that is why he is my second driver to watch in the Toyota camp. Yes, Denny only has one win in twenty six starts here coming way back in 2012. With that being said though Denny has a tenth place average finish in the last four races, and could show up and grab that second career Bristol win this weekend.
Underdogs
I try to pick an underdog from each manufacture group. That way the manufacture loyalist have their choice of the guy they want to watch. None the less here are my underdog picks for the race at “The Last Great Colosseum.”
The first two picks on this list I struggled with actually putting them as underdogs, but as of late they can now be classified as one. Jimmie Johnson has won once in the last four races and led a combined 81 laps at Bristol. Old seven time has an average sixth place finishing spot, but has only won twice in thirty four starts. After the solid showing last weekend at Texas he could be on the rise maybe? A seven time champ on the underdog drivers to watch list is an odd thing, but he hasn’t been able to put up the results needed to not be on the list.
Kevin Harvick at this point last year had three wins. This year he best finishing position has been fourth in three separate occasions. Kevin was also quoted when asked how far off does he think the SHR team is saying
We haven’t been close to a race-winning car in a race yet”
Texas Post Race interview
Kevin does have two career wins at Bristol the last one being in 2016, and in the last four races has averaged a seventh place finishing spot. Kevin is driving for the second ranked team in the Belly Up rankings, and an argument could be made for him to be swapped with Bowyer either way he is on my drivers to watch list. This man is always a force to be reckoned with if his car is on point, and he can keep his nose clean.
The third and final driver actually made his way onto this very list last weekend and is back again. Eric Jones is driving for a team who has claimed four wins out of seven this year at JGR. Honestly he is sometimes the forgotten driver with the teammates he has, but is on the rise in my book. Jones has finished second and fifth in the past four races. The youngster has also led a combined 260 laps which rivals his teammate Kyle Busch. Eric is an underdog in my opinion really just because right now his competition is to strong, but if this guy can keep his nose clean he could easily jump into the main group of drivers to watch.
Conclusion
Bristol no madder when the race or what series is racing is always on my watch list. I actually will be attending the fall night race this year for the first time, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Until August I will be enjoying this race from the comforts of my couch with my two boys, and wife. For all you race fans out there enjoy the weekend maybe we will see another historic Bristol finish and after all guys. “It’s Bristol Baby!”
