Bristol Preview

By Nate Ryan

There’s much on the line Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, the last short track of the regular season.

Here are my picks:

STAGES

First stage (Clint Bowyer, Matt DiBenedetto, Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.):

PICK: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. One of his best tracks on the circuit and a long-shot playoff bid is on the line

Second stage (Kurt Busch, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano):

PICK: Kurt Busch. He nearly added to his six career victories at this track in the most recent race here.

Third stage (Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, Martin Truex Jr.)

PICK: Martin Truex Jr. He’s been among the best short track drivers in Cup the past few seasons

Top 3 Overall:

1. Kyle Larson: Momentum is building, and this is among the Chip Ganassi Racing driver’s favorite tracks.

2. Erik Jones: He confidently predicted in a tweet that Saturday would be his first victory of the year.

3. Martin Truex Jr.: Won the most recent short-track race in Cup at Richmond in April.