You know, I really wish we were running the rear spoiler this weekend at Bristol. I think it would help the cars now. I think it would make them more competitive. If we are going to a track with multi-grooves, I would love to see them utilized to the max and I think the spoiler is better suited for that than the wing.
I think we would be able to get the right kind of side-force on the car. With Bristol, you have the high banks and the fast speeds, so anything you can do to keep that left side hooked up and keep your car digging is a positive.
The one thing I am looking for from Bristol is whether Kurt Busch can keep the momentum going. This has always been a good race track for him so there’s no reason to think he won’t be a frontrunner. Bristol has always been a good track for Kevin Harvick too. Can he and crew chief Gil Martin continue the resurgence of the No. 29 car? For that matter, I expect the whole stable of RCR drivers to be strong there. They continue to make believers out of folks this year that RCR is back and for real.
I always get excited going to Bristol. It’s the first short track race of the year. Folks have had a weekend off so their batteries are refreshed. Obviously coming out of Atlanta we have some pretty interesting storylines to follow. So I think it’s going to be an old-style race at an old-style track in an old-style way.
As far as the track having the SAFER barriers, well Darrell Waltrip said it best to me. It’s the drivers that hold the steering wheel in their hand so they have the ability to miss the wall whether the track was made bigger or smaller. So drivers are going to have to change their driving style and those that can adapt will do well Sunday. Conversely, the ones that don’t will be wrinkling up some sheet metal.
If the first four races are any indication of what our season-long racing will be, then I think we are going to see some great racing at Bristol. I think we will see the Bristol of old, where if you couldn’t get in the grandstand, well you surely marked it on your calendar and planted yourself in front of the TV because you didn’t want to miss it.
Folks, I think it’s going to be a really good Sunday afternoon up there. It’s going to be exciting to watch. Let me put it to you another way. As I am fond of telling fans, a bad race at Bristol is better than some good races elsewhere. That’s just how much I love that place.
