Best of the Rest: Bristol

‘Tis the season for….short track racing in Bristol. An ever-present track for decades (thankfully no longer covered in dirt after that experiment), Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway has played host to some of NASCAR’s most dramatic events and surprise wins. Being in the right place at the right time, several drivers over the years have scored their first career wins after surviving the general chaos that lives within Bristol’s high-banked corners.

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TENNESSEE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD 250

Winner: Christopher Bell

#26 Dawson Sutton

The 2026 season six races in has not been one to write home about for Rackley W.A.R. Racing’s Dawson Sutton. Following two early exits in the first three races this season due to accidents, Sutton and his #26 Chevrolet slowly have started to gain momentum heading into Bristol. 

Sporting a special Tennessee VOLS scheme on his Silverado, Sutton showcased his and the Rackley W.A.R. team’s potential by scoring his first top ten finish of the season (7th), after starting deep in the field in 34th. Having such a great run amongst the juggernauts of TRICON Garage and ThorSport Racing should be considered a great accomplishment.

#12 Brenden Queen

The re-introduction of the Dodge/RAM brand in NASCAR has experienced some growing pains this season as the new RAM program continues to evolve. Having signed with RAM anchor team Kaulig Racing during the off season, rookie contender Brenden Queen had a banner run in Bristol in his #12 Cummins-back RAM. 

Easily the best performing of the Kaulig RAM assault on the series, 2025 ARCA champion Queen started 28th, and brought his truck home in a strong 10th-place effort. Queen’s previous top ten this season came in the season opener in Daytona, where he finished 7th.

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SUBURBAN PROPANE 300

Winner: Connor Zilisch

#19 Brent Crews

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brent Crews has continued to impress in his move to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, showing great maturity and speed behind the wheel early. Having come up to the NOAP Series via the Toyota pipeline, Crews’ best performances on a national level have come in the last few weeks as he continues to learn.

Bristol provided a clear showcase of why JGR hired Crews at such a young age, with the newcomer wheeling the #19 Toyota to a 3rd place effort, after starting 17th. Crews should be in the #19 for the remainder of 2026 now that he has turned 18, so it will be fun to watch where he shakes out in the season final tally.

#39 Ryan Sieg

Owner-driver Sieg has not had the performance hoped for in 2026, after switching to Chevrolet from Ford during the off season. Now in an alliance with Haas Factory Team, the RSS Racing team had a much needed return to form in Bristol.

Starting towards the front in 11th, Sieg had a strong performance leading twice for 13 laps, and ultimately finishing where he started in 11th. After a roller coaster start to 2026, Sieg has finished 9th twice and 11th in Bristol in the last three races.

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Food City 500

Winner: Ty Gibbs

#54 Ty Gibbs

Ladies and gentleman….he finally did it. Laying all the questions to rest finally, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs finally scored a long-awaited first career Cup Series victory in Bristol. This season has shown momentum for the young JGR driver, leading to the the question of when not if that first trophy will be earned.

Gibbs’ had a strong run in Bristol throughout the weekend, starting with a 5th place qualifying effort. Once Sunday came, Gibbs ran up front throughout the event, led the final 25 laps, held off a contingent of hard-charging big names in the Cup Series, and scored his first career win. This will be Gibbs fourth full season in the Cup Series, so such a monumental win could give the team the confidence to make a run for the championship now.

#34 Todd Gilliland

Not to be outshined by the Gibbs win is Front Row Motorsports’ Todd Gilliland. A long-time driver for Front Row Motorsports, Gilliland took over the reigns of the FRM’s anchor #34 Ford in 2025. While top results have been hard to come by in a competitive Cup field, Gilliland and his #34 team have been quietly consistent in their march forward.

Last Sunday provided Gilliland one of his best runs since Martinsville in 2025. Starting his #34 Ford towards the back of the field in 35th, the FRM driver scored his first top ten of the season and scored a 6th place finish. Through eight starts this season, Gilliland’s best finish has been a 12th place effort in Phoenix.