Longtime Bristol Motor Speedway fans were confronted with a sobering reality after Saturday’s Night Race.
Consider the comments of Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Chris Gabehart to journalist Matt Weaver.
“The days of the old Bristol are over. That’s just the truth,” Gabehart said.
While the usual NASCAR cheerleaders raved about the “exciting” nature of Saturday’s drama, older fans know better.
In the popular social media poll conducted after every NASCAR Cup event by writer Jeff Gluck, 72% of the respondents voted thumbs down on the Night Race. That number ranked last out of the 19 Bristol events in the poll and number 55 among 56 short track races.
For fans of Kyle Larson, this masterclass was a treat. The California phenom led 462 of the 500 laps and was really challenged. The was the most laps led by a winner since Cale Yarbrough’s 496 in 1977.
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The only real highlight came after the event when Larson celebrated with his young son.
With drivers unbale to pass in basically equal Next Gen machines, Larson appeared to be driving a slot car around the high banks.
An estimated crowd of 120,000 showed up from around the nation, with many no doubt longing for another dose of the old beating-and-banging days of BMS.
While the weather was perfect and the pre-race show was electric, the key element of the Bristol experience was missing. And that’s all about gritty and high-contact action with fierce drivers.
The spring race at BMS generated a new wave of attention with a record-setting 54 lead changes among 16 different drivers. But that was due to heavy tire attrition caused by cool conditions.
On Saturday, there were only eight lead swaps among four drivers and just five caution periods.
Those numbers might be fine at other tracks, but the legend of BMS was built on mayhem and unpredictability.
With Night Race serving as a cutoff in the Cup Series Playoffs, the anticipation level was high.
But there was no tire wear, no passing and nothing to remember from Saturday’s show except for Larson’s domination.
Maybe the latest edition of the Night Race was an example of clean racing the way it “ought to be” with the Next Gen car, but this certainly wasn’t a case of Bristol-style racing the way it used to be.
