- Food City 300 - Bristol Motor Speedway - 1. (#1) Zach Johnson - 2. (#71) Michael Deitch - 3. (#26) Caleb Sheets - 4. (#29) Stewart Harding Walker - 5. (#97) Zack Saunders - 6. (#11) Bob Baker - 7. (#88) Tyler Belanger - 8. (#92) Jacob Fifield - 9. (#25) Noah Spaulding - 10. (#54) Cory Mott - 11. (#52) Leeroy Sellers - 12. (#8) Joe Gibbons - 13. (#55) Cameron Romano - 14. (#20) Jim Mott - 15. (#9) Gordon Fraley - 16. (#4) John Conner - 17. (#6) Jacob Quill
Zack Saunders avoided an early disaster in Wednesday’s Team Conti Sim Performance Cup Series race at Watkins Glen to recover and overtake Thomas Wolfe in the final Stage to win and secure his spot in the Round of 12. With the final race in the Round of 16 next week, tensions have reached an all-time high going into the Last Great Colosseum at Bristol.
The #69 Caleb Tipton would drop two spots, and Zach Johnson would fall one place with the early wreck they were involved in on Lap 2. Johnson would recover and salvage a Top 10 Finish, but Tipton would go 11 laps down and finish in 17th.
Uber vs Hollywood
Vince Mitchell would climb up and off the cutline with his 12th Place finish, sitting at +6 in front of Tipton. Nathaniel Campbell and Garth Griswold of Hollywood Motorsports are the two drivers who desperately need a solid finish this week to make the Round of 12. Sitting just one point back from Tipton, Campbell had a mechanical failure at Bristol in the Spring and is looking to improve on that finish next week to get him locked into the next Round. Tipton, who was also involved in a wreck at Bristol in the Spring, is also looking to avoid disaster again and improve on his 35th-place finish.
Not in the Clear
But Uber and Hollywood are not the only ones battling it out next week. We have five drivers within 14 points of the cutline. Palmetto Motorsports Drivers Cory Mott and Zach Johnson are in ninth and tenth position, respectively, and Hollywood Motorsport’s third driver, Allen Phillips, is in eighth with a +14-point margin.
It’s Bristol, Baby! Carnage can happen anywhere and anytime on this fast, short track. Early carnage could be detrimental to the fourth through seventh-place drivers. Steven Carlile, who is sitting in third with a +50 point margin, is safe, but he is the only one at the top who should feel comfortable. Stephen Menke, who was involved in an accident during Stage 2 of the Spring Race, will be looking not to get involved early on Wednesday as it could spell disaster for the Factory Motorsports Owner.
Factory Motorsports
Factory Motorsports should be proud of their playoff run so far. With their drivers sitting in 4th, 5th, and 6th in the standings, it will take a nuclear disaster for them not to have at least two drivers advance into the Round of 12. They haven’t let the disappearance of Zander Short affect their performance so far.
Do You Believe in Miracles
Joining Short at the bottom of the standings is Moonshine Motorsports Driver Tommy Carroll Jr., who didn’t make the race last week at Watkins Glen. Currently sitting -35 points back from the cutline, he will need to improve on his fourth-place finish in the spring to make the giant leap above the cutline, shake up the standings, and advance to the Round of 12.
The Team Conti Sim Performance Cup Series will drive 500 laps on Wednesday night. Seeing the checkered flag fly takes the driver’s focus, effort, and grit. Who will make their name known Wednesday night and advance to the Round of 12? Tune into the Crown Jewel Racing Network to find out!