Top 5 dirt track drivers after Bristol's return to NASCAR ft. Kyle Busch

The Bristol Motor Speedway is renowned for making the battle among cars fierce. Since the dirt track was revived in NASCAR in 2021, only Kyle Busch and two other drivers have won.

The 0.533-mile oval is the only dirt track on the NASCAR calendar that has survived since the first race kicked off on June 19, 1949. Though several dirt tracks existed, the concrete-based superspeedway's introduction stole the show, reducing the dirt track tally.

Bristol Motor Speedway held its 489th and last race on September 30, 1970, where legendary driver Richard Petty bagged his 30th dirt track win. After the final race, BMS closed its doors for 51 years before reopening them for the 2021 NASCAR season. The red clay track prevailed until 2023, but with a shift in the preferences of drivers and fans alike, the 0.533-mile oval was converted into a concrete track for the current season.

Here, we look at the top 5 Cup Series drivers who reigned supreme on the Bristol Motor Speedway during its brief 3-year return.

#5. Chase Elliott

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (Image: Getty)

Chase Elliott, the Hendrick Motorsports driver, made a mark in two of the three dirt track races. He couldn't compete in last year's Food City race, owing to his snowboarding accident, which fractured his tibia. Owing to the injury, Elliott had to miss six races. During his two attempts, however, the #9 Chevy driver posted two consecutive top-10 finishes. He clinched a 10th place finish during the 2021 season and then improved his performance to bag an eighth place finish in 2022.

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#4. Christopher Bell

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell (Image: Getty)

Christopher Bell is in his fifth Cup Series season and has managed eight Cup victories. His most recent win was at the famed Coca-Cola 600, which got shortened to 249 laps after heavy downpours prompted the officials to cancel the race. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver couldn't showcase a dominant display at Bristol for the first two years of its return. Kyle Busch's former teammate improved in the next season and bagged a seventh-place finish.

However, his prime form came during the 2023 season, where, despite starting from fourth place and circling around the top-5 during the first two stages, Bell led a race-high 100 laps. He went on to bag the 2023 Food City Dirt Race, fending off the 2022 defending champion, Kyle Busch.

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#3. Kyle Busch

The then-Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch (Image: Getty)

Kyle Busch has amassed 231 wins in NASCAR across all three series; the Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Truck Series. When Bristol returned to NASCAR, the Richard Childress Racing driver showcased a dismal run, as he could only manage a 17th-place finish. However, the then Joe Gibbs Racing driver made amends during his final year with the team and registered the 2022 Food City Dirt Race win to his name.

During his first and only dirt race with RCR, Kyle Busch kicked off his run from fifth place and kept his #8 Chevy in contention during both stages. However, he plummeted to a 32nd-place finish after getting suspended from the race.

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#2. Joey Logano

Team Penske driver Joey Logano (Image: Getty)

Joey Logano, the two-time Cup Series champion, triumphed on the Bristol Motor Speedway right after the dirt track marked its return after a 51-year-long shutdown. Moreover, the Team Penske driver dominantly tamed his #22 Ford across the 0.522-mile oval once again in 2022, to secure yet another podium finish at P3. However, the final season of the dirt track saw Joey Logano stoop to a dismal 37th-place DNF after getting collected in a multi-car pileup, destroying his playoff odds.

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#1. Tyler Reddick

23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick (Image: Getty)

Reddick is running his fifth full-time Cup Series season. Since his Cup debut at the 2019 Daytona 500, the 23XI Racing driver has bagged six wins. Though the #45 Toyota driver couldn't seal a victory on the dirt track, he posted two top-5s and a solitary top-10. Moreover, his best finish at Bristol was 2nd during the 2023 Food City Dirt Race, where he lost the battle to Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Christopher Bell. During BMS' 3-year comeback trail in NASCAR, only Tyler Reddick has bagged three consecutive top-10 finishes.