BRISTOL, Tenn. — After seeing how tires wore in Saturday’s observe session, drivers anticipate that Sunday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway will mirror final spring’s occasion, which noticed tire put on create one of many extra memorable races at this high-banked half-mile monitor.
Final spring’s race had 16 totally different leaders and a track-record 54 lead adjustments.
Alex Bowman claims his second pole of the season.
A key issue with the tire put on is that the temperature is anticipated to be round 60 levels at first of Sunday’s race. That’s just like the temperature at first of final spring’s race. Saturday’s temperatures had been cooler.
“I believe all indicators level to a race just like the spring,” pole-winner Alex Bowman mentioned Saturday. “We began observe with rubber already on the racetrack from the Xfinity automobiles and peeled it proper up.”
Factors chief William Byron additionally pointed to the climate as the principle issue.
“I believe it’s simply because it’s so chilly,” Byron instructed NBC Sports activities. “The monitor temp performs such an enormous issue. … For no matter purpose it’s not laying rubber. Most likely look actually just like final (spring).”
Requested if he was stunned by what occurred Saturday, Chris Buescher instructed NBC Sports activities: “Each time I come to Bristol proper now could be a shock.”
What does Kyle Larson anticipate? He doesn’t know.
“I wasn’t too stunned earlier immediately when Cup observe went the best way it did,” he mentioned. “However then I received’t be stunned (Sunday) if it lays rubber. So, I don’t actually know what to anticipate. You sort of received to be prepared for the whole lot.”
Bristol is certainly one of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s higher tracks, having scored 4 top-five and 7 top-10 finishes there.
Groups could have 9 units of tires plus one set transferred from qualifying for the 500-lap race. Groups had been caught off guard by the tire put on in final spring’s race, so NASCAR had Goodyear present an additional set of tires for all groups.
No choice has been introduced if NASCAR will give groups an additional set of tires for Sunday’s race.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who begins second, has one other query in thoughts for immediately’s race
“I believe the largest factor is simply ensuring we get with NASCAR to know when and the way they’re going to throw cautions as a result of I felt like that killed us final race,” Stenhouse instructed NBC Sports activities. “I took care of my tires and guys would go onerous and blow (them) after which spin on objective and (NASCAR) would throw a warning, and I by no means might get my monitor place.
“Then that final run, I’m saving my tires, saving my tires, pondering we’re going to get (a warning) and abruptly there’s no warning. So simply sort of figuring how how they’re going to police that will be the largest factor.”
Final spring’s race averaged a warning each 41 laps by way of the primary 369 laps after which didn’t have a warning the ultimate 121 laps.
