Bristol still a learning experience for Johnson

“There’s still a lot to learn here at Bristol, even after coming here for 16 years,” the six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion said Friday.

He said it before qualifying, and again afterward, when his No. 48 Chevrolet logged only the 28th-quickest qualifying time for Sunday’s Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes and Stand Up to Cancer (1 p.m. ET, FOX). Johnson also made contact with the wall during Saturday’s opening practice session damaging the right side of his car.

“It’s just been a struggle,” the 39-year-old said. “I mean, in (Friday’s) practice we were on one side of it and then in qualifying we were on a different side. It’s a frustrating Friday. Bristol can be that way for us.”

Far different results here this time than a week earlier at Texas Motor Speedway where Johnson and his team were on the money almost as soon as the car rolled off the transporter. At Texas, Johnson led 128 of the 334 laps in the Duck Commander 500 en route to his second win of the season.

Matt Kenseth (Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota) and Brad Keselowski (Team Penske, No. 2 Ford) led qualifying, and will start 1-2, respectively, on Sunday. Johnson hopes to be able to see the leaders through his windshield before he sees them in his rearview. Bristol’s like that for those who find themselves deep in the field — even with a strong car, start too far back and the frontrunners will suddenly be on one’s bumper.

“I love this track,” he said. “I just wish that I could show up and walk in the gates … like I do at a lot of my other tracks that I’m strong at.”

Fourth here in the annual night race a year ago, Johnson also finished second in the night race of 2012. But those two are sandwiched around finishes of 22nd, 36th and 19th.

There’s hope, though, thin as it might seem.

“If you can stay on the lead lap and deal with the attrition, you’ll be in decent shape,” he said. “We won’t have any favors on pit road.”

Bristol is the lone remaining Sprint Cup track that features two pit roads — with 22 pit stalls located on the frontstretch and 21 on the back. Winners rarely come from among those pitting on the backstretch, but it has happened. Johnson will pit in stall 32, which is on the backstretch.

“In some ways it’s nice that we qualified so bad that we might find an opportunity on pit road to make up somewhere and work some slower traffic that way,” said Johnson, “but we’re in a bit hole. There is no way around it.

“But it’s a long race. You can still salvage a nice finish here out of being smart an running a strong race and that’s what we’re going to have to do.”

MORE: