2018 Bristol Night Race

Can Kyle Larson score his first Cup win at Bristol tonight?

Each weekend, our panel provides their thoughts on the latest stories in NASCAR while predicting the winner of the Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the upcoming Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race!

This weekend, our panelists Adam Lucas, Ashley Hobbs,AshleyHull,Christina Bowman,Cody Shoppe, Jose Acero Jr, Kathleen Cassidy, Katie Copple mull over Kevin Harvick’s stellar season and if we’ll see some of the old Bristol racing action tonight!

The 2020 Bristol Night Race will serve as an elimination race in the Round of 16. The 2018 race saw lots of bumping, banging and bruised cars. Watch the full race from Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19th, 2017. #42-Larson won the Busch pole for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway with speed of 127.792mph for his third pole of 2018, first at. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race Number 24 Unofficial Race Results for the 58Th Annual Bass Pro Shops Nra Night Race - Saturday, August 18, 2018 Bristol Motor Speedway - Bristol, TN -.533 Mile Concrete Total Race Length - 500 Laps - 266.5 Miles Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Pts Status Tms Laps Stage 2 Pos Stage 1 Pos Playoff Pts.

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Question 1

Kevin Harvick celebrated his seventh win of 2018 with a special passenger after the race! (Photo Credit: Kathleen Cassidy/TPF)

Kevin Harvick is having a season for the ages in 2018 with seven wins after 23 races. When considering some of the best regular seasons since the advent of the playoffs in 2004, where does Harvick’s dominant performance rank at the moment?

Acero : Harvick is dominating like Jimmie did during his 7 title runs winning multiple times per season. I would put them side by side as far rankings go.

Bowman : It’s been over a decade since we have seen someone dominate a season like this. Jimmie Johnson is the only other one that I can think of. Without knowing how this season will end, I would say that the two are neck and neck for rank.

Cassidy : Although the season is not done yet, it is safe to say 23 races in Kevin Harvick is dominating. However, there are past seasons where fans have seen drivers win numerous races, but not the title. Only time will tell.

Copple : There aren’t many drivers who have had dominant seasons as of late. Especially not to this caliber. And the season isn’t done yet! One that comes to mind is Jimmie Johnson’s dominant season in 2007. He won 10 races that year on his way to his 2nd of 5 straight titles. He also had dominant seasons in 2004 (8 wins) and 2008 and 2009 (7 wins).

If you want to go back a bit further, Jeff Gordon also had dominant seasons in 1998 with 13 wins and 1996-’97 where he had 10 each of those years. It’s not unheard of for a driver to dominate a season… it just hasn’t been done in a while.

Hobbs : It is not easy to dominate; let alone dominate with another driver, or two. This speaks volumes to the talent that not only Kevin Harvick has this season, but Kyle Busch also belongs with Harvick in this conversation. The two of them have won over half the races this season. If these two are not battling for the checkered flag at Homestead, it will be disappointing.

Hull : Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch are neck-in-neck as far as the dominance game goes. Harvick is clearly having the more dominant year. However, Busch is a step behind him. It will be interesting to see who ultimately comes out on top this year.

Lucas : It’s mind boggling to see the shear dominance of the No. 4 team this season. I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest ever, but it would be in my top 5 seasons if he wins the championship. The most difficult part of his season is the other two dominate teams of Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. They too have multiple wins. One thing is for sure, we have not seen teams like this dominate for quite a while. Very impressive indeed.

2018 Bristol Night Race Attendance

Shoppe : This is without a doubt one of the best regular seasons we have seen out of a driver in years! We haven’t given enough credit to this 4 team individually since we all have talked about the big three as a whole. It would appear as of now that Kevin Harvick has broken away as a favorite among these three juggernauts as a title favorite. Time will tell if this rare form can continue to Miami but my guess is it will if the pit crew gets their act together come playoff time!

Question 2

Might we see a driver like Alex Bowman apply the bumper to win tonight?

Some of the old Bristol that we knew and love was prevalent during the spring race. Might we see some good ole short track racing in the night race, especially for those trying to earn a playoff berth?

Acero : Old Bristol is back! We will get a surprise winner who sneaks his way into the playoffs and spoil the “big 3” party!

Bowman : We better see some good ole short track racing! Bristol at night is one of the highlights of the season for me and it’s a great chance for drivers who like to wheel it around the shorter tracks. Honestly though, it would just make Bristol better if we saw a new driver clinch a playoff berth this weekend.

Cassidy : Bristol never disappoints! Races can be unpredictable at this short track and this is part of the reason why drivers and fans love it. Keep an eye out for some unexpected drivers in the top spots!

Copple : I love Bristol. And I really love Bristol at night. This is usually one of the most exciting races of the season and when you throw in track changes under the lights, I have a feeling we will be in for a good race come Saturday. Plus, we are getting to the end of the regular season, and some guys are still trying to race their way into the playoffs.

Hobbs : I am pretty sure there are a few grudges left, and a few drivers who never forget. Bristol is known to bring out the best, or worst, in drivers and I hope we see drivers on the outside of the Playoffs look to ruffle some feathers for their shot at the Championship.

Hull : Bristol is my favorite track for that very reason. There has not been many boring races at this track. I really hope that this new surface really delivers Saturday night.

Lucas : “Getcha popcorn ready!” Bristol at night will bring the best and worst out of any driver, regardless of if it was the “old” surface or “new” surface. Drivers vying for the final playoff spot will have to treat this week as a wild card race. It could be one of the final chances a team outside of the top 16 gets to prove their worth.

Shoppe : I sure hope so! I for one have not been a fan of the progressive banking at BMS. I always look for Bristol to be a race of aggression, drama, and hurt feelings! Last time out at Thunder Valley, we saw that old Bristol mentality again with Kyle and Kyle fighting it out for the win late in the going. I hope for another bump and run pass to get everyone talking about it at work on Monday like many did in the 90’s and early 2000’s!

That’s two lightning fast laps around Bristol! Before making our move for the win, let’s review the weekend that was at Michigan!

A trio of panelists correctly chose Kevin Harvick at Michigan.

Nascar Bristol Night Race 2018

Meanwhile, Katie Copple is making some tremendous progress in the points standings!

Friends, it’s about time to talk about a potential winner tonight at Bristol! Here’s our picks to win the Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway!

Can one of these quartet win tonight at Bristol Motor Speedway?

Tiongson : Kevin Harvickhas been so tough all season, I look for him to get his eighth win of the year, making life more difficult on the competition come playoff time.

Acero : Daniel Suarez!

Cassidy : No. 19!

Bowman : I have to go with Erik Jones to win at Bristol.

Hull : Erik Jones.

Lucas : I met some of his buddies this week at work (the NASCAR Hall of Fame), and they told me that “that Jones boy” will be jonesing for another win this season. Erik Jones takes home the checkered flag with a nice giant bag of Food City groceries!

Copple : Kyle Busch has won the last two Bristol races… and has been pretty dominant this season. He takes the win under the lights.

Hobbs : Defending race winner and Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this year, Kyle Busch, will capture the flag again!

Shoppe : Hard to pick anyone but Kyle Busch at Bristol.

TPF Stats : Best average finish this season? Check. Most wins at Bristol Motor Speedway (of active drivers)? Check. Look for Kyle Busch to tie Kevin Harvick for most wins this season Saturday night.

That wraps this week’s preview, race fans! Thanks for joining us for another edition of Track Talk!

We’re ready for some racing. How about you? What do you think are the biggest storylines heading into tonight’s race and who is your favorite to win? Tweet us now @ThePodiumFinish and tell us now!

Thanks as always to the TPF team for their amazing efforts this week! We hope to see you at the races.

The opinions and thoughts expressed in Track Talk are solely of the authors. They do not reflect any organizations affiliated with the participants and author outside of TPF. This weekly feature is strictly for entertainment purposes and are not indicative of TPF, the organization, and its staff.

30-something motorsports journalist who enjoys sports like baseball, basketball, football, soccer, track and field, and hockey. A Boston native turned Austinite, racing was the first sport that caught my eye. From interviews to retrospective articles, if it's about anything with an engine and four wheels, it'll be here on TPF, by me or by one of my talented columnists who absolutely have a passion for racing.

Currently seeking a sports writing, public relations, or sports marketing career, particularly in motorsports. I enjoy editing and writing articles and features, as well as photography.

Graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Proud to be from Massachusetts, just as happy to be a Texan.

2018 Bristol Night Race Results

When the stadium lights came on for the very first time at Bristol Motor Speedway on the evening of August 26, 1978 to illuminate the Volunteer 500 NASCAR Cup Series race, no one knew at the time that it was the beginning of something truly special.
Prior to that, only one other track had hosted NASCAR Cup races at night: the Nashville Fairgounds Speedway.
Fans at The World’s Fastest Half-Mile have loved the energy and atmosphere created at every edition of America’s Night Race since, and simply love watching their favorite sport under darkness in the cool crisp evening air. The race cars sparkle and shine and history has shown that sparks will fly and sometimes tempers will flare as 40 drivers are aggressively running their race cars on the .533-mile all-concrete high-banked oval, beating and banging for track position.
The Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, set for Aug. 18, marks the 40^th anniversary of racing under the lights at The Last Great Colosseum.
“We are proud to celebrate 40 years of racing under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway,” said Jerry Caldwell, BMS executive vice president and general manager. “The Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, or America’s Night Race as many have come to call it, continues to be one of the most exciting and most anticipated events for fans on the NASCAR circuit. There have been so many memorable finishes during the race over the years, it never seems to disappoint in terms of action and intensity.”
Cale Yarborough raced to victory at the very first BMS Night Race. He drove his No. 11 Oldsmobile to the checkered flag after holding off Benny Parsons for the victory. Yarborough led 327 laps of the race, including the final 193. He beat Parsons by 15 seconds.
Since then there have been many memorable moments during America’s Night Race.
Just to name a few, fans remember vividly Tony Stewart’s helmet throw in 2012, Ward Burton's anger towards Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2002, Carl Edwards using the famous bump-n-run on Kyle Busch to get the win in 2008 and Kevin Harvick spinning out Denny Hamlin early in the 2014 race.
However, there have been two America’s Night Race finishes that really put the event on the map in the mid to late 1990s.
In the first of two America’s Night Race tussles between Terry Labonte and Dale Earnahardt Sr., Labonte got the better end of the outcome. The two drivers were racing doorhandle-to-doorhandle in the event’s closing laps, when Earnhardt’s car ultimately made contact with the back of Labonte’s car as the two sped to the finish. After the impact was made, Labonte’s machine went sliding across the finish line as the checkered flag waved. The Victory Lane snapshot of Labonte and his crew standing beside his crumpled Chevrolet while it was steaming and spewing fluids remains one of the lasting images of America’s Night Race.
Four years later the legendary duo decided to add a sequel. This time Earnhardt got the better of Labonte in a similar bump and grind finish. This time the “Intimidator” sent Labonte’s car sliding in turns three and four and sprinted past him in his black GM Goodwrench Chevy to take the checkered flag. In Victory Lane, Earnhardt famously said, “I didn’t mean to turn him around, but I did want to rattle his cage.”
The winningest driver in Night Race history is Darrell Waltrip, who has claimed seven checkered flags in the event and remains the only driver in NASCAR history to win the event in three consecutive years.
As the 40^th America’s Night Race prepares to get underway, fans should expect more of the same drama and intensity that has defined the race over the past 39 editions.
There are four races scheduled during three nights of racing at the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race weekend, including action in the Whelen Modified Tour, Camping World Truck Series, Xfinity Series and the Monster Energy Cup Series. During the Cup race, you’ll get to see all of your favorite drivers doing what they do best, including Bristol dominator and defending winner Kyle Busch, his arch-rival Kyle Larson, rising star Ryan Blaney, 2016 Night Race winner Kevin Harvick, Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon, defending series champ Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace.
There's so much to do during the weekend around the grounds of Bristol Motor Speedway, including stops in the Fan Midway, Fan Zone and Kids Zone. There's music, games, food, souvenir haulers, driver appearances, autograph sessions and more. There’s great video entertainment provided by Colossus TV, the world's largest center-hung video screen. You'll also want to kick back and enjoy some NASCAR-style tailgating with your friends prior to each night's race. And speaking of fun, on Thursday, one of the biggest and longest running fan fests on the NASCAR circuit kicks off with Food City Family Race Night. There'll be plenty of appearances by drivers, legends and other celebrities during this event, which takes place in the BMS hospitality area and lasts from noon until 6 p.m.
If you want to bring the entire clan out to experience the amazing fun that is America’s Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway officials are making it easier than ever for families to enjoy the weekend. Kids’ tickets (12 and under) are free and adult tickets start at $30 for Thursday’s (Aug. 16) UNOH 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and the Bush’s Beans 150 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race. On Friday (Aug. 17), kids’ tickets are free and adult tickets start at $30 for the Food City 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race and Pinty’s Qualifying. On Saturday (Aug. 18) adult tickets start at $70 for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race and kids’ tickets are $10. For all races, each child must have a physical ticket in hand to enter the gates. The Bristol Motor Speedway ticket office is the only authorized location that can produce the free kids’ tickets. Tickets can also be purchased for a limited time directly from any neighborhood Food City store. To purchase tickets, please call 423-BRISTOL or buy them online at www.BRISTOLTIX.com.

BMS PR