Top Dog: John Hunter Nemechek
“You need tires you idiot!”
Ahh yes, the classic line from a disgruntled pit crew member on Lightning McQueen’s team in a fan-favorite racing movie Cars. It’s a good thing that McQueen wasn’t in the 2024 Food City 500 (March 17), because he definitely would not have made it long without that fresh rubber.
Tire management was the name in NASCAR’s return to concrete after Bristol Motor Speedway after a three-year stay on dirt. Drivers quickly recognized that they could not burn up their tires, as runs of 40-50 laps or more had their tires screaming for mercy.
Ironically, Bristol’s theme for the weekend was “Back to the Future,” and the race itself seemed like a blast to the past with an old fashioned short track race where conservation was the path to victory. Was it extreme? Yes, but it is certainly something NASCAR should build off.
Only five cars finished on the lead lap, the fewest since 2004 (yes, you read that right). Leading the pack of drivers one or more laps behind was John Hunter Nemechek in sixth, a career-best finish for him at the NASCAR Cup Series level.
Nemechek appeared to quickly adapt to the conditions, blazing through the field from 26th to fifth by the end of stage one, also a career-high stage finish.
Stage two was even better for the No. 42 driver, who capitalized on Toyota’s speed. He battled for the lead early in the stage, and by the end of the second frame, he earned seven more points in fourth.
The final stage featured the decision drivers had to make by either conserving their stuff or letting go and making a run to the front. Nemechek held steady inside the top 10, and despite falling a lap down by the end, he scored the best finish for the No. 42 since Legacy Motor Club began using it in 2022.
While only five races into 2024, Nemechek has quietly started off on the right foot. His second top 10 of the season has propelled him inside the top 16 in points. He currently sits 15th, ahead of five playoff drivers from 2023.
How Does it Compare?
Going back to the last Bristol spring race on concrete, which was in 2020, Nemechek’s run tops a pair of dark horse top 10s by Christopher Bell in ninth and Bubba Wallace in 10th. It matches one of the best Cinderella runs in the spring race in recent history, which was accomplished by Matt DiBenedetto in 2016 after he finished sixth with the now-defunct BK Racing. It also tops…
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