This article is part of our NASCAR Barometer series.
Bristol Motor Speedway usually produces plenty of fireworks, but Mother Nature was the one wielding the sword on Sunday. The Food City 500 was interrupted four times for rain, and after nine hours at the track Matt Kenseth outlasted the competition to drive his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota into Victory Lane. The race ultimately lasted 511 laps versus the scheduled 500, but Kenseth drove away on the final restart to secure the long overdue victory.
Sunday's variable conditions and stuttered action enabled a number of drivers to make cameos in the top finishing positions. Austin Dillon secured a top-10, but probably could have done more had he not run out of fuel. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. scored a top-5 for the ailing Roush Fenway Racing team, and Danica Patrick made history with another top-10 finish. The action on track was every bit as engaging as past Bristol thrillers, and another short track awaits the drivers this week at Richmond International Raceway.
UPGRADE
Matt Kenseth - After going winless in what would have otherwise been considered a very successful 2014 season, Kenseth survived the adversity to win at Bristol. Kenseth was the first driver to win from pole at Bristol since teammate Carl Edwards accomplished the feat in 2008, but it was not easy. He wasn't the fastest car throughout most practice sessions, but the No. 20 ran up front for most of the afternoon and into the evening, surviving multiple stoppages for rain and one final restart to hold off the
Bristol Motor Speedway usually produces plenty of fireworks, but Mother Nature was the one wielding the sword on Sunday. The Food City 500 was interrupted four times for rain, and after nine hours at the track Matt Kenseth outlasted the competition to drive his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota into Victory Lane. The race ultimately lasted 511 laps versus the scheduled 500, but Kenseth drove away on the final restart to secure the long overdue victory.
Sunday's variable conditions and stuttered action enabled a number of drivers to make cameos in the top finishing positions. Austin Dillon secured a top-10, but probably could have done more had he not run out of fuel. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. scored a top-5 for the ailing Roush Fenway Racing team, and Danica Patrick made history with another top-10 finish. The action on track was every bit as engaging as past Bristol thrillers, and another short track awaits the drivers this week at Richmond International Raceway.
UPGRADE
Matt Kenseth - After going winless in what would have otherwise been considered a very successful 2014 season, Kenseth survived the adversity to win at Bristol. Kenseth was the first driver to win from pole at Bristol since teammate Carl Edwards accomplished the feat in 2008, but it was not easy. He wasn't the fastest car throughout most practice sessions, but the No. 20 ran up front for most of the afternoon and into the evening, surviving multiple stoppages for rain and one final restart to hold off the Hendrick Motorsports duo of Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. The win puts Kenseth comfortably into the Chase, and could pop the cork on more strong results with Richmond coming up next.
Jeff Gordon - Gordon overcame severe adversity on Sunday to claim a top-5 finish, narrowly missing victory after a poor restart. The veteran had it all to do on Sunday after qualifying put him behind the curve. The team kept digging and turned in a rousing performance to battle forward to finish third, though. Gordon's 23rd-place qualifying effort led many to question his value prior to the race, but he rewarded those who stuck with him by scoring his fifth consecutive top-10. Richmond is a good track for the veteran, too. His two wins, 18 top-5s, and 28 top-10s give him an average finish of 13.6 at the track. That resume, paired with his gritty performance last week, makes him one to count on early.
Jimmie Johnson - Is the old Johnson back? Disappointing practice and qualifying times early in the weekend seemed to indicate that the No. 48 would continue his up and down start to the 2015 season in Bristol. His race performance was much different, though. Johnson steadily worked his way forward, overcoming contact with Jeb Burton that sparked a multi-car accident, to finish second. A poor restart by teammate Gordon enabled Johnson to move into second position, his second top-two finish in a row. Top finishes that come from otherwise lackluster weekends can make or break a season, and Johnson is collecting a few in 2015. There is plenty of time remaining before the Chase for this team to improve, too.
Ryan Newman - Despite the devastating penalties levied against Newman and the No. 31 team by NASCAR for tampering with tires, the Richard Childress Racing team showed Sunday they would not roll over. The team regrouped and put together an effort that landed them back in the top-5 after a two week absence. The finish will help replace some of the points that were taken away by the penalties, and give the team more hope for races to come. Newman can take that hope to Richmond where he won in 2003 and has three straight top-10 finishes. Depth in the team is helping to keep the No. 31 organization chugging forward, working their way back into contention for a spot in the Chase.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - Those who remembered Stenhouse's top performances at Bristol last season were rewarded with another last week. Prospects for the race didn't look good after he qualified way back in the 25th position, showing little speed through practice. The young driver boosted Roush Fenway Racing's morale with a confident top-5 in tricky conditions, though. The No. 17 just recently started scoring top-15 finishes, and received a new car to help competitiveness two weeks ago in Texas. Stenhouse repaid the team's hard work by driving aggressively to come home fourth at one of his best tracks. That trend may be difficult to extend this week, however. A top-15 result will be a good one at Richmond, where Stenhouse has just one top-10 finish from 2013.
DOWNGRADE
Joey Logano - Logano and teammate Brad Keselowski were destined to contend Sunday at Bristol, but circumstances conspired against them. The pair was the first to taste trouble in the lengthy affair when Keselowski lost control exiting turn 4 and collected the No. 22. Each suffered significant damage, and then was forced to sit and stare at the mangled cars while rain fell. The team ultimately returned the car to the track, but the effort was for little more than consolation. Logano finished nearly 60 laps down to the leader in 40th position. Logano won the spring race at Richmond last season, and has three top-10 finishes in the last five races at the track. He'll want to rebound quickly this week.
Martin Truex Jr. - Truex's string of top-10 finishes ended at Bristol. The Furniture Row Racing driver finally had a taste of bad luck when he had to pit off sequence for a vibration. The trouble put him behind the leaders and multiple laps down. Sunday's 29th-place finish was his worst of the season, but his prospects remain relatively bright. The question now is how quickly the team can regroup and return to their string of successful performances. Truex's Richmond resume isn't fantastic, with just one top-5 finish from 18 starts, but Truex is driving very differently than ever before. His past statistics don't mean much so far this season, but his poor luck last week may bleed over into Richmond.
Denny Hamlin - A pulled neck muscle early in Sunday's rain-delayed race forced Hamlin out of the car at the first stoppage for rain. The No. 11 was taken over by Erik Jones from the Xfinity series. Despite not completing the full race distance, the points scored by Jones will be credited to Hamlin due to the fact that Denny started the car. By virtue of a win earlier in the season Hamlin remains in comfortable standing with a spot in the Chase even though he couldn't continue in Sunday's event. Hamlin has every incentive to get back in the seat at Richmond. He has won twice at the track, but hasn't finished inside the top 10 there since the spring of 2012.
Kevin Harvick - Sunday's Bristol race produced Harvick's worst finish of the season. The reigning champion was among the fastest cars throughout Sunday's rain-interrupted race, but as is often the case at a track like Bristol, he was caught in an accident ahead of him. The No. 4 slid into the crashing David Ragan, sending Harvick to the garage for extensive repairs. When all was said and done, Harvick was classified in the 38th position. Due to his two earlier wins this season Harvick can afford to have an off week early in the year. His spot in the Chase is already secure, and he has plenty of races to right the ship. A dismal weekend is not good, but this team has proven they can bounce back quickly.
BIGGEST SURPRISE
Danica Patrick - Despite never scoring a top-10 finish at Bristol, Patrick outlasted the competition to finish ninth, her second top-10 of the season. She now sits 13th in points, and hovers on the cusp of a spot in the Chase. Small steps have been the trademark of her turn in performance. Her last top-10 came in the tight confines of Martinsville Speedway, and we have another short track on the calendar this week in Richmond. Patrick may have fell into her top finish this week due to others' misfortune, but to finish well you must first finish. She did exactly what she needed to do and picked up another top outing, which will help boost her confidence for the coming weeks.
