2010 Food City 500: Race Review

While March 21^st may have marked the coming of spring, the folks in Bristol, Tennessee had something else on their minds- the 2010 Food City 500. Hosted on the Bristol Motor Speedway, the Food City 500 is one of March's top NASCAR events. And, for race fans, celebration started with Race Night and ended with the checkered flag.

The Track: Bristol Motor Speedway

Starting out as an old dairy farm, Bristol Motor Speedway was built by Carl Moore, Larry Carrier and R. G. Pope. The track took one year to complete and was ready for business in 1961. In Spring 1978, the tracks name changed from Bristol International Speedway to the Bristol International Raceway. By 1996, the official name for the track became the Bristol Motor Speedway.

The track, slightly bigger than the Martinsville Speedway, is .533 miles. The straight-aways are 650 feet while its turns are 910 feet. The track is only 40 feet wide and covers about ten acres. Nicknamed the "World's Fastest Half Mile," the Bristol track offered many first to several racing legends and has partnered with NASCAR since 1961.

From the Pole to the Checkered Flag

It was a great weekend for racing. On Friday, March 19, 2010, nineteen year old Joey Logano. was ready. In a field that included Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Juan Montoya, Logano showed what young bloods can do. He won the first pole of his Cup career and became the youngest driver to win a top qualifying spot in NASCAR Sprint Cup history. He beat out Kyle Busch for the age record and Kurt Busch for the pole.

Positions for the big race were as follows:

1. Joe Logano

2. Kurt Busch

3. Dave Blaney

4. Jimmie Johnson

5. Jeff Gordon

6. Juan Montoya

7. Matt Kenseth

8. Carl Edwards

9. Marcos Ambrose

10. David Reutimann

On race day, there were so many things to consider. Jimmie Johnson, one of racing's biggest names, had gone winless in Bristol, but had recently improved his time on the track. Short tracks make races virtually unpredictable. Veterans and newcomers may all stand the same chance for victory. However, names such as Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin and Juan Montoya have been posting great speeds and finishes.

Once the green flag was waved, Kurt Busch made his move and took the lead. He lead the race through the first 278 laps of the race. At lap 341, there was a 13 car wreck which took out some notable contenders. Called in for a tire change, Kurt Busch could not regain the top spot. By lap 494, Jimmie Johnson had surged past Busch, Stewart, Edwards, Kenseth, and Biffle to claim the lead. When the checkered flag was waved, Jimmie Johnson claimed his 50^th career victory and his first at Bristol.

The final finish results are as follows:

1. Jimmie Johnson

2. Tony Stewart

3. Kurt Busch

4. Greg Biffle

5. Matt Kenseth

The Aftermath

The 2010 Food City 500 was an incredible race and shook up the Sprint Cup Series standings. Jimmie Johnson had moved to third place with Kevin Harvick barely holding on to the top spot. Within a few weeks, Jimmie Johnson is leading the field.

Plans are already underway for the 2011 Food City 500. Next year's race should prove to be as exciting as the last.

If you are interested in more information about the Food City 500 or the Sprint Cup Series, check out the following websites:

http://www.foodcity.com/racing/

http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/headlines/cup/03/21/jjohnson.wins.bristol/index.html

http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/headlines/cup/03/19/pole.jlogano.bristol/index.html

http://www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/