Bristol at it's Best!

BY DAVID TAYLOR

Race three of the NASCAR Cup Series Chase took place under the lights for the 500 laps around Bristol. The half mile, high-banked, concrete track truly lived up to the philosophy of “short track short tempers” as the night race never fails to deliver. Lining up second on the grid, Joey Logano scored a huge 73 points on his way to a third win of the season, beating polesitter Kyle Larson who stole second on the final corner from Carson Hocevar.

Known for its beating and banging, the race reminded NASCAR fans why they love the sport as it felt like a tribute to Bristol classics from the 90s flaring tempers and bent fenders. Most notably, an on track collision between Hocevar and Ryan Blaney ultimately cost them both a chance of victory. The incident occurred on lap 458 when the #12 Penske cleared the Spire #77 around the top of the track over the front stretch before moving back down the track. With no time before the corner contact was made and Blaney hitting the wall and taking him out of the race.

An enraged Ryan Blaney was at that point in the race projected to be leading the standings whereas the former champ now sits sixth in points some 52 off the lead. 

On pit road after the race he wasted no time in showing his displeasure marching up to his rival with the intention to hit him, but Carson got there first and walloped him one. Hocevar said he’d never hit anyone before in his life explaining that he did not intentionally wreck Blaney.

This is the latest in a long line of on-track incidents involving Hocevar, but for the fans, the cheers in the crowd showed they also liked to see an altercation as well!

Kyle Larson in his #5 Hendrick Chevrolet takes over the points lead, moving one point ahead of Denny Hamlin who came home eighth. The #11 Joe Gibbs team has had a tricky start to the Chase, but the regular season champion’s on the rise having scored a total of eight stage points at Bristol as well as a second straight top 10 finish. With three mile-and-a-half tracks coming in the next three weeks the question is can the Toyota team find their dominance again on speedways that they showed so brutally earlier in the year?

Another talking point of the race was a memorable tribute to Kyle Busch, as Ty Gibbs drove a throwback M&M’s car honouring a true great of the sport whom we lost earlier this year. Before the race began, Samantha Busch spoke to the crowd, and on lap 18 all the fans waved yellow towels in his honour. Gibbs and the #54 team drove one of their best races of the year, leading a substantial portion of the race—a total of 120 laps—and finishing fifth.

So, what does always mean for NASCAR? I believe Saturday night’s race is what NASCAR have been chasing for a while now - rivalries, close racing, boiling emotions and a natural, organically close championship picture with just seven races remaining. Larson is back on top after his first win of the year, leading Denny Hamlin who’s chasing a maiden title. Joey Logano enters the title picture aiming to win title number four, which he is calling “4 the haters”. It’s all to play for!

📸 Image credits: NASCAR/Getty Images.