Bristol Dirt 101: Track info, heat races, story lines and more

The NASCAR Cup Sequence is acquiring dirty.

Cup automobiles will race on the dirt-covered Bristol Motor Speedway for the next year in a row on Sunday night (7 ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). But perhaps more distinctive is that NASCAR will race on Easter Sunday for the initially time since 1989, when a February race at Richmond was postponed to the holiday.

Hop into the racing spirit and get all you need to have to know about the Meals Metropolis Dust Race:

DEEP IN THE Grime

The to start with action to the weekend is obtaining acquainted with the red clay coating the .533-mile keep track of this weekend, which is the very same as was utilized in final year’s inaugural celebration.

Beneath the area lies about two inches of sawdust to defend the concrete racing surface area commonly applied by NASCAR. That is topped by 5,330 cubic yards of filth saved from Bristol’s initially foray into filth racing back in 2000-01, adopted by 4,008 cubic yards of grime from the campground as very well as lime-treated clay.

The major layer characteristics Bluff City Red Tennessee Clay, which will be what the Upcoming Gen car’s tires get hold of all weekend lengthy.

Related: Subsequent Gen alterations for dust | Bristol schedule | Cup Collection standings 

Different Surface, Various Format

Teams will be allotted two 50-minute practice sessions on Friday afternoon (4:05 p.m. ET, FS1) to familiarize them selves and the new motor vehicle to the area.

Unlike typical race weekends, there will be no solitary-car or truck or team qualifying. In its place, teams will line up for four 15-lap heats Saturday night (6 ET, FS2), with commencing positions for each individual warmth chosen by crew users by using random draw in buy of owner’s points. With all 36 chartered groups on the entry list, nine cars will compete in just about every heat.

At the conclusion of every single warmth, motorists will be awarded both of those finishing factors and passing details. Ending points will be awarded just like stage points — 10 details for first spot down to two points for ninth position. Drivers will also accumulate passing details, gaining one stage for each posture gained from their initial commencing situation. No points will be deducted for missing positions. Combined position totals will then ascertain the setting up lineup for Sunday night’s 250-lap characteristic celebration.

Relevant: Dive further into how the Bristol format is effective

NASCAR’S Record OFF-ROADING

— The final Cup Collection race on dust prior to previous year’s Bristol spring race was held on Sept. 30, 1970 at the North Carolina Point out Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

— In all, there have been 490 Cup races held on dirt, which includes the series’ inaugural race at the .75-mile Charlotte Speedway on June 19, 1949, an event received by Jim Roper.

— Lee Petty holds the all-time report for dust wins, declaring 42 of his 54 profession wins on filth.

— Richard Petty’s initially of 200 career wins came on the grime-surfaced Southern Point out Fairgrounds in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Feb. 28, 1960. 30 of his 200 wins arrived on dirt.

— Darlington Raceway became the initially asphalt monitor to host a race in Cup heritage back again in September 1950. The 1st 20 Cup races have been held on dirt, clay or sand, such as the 4.15-mile Daytona Seaside & Road Program that showcased the two sand and asphalt.

— The Camping Globe Truck Series started racing on dust in 2013 at Eldora Speedway and continued via 2019. Last year, the series joined Cup at Bristol just before heading to the iconic Knoxville Speedway in Iowa for one more grime race.

Supply: Racing Insights

GOODYEAR TIRES

Following building a tire for previous year’s inaugural Bristol dust race, Goodyear had to go again to do the job in preparation for the Future Gen’s filth debut, going from the 15-inch bead diameter for the Gen-6 tire to the 18-inch tire this 12 months.

In addition, this year’s tire is a radial tire as opposed to the bias ply tire that was utilised in 2021.

“We had to acquire a new package for the 18-inch dust tire this year, so it gave us the option to thoroughly re-think about this Cup tire established-up,” explained Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “We felt the right transfer was for a radial tire, which provides a increased diploma of dimension regularity. Even so, a radial tire incorporates a much stiffer tread surface, so we designed changes to the tire construction to achieve a far more compliant feel, very similar to that of a bias ply, and in a position to tackle the irregularities of a grime area. The 18-inch offer also includes a new tread pattern, which incorporates a good deal of filth tire technological know-how we’ve made above the yrs, and tread compounds adjusted to be more resistant to heat and put on.”

BRISTOL Dirt Story LINES 

— Sunday marks the very first scheduled Cup race on Easter considering the fact that 1970, when Bobby Allison won a March 29 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This will be the 12th this kind of race in Cup history.

— William Byron became the only repeat winner of 2022 with his earn a week ago at Martinsville Speedway. It was Byron’s second gain in 4 weeks and marks the very first multi-gain period of his vocation.

— Joey Logano is on a 37-race winless streak, with his final win coming in this race very last yr, his only win in the final 47 races aside from his victory in the exhibition Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in February. This is his longest factors-having to pay winless streak considering that becoming a member of Crew Penske.

— Ryan Blaney is the very first driver since Tony Stewart in 2006 to guide in each individual of the very first 8 races of a period.

— Martin Truex Jr. led the most laps in this race a yr back (126) and also received very last year’s Truck race at Bristol.

— Together with Logano, Truex is one of 7 motorists to gain a NASCAR-sanctioned race on dirt, joining Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe, who all received the Eldora Dirt Derby.

— Logano, Dillon, Chase Elliott and Harrison Burton will compete in Saturday’s Camping Globe Truck Collection race to get excess track time at Bristol.

— Denny Hamlin’s normal complete as a result of 8 races is 17 places even worse than it was at this time a yr ago, but the No. 11 Toyota was the only motor vehicle to run inside the best 10 for all 253 laps on Bristol filth a 12 months in the past, eventually ending third.

Resource: Racing Insights

Sensation Blessed?

When grime comes into the image, so does Kyle Larson.

Las Vegas is eager on Larson’s filth supremacy as the defending Cup champion carries on to dominate filth circuits, successful the Chili Bowl Nationals, King’s Royal, Prairie Dirt Classic and Knoxville Nationals all in the exact same calendar year in 2021. The driver of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 5 Chevrolet is listed as the 9-2 favorite courtesy of BetMGM — but beware. Larson has not revealed in close proximity to the consistency he and crew chief Cliff Daniels did in 2021 and has posted just three finishes greater than 19th all yr (of program, those people 3 finishes were being all top rated fives and contain an Car Club Speedway victory).

Christopher Bell is listed as BetMGM’s second-ideal wager this 7 days at 8-1 odds. Even so, Bell spun from next position a calendar year back in this event at Lap 53, falling correct into the route of Larson and Ross Chastain. If Bell can stay clear of acquiring turned all-around this week, he should really be an outstanding decide on: The Oklahoman was the 2013 USAC Countrywide Midget champion and is a three-time winner of the Chili Bowl Nationals.

Associated: Odds for Bristol dirt | @nascarcasm: Pleasant tips for Bell and Larson

FANTASY Live

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The 2022 Fantasy Stay details leaders are Chase Elliott (282), Ryan Blaney (277) and William Byron (276).

How to participate in: Fantasy Are living | Set up a team today!

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM

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