Fans May See More “Sparks Fly” During Food City 500 Race Weekend

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon always looks forward to racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he has made the trek into Victory Lane five times.

This time around, however, Gordon is even more anxious to get back to the World’s Fastest Half-Mile for the March 19-21 Food City 500 weekend due to the addition of more than 160 feet of SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barriers at the exits for Turns 2 and 4.

While the modifications increase driver safety, they also create a different transition for the drivers exiting the turns with a decrease of approximately three feet of track on which to race.

Gordon feels the alterations to the track will make it more difficult for drivers to pass.

“We use every inch of that race track,” he said. “It is definitely going to be unique. I am anxious to get there and see how many right sides we take off the first hour of practice.

“It is like anything else, eventually you get used to it. Then it is going to come down to the side-by-side racing and how that is going to affect that aspect of it. I think the most important thing is that you are really going to have to get your car working well. Because you narrow the track up that means it might be a little harder to pass.

“I like the safety aspect of it. It is definitely a good thing I’m all for. I wish there was a way to move walls so we could keep the width of the track the way it was. But, that’s not the case, so we are real happy they put the safety barriers up there on the straightaway.

Gordon thinks fans may see a bit more on-track action come race day.

““I guess so, if they are hoping for more crashing, then maybe,” he said. “I mean I think the racing has been spectacular. I love the fact we are able to get three wide there now. We are certainly racing side-by-side.

“It is just that there is a little bit more room to race on. You see more side-by-racing, I don’t think that is a bad thing. But if you want to see sparks fly and this might be the thing that does that.”

Two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart also believes less racing room might make for a different type of race.

“I am sure it is going to make a difference, there is no doubt about it,” he said. “I mean, we use every bit of room we can get there anyway. It will make the exits of the corners a little tighter, but I think the racing will still be good there be because of it.”

Carl Edwards isn’t sure what impact the extra SAFER barriers will have at BMS, but he expects to have a lot of fun on race weekend.

“I think that, if anything, it’ll make it a little tougher, which, I could tell by the release they put out there that that’s what they want,” he said. “It sounds like they’d put a jump on the back straightaway if they could, which is fine by me if they want to try that. But it’ll be good. Those will be fun races.”

Clint Bowyer says his feelings about Bristol Motor Speedway remain the same, no matter what changes might occur at the .533-mile track.

“Bristol has always been one of my favorite race tracks, no matter before they repaved it or after they repaved it,” he said. “I think our fans will always get their money’s worth, no matter how wide or narrow it is.”