Exploring 5 active NASCAR drivers with dirt racing backgrounds ft. Kyle Larson

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series took a break from dirt racing after it was announced that the Food City 500 race in Bristol would happen on concrete instead of the dirt track. However, while the series won't be going back to dirt tracks anytime soon, they did race at the Bristol Motor Speedway in the dirt for three seasons recently, from 2021 to 2023.

This list will explore a few of the drivers who are on the grid in the Cup Series and come from dirt racing backgrounds.

5. Alex Bowman

Alex Bowman during cup qualifying at Martinsville Speedway. - Source: Imagn

Alex Bowman, who finished the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series in 9th place, has raced at the Chilli Bowl Nationals for seven seasons up till 2023. He has participated in the Chilli Bowl as both driver and owner, with his team Alex Bowman Racing entering the midget racing competition.

This past year, Bowman himself didn't race, but instead only showed up as team owner. His finishes at Bristol over the three seasons were 22nd, 6th, and 29th respectively.

4. Chase Briscoe

Chase Briscoe (14) at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Course. - Source: Imagn

Chase Briscoe got his start in racing by competing on dirt tracks in his home state of Indiana. Since then, he has raced sprint cars, midget cars, late models, and micro-sprint cars.

Chase has used his dirt track racing roots as a strength in NASCAR as well, securing a victory at the Eldora Speedway in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2018. It was the only start that the 30-year-old driver had in the series that year. In the Cup Series, the former SHR driver has had 20th and 22nd finishes in the first two races at Bristol, and a 5th-place finish in 2023.

3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr during qualifying for the Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. - Source: Imagn

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the runner-up at the NASCAR Food City 500 race in 2021, has had a successful background in dirt racing. He has won five USAC National Midget Series wins, along with three All-Star Circuit of Champions race wins.

He has also achieved wins at the USAC National Sprint Car and Silver Crown feature events in 2007. The #47 driver scored a fourth-place finish at Bristol in the 2023 season.

2. Christopher Bell

NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell wins the Food City Dirt Race at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Course. - Source: Imagn

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who secured the victory at the Bristol Motor Speedway in 2023, has a strong background in dirt racing. He has won three Chilli Bowl Nationals, three USAC Turkey Night Grand Prix, five World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victories, and twenty USAC National Midget Series races.

In 2015, the #20 driver would also win at the Eldora Speedway on dirt in his third start in the NASCAR Truck Series. Christopher Bell previously finished 34th and 7th in 2021 and 2022 at Bristol.

1. Kyle Larson

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship winner has an extensive history of dirt racing. Larson has had victories in Chili Bowl Nationals, Kings Royal, Knoxville Nationals, and Prairie Dirt Classic competitions along with having success with Sprint Cars, Dirt Late Models, and Dirt Midgets.

Kyle Larson has unfortunately not had success at the Food City races in the Cup Series, with his highest finish coming in the 2022 season where he completed the race in Bristol at 4th. His other finishes were 29th in 2021, and 35th in 2023.