The NASCAR XFINITY Series returns to Bristol Motor Speedway for race No. 22, the Food City 300. The oval-shaped track known as “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” is a .533-mile concrete surface has bankings of 24-28 degrees in the turns and six to 10 degrees in the straights.
Pit road at the east Tennessee speedway is different from the other venues that NASCAR’s top-three series visit. Because of the overall length of the racing surface, the two pit lanes are located on both 650-feet straightaways. When a caution is thrown, drivers must enter pit road in turn two, drive down the back stretch through the apron of turns three and four, then down the front stretch before returning to the track in turn one. If a driver makes a green-flag pit stop and is pitting on the back stretch, they may enter in turn two and exit in turn three. Those with a front-stretch pit will enter in ‘four’ and exit in ‘one’.
Three rounds of the group-qualifying format will be utilized to set the grid for the 300-lap, 159.9-mile race. With 42 drivers currently on the entry list, two will be eliminated after the first qualifying round. A total of seven drivers will be on double duty, running in both the XFINITY and Sprint Cup events. Kyle Busch, Matt DiBenedetto, Austin Dillon, Timmy Hill, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson and Regan Smith will all be getting extra seat time during tomorrow’s race.
With three wins and 648 points, Erik Jones is currently holding down the top spot in the XFINITY Chase standings. The driver of the No. 20 Reser’s Main Street Bistro Toyota Camry is looking for a Bristol sweep as he also won the spring race, the 34th Annual Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300.
“After two road courses, I’m really excited to get back to Bristol this weekend,” Jones said in a Toyota Racing advance. “Having won the race early this year at Bristol, I know we’ll have a fast Camry and know what we need to do to get around the track and be in contention for the win. Bristol is a track that was definitely high on the list of tracks where I wanted to get a win and to have gotten that win so earlier in my career is pretty cool. I’m ready to get to Bristol and get us another win with the Reser’s team.”
Blake Koch is on the bubble. With just five regular-season races remaining, the No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet driver sits 12th in the Chase standings with 466 points. He is looking to better his spring Bristol showing.
“We’re really looking forward to going back to Bristol,” Koch said in a Kaulig Racing advance. “We actually had a really fast car there in the spring. I was fastest in final practice. I was a bit too tight in qualifying, so we didn’t have a great starting spot, but I felt like we had a top-10 car. We actually had a steering box break during the race that put us out early.”
Koch believes that qualifying position will be important. “It’s a just a little bit difficult to pass there, so qualifying better will help with that aspect,” he explained. “I am interested to see how the recent track changes will affect that though. I’d love for there to be another groove, instead of everyone fighting for the same line.”
In 21 starts this season, Koch has netted two top 10’s (Daytona and Richmond). The West Palm Beach, Fla. native has also earned 12 top-15 and 14 top-20 finishes.
Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, Brennan Poole and Kyle Larson are expected to be strong contenders in tomorrow night’s race. After Justin Marks won last week’s 4th Annual Mid-Ohio Challenge in a downpour, Larson takes over the reins of the No. 42 Chevrolet, sponsored this weekend by ENEOS.
Larson will make his seventh Bristol start in the XFINITY series. In six previous starts, his record at “The Last Great Colosseum” is not too shabby. Along with a pole, Larson has earned five top-five finishes.
Poole is making his third start at Bristol in the No. 48 DC Solar Chevrolet. He currently sits seventh in the Chase standings with 618 points. So far this season, Poole has accumulated two top-fives and 11 top-10’s. His best finish at BMS came a year ago when he finished 11th.
Ryan Preece is looking to improve on his spring-race finish of 17th. It was the No. 01 teamjdmotorsports.com Chevrolet driver’s first-career start at Bristol.
“The spring race went pretty well for us, especially considering it was my first race there,” Preece said in a JD Motorsports advance. “We’re bringing a better car this time, and we’re looking for more. The track will be a little different, but I’m sure we’ll adjust quickly.”
Kyle Busch has a chance to win his ninth XFINITY Series race this weekend at BMS. The driver of the No. 18 Tunity Toyota has nine wins at Phoenix. Should he get the job done tomorrow night, Busch would tie his own record for most series wins at an active track. He has won seven XFINITY races this season.
Qualifying for the Food City 300 is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at 3:15 PM ET on CSN Mid Atlantic, CSN Bay Area and CSN Northwest. The session can also be seen online at NBCsports.com as well as the NBC Sports app. The race will begin at 7:30 PM ET tomorrow night on USA Network. PRN and Sirius XM Channel 90 have radio coverage.
Coming off the ranch, I didn’t have a motorsports background but my passion was and still is very strong. My first taste of NASCAR came at the age of seven while waiting for music videos to come on the old TNN network. As I grew up, I pursued other interest but eventually rediscovered cars going left when I found the SPEED channel during the 2011-2012 offseason.
I didn’t decide I wanted to pursue a career in NASCAR until the summer of 2012. I’m not a wrench head or strong enough for a pit crew so media was the next best thing. At the beginning of 2013, I started going to races and making connections within the sport. I also studied Motorsports Management at Sports Management Worldwide. Although I love what happens on the track, I’ve always been interested in what goes on behind the scenes and I’ve gotten to know many people throughout the radio, TV and digital media world.
While I’m a long time writer, 2015 was my first year actually covering the sport with www.nascarfemale.com . I also became a media correspondent for Raceline. I’ve been able to help the TV show gain recognition on social media. My current goal is to acquire more experience in covering NASCAR and move up the media ladder. Outside of motorsports, I have been an equine-sports statistician for 16 years.
I currently reside in Gillette, WY where I’m still involved with horses. I enjoy riding them, rodeo, swimming, traveling and meeting people.
Email Me
I didn’t decide I wanted to pursue a career in NASCAR until the summer of 2012. I’m not a wrench head or strong enough for a pit crew so media was the next best thing. At the beginning of 2013, I started going to races and making connections within the sport. I also studied Motorsports Management at Sports Management Worldwide. Although I love what happens on the track, I’ve always been interested in what goes on behind the scenes and I’ve gotten to know many people throughout the radio, TV and digital media world.
While I’m a long time writer, 2015 was my first year actually covering the sport with www.nascarfemale.com . I also became a media correspondent for Raceline. I’ve been able to help the TV show gain recognition on social media. My current goal is to acquire more experience in covering NASCAR and move up the media ladder. Outside of motorsports, I have been an equine-sports statistician for 16 years.
I currently reside in Gillette, WY where I’m still involved with horses. I enjoy riding them, rodeo, swimming, traveling and meeting people.
Email Me
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