The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Tennessee for the Food City 500 following a week off. It will be the first of two Cup events that take place at Bristol Motor Speedway this season. The race, which first debuted all the way back in 1961, will run at just over 266 miles long. There will be a new champion crowned this weekend after Carl Edwards won this race last season. Considering what we have seen so far this year there will be some tough competition this weekend as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series continues to heat up.
Event Details
Event: Food City 500
Category: NASCAR Sprint Cup
Date: Sunday April 23, 2017
Location: Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Connecticut
This race will take place exactly two weeks after Jimmie Johnson captured his first win of the season in Texas, where he won the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. Johnson led only 18 laps but he found his way to the front of the line from his starting position in 24th. Meanwhile, Ryan Blaney led a race-high 148 laps but failed to finish in the top-10. Kyle Larson, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick all delivered top-five finishes at Texas while Dale Earnhardt Jr. registered his best result of the year by placing fifth.
Taking a look at the updated standings, Kyle Larson is in first place with 315 points. He has one win as well as five Top 5’s on the season. Chase Elliott is right behind him with 298 points while Martin Truex Jr. is third with 275 points. Brad Keselowski is in fourth with 274 points while Joey Logano rounds out the top five with 243 points. Each of those drivers have started and finished all seven races so far.
Past Five Winners
2016: Carl Edwards
2015: Matt Kenseth
2014: Carl Edwards
2013: Kasey Kahne
2012: Brad Keselowski
What To Know About The Track
The high-banked short track at Texas can create plenty of room for highly volatile situations. Fans love the potential for tempers to flare but there will be a ton of pressure on the drivers that contend for the outright win this weekend. The half-mile oval should create a substantial amount of bumping with some drivers almost forced to take risks in order to try to make their moves. Considering all of the drama we have seen so far this season it wouldn’t be a surprise if there were more theatrics this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The Field
Johnson’s win was just his first top-five finish of the season but it was enough for him to move to fourth in the Cup standings. The Chase for the Sprint Cup structure has put even more of an emphasis on winning and we have seen plenty of parity overall so far this year. Brad Keselowski is the only driver with multiple wins as six different drivers have recorded at least one victory. This should be an entertaining race.
A Good Matchup To Bet: Kyle Larson over Jimmie Johnson
Johnson is coming off a win but considering his overall numbers this season he could be due in line for a potential letdown this weekend. Johnson has been extremely inconsistent this year and his reputation combined with the fact that he won the last race makes him a good pick to fade. Meanwhile, Larson has been incredibly consistent this season. Larson has placed second or better in five of six races this season including last week’s race at Texas. Larson might not win this race but he should finish ahead of Johnson in the Food City 500.
Top-Five Pick: Kyle Busch
Busch fell out of the top-10 for the first time in his last four starts in last week’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 when he finished 15th. However, based on his overall numbers this season and his track history there is a good chance he bounces back with a strong performance this weekend. Busch has won this event three times including most recently in 2011. He has five-career victories at Bristol Motor Speedway. With two top-three finishes in his last four races, Busch is a strong pick to finish in the top-five in the Food City 500 this weekend.
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