The NASCAR Cup Series will travel to Bristol Motor Speedway this week to try and conquer “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.” NASCAR is bringing the 750 HP Package to the track to try and create more passing. Will it work? The track most similar to Bristol on the schedule this year is Darlington Raceway. The 750 HP Package was used in that race and Brad Keselowski led nearly half of the laps in that race. I am hoping for the best this week, but my expectations for the Gen-7 car at Bristol are low. I hope I am wrong.
Here are my Driver Rankings for the race for the Food City 500…
Need to know which driver would be the best pick for your Fantasy NASCAR lineup Sunday? Simply play the driver highest in the rankings.
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Here are the drivers I already have on my card from my Race Preview article that was posted earlier in the week….
CHRISTOPHER BELL (7-1): Bristol ranks as the best track for Bell. He has never finished outside the top-10 in the Gen-7 car at Bristol, so we know the No. 20 car will be running up front. Bell won the last race at Bristol and he gets some extra seat time this weekend since he is racing in the O’Reilly Series Saturday. Bell is just too good to pass up at 7-1 odds.
TY GIBBS (11-1): Gibbs is having his best season in the Cup Series and now he gets to compete at his best track. Gibbs led 102 laps at Bristol in 2023, 137 laps in 2024 and 201 laps in the last race at Bristol. He continues to get better and better at The World’s Fastest Half-Mile. This is Gibbs best chance to win, so I will bet on the No. 54 car at 11-1 odds this week.
BRAD KESELOWSKI (25-1): Keselowski has been hit or miss at Bristol in the Gen-7 car. The track that is most similar to Bristol Motor Speedway is Darlington Raceway. Keselowski dominated that race and finished 2nd. He also finished 2nd in the last race at Bristol. There is no way Keselowski should be 25-1 based on what he did at Darlington and in the last race at Bristol
.The two drivers I added at Darlington (Brad Keselowski and Tyler Reddick) and the two drivers I added for the race at Martinsville (Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott) were the two best drivers in the race. I will try to keep this tradition going at Bristol Sunday. Here are the two drivers I will add for today’s race…
RYAN BLANEY (4-1): Team Penske is at their best on the short tracks, so I will bet Blaney this week. The No. 12 car posted the fastest speed on the long-runs in practice, he won the pole for the race and Blaney has the No. 1 pit stall. Blaney won at Phoenix, finished 3rd at Darlington and 6th at Martinsville using the 750 HP Package. The No. 12 car is my pick to win the Food City 500.
CARSON HOCEVAR (11-1): I was hoping for longer odds with Hocevar Sunday, but I still think he is a good bet. He posted the 2nd-fastest speed on the 15-lap, 20-lap and 25-lap speed charts and Hocevar qualified 10th for the race. He finished 7th at Bristol last year. Hacevar has the speed to run up front. With a little luck, he could win his first race Sunday.
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