The Chase for the Sprint Cup continues to heat up this weekend with the NASCAR Irwin Tools Night Race at the Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday. Read on to get yourself in the loop and cash in on all the action.
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NASCAR Irwin Tools Night Race Preview
Where: Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee
When: Saturday, August 23, 1:00 PM ET
Line: View all NASCAR lines
Favorites – Jeff Gordon and Joey Logano
Jeff Gordon has five career wins at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The veteran racer is an extremely talented driver with 15 wins on short tracks such as Bristol. Gordon finished seventh on the track in March and has momentum on his side having won two of his last four races with three top-10s. The current leader in the Sprint Cup Series, Gordon will be hard to stop this late in the season.
[sc:NASCAR240banner ]Another favorite in Bristol is Joey Logano. He has dramatically improved on the track especially after the change in the speedway. Logano led 139 laps, finished eighth and earned the second-best driver rating (119.5) in the first race with the new concrete surface. He had a strong showing at the track in March taking an early lead for 12 laps.
However, he lost his power steering which sent him careening through the field. Without the accident, Logano would’ve had a great chance for a win. Barring any more mechanical difficulties, Logano is a good bet to shoot up the leaderboard.
High-Value Picks – Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards
Greg Biffle is currently running hot with three-straight top 10 finishes. This season, Biffle is enjoying a powerful car and a great pit crew that can have him passing the top drivers to win a race here and there. However, Biffle is a safe driver (a little too safe) and will not take the risk of bumping or passing others to take the lead lest they suffer an accident.
Bristol is one of Carl Edwards’ best tracks. He won the Food City 500 at Bristol in March to collect two career wins at the track. Last year, Edwards led for a staggering 119 laps for the Irwin Tools Night Race, but engine problems eventually had him finishing 39th. Both of his wins have come from short tracks this season, winning at Sonoma in June to go along with his Food City 500 title. Without engine problems or accidents, Edwards will impress in this race.
Aside from road courses, Marcos Ambrose also enjoys some success at short tracks like Bristol. A third of his top 10 finishes in 2013 came from short tracks. This season, Ambrose has top five finishes at Bristol and Martinsville in March as well as a top 10 at Sonoma in June.
With how Ambrose has been performing at the short tracks this season, he is a solid pick for a great value on your bet.
Writer’s Prediction
Jeff Gordon establishes his lead over everybody else in the Sprint Cup Series. After a win at Bristol, he will be riding hot for the Chase come September.
