Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Bass Pro Shops Night Race

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 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts: Race #3 (Bristol)

Round of 16 Elimination Race

• The 2025 season marks the sixth-time Bristol Motor Speedway (2020-2024) has hosted the third race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (Round of 16 elimination race).
• During the Playoff Era, from 2004-2019, Bristol Motor Speedway was scheduled as the 24th-race of the regular season.
• Bristol Motor Speedway (2020-2025) is the fifth different track in NASCAR Cup Series history to host the third race of the Playoffs; alongside Talladega Superspeedway (2004-2005), Kansas Speedway (2006–2010), Dover Motor Speedway (2011-2017) and the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL (2018-2019).

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts: Race #3 (Bristol)

Round of 16 Elimination Race

• A total of 16 different drivers have won the third race of the Playoffs, led by Jimmie Johnson (2008, 2013), Greg Biffle (2007, 2010), Tony Stewart (2006, 2009), Kevin Harvick (2015, 2020) and Kyle Larson (2021, 2025) with two wins each.

• Four times non-Playoff drivers have won the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2005, 2006, 2007, 2022), but it has only happened once since going to the elimination-style format (2022).
• One non-Playoff driver has won the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Talladega Superspeedway (2004-2005) – NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett was 14th in points when he won the 2005 race.
• Two non-Playoff drivers have won the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Kansas Speedway (2006 – 2010): Tony Stewart was ranked 11th in points when he won the 2006 Kansas Playoff race and Greg Biffle was ranked 14th in points when he won the 2007 Kansas Playoff race.
• One non-Playoff drivers have won the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway (2020 – 2022): Chris Buescher (2022) was ranked 21st in points when he won last season.

• Non-Playoff drivers have not won the third NASCAR Cup Playoff race when it was hosted at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2018-2019) or at Dover Motor Speedway (2011 – 2017).

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts: Race #3 (Bristol)

Round of 16 Elimination Race

• In total, the winner of the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the championship four times (2008, 2012, 2013, 2021); en yet it has only happened once since the elimination-style format was instituted in 2014 (2021).
• At Talladega: When Talladega Superspeedway hosted the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004-2005), none of the drivers that won the event went on to win the title later that season.
• At Kansas: 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 in 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).
• At Dover: When Dover Motor 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 in 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).
• At Charlotte ROVAL: When the 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.
• At Bristol: When Bristol Motor Speedway hosted the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2020-2024), only one driver won the event and went on to win the title in the same season.
• In 2021, Kyle Larson won the third race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway and went on to win his first series title. His Bristol Playoff victory was the first of a record tying five postseason wins in a single season (Bristol, Charlotte RC, Texas, Kansas, Phoenix) – tying NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart (five Playoff wins in 2011).
• The worst finish by a driver in the third Playoff race that went on to win the Cup Series title was:
• At Talladega Superspeedway (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 Kansas Speedway (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 Dover Motor Speedway (2011-2017): In 2011, Tony Stewart finished 25th at Dover 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 Bristol Motor Speedway (2020-2024): In 2024, Joey Logano finished 28th at Bristol Motor Speedway, the third race of the Playoffs, and went on to win the title later that season.

At Bristol Motor Speedway: Stats & Tidbits

TRACK & RACE DATA
Season Race #: 29 of 36 (09-13-25)
Playoff Race: Round of 16 Elimination Race (3 of 10)
The Purse: $10,447,135
Track Size: 0.533-miles
Banking/Turns: 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  

TRACK QUALIFYING & RACE RECORDS

Track Qualifying Record:
Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 131.713 mph, 14.568 secs., April 5, 2019

2024 Bristol Playoff Race Pole Winner
Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 126.720 mph, 15.142 secs., September 20, 2024

Track Race Record:
Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 101.277 mph, (2:37:53), September 21, 2024

2024 Bristol Playoff Race Winner
Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 101.277 mph, (2:37:53), September 21, 2024

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, and the inaugural event was won by Jack Smith with relief from Johnny Allen. Allen drove the final 209 laps in relief for Smith. Smith had a three lap lead when Allen took over.

HISTORY

• 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 first track surfaced in all concrete.
• The name changed to Bristol Motor Speedway in May, 1996 when the track was sold to Speedway Motorsports.
• The track was resurfaced between races in 2007, and progressive banking was added.
• In 2012, the turns were ground down to eliminate part of the progressive banking.
• In 2020, Bristol Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series Open and All-Star Race for the first-time.
• There have been 126 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races at Bristol Motor Speedway since the first race in 1961.
• Since 1961, the track has hosted two Cup races each season except from 2021-2023 when the track replaced their spring date with the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt track, and hosted just one event during those three years.

STARTS

• A total of 486 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway; 347 have competed in more than one.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Bristol Motor Speedway with 60 starts.
• Top five in Cup starts at Bristol – Richard Petty (60), Ricky Rudd (58), Terry Labonte (58), Dave Marcis (54), Darrell Waltrip (52).
• Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Bristol Motor Speedway with 37 starts.
• Top five in Cup starts at Bristol (active) – Kyle Busch (37), Denny Hamlin (36), Joey Logano (30), Brad Keselowski (28), Michael McDowell (27).
• 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 Motor Speedway with an 8.563 in 16 starts.

STARTS

Top 10 in Average Starting Positions at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

• A total of 35 drivers have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Bristol Motor Speedway; the most recent was Jesse Love (April 13, 2025).

• Of the 35 drivers that made their first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol, Jesse Love posted the best finish – finishing sixth on April 12, 2025.

POLES

• A total of 55 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won the pole at Bristol Motor Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen won the inaugural pole at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series with a speed of 79.225 MPH in a Holman-Moody Racing He finished 33rd out of 42 cars.

POLES

• This weekend, nine of the 55 NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Motor Speedway pole winners are entered in the race.

• 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 NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Bristol Motor Speedway with nine poles each.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in poles at Bristol Motor Speedway with four (2013, 2014, 2015, 2019).
• 13 different drivers have posted consecutive poles at Bristol Motor Speedway; Mark Martin is the only driver to win four consecutive:
  • 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)
  • Alex Bowman (2024-’25)
• Eight different drivers have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series career pole at Bristol Motor Speedway.

POLES

• Joey Logano (March 10, 2010) and Erik Jones (August 19, 2017) are the only active drivers to win their first NASCAR Cup Series career pole at Bristol Motor Speedway.
• Youngest Bristol Cup pole winner: Joey Logano (March 21, 2010 – 19 years, 9 months, 25 days) – his first NASCAR Cup Series career pole.
• Oldest Bristol Cup pole winner: Harry Gant (August 27, 1994 – 54 years, 7 months, 17 days) – his last NASCAR Cup Series career pole.
• A total of 35 different organizations have won a pole at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Bristol Motor Speedway with 14 poles.
  • Hendrick Motorsports has 14 poles among six drivers: Geoff Bodine (1984, 1986 sweep), Jeff Gordon (2002 sweep, 2003, 2004, 2007), Mark Martin (2009 sweep), Jimmie Johnson (2010), Chase Elliott (2019), Alex Bowman (2024, 2025).
• This weekend, six of the 35 NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Motor Speedway pole winning organizations are active.

• A total of nine different manufacturers have won poles at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series; led by Chevrolet (39) and followed by Ford (38), Toyota (12), Dodge (8), Pontiac (7), Buick (4), Plymouth (4), Oldsmobile (3) and Mercury (2).
• The longest streak of consecutive NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Motor Speedway pole wins by a manufacturer is nine straight by Ford from 4/2/1995 to 4/11/1999.

WINS

• A total of 44 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Bristol Motor Speedway; 22 of the 44 Bristol winners have won multiple times at the half-mile track.
• Owner/driver 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.

WINS

• This weekend, six of the 44 NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Motor Speedway race winners are entered in the event.

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Bristol Motor Speedway with 12 victories in 52 starts; including a NASCAR Cup Series record of seven straight (1978, 1979, 1981 sweep, 1982 sweep, 1983 sweep, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1992).
• Kyle Busch leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers in wins at Bristol with eight victories in 37 starts (Spring 2007, 2009 sweep, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019).
• A total of 14 drivers have won consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol; led by Darrell Waltrip with seven consecutive victories from 1981-1984.
  • 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)
  • Darrell Waltrip (seven straight: 1981-1984)
  • Dale Earnhardt did it 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)
  • Brad Keselowski (Fall 2011-Spring 2012)
  • Denny Hamlin (Fall 2023-Spring 2024)
  • Kyle Larson (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)
• Youngest Bristol Cup race winner: Kyle Busch (March 25, 2007 – 21 years, 10 months, 23 days).
• Oldest Bristol Cup race winner: Dale Earnhardt (August 28, 1999 – 48 years, 3 months, 30 days).

WINS

• 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)
  • Kurt Busch (March 24, 2002)
• A total of 24 different starting positions 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 (21.4%) – the most productive starting position in the field.
• A total of 16 different drivers have won from the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway. The most recent driver to win from the pole or first starting position was Brad Keselowski on March 31, 2020.

• Six drivers have won from the pole position or first starting 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).
• More than half (74 wins, 58.73%) of the NASCAR Cup Series winners at Bristol Motor Speedway have started in the top-five.
• 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 20th, by Kyle Busch in 2007 and Chris Buescher in 2022.

WINS

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Bristol Motor Speedway

• A total of 30 different organizations have visited Victory Lane in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway.
• Junior Johnson & Associates leads the NASCAR Cup Series in organization wins at Bristol Motor Speedway with 16 victories among three drivers: Cale Yarborough (seven wins: 1974, 1976 sweep, 1977 sweep, 1978, 1980), Darrell Waltrip (eight wins: 1981 sweep, 1982 sweep, 1983 sweep, 1984, 1986) and Junior Johnson (1965).
• Joe Gibbs Racing lead all active NASCAR Cup Series organizations in wins at Bristol Motor Speedway with 15 victories each; followed by Hendrick Motorsports with 14, Team Penske with 13 and RFK Racing with 12.
• Eight different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series 126 races at Bristol Motor Speedway; led by Chevrolet with 48 victories; followed by Ford (40 wins), Toyota (14), Dodge (8), Pontiac (8), Buick (4), Plymouth (3) and Oldsmobile (1).

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 54 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Bristol Motor Speedway, 29 of the 54 have posed more than one runner-up finish.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes with 10 second-place finishes.
• Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in runner-up finishes at Bristol with four.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 123 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 NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top-five finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway with 14 top-five finishes.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 210 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.
• Denny Hamlin leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers in top-10 finishes at Bristol with 20 top 10s.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS STATS

Average Finishes:

• Dick Hutcherson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position with a 2.4 in five starts.
• Kyle Larson leads the Cup Series among active drivers in average finishing position at Bristol with a 10.4 in 18 starts.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

LAP LEADERS

• A total of 140 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 Cup 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 2,598 in 37 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 by a driver that did not win the event in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway was 442 laps led by Richard Petty who finished second on July 26, 1964 – he started first.
• The fewest laps led in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway by the race winner was one lap, the final lap, by Fred Lorenzen – who passed Richard Petty to win on July 26, 1964 – Lorenzen started eighth.

Top 10 Laps Leaders at Bristol Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• Two female drivers have made NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.

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:

• Two of the 126 NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions.

TRACK/EVENT SPECIFIC STATS

• Qualifying has been cancelled in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway seven times.

• There have been five NASCAR Overtime finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway:

NASCAR IN TENNESSEE

• A total of 390 NASCAR national series races among nine tracks have been held in the state of Tennessee.

• 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 111 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 156 wins across all three series.

Tennessee Drivers In NASCAR with Wins

• 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).

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