-It’s all about Tires- Kyle Busch said early at Bristol after spinning, “There is no way we finish the race with the tires we have.” It was the story of the day as teams were allowed nine sets of tires plus scuffs. NASCAR’s sympathy allowed each competing team to have one extra set as Goodyear was quickly putting together an extra set.
– Joe Gibbs Racing had a big day. Denny Hamlin wins it, Ty Gibbs finishes 9th. Christopher Bell finished 10th. There are 500 half mile laps at this track and JGR drivers led over 400 of them. In a race with 54 lead changes, (the most ever for a NASCAR short track event), it all came down to tire wear and the Gibbs drivers made it a clinic.
-Checkered Flag
Denny Hamlin won for the fourth time ever at Bristol and won for the 52nd time in his Cup career. Hamlin loves this type of racing. ”It is what I grew up doing. This is what I grew up doing. I really liked our chances when it came down to manage our tires. ” Denny Hamlin wins at Bristol. He dueled with Ty Gibbs for a couple of hundred laps and then Martin Truex Jr. the last 50 laps and grinded out a win at Bristol. Hamlin has won for the fourth time at the World’s last great coliseum.
-Ty Gibbs has been a driver on the ascent. The Series ROY in 2023 has been running well after four races this season and he has 2 Top-fives and three top tens in 2024. Gibbs by far had the best car at Bristol and his tire wear defied what the other drivers were going for watching their tires literally splinter after a handful of laps.
– Can I get a ticket to Bristol?
It used to be that Bristol was probably the hardest ticket to get in all of the NASCAR series. But after changing from asphalt to concrete and hosting spring dirt races, the fans have in large swaths, walked away. It is sad that more stands were empty than full.
-Finishing Second was a win
Martin Truex Jr. has not fared well at Bristol. He has won there once and that was back in 2011. His last top five performance was at Michigan last August. In the closing laps at Bristol, he timed Denny Hamlin and passed him when he was caught in traffic. Hamlin returned the favor a few laps later. Truex finished second.
Multiple laps Down
– William Byron has had a very productive season in 2024 but his Bristol race was upended when he was involved with a multiple car accident just 31 laps in the race Sunday. He was out of the running for victory lane early and he scored his first finish worse than 25th for the season. Byron is too good to be down long.
-Next week, the circuit visits COTA for a wild true road course experience.
Roy Akers