Denny Hamlin will be seeking his third consecutive Cup Series victory at one of his best tracks on the circuit, entering Bristol Motor Speedway as the hottest driver in NASCAR's premier series.
The Joe Gibbs Racing star has won a series-leading four victory at the 0.533-mile oval, including three of the past eight.
A year ago, Hamlin led the final 17 laps of a race in which tire management was at a premium. There were a track-record 54 lead changes in the March 17, 2024 race.
It's unlikely Sunday's race will unfold in a similar manner. Last year was the first held entirely in the afternoon on the concrete in four years, and cool temperatures probably will have less of an impact on tire wear.
Hamlin's primary threat probably will be Kyle Larson, who has won two of the past eight races at Bristol (including a dominant victory last September).
An interesting statistical quirk for a track that typically can produce bunches of caution flags: Bristol is in a streak of 16 consecutive races ending at the scheduled distance. The last overtime race at Bristol was in April 2015.
Details for Sunday’s Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway
(All times Eastern)
START: The race will begin shortly after 3 p.m.
PRERACE: The Cup garage will open at 11 a.m. . ... The drivers meeting will begin at 2 p.m. ... Driver introductions will begin at 2:25 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 500 laps (266.5 miles) on a 0.533-mile oval.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 125. Stage 2 ends at Lap 250.
ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 39 cars entered
TV/RADIO: FS1 will begin its race broadcast at 3 p.m. Peformance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have radio coverage.
FORECAST:WeatherUnderground — Mostly cloudy skies before slightly clearing in the afternoon with a high of 65 degrees and winds from the west to the northwest at 5 to 10 mph. It's expected to be 62 degrees with a 0% chance of rain at the start of the Cup race.
LAST TIME: Kyle Larson led a race-high 462 of 500 laps and beat Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott by 7.088 seconds to win the first-round cutoff race in the 2025 playoffs.
A YEAR AGO: Denny Hamlin won ahead of Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski as a tire management battle favored the over 40 veterans in the March 17, 2024 race.
