On Sunday, March 28, NASCAR will make its return to its racing on dirt, something the Cup Series has not done since 1970.
In what is possibly the most hyped-up race that I can remember in my lifetime, NASCAR will be racing on dirt, at the famed Bristol Motor Speedway. NASCAR has not raced on a dirt track since September 30, 1970, over 50 years ago. That race took place at the old North Carolina State Fairgrounds, a ½ mile dirt oval that no longer exists, and the race was won by “The King”, Richard Petty. Since then, the only thing NASCAR has done on dirt was with the Camping World Truck Series, one of NASCAR’s lower divisions. The Truck Series raced at the Eldora Speedway, owned by retired driver and now team owner Tony Stewart, since 2013, but with the new event at the Bristol Motor Speedway, that event will not take place this year. The Truck Series will take place on Saturday, the day before the Cup race, with many Cup Series regulars taking on the truck race as practice for Sunday’s 250 lap main event.
The race on Sunday is going to be one that takes a completely different driving style than the usual paved ovals, with some younger drivers having more experience on dirt than some of the veterans of NASCAR. Here are some of my picks for Sunday’s Food City Dirt Race at Bristol.
All odds are taken from the DraftKings Sportsbook as of Saturday March 27, 2021.
Kyle Larson (3/1) – Kyle Larson is one of the best drivers on dirt ovals in the country, and easily the best dirt oval driver that competes on the NASCAR circuit. Listed as the obvious favorite, Larson is expected to compete for the win on Sunday. Not only is Larson one of the most talented dirt tracker’s in the Cup Series, but Larson has been a threat to win every week so far this season, his first with Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick Motorsports as a team has looked very strong as well, coming off of last year’s championship with Chase Elliott, along with 2 wins in the first 6 races of the season, and all four of their drivers currently sit in the top 14 in points. Larson is bound to be up front on Sunday, with the mix of talent and good equipment, he is a safe bet to make for Sunday.
Christopher Bell (8/1) – Another young driver who made himself known with success on dirt tracks, Christopher Bell is a rising star in NASCAR and is bound to succeed at the Bristol Dirt track. Christopher Bell has an impressive resume for such a young driver, at just 26 years old, he has won the prestigious Chili Bowl 3 times, as well as being the 2013 USAC Midget Champion, 2015 Eldora Truck Series winner, and the 2017 Truck Series Championship. As he rolls into his sophomore year in the Cup Series, Bell has already picked up a win in the second race of the season at the Daytona Road Course, and currently sits 9th in the points standings. Bell, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in a Toyota, is going to find himself battling for the win on Sunday.
Stewart Friesen (33/1) – If you are looking for more of a longshot, Stewart Friesen is your man. Friesen will be making his Cup debut on Sunday, and the veteran dirt track driver will be one to keep your eye on. Friesen is a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he currently sits 5th in the point standings in that season. In his truck series career, Friesen has racked up 2 wins, including a win at Eldora Speedway and 3 top 3 finishes in 4 starts, and the only other NASCAR dirt track that the sport has gone to in the past 50 years. Friesen is going to take the experience and success he has on dirt and bring it to the Cup Series, where he will be driving the Spire Motorsports number 77 Chevy Camaro.
Have an opposing viewpoint to this opinion? Let us know. All views are welcomed. Send your thoughts to our Editorial Staff – Editor Anna Proulx aproulx@student.dean.edu or Dean Daily Faculty Advisor, Professor John Rooke jrooke@dean.edu
All statistics from racing-reference.info
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