NASCAR drivers got the feel of the dirt race at Bristol, prior to the upcoming Cup Series race there, in two practice sessions on Friday.
Alex Bowman recorded the fastest lap on the first and Ryan Blaney did on the second. Additionally, the other drivers to record top-five in both sessions were Bowman and Denny Hamlin.
Having a dirt race is already a challenge for most of the drivers in the series, but rain could further complicate things when the Cup race takes place as the weather forecast shows a high chance of such happening.
After the training sessions, Blaney said:
“It was like a really thin layer of flaky dirt on top of the hard black rubbered down dirt when I walked on it this morning. It went off pretty quickly, the trucks ran all fast.
“You’re handcuffed because we got windshields and these things. You can’t make it super tacky as mud is flying everywhere. I wish it was a bit smoother…but I guess they’ll be able to work on it.”
Bowman added on the possibility of rain that the officials would have difficulty dealing with things.
“Right now, everything that’s not black is pretty dusty. They kind of have their hands tied. You can’t really tear the race track open with all the rain coming in. So they’re in a tough spot and seem to be doing the best they can.”
Hamlin, too, added that the weather could make things a lot difficult in the highly anticipated dirt race.
“Their hands are tied right now because if the weather comes in, you can’t dig up the race track…You’ll have ruts and just a mess on your hands with the muddy race track.”
“So they’ll have to keep it sealed by not doing anything to it. Let the rain fall off of it, and at that point, you can water it.”
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I’m a big dirt racing fan and I think the drivers should be excited for Bristol
Except NASCAR should have held the race on a real dirt track and not dirted over Bristol. Wythe Raceway here in VA is a real half mile dirt track. F Bristol
I think this is going to be one big cluster! They took one of the best races of the year and have turned it into a circus. Great job NASCAR! Keep on screwing up the sport we all grew up loving.
I do agree. I don’t think and hope NASCAR will never to this again.
Nascar could have build a nice dirt track of their own for the money they spent on this Mud Hole CLUSTER!!!!
They should have just went to El Dora and tried this.
Love the dirt but Bristol is maybe the best race on the circuit. Leave it alone and please go to Eldora, perhaps more than once if it works out well.
I agree, have always thought the dirt track race should have been held at Eldora, a real dirt track.How much money did NASCAR spend on this mess?
Why has no one thought about the real problem. Windshield in the cars! No dirt track car in the country has a wind shield. Take the windshield out and let the driver clear his vision with pull off helmet screens. They should have built dirt track cars , not unlike speedway cars and short track specific cars. Dirt track cars!
I love dirt track racing, but these cars are way too heavy. I wish they would have made these cars 1000 pounds lighter for this race. I think a lighter car would help save the racing surface and ease some of the wear on the tires. These cars look like bomber class cars on the track. With that said, I haven’t been this excited to watch a cup race in years.
Why in the world would you haul in thousands of truckloads of unseasoned dirt and cover an existing asphalt track when you can go to Eldora, an already seasoned track!!!! It just doesn’t make much sense.. Go to Eldora, a true dirt track!!!
Track is not asphalt.
You can’t go some where the owner don’t want you
I read he wasn’t happy they didn’t hold it at Elderado. So he pulled a Tony Stewart and cancelled Future truck races at his track. Lol
We do it every year at Oswego speedway for super dirt week. Its all about track prep and well Nascar hasn’t thought anything through. Hire the guys who have done this for years. Take all of the plexi out of the damn car. No dirt tracker has any in the car.
Its a 1/2 mile track so aerodynamics is out. Problem is the pavement princesses don’t know how to pull a tear-off off while driving and keeping control.
Yes, Oswego did it and cars were breaking left and right. It was fun though — watching them either jump over the hole on turn one or changing their line to avoid it.
Tony is just setting back watching this mess and laughing his ass off. NASCAR screwed it up this will be a cluster .
The original founder of NASCAR would disown The current NASCAR. He struggled for years to get all races on concrete or blacktop and to get away from dirt tracks.NOw these S **** are trying to go back to that Dirt tracks serve a purpose but not in the cup series.Go back to the way it was in the mid 80’s.No BS stages and no playoffs.The way it is now a driver could run really good all season and not be in the playoffs. Bob Jenkins and Larry Nuber were the best NASCAR announcers ever.Also I think Bill France would use that so called noose in the NASCAR garage for it’s intended purpose. Wake up before you totally destroy NASCAR.
Take out windshield and back glass put 4 safety bars take the bottom of fan pan off and leys go dirt racing let the dirt fly where it may juat like Saturday night
I think they sould go to a different dirt track at least at least once a year.Thay are many 1/2 mile dirt tracks all across our GREAT NATION.Go to a different one every year
Should have gone to Knoxville, Iowa a real dirt track. Some of the best dirt races in the country. Asphalt is not made as a dirt track base. Keep them separate.
Actually if the used a dirt track instead of this it would have better results. They were racing the Trucks at Eldora for years now its not good enough
Should have left Bristol as it was and reinstate North Wilkesboro by turning it into a permanent dirt track on the series…
This is a favorite place for the older drivers…