1. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. getting himself in a hole early.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. getting black flagged on lap 7 for passing before the start/finish line at the start of the race
putting him down a lap early. He struggled all night to try to get his lap back, but could never get the break. He was
running with the leaders, but by the time a caution did come out each time, the leader had put lead lap cars a lap
down in front of Junior. Despite going 2 laps down before the conclusion of the race, he still managed an 18th
place finish and actually moved up one spot in points to 3rd.
2. Jimmie Johnson’s troubles continuing at Bristol.
Jimmie Johnson got tangled up with Sterling Marlin on lap 27 while his car was handling very bad. After multiple pit
stops he continued on finishing 33rd and 18 laps down. He dropped one position in points to 4th. After the race,
Johnson’s crew chief Chad Knaus said that they were happy to get out of there with 33rd because ‘Jimmie can’t
get around here [Bristol] and I can’t seem to set them up [for Bristol].
3. The Big One at Bristol.
Casey Mears was cleared by his spotter heading into turn 1 when in fact he wasn’t and the big one at Bristol
ensued. Lap 216 it was heard later on the radio ‘clear’ 3 times and when the no. 5 car moved up he clipped the
nose of the no. 55 car driven by Michael Waltrip. Mears got turned into the wall and the accident also involved
Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson, Robby Gordon, Casey Mears and Sam Hornish Jr.
and the race had to be red flagged for the clean up.
4. Not the same old Bristol.
We had to put this one in here because a lot of fans are not happy with the new track configuration or the paving,
so to give everyone equal representation, here you go. When the track was a one lane, on the bottom race circuit it
did make for some exciting action knowing what was coming when one car was holding up a faster car. Under the
old configuration you could count on a ‘Kyle & Carl’ episode on nearly every lap. When the move wasn’t executed
with the same precision as the no. 99 car, then the sheet metal carnage ensued and the beating didn’t always stop
on the track. Oh, the good old days.
5. The let down afterwards.
We hear this one a lot because after the night event is over at Bristol, its sort of like the day after Christmas and
the next track is another mile and a half [cookie cutter] that was forced upon us back in the day when open wheel
dominated the sport of auto racing and NASCAR was just barely a blip on the radar. Fortunately for the short track
lovers, we still have Loudon, Dover & Martinsville left on the schedule this season.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. getting black flagged on lap 7 for passing before the start/finish line at the start of the race
putting him down a lap early. He struggled all night to try to get his lap back, but could never get the break. He was
running with the leaders, but by the time a caution did come out each time, the leader had put lead lap cars a lap
down in front of Junior. Despite going 2 laps down before the conclusion of the race, he still managed an 18th
place finish and actually moved up one spot in points to 3rd.
2. Jimmie Johnson’s troubles continuing at Bristol.
Jimmie Johnson got tangled up with Sterling Marlin on lap 27 while his car was handling very bad. After multiple pit
stops he continued on finishing 33rd and 18 laps down. He dropped one position in points to 4th. After the race,
Johnson’s crew chief Chad Knaus said that they were happy to get out of there with 33rd because ‘Jimmie can’t
get around here [Bristol] and I can’t seem to set them up [for Bristol].
3. The Big One at Bristol.
Casey Mears was cleared by his spotter heading into turn 1 when in fact he wasn’t and the big one at Bristol
ensued. Lap 216 it was heard later on the radio ‘clear’ 3 times and when the no. 5 car moved up he clipped the
nose of the no. 55 car driven by Michael Waltrip. Mears got turned into the wall and the accident also involved
Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson, Robby Gordon, Casey Mears and Sam Hornish Jr.
and the race had to be red flagged for the clean up.
4. Not the same old Bristol.
We had to put this one in here because a lot of fans are not happy with the new track configuration or the paving,
so to give everyone equal representation, here you go. When the track was a one lane, on the bottom race circuit it
did make for some exciting action knowing what was coming when one car was holding up a faster car. Under the
old configuration you could count on a ‘Kyle & Carl’ episode on nearly every lap. When the move wasn’t executed
with the same precision as the no. 99 car, then the sheet metal carnage ensued and the beating didn’t always stop
on the track. Oh, the good old days.
5. The let down afterwards.
We hear this one a lot because after the night event is over at Bristol, its sort of like the day after Christmas and
the next track is another mile and a half [cookie cutter] that was forced upon us back in the day when open wheel
dominated the sport of auto racing and NASCAR was just barely a blip on the radar. Fortunately for the short track
lovers, we still have Loudon, Dover & Martinsville left on the schedule this season.
The Top 5 Best and Worst at Bristol Night
By: Gregg A. Shultz, RaceFanVote.com
Dale Jr. Jumping the start and going a lap down early, the big one, the new track configuration, the bump and run...
Read and Vote on the Top 5 Best and Worst from The Bristol Night Race. Commentary, quotes and stats to help
you make your decision.
By: Gregg A. Shultz, RaceFanVote.com
Dale Jr. Jumping the start and going a lap down early, the big one, the new track configuration, the bump and run...
Read and Vote on the Top 5 Best and Worst from The Bristol Night Race. Commentary, quotes and stats to help
you make your decision.
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1. The [new] track configuration.
As much as we all have fond memories of the way the racing used to be at Bristol, the new pavement and
progressive banking does allow for two lanes of racing and occasionally three. Even though the old school ‘bump
and run’ was implemented by Carl Edwards, the fact that it wasn’t the only way to pass did make for some more
exciting racing.
2. Some names from the past Getting it done at Bristol.
Bill Elliott qualified his Woods Bros. Ford 5th and managed a 26th place finish. Ken Schrader qualified the no. 96
DLP Toyota in 7th and finished 21st. Mike Skinner managed a 28th place finish filling in driving the no. 00 car and
even though the [car] dropped one position in owner’s points, they are only 42 points out of the top 35.
3. David Ragan still getting it done.
After a season to forget in 2007, Ragan continues to surprise [or not] with another solid top 10 finish at Bristol.
After 500 laps of hard racing, Ragan’s car was without a mark on it. Considering the way that he started out the
weekend by crashing his primary car beyond repair during qualifying, it was a victory for the no. 6 team in more
ways than one. What was looking like a pipe dream to make the ‘playoffs’ his consistent finishes have him just 12
points out of the chase with two races left to go. The next race, Fontana, Ragan finished 14th in the spring and then
Richmond where earlier in the season he finished 17th.
4. The finish.
After leading 415 of the 500 laps, Kyle Busch was looking unstoppable to get his 9th win of the season until a late
race caution and the restart on lap 466 allowed Carl Edwards to work on the rear bumper of the no. 18 car. On lap
469 Carl bumped Kyle up the track and Edwards held off the field for the remainder of the race. Kyle then showed
his disapproval of the method of Carl’s pass by ramming the side of the no. 99 car twice before Edwards turned
down on Busch and dumped him on the front stretch. Judging by the roar of the crown, this one will probably be the
hands down winner.
5. The overall event.
Fan of the new pavement and the new style car or not, it was still Bristol. Flared tempers, beating and banging,
bent sheet metal and close quarter racing at its best under the lights. There are only a handful of tracks that the
event is the track and high banks of Bristol’s are definitely one of them. The racing is most of the attraction, but
seeing 160,000 fans packed into the arena sized track is also part of the electricity. It’s why when a new fan to the
sport asks which race should I go to first or one not to miss, Bristol gets suggested 9 times out of 10.
As much as we all have fond memories of the way the racing used to be at Bristol, the new pavement and
progressive banking does allow for two lanes of racing and occasionally three. Even though the old school ‘bump
and run’ was implemented by Carl Edwards, the fact that it wasn’t the only way to pass did make for some more
exciting racing.
2. Some names from the past Getting it done at Bristol.
Bill Elliott qualified his Woods Bros. Ford 5th and managed a 26th place finish. Ken Schrader qualified the no. 96
DLP Toyota in 7th and finished 21st. Mike Skinner managed a 28th place finish filling in driving the no. 00 car and
even though the [car] dropped one position in owner’s points, they are only 42 points out of the top 35.
3. David Ragan still getting it done.
After a season to forget in 2007, Ragan continues to surprise [or not] with another solid top 10 finish at Bristol.
After 500 laps of hard racing, Ragan’s car was without a mark on it. Considering the way that he started out the
weekend by crashing his primary car beyond repair during qualifying, it was a victory for the no. 6 team in more
ways than one. What was looking like a pipe dream to make the ‘playoffs’ his consistent finishes have him just 12
points out of the chase with two races left to go. The next race, Fontana, Ragan finished 14th in the spring and then
Richmond where earlier in the season he finished 17th.
4. The finish.
After leading 415 of the 500 laps, Kyle Busch was looking unstoppable to get his 9th win of the season until a late
race caution and the restart on lap 466 allowed Carl Edwards to work on the rear bumper of the no. 18 car. On lap
469 Carl bumped Kyle up the track and Edwards held off the field for the remainder of the race. Kyle then showed
his disapproval of the method of Carl’s pass by ramming the side of the no. 99 car twice before Edwards turned
down on Busch and dumped him on the front stretch. Judging by the roar of the crown, this one will probably be the
hands down winner.
5. The overall event.
Fan of the new pavement and the new style car or not, it was still Bristol. Flared tempers, beating and banging,
bent sheet metal and close quarter racing at its best under the lights. There are only a handful of tracks that the
event is the track and high banks of Bristol’s are definitely one of them. The racing is most of the attraction, but
seeing 160,000 fans packed into the arena sized track is also part of the electricity. It’s why when a new fan to the
sport asks which race should I go to first or one not to miss, Bristol gets suggested 9 times out of 10.
The winners for Best & Worst from last week at the second Michigan event were:
The Best with 40% of the vote was “Bristol Night next on the schedule.”
The Worst with 37% of the vote was “Dale Junior’s handling issues taking him out of contention for a repeat win.”
We will post this week’s Best and Worst here next Monday so be sure to bookmark our HOME PAGE or look for the RSS feed from SpeedwayMedia.com.
Thanks to all of the visitor’s positive comments on this weekly feature.
The Best with 40% of the vote was “Bristol Night next on the schedule.”
The Worst with 37% of the vote was “Dale Junior’s handling issues taking him out of contention for a repeat win.”
We will post this week’s Best and Worst here next Monday so be sure to bookmark our HOME PAGE or look for the RSS feed from SpeedwayMedia.com.
Thanks to all of the visitor’s positive comments on this weekly feature.
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