Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee going into the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
| NASCAR Cup Series Driver Playoff Outlook Following Race No. 28 | ||||||
| Rank | Driver | Points | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Playoff Pts | Pts From Cutoff |
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 2,151 | 5 | 13 | 53 | Clinched On Points |
| 2 | Denny Hamlin | 2,127 | 1 | 8 | 23 | In On Wins |
| 3 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2,113 | 4 | 5 | 29 | In On Wins |
| 4 | Joey Logano | 2,093 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 40 |
| 5 | Ryan Blaney | 2,081 | 3 | 4 | 24 | 28 |
| 6 | Kevin Harvick | 2,078 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 25 |
| 7 | Chase Elliott | 2,072 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 19 |
| 8 | Christopher Bell | 2,070 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 17 |
| 9 | Brad Keselowski | 2,066 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 13 |
| 10 | Kyle Busch | 2,061 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 8 |
| 11 | Aric Almirola | 2,056 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| 12 | Kurt Busch | 2,053 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
| 13 | Alex Bowman | 2,053 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 14 | Tyler Reddick | 2,048 | 0 | 3 | 3 | -5 |
| 15 | William Byron | 2,035 | 1 | 3 | 14 | -18 |
| 16 | Michael McDowell | 2,015 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -38 |
NASCAR Cup Series 2021 Top 16 in the Driver Standings at Bristol Motor Speedway
| Driver | Races | Poles | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | DNFs | Average Finish | Driver Rating | |
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 14.4 | 99.1 |
| 2 | Denny Hamlin | 30 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 14 | 2 | 14.7 | 91.6 |
| 3 | Martin Truex Jr | 30 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 20.7 | 83.0 |
| 4 | Joey Logano | 24 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 15.1 | 91.3 |
| 5 | Ryan Blaney | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 20.0 | 89.6 |
| 6 | Kevin Harvick | 40 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 4 | 13.4 | 96.8 |
| 7 | Chase Elliott | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 12.1 | 98.7 |
| 8 | Christopher Bell | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18.5 | 77.3 |
| 9 | Brad Keselowski | 22 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 17.3 | 89.3 |
| 10 | Kyle Busch | 31 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 19 | 4 | 12.8 | 102.9 |
| 11 | Aric Almirola | 23 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 24.1 | 66.3 |
| 12 | Kurt Busch | 40 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 3 | 14.0 | 91.2 |
| 13 | Alex Bowman | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 22.0 | 67.2 |
| 14 | Tyler Reddick | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20.0 | 69.6 |
| 15 | William Byron | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20.7 | 67.3 |
| 16 | Michael McDowell | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 29.9 | 43.5 |
* – Based on last 32 races at Bristol Motor Speedway (2005 – 2020).
NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts: Race #3 (Bristol)
- The 2021 season marks the second-time Bristol Motor Speedway has hosted the third race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and the second Cup postseason all-time event at the 0.533-mile track – from 2004-2019 Bristol Motor Speedway was scheduled as the 24th race of the regular season.
- Bristol Motor Speedway is the fifth different track in series history to host the third race of the Playoffs; joining Talladega Superspeedway (2004-2005), Kansas Speedway (2006–2010), Dover International Speedway (2011-2017) and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2018-2019).
- A total of 13 different drivers have won the third race of the Playoffs, led by Jimmie Johnson (2008, 2013), Greg Biffle (2007, 2010), Tony Stewart (2006, 2009) and Kevin Harvick (2015, 2020) with two wins each.
- No non-Playoff driver has won the third NASCAR Cup Playoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway (2020), the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2018-2019) or at Dover International Speedway (2011 – 2017).
- Two non-Playoff drivers won the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs when the event was held at Kansas Speedway (2006 – 2010):
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- Tony Stewart was ranked 11th in points when he won the 2006 Kansas Playoff race
- Greg Biffle was ranked 14th in points when he won the 2007 Kansas Playoff race.
- Only one non-Playoff driver has won the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs when held at Talladega Superspeedway (2004-2005) – NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett was 14th in points when he won the 2005 Talladega Playoff race.
| Third Race of the Playoffs – Race Winners | ||
| Track | Playoff Race Winners | Date |
| Bristol | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, September 19, 2020 |
| Charlotte RC | Chase Elliott | Sunday, September 29, 2019 |
| Charlotte RC | Ryan Blaney | Sunday, September 30, 2018 |
| Dover | Kyle Busch | Sunday, October 1, 2017 |
| Dover | Martin Truex Jr | Sunday, October 2, 2016 |
| Dover | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, October 4, 2015 |
| Dover | Jeff Gordon | Sunday, September 28, 2014 |
| Dover | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, September 29, 2013 |
| Dover | Brad Keselowski | Sunday, September 30, 2012 |
| Dover | Kurt Busch | Sunday, October 2, 2011 |
| Kansas | Greg Biffle | Sunday, October 3, 2010 |
| Kansas | Tony Stewart | Sunday, October 4, 2009 |
| Kansas | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, September 28, 2008 |
| Kansas | Greg Biffle | Sunday, September 30, 2007 |
| Kansas | Tony Stewart | Sunday, October 1, 2006 |
| Talladega | Dale Jarrett | Sunday, October 2, 2005 |
| Talladega | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Sunday, October 3, 2004 |
- In total, the winner of the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the title three times; en yet is has not happened since the elimination-style format was instituted in 2014.
- Last season, Kevin Harvick won the third race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway but finished the season fifth in the final standings.
- When Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course hosted the third race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2018-2019), none of the event winners went on to win the title in the same season.
- When Dover International Speedway hosted the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2011-2017), two drivers won the event and went on to win the title the same season.
- In 2012, Brad Keselowski won the third race of the Playoffs at Dover, and went on to win his first series title. It was Keselowski’s lone win during the 2012 Playoffs.
- In 2013, Jimmie Johnson won the third race of the Playoffs at Dover, and went on to win his sixth series title. It was his first of two Playoff wins that season (Dover-2, Texas-2).
- When Kansas Speedway hosted the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2006-2010), only one driver won the event and went on to win the title the same season.
- In 2008, Jimmie Johnson won the third race of the Playoffs at Kansas, and went on to win his third consecutive title. It was his first of three Playoff wins that season (Kansas, Martinsville-2, Phoenix-2).
- When Talladega Superspeedway hosted the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004-2005), no drivers that won the event went on to win the title later that season.
- The worst finish by a driver in the third Playoff race that went on to win the series title was:
- At Bristol Motor Speedway (2020): In 2020, Chase Elliott finished seventh at Bristol Motor Speedway, the third race of the Playoffs, and went on to win the title later that season.
- At Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2018-2019): In 2019, Kyle Busch finished 37th at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course – the third race of the Playoffs – and went on to win the title later that season.
- At Dover (2011-2017): In 2011, Tony Stewart finished 25th at Dover International Speedway – the third race of the Playoffs – and went on to win the title later that season.
- At Kansas (2006-2010): In 2006, Jimmie Johnson finished 14th at Kansas Speedway – the third race of the Playoffs – and went on to win the title later that season.
- At Talladega (2004-2005): In 2004, Kurt Busch finished fifth at Talladega Superspeedway – the third race of the Playoffs – and went on to win the title later that season.
At Bristol Motor Speedway
Season Race #: 29 of 36 (09-18-21)
Track Size: 0.533-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 24-28 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 24-28 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 4-8 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 4-8 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 650 feet
Backstretch Length: 650 feet
Race Length: 500 laps / 266.5 miles
Stages 1 & 2 Length: 125 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 250 laps
HISTORY
- Groundbreaking for Bristol International Speedway, as Bristol Motor Speedway was originally known, took place in 1960. The track was an exact half-mile.
- The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway was on July 30, 1961; Jack Smith won the event (with relief from Johnny Allen).
- All of the NASCAR Cup Series races have been scheduled for 500 laps, except for both races in 1976 and the second in 1977, which were 400 laps each.
- In the fall of 1969, the track was reshaped and re-measured to .533-miles.
- The name changed to Bristol International Raceway in 1978.
- The first night race was held in the fall of 1978.
- The surface was changed from asphalt to concrete in 1992.
- The name changed to Bristol Motor Speedway in May, 1996.
- The track was resurfaced between races in 2007, and the turns were ground down in 2012 to eliminate part of the progressive banking.
- The 2020 season marks the first time that Bristol Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series Open and All-Star Race as well as a Playoff race.
- There have been 120 NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway since the first race in 1961, two races each season until this year when the track replaced their spring date with the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt track.
STARTS
- A total of 469 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway; 332 have competed in more than one.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Bristol with 60.
- Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Bristol with 40 starts each.
- Thirty-four drivers have made their first series career start at Bristol Motor Speedway; the most recent was Chad Finchum (April 16, 2018).
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen (12 starts) and driver Charlie Glotzbach (four starts) are tied for the all-time series lead in average starting position at Bristol with a 3.25 each.
- Chase Elliott leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in average starting position at Bristol with a 6.800 in 10 starts.
Top 10 in Average Starting Positions at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Avg Start | Races | Rank | Active Drivers | Avg Start | Races |
| 1 | Charlie Glotzbach | 3.250 | 4 | 1 | Chase Elliott | 6.800 | 10 |
| 2 | Fred Lorenzen | 3.250 | 12 | 2 | Joey Logano | 7.875 | 24 |
| 3 | Marvin Panch | 3.750 | 8 | 3 | Ryan Blaney | 9.182 | 11 |
| 4 | Fireball Roberts | 4.286 | 7 | 4 | Brad Keselowski | 9.545 | 22 |
| 5 | Junior Johnson | 4.400 | 10 | 5 | William Byron | 11.167 | 6 |
| 6 | Cale Yarborough | 4.552 | 29 | 6 | Erik Jones | 11.250 | 8 |
| 7 | Dick Hutcherson | 6.000 | 5 | 7 | Ryan Newman | 12.711 | 38 |
| 8 | Tim Richmond | 6.273 | 11 | 8 | Denny Hamlin | 13.233 | 30 |
| 9 | Benny Parsons | 6.370 | 27 | 9 | Kyle Larson | 13.500 | 12 |
| 10 | David Pearson | 6.550 | 20 | 10 | Kyle Busch | 15.065 | 31 |
POLES
- A total of 51 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won the pole at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- Nine of the 51 NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Motor Speedway pole winners are entered this weekend.
| Active Pole Winners | Poles | Seasons |
| Denny Hamlin | 4 | 2019, ’15, ’14, ’13 |
| Ryan Newman | 3 | 2011, ’04, ’03 |
| Kyle Busch | 2 | 2018, ’13 |
| Chase Elliott | 1 | 2019 |
| Kyle Larson | 1 | 2018 |
| Erik Jones | 1 | 2017 |
| Kevin Harvick | 1 | 2014 |
| Joey Logano | 1 | 2010 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 2006 |
- NASCAR Hall of Famers Mark Martin (1989, 1993, 1995 sweep, 1996 sweep, 2001, 2009 sweep) and Cale Yarborough (1969, 1970, 1973 sweep, 1975, 1977 sweep, 1980 sweep) lead the series in poles at Bristol with nine each.
- Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in poles at Bristol with four (2013, 2014, 2015, 2019).
- Fred Lorenzen won the inaugural pole at Bristol in the NASCAR Cup Series with a speed of 79.225 mph in a Ford.
- 12 different drivers have posted consecutive poles at Bristol Motor Speedway; Mark Martin is the only driver of the 12 to win four consecutive poles at Bristol: Fireball Roberts (swept 1962), Fred Lorenzen (swept 1963), Richard Petty (1967-’68), Bobby Allison (swept 1972), Cale Yarborough (swept 1973; swept 1977; swept 1980), Darrell Waltrip (swept 1981, spring 1982), Geoff Bodine (swept 1986), Mark Martin (swept 1995-1996– all four races; and swept 2009); Rusty Wallace (swept 1998, spring 1999), Jeff Gordon (swept 2002), Denny Hamlin (fall 2013, spring 2014), Carl Edwards (2016 sweep).
- Seven different drivers have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series career pole at Bristol Motor Speedway.
| First-Time Pole Winner | Date |
| Tim Richmond | Saturday, August 28, 1982 |
| Rick Wilson | Sunday, April 10, 1988 |
| Ernie Irvan | Sunday, April 8, 1990 |
| Chuck Bown | Sunday, April 10, 1994 |
| Steve Park | Sunday, March 26, 2000 |
| Jeff Green | Saturday, August 25, 2001 |
| Joey Logano | Sunday, March 21, 2010 |
| Erik Jones | Saturday, August 19, 2017 |
- Joey Logano (March 10, 2010) and Erik Jones (August 19, 2017) are the only active drivers to win their first series pole at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- Youngest Bristol pole winner: Joey Logano (March 21, 2010 – 19 years, 9 months, 25 days) – his first NASCAR Cup Series career pole.
- Oldest Bristol pole winner: Harry Gant (August 27, 1994 – 54 years, 7 months, 17 days) – his last NASCAR Cup Series career pole.
- A total of nine different manufacturers have won pols at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series; led by Chevrolet (39) and followed by Ford (36), Toyota (11), Dodge (8), Pontiac (7), Buick (4), Plymouth (4), Oldsmobile (3) and Mercury (2).
WINS
- A total of 42 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- Six of the 42 NASCAR Cup Series Bristol winners are entered this weekend.
| Active Winners | Wins | Seasons |
| Kyle Busch | 8 | 2019, ’18, ’17, ’11, ’10, ’09 sweep, ’07 |
| Kurt Busch | 6 | 2018, ’06, ’04, ’03 sweep, ’02 |
| Brad Keselowski | 3 | 2020, ’12, ’11 |
| Kevin Harvick | 3 | 2020, ’16, ’05 |
| Denny Hamlin | 2 | 2019, ’12 |
| Joey Logano | 2 | 2015, ’14 |
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip leads the series in wins at Bristol with 12 victories in 52 starts; including eight straight (1978, 1979, 1981 sweep, 1982 sweep, 1983 sweep, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1992).
- Kyle Busch leads the series among active drivers in wins at Bristol with eight victories in 31 starts (Spring 2007, 2009 sweep, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019).
- Jack Smith (with relief from Johnny Allen) won the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on July 30, 1961 in a Pontiac.
- 12 drivers have won consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol; led by Darrell Waltrip with eight consecutive victories from 1979-1984.
- The other 11 drivers with consecutive wins are Fred Lorenzen (1963-1964 sweep), David Pearson (1968 sweep), Bobby Allison (1972 sweep), Cale Yarborough did it twice (1974 sweep and four straight from 1976-1977), Richard Petty (1975 sweep), Dale Earnhardt also did twice (1985 sweep and 1987 sweep), Alan Kulwicki (1992 sweep), Rusty Wallace (2000 sweep), Kurt Busch (2003 sweep and 2004 Spring race), Kyle Busch (2009 sweep and Fall 2017-Spring 2018) and Brad Keselowski (Fall 2011-Spring 2012).
- Youngest Bristol winner: Kyle Busch (March 25, 2007 – 21 years, 10 months, 23 days).
- Oldest Bristol winner: Dale Earnhardt (August 28, 1999 – 48 years, 3 months, 30 days).
- Five drivers have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series career win at Bristol Motor Speedway: Dale Earnhardt (April 1, 1979), Rusty Wallace (April 6, 1986), Ernie Irvan (March 25, 1990), Elliott Sadler (March 25, 2001) and Kurt Busch (March 24, 2002)
- A total of 24 different starting positons have produced at least one NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- The race winner has started from the pole or first starting position 27 times (22.6%) – the most productive starting position in the field. The most recent driver to win from the pole or first starting position was Brad Keselowski last season (March 31, 2020).
- More than half (69 wins, 57.50%) of the NASCAR Cup Series winners at Bristol Motor Speedway have started in the top-five.
NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Bristol Motor Speedway
| Starting Position | Wins | Winning % | Starting Position | Wins | Winning % |
| 1 | 27 | 22.50% | 13 | 4 | 3.33% |
| 2 | 13 | 10.83% | 14 | 2 | 1.67% |
| 3 | 9 | 7.50% | 15 | 1 | 0.83% |
| 4 | 10 | 8.33% | 17 | 1 | 0.83% |
| 5 | 10 | 8.33% | 18 | 2 | 1.67% |
| 6 | 9 | 7.50% | 19 | 3 | 2.50% |
| 7 | 1 | 0.83% | 20 | 1 | 0.83% |
| 8 | 7 | 5.83% | 24 | 2 | 1.67% |
| 9 | 6 | 5.00% | 26 | 1 | 0.83% |
| 10 | 2 | 1.67% | 27 | 1 | 0.83% |
| 11 | 1 | 0.83% | 30 | 1 | 0.83% |
| 12 | 5 | 4.17% | 38 | 1 | 0.83% |
| Stats | Winning % | Wins | |||
| Winning from the First Starting Position: | 22.50% | 27 | |||
| Winning from the Front Row: | 33.33% | 40 | |||
| Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position: | 57.50% | 69 | |||
| Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position: | 78.33% | 94 | |||
| Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20: | 5.00% | 6 | |||
- Six drivers have won from the pole position multiple times: Bobby Allison (1972 twice), Cale Yarborough (1973, 1977 twice, 1980), Darrell Waltrip (1981 twice, 1982), Rusty Wallace (1991, 1993, 1999, 2000), Matt Kenseth (2005, 2015) and Carl Edwards (2008, 2016).
- The deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 38th, by Elliott Sadler in 2001.
- The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started is 27th, by Kurt Busch in 2002.
- A total of 30 different owners have visited Victory Lane in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- Junior Johnson leads the series in car owner wins at Bristol with 16. Roger Penske and Joe Gibbs lead the series among active car owners with the most wins at Bristol with 13 each; followed by Jack Roush and Rick Hendrick with 11 each.
- Eight different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series 120 races at Bristol; led by Chevrolet with 45 victories (37.5% winning percentage); followed by Ford (39 wins), Toyota (12), Dodge (8), Pontiac (8), Buick (4), Plymouth (3) and Oldsmobile (1).
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS STATS
Runner-Up Finishes:
- A total of 53 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Bristol Motor Speedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty with 10 second-place finishes.
- Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers in runner-up finishes at Bristol with five.
Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Runner-Ups | Rank | Active Drivers | Runner-Ups |
| 1 | Richard Petty | 10 | 1 | Kevin Harvick | 5 |
| 2 | Rusty Wallace | 7 | 2 | Kyle Busch | 4 |
| 3 | Bobby Allison | 6 | 3 | Kyle Larson | 2 |
| 4 | Dale Earnhardt | 6 | 4 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 2 |
| 5 | Mark Martin | 6 | 5 | Brad Keselowski | 1 |
| Denny Hamlin | 1 | ||||
| Erik Jones | 1 | ||||
| Kurt Busch | 1 | ||||
| Martin Truex Jr | 1 | ||||
| Matt DiBenedetto | 1 | ||||
| Ryan Newman | 1 |
Top-Five Finishes:
- A total of 118 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-five at Bristol, led by NASCAR Hall of Famers Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty with 26 top-five finishes each.
- Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in top fives at Bristol Motor Speedway with 14 top-five finishes.
Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Top Fives | Rank | Active Drivers | Top Fives |
| 1 | Darrell Waltrip | 26 | 1 | Kyle Busch | 14 |
| 2 | Richard Petty | 26 | 2 | Kevin Harvick | 13 |
| 3 | Bobby Allison | 23 | 3 | Kurt Busch | 12 |
| 4 | Rusty Wallace | 22 | 4 | Denny Hamlin | 9 |
| 5 | Dale Earnhardt | 20 | 5 | Brad Keselowski | 6 |
| Joey Logano | 6 |
Top-10 Finishes:
- A total of 205 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished inside the top-10 at Bristol Motor Speedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty with 37 top-10 finishes.
- Kurt Busch leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers in top-10 finishes at Bristol with 21.
Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Top 10s | Rank | Active Drivers | Top 10s |
| 1 | Richard Petty | 37 | 1 | Kurt Busch | 21 |
| 2 | Terry Labonte | 33 | 2 | Kevin Harvick | 20 |
| 3 | Darrell Waltrip | 32 | 3 | Kyle Busch | 19 |
| 4 | Ricky Rudd | 31 | 4 | Ryan Newman | 19 |
| 5 | Dale Earnhardt | 30 | 5 | Denny Hamlin | 14 |
Average Finishes:
- Dick Hutcherson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing postion with a 2.4 in five starts.
- Chase Elliott leads the series among active drivers in average finishing position at Bristol with a 12.100 in 10 starts.
Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Avg Finish | Races | Rank | Active Drivers | Avg Finish | Races |
| 1 | Dick Hutcherson | 2.400 | 5 | 1 | Chase Elliott | 12.100 | 10 |
| 2 | Junior Spencer | 5.500 | 2 | 2 | Kyle Busch | 12.774 | 31 |
| 3 | Jimmy Hensley | 6.500 | 2 | 3 | Erik Jones | 13.000 | 8 |
| 4 | Joe Weatherly | 6.667 | 6 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | 13.450 | 40 |
| 5 | Janet Guthrie | 8.500 | 2 | 5 | Kurt Busch | 14.025 | 40 |
| 6 | Benny Parsons | 8.630 | 27 | 6 | Kyle Larson | 14.417 | 12 |
| 7 | Gene Black | 9.000 | 3 | 7 | Denny Hamlin | 14.700 | 30 |
| 8 | Dale Earnhardt | 9.256 | 43 | 8 | Joey Logano | 15.125 | 24 |
| 9 | Rusty Wallace | 9.568 | 44 | 9 | Daniel Suarez | 15.250 | 8 |
| 10 | Cale Yarborough | 10.483 | 29 | 10 | Ryan Newman | 15.605 | 38 |
LAP LEADERS
- A total of 133 different drivers have led at least one lap in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the series in laps led at Bristol with 4,305 laps led in 29 starts.
- Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Bristol with 2,593 in 31 starts.
- The most laps led in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway is 500 laps led by Cale Yarborough on March 25, 1973 – he won the event starting from the pole position and led every lap.
- The most laps led in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway by a driver that did not win the event was 442 laps led by Richard Petty who finished second on July 26, 1964 – he started first.
Top 10 Laps Leaders at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Driver | Led | Completed | % Led | Rank | Active Driver | Led | Completed | % Led |
| 1 | Cale Yarborough | 4,305 | 10,878 | 40% | 1 | Kyle Busch | 2,593 | 14,743 | 18% |
| 2 | Dale Earnhardt | 3,751 | 20,038 | 19% | 2 | Kevin Harvick | 1,138 | 19,401 | 6% |
| 3 | Rusty Wallace | 3,743 | 20,474 | 18% | 3 | Kurt Busch | 1,095 | 19,176 | 6% |
| 4 | Darrell Waltrip | 3,436 | 22,964 | 15% | 4 | Brad Keselowski | 894 | 10,692 | 8% |
| 5 | Jeff Gordon | 2,730 | 22,525 | 12% | 5 | Denny Hamlin | 829 | 14,330 | 6% |
| 6 | Kyle Busch | 2,593 | 14,743 | 18% | 6 | Joey Logano | 766 | 11,910 | 6% |
| 7 | Bobby Allison | 2,316 | 17,253 | 13% | 7 | Kyle Larson | 641 | 5,826 | 11% |
| 8 | Richard Petty | 2,212 | 23,815 | 9% | 8 | Ryan Blaney | 439 | 4,698 | 9% |
| 9 | David Pearson | 1,616 | 6,660 | 24% | 9 | Chase Elliott | 310 | 4,971 | 6% |
| 10 | Matt Kenseth | 1,583 | 18,056 | 9% | 10 | Erik Jones | 293 | 3,985 | 7% |
FEMALE COMPETITORS
- Two female drivers have made NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.
| Driver | Starting Position | Finishing Position | Driver Rating | Date |
| Danica Patrick | 24 | 25 | 44.5 | 8/19/2017 |
| Danica Patrick | 29 | 36 | 38.5 | 4/24/2017 |
| Danica Patrick | 29 | 22 | 43.3 | 8/20/2016 |
| Danica Patrick | 33 | 27 | 45.7 | 4/17/2016 |
| Danica Patrick | 32 | 27 | 55.8 | 8/22/2015 |
| Danica Patrick | 26 | 9 | 72.6 | 4/19/2015 |
| Danica Patrick | 24 | 27 | 45.2 | 8/23/2014 |
| Danica Patrick | 36 | 18 | 55.6 | 3/16/2014 |
| Danica Patrick | 22 | 26 | 46.2 | 8/24/2013 |
| Danica Patrick | 41 | 28 | 41.4 | 3/17/2013 |
| Danica Patrick | 43 | 29 | 46.3 | 8/25/2012 |
| Averages | 30.8 | 24.9 | 48.6 | |
| Driver | Starting Position | Finishing Position | Date | |
| Janet Guthrie | 9 | 6 | 8/28/1977 | |
| Janet Guthrie | 21 | 11 | 4/17/1977 | |
| Averages | 15 | 8.5 |
TRACK/EVENT SPECIFIC STATS
- Since the advent of electronic scoring (1993) the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway is the March 25, 2007 race won by Kyle Busch with a margin of victory of 0.064 second over Jeff Burton.
Top Five Closest Margins of Victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol:
| Rank | Margin of Victory | Winner | Runner-Up | Date |
| 1 | 0.064 | Kyle Busch | Jeff Burton | Sunday, March 25, 2007 |
| 2 | 0.098 | Kyle Busch | Mark Martin | Saturday, August 22, 2009 |
| 3 | 0.102 | Dale Jarrett | Mark Martin | Saturday, August 23, 1997 |
| 4 | 0.140 | Mark Martin | Rusty Wallace | Saturday, August 28, 1993 |
| 5 | 0.160 | Rusty Wallace | Mark Martin | Saturday, August 27, 1994 |
| 0.160 | Terry Labonte | Dale Earnhardt | Saturday, August 26, 1995 |
- Qualifying has been cancelled in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway six times.
| No. | Reason for Cancellation | Date | Started First |
| 1 | Weather | Sunday, March 26, 2006 | Tony Stewart |
| 2 | Weather | Sunday, March 16, 2008 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 3 | Weather | Saturday, August 25, 2012 | Casey Mears |
| 4 | Weather | Monday, April 24, 2017 | Kyle Larson |
| 5 | Pandemic | Sunday, May 31, 2020 | Brad Keselowski |
| 6 | Pandemic | Saturday, September 19, 2020 | Brad Keselowski |
- Two of the 120 NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions.
| Scheduled Laps | Actual Laps | Fewer Laps | Race Winner | Date |
| 500 | 342 | 158 | Jeff Gordon | Sunday, March 31, 1996 |
| 500 | 419 | 81 | Darrell Waltrip | Saturday, August 27, 1983 |
- There have been five NASCAR Overtime finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol:
| Scheduled Laps | Actual Laps | Overtime Laps | Race Winner | Date |
| 500 | 511 | 11 | Matt Kenseth | Sunday, April 19, 2015 |
| 500 | 503 | 3 | Carl Edwards | Sunday, March 16, 2014 |
| 500 | 503 | 3 | Kyle Busch | Sunday, March 22, 2009 |
| 500 | 506 | 6 | Jeff Burton | Sunday, March 16, 2008 |
| 500 | 504 | 4 | Kyle Busch | Sunday, March 25, 2007 |
NASCAR IN TENNESSEE
- A total of 357 NASCAR national series races among nine tracks have been held in the state of Tennessee.
| Track Name | City | Cup | Xfinity | Truck | Combined | First Year |
| Bristol Motor Speedway | Bristol | 120 | 77 | 23 | 220 | 1961 |
| Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt | Bristol | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2021 |
| Nashville Superspeedway | Nashville | 1 | 22 | 14 | 37 | 2001 |
| Chattanooga International Raceway | Chattanooga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1962 |
| Kingsport Speedway | Kingsport | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1969 |
| Memphis Motorsports Park | Memphis | 0 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 1998 |
| Nashville Speedway | Lebanon | 42 | 9 | 5 | 56 | 1958 |
| Smokey Mountain Raceway | Maryville | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1965 |
| Tennessee-Carolina Speedway | Newport | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1956 |
| Totals | 183 | 119 | 55 | 357 |
- The first NASCAR Cup Series race held in Tennessee was at Tennessee-Carolina Speedway on October 7, 1956 and won by Fireball Roberts.
TENNESSEE DRIVERS IN NASCAR
- A total of 109 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Tennessee.
- 15 drivers from Tennessee have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; totaling 151 wins across all three series.
Tenessee Drivers In NASCAR with Wins
| Driver | Cup | Xfinity | Truck | Combined |
| Darrell Waltrip | 84 | 13 | 0 | 97 |
| Sterling Marlin | 10 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| Bobby Hamilton | 4 | 1 | 10 | 15 |
| Joe Lee Johnson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Trevor Bayne | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Paul Lewis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bobby Hamilton Jr | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Jeff Purvis | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| L.D. Ottinger | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Mike Alexander | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Casey Atwood | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Josh Berry | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Brad Teague | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Chad Chaffin | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| John King | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 102 | 36 | 13 | 151 |
- Darrell Waltrip, from Franklin, Tennessee, was inducted into the 2012 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Waltrip is the only Tennessee native driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship.
- Only two of the 15 drivers from Tennessee have won at least one race in the NASCAR Cup Series at a track located in the state of Tennessee: Darrell Waltrip (Bristol, 12 wins; Nashville, eight wins) and Joe Lee Johnson (Nashville, one win).
— NASCAR —