NASCAR’s Cup Series has provided six different winners through the opening six races of the 2021 season, proving that parity is at an all-time high in racing’s most prestigious division. On Sunday, things will get even wilder as racing fans around the world will have the luxury of witnessing NASCAR’s return to dirt racing for the first time since 1970 in the Food City Bristol Dirt Race. In case you missed it, Bristol Motor Speedway has been transformed into a dirt-track to provide several weeks of racing from all of the top racing series around the nation, including eight different classes competing in the Bristol Dirt Nationals, World of Outlaws Late Models, and Sprint Cars, and ultimately NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series and Cup Series this weekend.
If you do not follow racing closely, you may wonder what is the Food City Bristol Dirt Racereason for the hype around dirt racing? Well, the answers are numerous. Instead of a typical racing weekend where NASCAR’s biggest teams provide the biggest opportunity to succeed based on equipment advantages, dirt racing is truly a talent that is put solely on the hands of the driver. Drivers will be sliding cars through the corners and fighting the wheel as you would never experience on a paved surface. When done correctly, this style of racing is a beautiful artform that provides tremendous racing. If you combine Bristol’s steep banking, high speeds, and close racing characteristics into the mix, I can’t think of a better combination for racing fans.
Obviously, I anticipate a spectacular racing event this weekend, but I am also planning to capitalize on this unique event by providing sharp betting picks. Dirt racing is a unique talent that is not obtained easily. More importantly, the vast majority of Cup Series drivers do not have extensive dirt track experience. Unlike the Camping World Truck Series that previously competed annually at Eldora, Cup Series drivers have not been on the dirt in over 50 years. When we talk about dirt track talent, Kyle Larson stands alone as NASCAR’s most talented dirt talent. Aside from his success in NASCAR, Larson is a prominent figure on the dirt scene. When he was suspended by NASCAR in 2020, Larson turned into a full-time dirt participant and compiled one of the greatest seasons on record, which included over 40 victories.
It is not uncommon for NASCAR’s Cup Series to visit tracks on a weekly basis where certain drivers have truly dominated. Kevin Harvick at Phoenix, Kyle Busch at Bristol, and Jimmie Johnson at Martinsville are a few tracks that have been truly dominated by specific drivers. While we don’t have any dirt history available for this weekend’s Cup Series race, I would say Kyle Larson has the same type of monster advantage going into Sunday’s race. While Larson’s odds are not enticing, I would almost be surprised if he did not win this race.
If someone else is going to step up and steal the show, I would consider talents like Christopher Bell, Austin Dillon, and Kyle Busch as your best dirt threats. Like Larson, Bell has an established pedigree on the dirt surface, but I would like to get better than 5-1 odds for the 2nd year Cup Series driver. Meanwhile, Dillon and Busch are two veterans that have the tools to get the job done. I don’t understand why Busch is getting 16-1 odds when guys like Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse are listed in the 10-1 range. Simply put, Busch has participated in enough dirt events to clearly show he has an undeniable skillset that could challenge for victory this weekend. At 16-1 odds, Busch likely has the best value of any driver listed. Fortunately, we don’t have to lock in too many bets this week. NASCAR plans to hold two practices on Friday and qualifying heat races on Saturday. Be sure to follow me at NASCARWagers.com for official race picks on Sunday!
