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BRISTOL, Tenn. — With current gear bundle adjustments from NASCAR and Goodyear for its Cup Sequence brief monitor and highway course races, the Meals Metropolis 500 ought to have considerably of a brand new identification when the inexperienced flag drops Sunday afternoon on the tradition-rich race.
Drivers, groups, followers and others within the trade can’t wait to see what the brand new product will seem like as 40 vehicles battle across the high-banks at legendary Bristol Motor Speedway.
NASCAR has elevated the horsepower to a most of 750 for all vehicles within the Meals Metropolis 500. Goodyear says it would ship a softer tire for the race as properly. The mix of the 2 is predicted to supply extra thrilling racing on the necessary common season race.
Justin Fantozzi, Goodyear Director of Racing for the Americas, mentioned they performed a few tire exams within the low season within the course of of choosing the tire for this weekend.
“The target at our Bristol tire take a look at in November was to develop a setup that’s much less temperature dependent at laying rubber down,” Fantozzi mentioned. “We heard loudly from the groups about variations in climate between follow and race circumstances, and the necessity for a tire resolution to handle this. The monitor took rubber in November below somewhat chilly temperatures, and once more on the March OEM Wheel Power take a look at. Our improvement crew did an awesome job, and we’re more than happy to be heading into the weekend with this new bundle.”
It doesn’t matter what all the variables produce, the actual fact is {that a} host of seasoned rivals want to get again to their “favourite monitor” and get right down to enterprise.
In current seasons it’s been a Kyle Larson present as the driving force of the No. 5 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports has left his rivals within the mud and earned a number of victories with greater than 400 laps led in every contest. Final 12 months Larson gained the Meals Metropolis 500 and Christopher Bell rallied to win the 2025 Night time Race.
These two, together with Denny Hamlin, who additionally has a pair of Bristol victories lately, shall be three of the drivers which might be thought of pre-race favorites.
“We’ve had a few actually good races there and people have been plenty of enjoyable,” Larson mentioned. “Hopefully we will go there and have the identical type of dominance like we’ve had previously. I wish to get again to main a bunch of laps, profitable phases and difficult for race wins. No higher place to try this than Bristol. Hopefully we will put an entire weekend collectively like we’ve executed previously.”
Bell gained America’s Night time Race in September and feels comfy and assured with no matter model of Bristol the groups get this weekend.
“Bristol is all the time one which now we have circled on our calendar and know that we’re going to be a contender there,” Bell mentioned. “Bristol’s been throwing the sink at everyone. Now we get the bundle change, the engine change and tire change . It’s undoubtedly one of many trickiest races to organize for as of late. There are plenty of unknowns going into this weekend, however that feels regular.”
As soon as you might be previous the primary three favorites, then the flood gates open. Greater than 10 drivers are within the lineup of those that are hungry to win at Bristol and have the skillset to get the job executed. These drivers embrace red-hot Tyler Reddick, driver of the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing, who has jumped out to a blistering begin to the season by profitable 4 of the primary seven races. After going winless final 12 months, he has posted victories at Daytona, Atlanta, COTA and Darlington in his 2026 outburst.
Reddick has run properly at Bristol previously and practically claimed a Bristol win on filth in 2022 earlier than he and Chase Briscoe tangled on the ultimate lap popping out of flip 4. Their skirmish opened the door for Kyle Busch to say his ninth Bristol Cup victory.
Reddick additionally ran properly at Bristol throughout his Truck and O’Reilly Sequence days and his driving model works properly round Bristol’s distinctive configuration, which is a brief monitor that races like a superspeedway.
“I imply, it’s only a matter of the tracks that I’m actually robust at and our vehicles are actually robust at,” Reddick mentioned. “We’ve simply this 12 months been capitalizing on it and getting the wins. If we will hold this up, who is aware of? I’m simply going to take it one week at a time.”
The assassin’s row of prime challengers continues with current Martinsville winner Chase Elliott, who gained the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol, and Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano, NASCAR Conflict winner Ryan Preece, Bubba Wallace and Brad Keselowski. All of those drivers have gained a Bristol race in some kind or trend.
Elliott has a ton of followers at Bristol Motor Speedway so he wish to make all of them completely happy by bringing a few of his current Martinsville magic into the Tennessee hills.
“It was undoubtedly a crew effort,’’ mentioned Elliott, of his current Martinsville victory. “We’ve by no means had a win this early within the season. Only a actually nice crew effort. So pleased with [crew chief] Alan [Gustafson] the crew actually did an awesome job. We took a chance and have been going to two-stop that final stage and truthfully consider it was going to work out both method. Simply so proud. It positive is plenty of enjoyable when days like this work out…To win these races is simply so powerful. Actually grateful for the chance as all the time. I by no means take it without any consideration.’’
One other driver to look at is Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain. He drives the No. 1 Chevrolet and is amongst a big contingent of Cup drivers this weekend who’re doing just a little moonlighting. Chastain can also be racing within the Tennessee Military Nationwide Guard 250 Craftsman Truck Sequence race on Friday night time.
“I really like racing at Bristol which is why I all the time try to run multiple sequence there,” Chastain mentioned. “It’s so enjoyable to be on the monitor which is type of down in a bowl with all the followers proper subsequent to you. The environment at Bristol is simply so cool. Strolling throughout the monitor down into the infield on the crossover gate is a neat expertise. You get to really feel how steep the banking is.”
The rising stars listing has no less than 5 drivers who regardless of their lack of long-term expertise are nonetheless close to the highest of the listing of those that may win the Meals Metropolis 500.
That listing begins with Ty Gibbs at Bristol. The driving force of the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing machine has led laps and seemed tremendous comfy in his restricted Cup begins on the excessive banks and has been tagged by media and racing historians as somebody who may very well be the following “first time Cup winner at Bristol” on the monitor’s all-star listing that features Dale Earnhardt Sr., Rusty Wallace, Kurt Busch and Ernie Irvan, amongst others.
Carson Hocevar can also be proving that he has no concern within the sport and it will not be a shock to see the driving force of the No. 77 Chevy for Spire Motorsports standing in Bristol’s victory lane. Hocevar has obtained many compliments for his driving model and has even been in comparison with Dale Earnhardt Sr. for his take no prisoners and make no pals method behind the wheel.
“We’ve been quick at Bristol ever since my first Cup race there in 2023,” Hocevar mentioned. “We now have simply been very profitable there. I actually take pleasure in working there, and it’s one in all Luke’s (Lambert, crew chief) favourite tracks. He has plenty of expertise there and gained races at each degree. We’re shut, we simply want all the things to return collectively.”
Hocevar says the pace across the iconic bullring is what brings out the most effective in him. He’s additionally one of many Cup regulars who’re competing in Friday’s truck race below the lights.
“Bristol is super-fast and I feel that fits me,” Hocevar mentioned. “You carry plenty of pace round there and it’s important to make choices in a short time and choose between the highest and backside lanes relying on the place the lap visitors is. It’s nearly like working on a dust monitor.”
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