|
 Back to SOZ's Main Page &
VOTE for the best driver MUG SHOT!
Bristol Race Perfect Timing on the NASCAR Schedule
3/11/08: SOZ Studios, MI - By Gregg Shultz (RaceFanVote.com)
Despite Kyle Busch's comments about his car last year in victory lane after winning the first COT race, the racing was good at Bristol. The margin of victory was only .064 seconds between Kyle and Jeff Burton and 15 cars finished on the lead lap. The bump-and-run is gone, but not the tight racing and flared tempers. Its old school racing at it's best. And most of all, its Bristol baby!
On the technical side going into this weekend's race, it will be the first time that the teams are going to a track where they have run the new style car twice before, so they have good notes to draw from. The aero-dependant platform of the COT will not be such an issue and hopefully Goodyear will respond to the previous week's criticism by bringing a different tire compound.
If Goodyear was going to get called out for bringing a bad tire this was probably the best time for it to happen. With two short tracks in a row, Bristol and Martinsville with a break in the middle, it would be safe to say that a softer compound tire could be used without too much concern at those tracks. That gives the tire manufacturer and NASCAR just short of four weeks to figure out what to do prior to the next 1.5 mile track at Texas.
Bristol probably will not be without its critics if we don't see three wide racing from the drop of the green flag and lead changes on every lap. The above mentioned bump-and-run is gone, but there will be plenty hot tempers, scrap sheet metal for charity and possibly a shake up in the points. Despite whatever complaints may arise, the first short track race of the season will be a welcome sight for those weary of the super speedways and mile-and-a-half cookie cutters.
The other developing storyline is that the top 35 rule comes into play based on this weekend's race being the final "free pass" from using last season's points for guaranteed starting spot. The teams that have been doing well this season, but were out and needed to qualify on time based on last season's points will finally get a break if they do well this weekend. It's also a time when the teams that finagled points to get certain drivers in will have to rest on their own abilities going into Martinsville next week. This makes Bristol all the more important for a handful of drivers to do well.
In the last ten races at Bristol, Kurt Busch leads the winner's list with 4 victories, Matt Kenseth with 2, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards with a win each.
Going into Bristol the first set of drivers who are outside the top 35 are: Sam Hornish Jr., Dave Blaney, Dario Franchitti, Regan Smith, Kyle Petty, Joe Nemechek, A.J. Allmendinger, John Andretti, Patrick Carpentier, Ken Schrader & Kenny Wallace.
Drivers on the bubble (30th - 35th in points) Mears, McMurray, Jarrett (stepping out of the car after Bristol) Yeley, Mayfield & Waltrip. Biggest surprise going in, Travis Kvapil 29th in points.
Bristol will be a make or break race for a lot of teams and a chance for some of the surprise struggling teams to get back into form. It will also be a good all around test to see if the teams are getting a handle on the COT after applying their past knowledge, set-up notes and experience after running a track several times.
|
  RaceTalkRadio.com's
Official Newsletter
  Want to listen to RTR
Shows? Click the listen live button!
 The New ARCA Thunder
presented by
Rockingham Speedway
Tuesday's at 8pm on RTR
   |
NASCAR® is a registered trademark owned by National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.
The Spin Out Zone is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NASCAR® or ARCA®.
The Spin Out Zone is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CBS Sports, ABC/ESPN, Fox Sports, SPEED, FX Networks, TNT,
MRN, PRN or Sirius.
The Spin Out Zone owned and operated by RaceTalkRadio.com in association with Spin Out Zone Enterprises.
Images on SpinOutZone.com are used for entertainment purposes only.
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 © Spin Out Zone
All Rights Reserved