By David Morgan, Associate Editor
LEBANON, Tenn. – The NASCAR Cup Series is back in Music City for the fourth straight year to take on Nashville Superspeedway and Sunday’s running of the Ally 400.
Prior to its Cup debut in 2021, the track located on the outskirts of Nashville in Lebanon, Tennessee, was no stranger to hosting NASCAR events with both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series running there from 2001 to 2011 before the track was shuttered.
The Nashville track serves as an oddity on the Cup Series schedule, a 1.33-mile D-shaped concrete oval, that is unlike any other track the series visits as it traverses the country throughout the season.
With just eight races remaining before the Playoffs, a number of drivers have yet to capture their first win of the season, including Martin Truex, Jr., defending race winner Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, and Kyle Busch – among others.
Throw in the fact that 10 of the 16 Playoff spots have already been claimed by race winners and it will be a dogfight from now to Darlington to see which drivers will ultimately make the cut.
Will one of the winless drivers punch their ticket to the postseason or will the rich just keep getting richer? We’ll find out in the Tennessee heat on Sunday afternoon.
By the Numbers
What: Ally 400, NASCAR Cup Series race No. 19 of 36
Where: Nashville Superspeedway – Lebanon Tennessee (Opened: 2001)
TV/Radio: NBC, 3:30 pm ET / PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90
Track Size: 1.333-mile D-shaped concrete oval
Banking: 14 degrees in Turns, 9 degrees on front straightaway, 6 degrees on back straightaway
Race Length: 300 laps (399.9 miles)
Stage Lengths: 90 laps (Stage 1), 95 laps (Stage 2), 115 laps (Final stage)
2023 Race Winner: Ross Chastain – No. 1 Chevrolet (Started on pole, 99 laps led)
Track Qualifying Record: Aric Almirola – 29.557 seconds, 161.992 mph – June 2021
Top-10 Highest Driver Ratings at Nashville:
- Ross Chastain – No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – 117.9
- Kyle Larson – No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 115.6
- Denny Hamlin – No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – 113.1
- Chase Elliott – No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 108.7
- Martin Truex Jr. – No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – 99.5
- Kyle Busch – No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet – 95.0
- Christopher Bell – No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – 93.1
- William Byron – No. 24…
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