Cale Conley holds his own in Nationwide Series debut at Bristol

Thunder Valley
Credit: Katy Lindamood

Cale Conley is a name unfamiliar to most race fans. The young man who hails from Vienna, WV has made several starts in the K&N Series, but on Saturday he made waves in another series. 

Strapping into the Nationwide Series car for the first time, Conley, who was given the opportunity to drive the No. 33 at Richard Childress Racing, told his Twitter followers, “Today is the day I've wanted my whole life. My dream is within reach. Need to thank the man above for this opportunity. #NASCAR #Nationwide”

Conley became the 37th driver in series history to make his debut at Bristol.

Under NASCAR’s new procedure, the top 12 teams following the first round of qualifying (only two rounds at tracks less than 1.25 miles) enter into a knockout round. Conley had the 11th fastest time during the first round and joined Larson, Busch, Kenseth, Scott, Blaney, Harvick, Smith, J. Buescher, T. Dillon, Bliss and Kwasniewski for a chance at the pole.

Ultimately Conley had the slowest time of the top 12, earning a spot in the sixth row alongside rookie Kwasniewski, who spun out during the knockout round.

Given how fickle Bristol can be, Conley held his own, staying within the top 15 for the entirety of the race. Matt Kenseth’s dominant performance put most of the field, including the No. 33, a lap down early in the race. Under the third caution, crew chief Nick Harrison advised his driver to stay out and take the wave around to get back on the lead lap, where he held the 11th spot through the Lap 200 mark.

Joe Gibbs Racing's Kyle Busch put Conley down a lap once again, but a late caution for the spinning Ryan Reed put him back on the lead lap after earning the Lucky Dog. Conley would ultimately go on to finish 11th in his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut.

Kyle Busch earned his third straight victory at Bristol Motor Speedway and his second win of the season in the Nationwide Series. Kyle Larson, who started on the pole, came home second.

Final running order for the 32nd Annual Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 presented by Lilly Diabetes:

1. Kyle Busch
2. Larson
3. Harvick
4. Blaney
5. Kenseth
6. Ty Dillon
7. Gaughan
8. Bayne
9. Elliott
10. Smith
11. Conley
12. Cassill
13. James Buescher
14. Scott
15. Kwasniewski
16. Chris Buescher
17. Sadler
18. Clements
19. Nemechek
20. Sieg
21. Hill
22. Kimmel
23. Dick
24. Armstrong
25. Wallace
26. Bliss
27. McClure
28. Cope
29. Gase
30. Wise
31. Reed
32. Jeffrey Earnhardt
33. Garcia Jr.
34. Lepage
35. Admiraal
36. Berryhill
37. Carter
38. Long
39. Dibenedetto
40. Koch