“Trash Talked This Race So Much Until…”: NASCAR Fans Rally Behind Return of Controversial Race Cancelled in 2024

In 2021, after a break of 70 years, the NASCAR Cup Series made a nostalgic return to dirt track racing when Bristol Motor Speedway transformed its high-banked circuit into a dirt track for its spring race, aiming to boost attendance and television viewership.

Despite high hopes, the event received a lukewarm response, leading Bristol Motor Speedway to announce in September 2023 that it would revert to hosting two traditional concrete track races in the following season.

Following this year’s return to concrete, with Larson nearly sweeping the fall race, enthusiasm has rekindled among fans for dirt racing, particularly with the Next Gen cars. One fan expressed their longing on social media, suggesting a fresh approach to dirt track racing in NASCAR:

“random Sunday tangent. I sincerely hope NASCAR brings dirt racing back in some capacity. Not at Bristol, but maybe find a track that has *most* of the facilities needed and spruce it up a bit. It’s so fun watching guys search for grip in cars that simply aren’t made for this.”

A fan, supportive of dirt track racing but critical of Bristol’s dirt setup, opined, “eldora is the only place that should be in the conversation. cup races are too long for dirt races though. trucks at eldora was perfect.”

On the other hand, some enthusiasts championed the Bristol dirt track: “Every other year at Bristol would be epic. I trash talked this race so much until I actually experienced it in person. It was great!”

Additional voices in favor of Bristol’s dirt track surfaced, with comments like, “I honestly really enjoyed Bristol Dirt.” Others expressed disappointment at the cessation of the event:

“Bristol dirt had gotten good and then they stopped,” and “Why NOT Bristol? The races there were getting better and better (2023 was genuinely great). The only argument I hear against it are from traditionalists that can’t provide a reason apart from “but we need the concrete” when the next gen night races suck hard.”

Joey Logano won the first dirt track victory at Bristol in 2021, followed by Kyle Busch in 2022. The winning streak for Joe Gibbs Racing continued in 2023, with Christopher Bell capturing the checkered flag.

How did concrete racing unfold at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2024?

The Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway race on concrete after 2.5 years on Bristol Drit track, was characterized by severe tire wear, prompting NASCAR to issue an additional set of tires to each team to ensure a safe completion of the event.

Drivers grappled with track conditions throughout the race, necessitating a strategic approach to tire conservation, more so than in any recent NASCAR event.

Denny Hamlin, a veteran of the short tracks in the Mid-Atlantic, managed to secure his 4th Cup race victory at Bristol, finishing ahead of his teammate Martin Truex Jr. Hamlin led the race during 13 different intervals, clocking a total of 163 laps at the front.

Interestingly, aside from the two Joe Gibbs Racing teammates who dominated, only three other drivers managed to finish on the lead lap.

In stark contrast, the season’s second race at Bristol experienced minimal tire wear. Kyle Larson dominated, leading 462 of the 500 laps and cruising to victory by a seven-second margin. The race saw only eight lead changes, compared to the spring race’s 54, despite the use of the same tire compound.

With less tire degradation in the fall, lap times remained consistent, complicating overtaking maneuvers. During the spring race, the frequent shifts in position were driven by the necessity to manage tire wear — drivers alternated between pushing for position and conserving their tires.

Given these changes, it will be fascinating to watch how the Next Gen cars and Goodyear tires perform in upcoming races at the concrete venue in 2025.