OK, Matt just wants more occasions to say “Oh no, my shirt is so dirty … ” and then rip it off Hulk-Hogan style in front of everyone else, BUT cool to know there’s such universal love for the Bristol dirt.
I didn’t know how much I missed watching practice. @NASCAR
Oscar’s like “I really appreciate the goggles but did you happen to remember I spend several hours every day digging and burying your belongings in the yard?”
William can iRace, surf the web, stream TV shows and movies, and order food from this thing. There is literally no reason to ever leave it. I suppose to shower, but who really needs to do that if you’re like William and have enough scented candles burning all the time that will mask the funk.
Social Media Superstar Of The Week – Alex Bowman
During the Pro Invitational Event at Bristol, Alex Bowman once again showed why he’s a must-follow during iRacing events when he probably should be driving and not tweeting but whatever.
Computers never update when it’s convenient. They wait until you have a paper due in an hour, the new Jordans are about to go on sale, and when your heat race begins in five minutes.
Ok so tweeting and iRacing is tough… decided ig stories are gonna be the way to go this year so y’all go check that out. I already about got decapitated by my @allyracing backdrop.
Don’t change them. Always have a ready-to-use excuse if things go haywire. In this case, dead batteries. Works for everything from wrecking another guy on track to blocking the Suez Canal for three days with your boat.
Thank you for the honesty and the entertainment, Alex. That’s why you’re the Social Media Superstar of the week. Also, install any updates well before the next Pro Invitational Series race.
Both the Camping World Truck and NASCAR Cup Series were scheduled to set their main-event lineups through four 15-lap qualifying races apiece. But those preliminaries were washed out, and the starting lineups for both series will be set by performance metrics.
The Camping World Truck Series Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt was rescheduled from a Saturday night start to approximately a 9 p.m. ET green flag Sunday (FS2, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), after Cup Series’ inaugural Food City Dirt Race, the seventh points-paying event of the Cup season. That event is slated for Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX, PRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).
Both series set the starting lineups according to the inclement weather policies in the NASCAR Rule Book. Kyle Larson will start from the pole position in the Cup Series event, but he is expected to drop to the rear after changing his engine following Friday’s final practice. John Hunter Nemechek is set to start first in the Camping World Trucks.
The Trucks attempted to start the first qualifying race shortly after 5:30 p.m. ET, but visibility issues arose after the windshields and grilles quickly collected mud due to damp track conditions. The first of four qualifying races was red-flagged on Lap 2.
NASCAR announced on Saturday afternoon a handful of competition adjustments for Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Dirt Race (4 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) following the sanctioning body’s discoveries from Friday’s opening practice sessions on the dirt surface. The race was moved from Sunday to Monday due to flooding and safety concerns after heavy rain again hit the area.
Working in collaboration with drivers, teams, Bristol Motor Speedway and Goodyear, NASCAR will extend the Stage 1 and Stage 2 distances, add two competition cautions and increase tire allotment. The result: there are now important additional opportunities to prep the track during the competition cautions, and more opportunities for teams to change tires — all of which should result in better racing for the first NASCAR Cup Series race on dirt in 50 years.
The tweaks:
• Stages: Stage 1 will now end on Lap 100 (previously Lap 75) and Stage 2 will now end on Lap 200 (previously Lap 150). The race will still consist of 250 laps.
• Competition cautions: There will be competition cautions on Laps 50 and Lap 150 — the exact midway point of Stage 1 and Stage 2. That will allow NASCAR two additional opportunities for track prep and also allows teams the chance to pit. Laps will not count once NASCAR sends the free pass car around.
• Goodyear tires: Each team will receive an additional set of tires, for a total of six (one set used in qualifying race and five stickers). Higher-than-anticipated tire wear was prevalent during Friday’s practice, necessitating the adjustment.
Food City Dirt Race at Bristol (⏰ 4 p.m. ET | 📺 FOX | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)
Everything you need to know for Monday’s race, the seventh points-paying NASCAR Cup Series event of the 2021 season.
Where: Bristol Motor Speedway, a half-mile oval covered in dirt located in Bristol, Tennessee Green flag: 4:18 p.m. ET TV/Radio: FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Forecast: Sunny, with a high near 59. Northwest wind around 5 mph, according to NOAA.gov National anthem: Randy Houser Grand marshal: Bristol Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell and Bristol Motor Speedway team members Race Distance: 250 laps, 125 miles Stages: 100 | 200 | 250; Competition cautions at Lap 50 and Lap 150 | Competition changes made for Bristol Pit-road speed: 30 mph Caution car speed: 35 mph Bristol 101: Get the full lowdown for Sunday
Starting lineup: See the full lineup | Check out every car in Sunday’s race
Cars to the rear: No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Kyle Larson (engine change)
Pit stall assignments: See who is pitting where
At-track sights: Take in the scenes of the racing on dirtTwitter: @BMSupdates
Five to watch
Here are five big story lines we’ll be following.
1. Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell have won the last five Chili Bowls — the premier midget race in the United States — and are regarded as the top two dirt racers in the Cup Series today. Both have Eldora wins from when that track was on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule and both are overwhelming favorites in Monday’s race. Larson is fresh off a dominating performance at Atlanta that saw him lose the lead late to eventual winner Ryan Blaney but will have to come from the back of the field after his team changed engines in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet following final practice. Will we get a Larson-Bell duel on the dirt in the closing laps at Bristol? That would be something to behold.
2. Blaney’s win at Atlanta made it six winners in six races to open the season. Will a wild-card race such as Bristol on dirt make it seven-for-seven with Cup regulars with dirt backgrounds like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Tyler Reddick, Chase Briscoe or Alex Bowman grabbing the victory, two former Eldora winners in Austin Dillon and Bubba Wallace could find their way to a triumph in Thunder Valley or will a dirt specialist making their Cup debut have a magical day? And that doesn’t take into account the drivers at or near the top of the standings … Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott and more who have yet to win.
3. Speaking of dirt specialists making their Cup debut, there are four of them in this race: Chris Windom, Stewart Friesen, Mike Marlar and Shane Golobic. Windom is running for the No. 15 Chevrolet Rick Ware Racing and is one of seven drivers to win the USAC Triple Crown. Marlar will run the No. 66 Motorsports Business Management Toyota and is a two-time Knoxville Nationals winner and the 2018 World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion. Friesen will drive the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet and has been a truck regular for several seasons. He won at Eldora in 2019, not to mention that he cut his teeth racing on dirt tracks around the country. Golobic will pilot the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford and finished second in the USAC National Midget Series in 2017.
4. For all we’ve said about Cup drivers with dirt backgrounds and dirt specialists, does a driver who isn’t necessarily known as a dirt devil have a good chance to win Monday? A host of drivers — Kyle Busch, Logano, Elliott, Corey LaJoie, Chris Buescher and others — tuned up in dirt races over the past few weeks. And could anything be learned from the Pro Invitational Series race won by William Byron?
5. The Cup Series has not run a race on dirt since 1970, so expect the unexpected. There are some big differences at play regarding rules and pit-road regulations for this race. There will be no live green-flag pit stops. Teams will execute non-competitive pit stops, changing tires and adding fuel as needed at stage breaks. Exceptions will be made for vehicles involved in incidents. Additionally, teams are not required to pit during stage breaks. Those that elect to stay on the track during stage intermissions will line up ahead of the cars/trucks that pit on the ensuing restart. The choose rule will not be in effect for this race. There will also be competition cautions at Laps 50 and 150.
Race-day staples
Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles. •Power Rankings: Larson looks like a title favorite. | See the ranks •Paint Scheme Preview: Check out the schemes dancing on the dirt | See the schemes •Fantasy Fastlane: See which drivers to use, avoid | Full Fantasy advice | Set your roster •Preview Show: Jonathan Merryman and Alex Weaver preview the race | Watch the show
Dishing on the dirt
Everything you could want to know about the Cup Series dirt history and Bristol’s evolution to dirt for this race •Details in the dirt: 23,000 cubic yards. That’s how much dirt was added to Bristol. | Learn about the transformation •What an evolution: See how the track took shape over the past months | See the photos • How to set up for the dirt: NBC Sports’ Steve Letarte examines what goes into prepping for a race like this | Letarte’s lowdown
•FAQ about dirt racing: Learn the terminology and lingo as well as race procedures for Sunday | FAQ, glossary for Sunday •Storied past: NASCAR’s beginnings started in dirt. See photos from the past come to life. | Past in photos
• Returning to roots: The last Cup race on dirt was in 1970. Get more details on the sport’s early days. | Learn the history
Get in on the action
Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy. • Betting odds for today’s race | See the odds • Who’s a dark horse bet to consider? | BetMGM’s preview • Dirt race creates challenge for bookmakers, bettors | Full betting preview • Take a shot at winning cash prizes with the free-to-play Jackpot Races app | Hit the jackpot • Full guide to 2021 NASCAR Fantasy Live game | Get the FAQ
Track history
Every track has a story to tell. Here’s what we’ve seen go down at Bristol Motor Speedway in the past. •Rattling the cage: Memorable moments at Bristol | See the moments •Spring savants: All-time spring race track winners | See the list •Take me to your leader: Top 10 lap leaders at Bristol | See the list
Fast facts
Hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights. • No one in the field was born the last time there was a Cup Series dirt race • Lee Petty is the career Cup wins leader on dirt tracks with 42 wins • Each manufacturer has won twice in the first six races • No drivers finished top 10 in all the races this season • Kyle Larson has run the most laps in the top 10 this season (1,195 to 1,190 for Denny Hamlin)
Catch the pack
Read up on all the headlines from the week leading up to Sunday’s race. • Bowman, Blaney top practice sessions while Larson has to change engine| Recap the practices | Spin cycle: See the practice spins
• Which driver with a dirt background is the best pick for Bristol? | Read our debate
• Which driver not known for a dirt background is the best pick for Bristol?| See our selections
• Unpredictable challenges await Sunday’s field | Marathon for dirt drivers
• Could Brad Keselowski be on the move for 2021? Not if Roger Penske can help it. | Captain chimes in
• With a street course coming to the Pro Invitational Series, could the Cup Series be on the horizon? | ‘Everything is on the table’ • Backseat Drivers: Kyle Petty says ‘don’t see Noah did anything wrong’ in Xfinity Series brouhaha with Daniel Hemric. | Hear the debate • Cup cars were on track for a test at Nashville Superspeedway ahead of the June race. | Get a first look
Say what?
Notable quotes from the stars of the sport heading into Monday’s race. For more on what drivers are saying, check out this quote book. “It’s definitely a race that I had circled on the calendar whenever we went into the 2021 season and it still is. I think I’ve got a great opportunity to win another race this weekend at Bristol so we’re going to do everything we can to win another race. It’s nice not having to rely on this and be like, ‘Man, this is our only way to the Playoffs.’ ” — Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
“Even me being a dirt racer, I really don’t know what to expect. These (NASCAR Cup Series) cars are way different than what I’m used to racing on dirt. They are way heavier with a lot less power than I’m used to. I think the only thing that transfers from my previous dirt experience to this weekend is how to read the surface and how it changes and evolves throughout the weekend and the race. I may be able to adapt to that quicker than a pavement racer.” — Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
“It’s actually really nice that Alex (Bowman) has some dirt experience racing in the midgets and his love for it. I think his background and experience really brings an added bonus to not only myself, but the rest of the race team. I grew up having a little bit of dirt experience, but most of my stuff was on asphalt.” — Greg Ives, crew chief for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
“The track is kind of coming up and just crazy big divots. It’s definitely not smooth. It’s rough, but you just run through things that you think will work and there wasn’t really much lane changing going on. Larson and Reddick could kind of run the top for a little while and then it kind of went away after a handful of minutes, but just seeing how straight and smooth you can be and trying to keep tires on it. We’re seeing a lot of tires getting corded pretty quickly, especially right-rears, even right-fronts started to go pretty quick, so that’s something that’s gonna come into play is saving your tires when the track is probably gonna be like this come race time.” — Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford
The following article is brought to you by BetMGM.
Talk about getting back to your roots — we present the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol (Monday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). NASCAR’s history is loaded with dirt-race lore. In the early days of racing, drivers competed on whatever surface they could find.
Most of the time in those early years, that surface was dirt. Only years later did asphalt (or in some cases, concrete) become the predominant choice. In fact, while lower series have done it recently, the last dirt-track race in the NASCAR Cup Series happened in 1970. Since it’s been so long, this weekend’s version will be an interesting race to bet NASCAR online, but we’ll give you some clues on who has flourished on dirt in lower divisions of racing.
For the record, the all-time winningest driver — Richard Petty — captured the checkered flag at the last one in 1970. It was contested at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.
On Monday, we’ll get to see a throwback race at one of the NASCAR Cup Series’ favorite venues — Bristol Motor Speedway in the hills of Tennessee. The speedway has covered its concrete track with dirt for this weekend’s foray into yesteryear.
The key to racing on dirt is to control the car’s natural pull to the outside of a slick surface, while keeping its tires underneath the machine. It’s a balance that takes serious skill and experience. Some drivers came from that background and have mastered it, and some haven’t.
It’s similar to road courses, where a road-course ringer might pop up two or three times a year out of nowhere and be a legitimate threat to win. With a dirt track? If you’re following the NASCAR odds this week, you’ll see some new names, which we’ll discuss below.
THE FAVORITE
Kyle Larson (+250)
Kyle Larson is like a Zen master of dirt-track racing. Aside from already being one of the more dominant NASCAR Cup Series wheelers on all track genres, he’s been one of the frontrunners in lower-series racing when it comes to the dirt. Larson ran 97 non-NASCAR races on dirt in 2020. He won 46 of them.
Does that help one understand why he’s perched atop the NASCAR betting lines this weekend?
To be honest? Larson has long been known as a guy who wanted to slip away mid-week and run dirt races all over the country. He’s a natural, and there’s really no question why he’s the frontrunner this weekend.
OTHERS: Keep an eye on up-and-comer Christopher Bell (+550). Are you sick of us mentioning this guy, week in and week out? He truly is one to watch this upcoming weekend, as he can spin it. He has a history of success at dirt tracks.
THE DARK HORSE THREAT
Austin Dillon (+1000)
Who are we kidding? Dillon seems due for a race victory, and this might just be the place to do it. He’s been close this year, taking third at the Daytona 500 and sixth last weekend in Atlanta. He’s 11th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings so far, right on the cusp of being one of the elites.
As an accomplished dirt-race guy, getting his fourth career win on this track would be a massive boost to trying to get him into the top 10 in the series. He did win a past truck race at Eldora’s dirt-track course, and he has the firepower under the hood to do big things this weekend. Watch out.
OTHERS: Tyler Reddick (+1600) has a solid dirt-racing background and is a guy to keep an eye on in the No. 8 BetMGM car for Richard Childress Racing. Chase Briscoe (+1000) is another up-and-coming star who has the same kind of background as Reddick.
THE INTRIGUING LONG SHOT
Stewart Friesen (+1400)
Honestly? Stewart Friesen may not be the underdog or potential Cinderella story one might think. He has 97 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and one of his two career wins — and three of his top-five finishes — have come at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, a well-known dirt track.
Friesen, a native Canadian, has been pretty strong in the series overall, with top 10 finishes in 51 of his 97 starts. Not only is he a good dirt-track racer, he’s a pretty effective racer in general.
OTHERS: When it comes to some of the other new faces this weekend, Mike Marlar (+3000), Chris Windom (+4000), and Shane Golobic (+5000) are interesting candidates because they are dirt-track ringers. This weekend, all three join Friesen in their first career NASCAR Cup Series starts. Golobic races mostly in sprint cars and has more than 80 feature wins to his name.
Windom is a master of the USAC Midget circuit. Marlar has one Xfinity Series race on his resume and has had a cup of coffee with the Camping World Truck Series. He took fourth at the Eldora Speedway dirt-track race in 2019.
Ryan Blaney was fastest in NASCAR Cup Series final practice Friday on the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt.
Blaney posted the fastest lap early on in the 50-minute session with a time of 20.172 seconds at 89.233 mph in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford. Alex Bowman, who topped the leaderboard at the conclusion of opening practice, finished second in the session with a time of 20.194 seconds at 89.135 mph.
Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Chase Briscoe rounded out the top-five fastest speeds.
Kyle Larson, who finished 15th in final practice and fifth in the first practice, will have to start at the rear of the field Monday due to an engine change. Larson took the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet back to the pits due to high engine temperatures, which caused damage that was too significant to repair.
Unfortunately, the engine in the No. 5 car has to be changed due to elevated temps and subsequent damage to engine.
Cole Custer went for a spin with less than 10 minutes remaining in the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford after posting the 20th fastest time.
PRACTICE 1
Alex Bowman set the pace in a groundbreaking practice session Friday afternoon, posting the fastest lap as NASCAR Cup Series drivers made the rounds on Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt surface for the first time.
Bowman pushed the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to a best speed of 89.308 mph on the half-mile track. The 50-minute session marked the opening of on-track activity ahead of Monday’s Food City Dirt Race (4 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM), the Cup Series’ first event on dirt since 1970.
Dirt expert Christopher Bell was second-fastest at 88.999 mph in the No. 20 Toyota, the first of three Joe Gibbs Racing entries in a row behind Bowman. Kyle Busch placed third on the speed chart with teammate Denny Hamlin fourth and Hendrick’s Kyle Larson rounding out the top five.
Opening practice was completed without major incident, with solo spins by Martin Truex Jr. and JJ Yeley (twice) among the few missteps. Truex is among those Cup Series drivers doing double duty in Monday’s Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt (noon ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM) for the Camping World Truck Series.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell is on standby for John Hunter Nemechek in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events this weekend on Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt track if the full-time driver of the No. 4 Toyota needs to leave for his baby’s arrival.
Nemechek is in his first season with KBM. He’s already locked into the 2021 playoffs thanks to a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
If he does fill in for Monday’s main event — the Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt (Noon ET on FS1 MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) — Bell would become the ninth Cup Series driver in the field. Daniel Suarez, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Mike Marlar and Stewart Friesen are also pulling double duty this weekend.
Bell is the 2017 Truck Series champion, the 2015 Eldora Speedway truck winner and a three-time Chili Bowl Nationals winner.
While Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell may be the favorites for Monday’s Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (4 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM), there are plenty of other drivers who could steal a victory away.
There are many in the NASCAR Cup Series who don’t have an extensive dirt racing background, but that doesn’t mean you should count them out. Defending champion Chase Elliott grew up racing late models on asphalt but has put a recent focus on improving his dirt prowess by participating in events like the Bristol Dirt Nationals and the Chili Bowl. Another Hendrick Motorsports driver, William Byron, beat the competition he’ll be facing on Sunday by winning Wednesday night’s Pro Invitational Series race on the iRacing virtual Bristol dirt.
Before this weekend’s action, NASCAR.com’s Pat DeCola and Chase Wilhelm debate which driver with a non-extensive background of racing on dirt could park it in Victory Lane on Sunday.
DECOLA: As tempting as it is to pick Joey Logano here — for the Joe Dirt puns alone — I’m pretty confident Kyle Busch will be battling at the front of the field.
I do think Logano will be strong, and I think Rowdy will be for similar reasons. The inaugural Bristol Dirt Race just has that special, crown-jewel-type feeling to it, and we tend to see the superstars of the sport (i.e. Busch and Logano) rise to the occasion with more eyeballs watching and intensity heightened.
Of course, star power won’t matter much if a driver can’t figure out how to maneuver through the mud, so it comes down to talent. And there’s a reason only one driver in the series has an “F” inserted into the middle of his initials — you’d be hard-pressed to find a driver more talented behind the wheel than KFB, regardless of the surface he’s racing on.
While his background is primarily asphalt and he’s never run the Eldora Dirt Derby, Busch did win a dirt late model race at the Speedway in the final running of the Prelude to the Dream in 2012. He’s also shown in the past to be incredibly flexible on different track layouts, packages, disciplines, you name it. If there’s a race and he’s in it, he’s got a shot.
Busch has also been picking up the pace in recent weeks and appears to be heading into the weekend with a full head of steam. Given his success at Bristol — 22 combined wins across all three series — the Joe Gibbs Racing driver looks to me like one of the best picks from the “non-dirt” circle of drivers on that and flat-out talent alone.
WILHELM: Coming off his first victory on a 1.5-mile race track at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the potential is high for Ryan Blaney to become the first repeat winner of the 2021 season. Although Blaney doesn’t have the extensive dirt racing experience that would provide an advantage on Sunday, he has the next best thing — momentum and family genes.
His father, former Cup Series driver Dave Blaney, won the World of Outlaws championship in 1995 and finished second in the standings on four other occasions — 1993, ’94, ’96 and ’97. Dave also raced on Bristol’s dirt in the early 2000s, finishing ninth in the World of Outlaws feature in 2001.
If that’s not enough, Ryan’s uncle, Dale, is another renowned dirt racer in the family. Dale is a six-time All-Star Circuit of Champions title winner, earning 137 victories on the circuit. He also owns 11 wins in the World of Outlaws and finished fifth in the 2000 running of the sprint-car race on the Bristol dirt. Ryan’s grandfather, Lou, was also an established dirt racer in his time.
After the Atlanta win, Blaney’s No. 12 crew chief Todd Gordon said that he’d rely heavily on Ryan’s father for advice leading into this weekend. I’d say that’s a pretty solid game plan that could land another generation of the Blaney family in Victory Lane at a dirt track on Sunday.
In a star-studded field of Modifieds that visited Martinsville Speedway in the fall of 2000, veteran Reggie Ruggiero grabbed his fourth NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour victory in Goody’s Body Pain 200.
In typical Martinsville fashion, it was not without drama, controversy and more than a few damaged race cars and hurt feelings.
It was Ted Christopher, who led 34 laps and appeared to be cruising to the victory before a late-race caution allowed Ruggiero one last shot at the win.
The winning pass occurred with nine laps to go, when Ruggiero dove under Christopher for the lead in turn one. The two made contact, and Christopher spun into the wall and out of the race.
“Look at The Reg, trying to get on the inside of Christopher.”
The win was the second of the season for Ruggiero and the 41st of his career.
Christopher wound up 19th.
Coming into the penultimate race of the 2000 season, Ruggiero and Jerry Marquis were in the midst of a fierce championship battle. Both drivers were in search of their first Tour championship. Marquis was in his second full-time season on the Tour. Ruggiero, after finishing second in points six times prior, was making yet another run at the title.
Marquis had won the week prior at Stafford, retaking the point lead in the process. He was ahead of Ruggiero by just 18 points heading into Martinsville.
Along with Marquis and Ruggiero in the field that day were Tony Hirschman, Ted Christopher, Rick Fuller, and Jamie Tomaino, all of whom were Tour champions. Joining them were fellow Modified stars John Blewett III, Tom Baldwin, Ed Flemke Jr, and Tim Connelly. Making his second Tour start was a 24-year-old Burt Myers.
The 200-lap race saw six lead changes between five different drivers.
Ruggiero likely never would have gotten to Christopher’s back bumper, if it weren’t for contact between Marquis and Ruggiero. Marquis was trying to find a way under the slower Ruggiero when he clipped the inside curb and spun himself.
Despite a late-race spin, Marquis was able to rally up to second by the checkered flag. He and Ruggiero headed to the season-finale at Thompson separated by a mere eight points.
While Ruggiero won the race, it would be Marquis who won the championship, wrapping up the title with a fifth-place finish two weeks later at Thompson with a scant 36-point cushion. It would mark the seventh time that Ruggiero finished as the championship runner-up.
See where your favorite driver will pit for Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (4 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
