There will be two firsts to take place during the O'Reilly 200 on Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET, SPEED), the trucks will be the first NASCAR national series to run a race on the new concrete at BMS and Brendan Gaughan will run his first race as a married man.

"I've been very fortunate in my life to have a group of very good friends, and I have added another best friend to that group and that's my new wife, Tatum," Gaughan said. "The funny part to me is the word marriage and the action of a wedding has always been a very frightening experience to me. We definitely know that I was never the guy who was meant for marriage. I mean, everybody asked where my bachelor party was and I said 'No thanks, my life has been a bachelor party for the last 32 years.' I didn't really think I needed one."

By the Numbers

Todd Bodine has finished second in the last two races at Bristol and he hopes to be the first to visit Victory Lane on the new concrete.

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That's right, the Truck Series' consummate bachelor is now one of the married guys. During this past off week in Vail, Colo., Gaughan and his bride officially tied the knot in what Gaughan says was a very special occasion.

"It was an absolutely gorgeous day -- couldn't have asked for anything better," Gaughan said. "I'm happy to have her and excited to put my name on the list of married drivers now. I guess I'm no longer a 'Young Gun' officially."

Another list Gaughan would like to add his name is winner at Bristol Motor Speedway. Although the driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet has seen himself up front, his best finish at the 0.533-mile short track is a fourth back in 2003, bad luck has creped into the last two races. The 2005 race saw Gaughan collected in a crash just 18 laps in and last season he was running second to Mark Martin when a pit road speeding penalty ruined any chances of a top-five finish, ultimately ending up 17th.

But the Truck Series did some testing at the new Bristol in July and Gaughan was pleased with his results. Running more than 300 laps in the test session, Gaughan says his South Point Racing team has plenty of data and they will bring a truck capable of winning.

"All I know is we did a whole lot of laps and I was tired at the end of the day," Gaughan said. "Every time this race team goes to a track to test and we get to verify the engineering data that Chevrolet is giving to us, we end up coming back stellar.

"We were sixth quick on the whole day at Bristol in July. We did 300 plus laps. We did more shocks than I have ever seen us throw at something. We did more adjustments than I have ever seen a race team make. We took full advantage of that test. That's what testing is supposed to be about. I'm glad we got it. I just wish we had more."

Another driver very pleased with his test session in July was Terry Cook. The driver of the No. 59 Toyota was second-fastest in the eight-hour test and the veteran Truck Series driver says this is not the old Bristol track everyone is used to, but it's a better one.

"The track is completely different than it used to be," Cook said. "You'll attack it different, you'll race it different. A lot of the mindset you used to have in preparing to race at Bristol is changed. I think it's going to be a better racing surface and provide the fans a lot of great racing."

Second year star Erik Darnell, who won his first race earlier this season at Kansas, has just one start at Bristol but agrees with Cook that the new surface will lead to better racing.

"The resurfacing project was a great success in my eyes," Darnell said. "I'm really looking forward to the race; I think it's going to be a great one. When things happen at Bristol, they happen in a hurry. You've got to stay on your toes every single lap."

At least one driver disagrees with the assessment that the racing will change at Bristol with the new surface. Ted Musgrave, who has finishes of sixth and third in the last two races at Bristol, says fans should expect the same aggressive racing "the world's fastest half-mile" is known for, new concrete and all.

"When I heard what they wanted to do, my reaction was 'Great.' And it is," Musgrave said. "Bristol Motor Speedway is a racetrack where I always wanted to see two grooves of racing, a second lane, a passing area. My first reaction was cool, then, after testing, I really don't think it is going to change the racing we expect at Bristol. I think the 'bump and run' and 'push' to get by will still be there -- the action won't change.

"The track is a little bit easier to drive now. Whether that's good or bad, I'm not quite sure. Sometimes the person that wins at Bristol is the one that has the best handling truck under extreme conditions."

The consensus in the garage is Bristol is more open than before with the second racing groove. Does this mean the beating and banging were used to seeing at Bristol will disappear, only time will tell.

As for Gaughan, fighting for track position with 35 other drivers might not be the only battle he faces this weekend. Being newly married brings a set of new challenges, and his team isn't helping matters.

"My crew chief bought me and my lovely bride Marriage for Dummies and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Marriage," Gaughan said. "Tatum and I had a big fight over which one should get which book. We couldn't choose who was the idiot and who was the dummy, so we share them. We each get a chapter and then we switch books."

Ahhh, married life. Congratulations to the newlyweds, Brendan and Tatum Gaughan.