| | By Ron Buck
ESPN.com
| FAST FACTS |
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Event |
goracing.com 500 |
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When |
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) |
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Where |
Bristol Motor Speedway (oval, .533 miles, 36 degrees banking in turns).
Bristol, Tenn.
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Distance |
266.5 miles (500 laps) |
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Defending champion |
Dale Earnhardt |
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1999 Pole Sitter |
Tony Stewart, 124.589 mph
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Qualifying |
Friday, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2); Second round, Saturday, 1:45 p.m. ET.
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Track Records |
Qualifying record: Mark Martin, 125.093 mph (1995)
Race record: Charlie Glotzbach, 101.074 mph (1971)
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On the Track
It's the smallest track on the Winston Cup circuit, but when the lights come on at Bristol Motor Speedway the excitement level reaches Daytona proportions. It's the one stop each year drivers either love or hate, or hate to love. Fans, however, love the hot August night of action in the Tennessee mountains.
Without rehashing the past, last year was a perfect example of why Bristol is such a fan favorite. Well, unless you happen to be a fan of Terry Labonte. You never know how things are going to end up. You only know plenty of "stuff" will happen over the 500 laps to the checkered flags.
Dale Earnhardt's bump-and-run to victory a year ago raised plenty of eyebrows and left more than a few fans booing when the Intimidator reached Victory Lane. But since that encounter, nothing malicious has happened between the 3 and 5 cars on the track. Nothing is expected to happen Saturday night. But, then again, Bristol is where the unexpected is expected.
How do you reach Victory Lane at Bristol? Well, short of keeping Earnhardt off your bumper on the final lap, luck is the key ingredient to any Bristol win. But it's a roll of the dice, really. Starting out front doesn't mean anything except pitting on the front stretch, which is a big help. But after 20 or so laps, the leaders have caught the back of the pack and suddenly the fastest cars are one slow car's mistake away from an early exit.
Bobby Labonte comes to Bristol with the points lead. That's nothing new for Labonte, who's held the lead for 13 races. Leaving Bristol with the lead will depend on that aforementioned luck. Dale Jarrett came to Bristol last year with the points lead and a string of 19 straight top-10 finishes. His Ford limped home 38th after one little mistake started a chain reaction of trouble throughout the night.
Labonte had his own share of problems a year ago, spinning late and finishing 27th. A similar result could see his points lead cut by as much as half by night's end.
But enough about what can go wrong at Bristol. After all, there are drivers who've found the winning touch on the half-mile track.
Rusty Wallace has won the past two spring races under the sun and has eight career wins at Bristol. He can become the first driver to sweep Bristol races since that Earnhardt fella did it back in 1987. Wallace comes into the race off his Pepsi 400 victory, his third win of the season.
Earnhardt ranks second all-time with nine Bristol wins, behind Darrell Waltrip's 12 trips to Victory Lane. Waltrip will be trying to make his final Bristol field on Friday. Out of provisionals, D.W. missed last week's final race at Michigan. It would be a shame to see him have to watch Saturday night's affair.
Oh, and don't forget about Jeff Gordon. All he did from 1995 to '98 was win four straight Bristol spring races. In all the final-lap excitement last year under the lights, Gordon came home fourth.
Bristol under the lights? Ah, just let the action begin.
Drivers to Watch
Dale Earnhardt: No matter where he starts, watch him work his way to the front. In the spring race, he started 11th and was leading when he was collected by a spinning Kenny Irwin. The guy just knows how to get around Bristol. Last year, he showed you could win even while pitting on the back stretch. Even without the "bump," he was running second on the final lap after starting 26th.
Rusty Wallace: Rides a hot streak into his "home track." Not only won last week's Pepsi 400, but also won the Pennsylvania 500, finished second at the Brickyard 400 and was third in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. Won the Food City 500 at Bristol on March 26 and has led a series-high 1,042 laps. Man to beat Saturday night.
Jeff Gordon: While he's won four races under the Bristol sun, he's never reached Victory Lane under the Bristol lights. Was eighth in the spring race to Wallace. Bristol comes at a good time after three straight finishes of 23rd or lower.
Dale Jarrett: Continues to keep pressure on Bobby Labonte in the chase for the championship with 18 top-10s, including the last 13 races. Trails the points leader by 111 points, but has opened up a 126-point gap between himself and Earnhardt. Won this race in 1997.
Bobby Labonte: While Jarrett continues to put on the pressure, Labonte keeps responding with his own solid runs each week. His third-place finish at the Pepsi 400 was latest of 16 top-10 finishes this season. Has two wins (Brickyard 400, Dura Lube 400).
Mark Martin: Won at Martinsville this year and has two career Bristol wins, the last coming in this race two years ago. Finished sixth in this race last year and 16th in the spring earlier this year.
Jeff Burton: An accomplished short-track racer with wins at Martinsville and Richmond. Finished second to Martin in this race two years ago. Ran ninth in spring race and comes into this race with four straight top-10s.
Johnny Benson: Valvoline's 2001 driver is coming off his third top-10 finish of the year with the fifth-place at Michigan this past Sunday. Ran second in the Food City 500 at Bristol in March.
Tony Stewart: Shares the circuit lead with Rusty Wallace for most wins with three and is second to Wallace in laps led. All three of his wins have come in the last 10 races, finishing among the top six in seven of them. Won the pole for this race a year ago.
Kyle Petty: The sentimental choice this weekend. Petty will take his final ride in the No. 44 Pontiac. After this weekend, he'll man the No. 45 Sprint Chevrolet -- formerly driven by his late son Adam -- in the Busch Series in preparation for a move to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in 2001. Petty has eight career Winston Cup wins, but none at Bristol.
Ron Buck is ESPN.com's auto racing editor.
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Furr: Time to enjoy another night of Bristol banging
Bristol perfect place for Wallace to go back-to-back
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