Kyle Busch: Among the Drivers to Watch at Bristol

Kyle Busch at New Hampshire
Photo Credit: Genevieve Cadorette

NASCAR drivers are ready for night racing in Bristol, but some say they are not fond of the repaving of the track.

“I hate it,” Kyle Busch told media on Friday. He said he watched the Truck race on Friday and “nobody was passing anybody.” In fact, Timothy Peters started the Camping World Truck Series race from the pole, led every lap and won the race.

Busch's Monster Energy Toyota finished third in the Nationwide Series race. He's not eligible for NNS Championship points, but he can earn owner points. For the Cup series, both wins and points standings are valuable to Busch. Before the Irwin Tools Night Race, he sits 15^th in points, and a win would boot him closer to a "wild card" spot. 

“Bristol Motor Speedway is one of the best racetracks on the circuit,” said Busch. “All the fans love it because of the excitement, the run-ins, and the close-quarter action with all the cars being packed on top of one another at a half-mile racetrack with us 43 lunatics running around in tight circle. With the fans, the atmosphere there always makes for a good time.”

After qualifying was rained out, the line-up was set by where they finished in the first practice, with Busch starting 10th. The Las Vegas native has five wins at Bristol in 15 career Sprint Cup starts and a series-best driving rating.

Joey Logano at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Photo Credit: Genevieve Cadorette

Busch's JGR teammate Joey Logano won the Nationwide race on Friday, so has the opportunity to sweep both races this weekend. He started the Nationwide race in second and led three different times for a total of 81 laps.

To date, Logano has no wins or top 10s in seven career Cup starts at Bristol. He rolls off fourth for the IRWIN Tools Night Race.

Brad Keselowski starts on the outside pole tonight and is another strong contender. He’s won twice in the Cup series, and has two top 10s. The blue deuce Dodge is sporting an old Rusty Wallace paint scheme in honor of his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame for 2013.

Brad Keselowski gave fans a ride around Bristol Motor Speedway
on August 25, 2012
Photo Credit: Genevieve Cadorette

The IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway coverage beings at 7 p.m.on ABC.