Battle at Bristol to make NASCAR Playoffs

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
(Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

There are three races remaining to make the NASCAR Playoffs. This week it will be a battle at Bristol Saturday night under the lights in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race.

There are eight drivers who have won at least one race during the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season and are, therefore, locked on the Chase Grid. That leaves eight drivers who are currently on the grid based on points. Some of those drivers have accumulated enough points that as long as they start each of the final three races they will make the playoffs. However, some of those drivers do not have that assurance.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
(Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

With three races remaining the bottom three drivers in the top 16 on the Chase Grid have to worry about a driver outside the top 16 winning one of the remaining races. Should that happen it would push the bottom diver in the top 16 below the cutoff line.

You can see the 2018 Chase Grid as it looks heading to this weekend’s race at the bottom of the page.

That brings us to the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. When NASCAR goes “short trackin’” anything can and often does happen. Combine that with racing under the lights and more than sparks can fly during the race.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
(Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)

Pit crews can make mistakes when servicing the cars due to light issues. The added pressure of needing to perform to make the playoffs can also force mistakes by the crews. The spots lost due to the mistakes can be very difficult to get back on the track.

Drivers can also make mistakes on the track as well as during pit stops due to the night racing and pressure. These mistakes can lose hard to regain positions on the track and even end the night for the driver if the mistake results in major damage due to a crash. What is more, one driver can crash and cause issues for other drivers that are close in the side-by-side and bumper-to-bumper racing.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500
(Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Tempers typically are a factor in short track racing in NASCAR’s top division as well. When a driver uses his car to move somebody out of the way to advance in the race, the driver that was moved can start looking for payback. The result can be a crash.

Additionally, drivers often bring grudges from earlier races with them to the short track. Those drivers might look for the chance to pay back the driver that they feel did something wrong to them on the track.

Here is a look at the track and race data that the drivers will be dealing with Saturday night.

Bristol Motor Speedway Data
Track Size: 0.533-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 24-28 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 24-28 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 4-8 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 4-8 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 650 feet
Backstretch Length: 650 feet

Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race Data
Season Race #: 24 of 36 (08-18-18)
Race Length: 500 laps / 266.5 miles
Stages 1 & 2 Length: 125 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 250 laps

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
(Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

Now we have a look at the active drivers who have done the best at racing at Bristol during the NASCAR Cup Series careers.

Top 10 Active Driver Ratings at Bristol
Erik Jones………………………….. 101.9
Kyle Busch…………………………. 101.8
Matt Kenseth………………………. 100.6
Kyle Larson………………………… 100.5
Kevin Harvick……………………….. 96.3
Jimmie Johnson…………………….. 93.7
Denny Hamlin……………………….. 91.5
Kurt Busch…………………………… 90.4
Joey Logano…………………………. 88.2
Brad Keselowski……………………. 86.9
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2018 races (27 total) among active drivers at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
(Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

Kyle Busch is the active driver who has been able to beat and bang his way to the most wins at Bristol. Kyle has seven Bristol trophies in his collection. That includes winning this race last year and the first race at the track this season. In the 2018 spring race Busch used the “bump and run” to get past Kyle Larson to claim the win. That leaves the possibility that Larson will be looking to get payback on Busch this weekend (as mentioned earlier in this blog).

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500
(Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

The other Busch brother, Kurt, is second on the list of active driver winners at Bristol. Kurt has been to Victory Lane at the track five times during his cup series career.

Jimmie Johnson (one of the drivers in the bottom three currently among the top 16 on the Chase Grid) has two Bristol wins. He might be feeling the pressure to get win number three to take himself out of the bubble area of the Chase Grid.

Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski also have two wins each at Bristol.

Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne each has a single win at the track during their careers racing in NASCAR’s top division. Kasey is well below the cutoff line on the Chase Grid. He also announced today (8/16) that 2018 will be his final season as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Cup Series. You can bet that Kasey will be looking to get one more win before he steps away from the driver’s seat. Getting that win would give him a shot at racing for the championship in his final season.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500
(Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

When the green flag flies to start the race this weekend you can bet that bumpers and tempers will get bent. However, with the chance that anything can happen to change the result of the race at any moment of the race I wouldn’t put a lot of money on anything else if you can’t afford to lose it.

We will find out what does actually happen Saturday night, under the lights of the Bristol Motor Speedway in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race August 18th starting at 6:30 PM central time (7:30 PM eastern time).

By: Buck Stevens

2018 Chase Grid heading to Bristol Motor Speedway
(Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com)