The quality of difference between spring and fall NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway was vividly present, among other different talking points tire wear was a hot topic, especially after its significant impact during the March race. However, the recent event unfolded quite differently. With virtually no tire degradation, drivers enjoyed over 100 consecutive laps of green flag racing, leading to a boring and monotonous race.
Kyle Larson dominated, leading 462 of the 500 laps, which showed the talent and effort of the #5 team. Nonetheless, this one-sided performance raised questions about the competitiveness of racing at the historic short track. Samantha Busch, wife of Kyle Busch, shared her candid opinions about the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, echoing the sentiments of many fans.
Kyle Busch’s wife showed her disappointment on X. “Not just saying this bc we didn’t run well, but can we all agree the only exciting part of the race was watching Owen celebrate w Kyle. Can’t remember a Bristol race being that blah in long time. Time to cancel this race car.”
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It appears that teams anticipated a different outcome based on practice runs, where tire wear was minimal. As a result, NASCAR opted for PJ1 instead of resin to enhance the inside lane, aiming to create more racing grooves. Unfortunately, this strategy did not yield the desired results; drivers primarily focused on maintaining their track position, and Larson executed this strategy flawlessly.
The lack of strategic variability and minimal gains on the pit road led to a race characterized by long stretches of green laps without much challenge. What was expected to be an exciting finale to the first round of the playoffs ultimately turned into a disappointing experience for both fans and insiders alike.
Kyle Busch's performance
Kyle failed to continue his good run in the season. After four back-to-back top-10 results, Busch ended with a P30 finish at Watkins Glen and failed at Bristol. He had to settle for a P25 finish. Although his title chances are over but with just 7 races left in the season, his record of a 20th-year win streak in NASCAR could be failed.
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