The Last Great Coliseum Preview!

The Food City 500

This year's Spring Bristol race once again is looking to be threatened again by some horrible weather. Hopefully, for all the Bristol fan such as myself we get that race off tomorrow as planned. The weekend to this point has defiantly been a fast paced one and after Texas how could we expect any less. So as usual I'm gonna give you guys a little back story on Bristol to start out. Then some race predictions and last but not least some fantasy options from my point of view. So lets get started ladies and germs!

Bristol Motor Speedway, was constructed in 1961 and one short year later held there first NASCAR race. Even though this track is small, and short it has become on of the most popular tracks on the NASCAR circuit for fans and drivers alike for many years. The short track in northern Tennessee is the fourth largest sports venue in the U.S and the eighth largest in the world! The dang world are you kidding me? A small town track that has twenty to thirty degree banking, is one of the largest sports venues in the world. Bristol has a historic record book needless to say. The King himself Richard Petty holds three records,with twenty six top fives, thirty seven top tens, and sixty starts. The guy who holds the record for the most wins is Darrell Waltrip, and a respected short track driver in his own right. The Last Great Coliseum as it is now called, is a highlighted track for most fans and drivers alike.

The race weekend in Bristol started off with something race fans at Bristol should be familiar with seeing. Kyle and Kurt Busch qualifying on the front row. The Busch brothers are notorious for being good at this track with a combined eleven wins since 2002. Kyle Busch swept both races in 2009 and then went back to back with the fall 2010 race and the spring 2011 race. Combined the younger of the Busch brother's has five wins in the last ten years. With that being said he did claim the pole position for this weeks race, and only three times in ten years have the pole winner won the race too. Unfortunately for older brother Kurt his Sunday isn't gonna start how he wanted after Friday in final practice Kurt hit the wall and will be starting Sunday from the back of the field in a backup car along with Johnson and Harvick. The starting ten appears to be something this season that is not new. Before the 41 cars trip to the rear of the field there was set to be seven blue ovals, two bow ties, and one camry. The last ten years the manufacters have split this race pretty well almost even well unless your Toyota. Ford has four wins, Chevrolet has five, and before Dodge was left the sport they scored two wins. Toyota on the other hand has kinda shown some dominance since entering the sport with nine wins, and five coming from the 18 team. With Kyle leading the field to the green flag whether that be Sunday or Monday this could lead to be another Toyota win. Now also the unspoken contenders in the field are the 42 team and Kyle Larson, I've been very vocal this year about these guys and the new cars but this is the very track that they could finally start there ascendance to some victories. In final practice Chase Elliott and the 9 team where just one of four teams in the final top ten of practice speeds. Shockingly an unlikely driver and team were leading those guys with that being David Ragan and the 38 team. So here are my predictions for the race. I as always look forward to this race because one of two things is gonna happen. There will be a major surprise winner come outta this race, or a usual winner example Kyle Busch will dominate. I think after all we've seen this year there is no reason not to think that Kyle Busch won't run away with this thing especially if it gets to go off without a hitch today. Now if some rain comes in before the halfway mark or even before the race starts in general and changes the track we could see possibly a first time winner at Bristol and in the series completely. I would really love to see this race get off to a competitive start, but with only the bottom groove showing any promise in the Xfinity race I don't know how the competition will fair. Still got some more to come I've got some fantasy options for the race too if you are still unsure of who to pick. 

I as a fan, have really gotten into the fantasy side of the sport a little more and more every weekend. So, I thought why not add it to my weekly preview. I've got some easy to make picks and some possible sleepers for the "Thunder Alley." So your pole winner and last years fall race winner Kyle Busch really needs to be your first pick if possible. I know that the NASCAR website put's a limit on the times you can use each driver, but the youngest Busch is a shewn anytime he comes to the half mile track. The other dominant car this season Kevin Harvick, now even though he is coming from the rear in a backup car. This team proved last week after multiple mishaps on pit road they are always a contender. The other two drivers that should be common sense picks are the 42 and 22. Kyle Larson led a combined 272 laps in two races last year, yes I know different car and different season but his bad luck is bound to end some where. Joey Logano  isn't typically a short track guy but he has been consistent enough at Bristol that a win is bound to occur. Now the fun and much more unpredictable picks the "sleeper's." Clint Bowyer, snapped a 190 race winless streak earlier this year at Martinsville, undoubtedly would lead to some sorta confidence. Now even though they are way different tracks Bowyer has seven top fives in twenty four starts, he could definitely be a contender. Another young driver, Eric Jones led seventy seven laps in the fall and was a contender all race. Now with that being said his teammate Hamlin, won here in 2012 and has finished third three times since. It might be his break through weekend, this weekend. The final sleeper is a big and might I say BIG sleeper. Ricky Stenthouse, has an average finish at Bristol of 10.8 second only to Eric Jones. Stenthouse is the hard nosed short track type driver that is perfect to pull off a surprise win today!

To finish this post off, my readers on the last entry didn't get up to par with all my other entries. So as an aspiring young writer I want to know what as my reader's you guys would like to see more of in my post. I love this sport and seeing the number of people have gave me a shot was so amazing and i hope to keep you guys around, and with that being said LETS GO SHORT TRACK RACING IN BRISTOL BABY!