The 2023 Food City Dirt Race was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on April 9, 2023, at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Contested over 250 laps on the 0.533 miles (0.858 km) short track, it was the eighth race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.
| Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 8 of 36 in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series | |||
 | |||
| Date | April 9, 2023 | ||
| Location | Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility 0.533 mi (0.858 km) | ||
| Distance | 250 laps, 133.25 mi (214.445 km) | ||
| Average speed | 46.68 miles per hour (75.12 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Hendrick Motorsports | ||
| Time | 15 Passing Points | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Laps | 100 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | Fox | ||
| Announcers | Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and Tony Stewart | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | PRN | ||
| Booth Announcers | Doug Rice and Mark Garrow | ||
| Turn Announcers | Rob Albright (Backstretch) | ||
Report
Background
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking combined with short length, an all concrete surface, two pit roads, and stadium-like seating.
In 2021, the race shifted to a dirt surface version of the track and was renamed the Food City Dirt Race.[10]
Entry list
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
- (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Practice
Due to inclement weather, both practice sessions scheduled for Friday were cancelled.
Qualifying heat races
Qualifying race procedure similar to that used by the Chili Bowl qualifying nights and Bryan Clauson Classic. Starting order for heat races based on random draw. Grid determined by a combination of passing points and finishing points. Ties broken by owner points.
Race 1
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 2 | 6 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 15 |
| 3 | 8 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 15 |
| 4 | 2 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 5 | 1 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 6 | 4 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 7 | 10 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 8 | 7 | 9 | Josh Berry (i) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 9 | 9 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 15 |
| 10 | 3 | 78 | B. J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15 |
| Official race one results | ||||||
Race 2
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 15 |
| 2 | 2 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 15 |
| 3 | 5 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 4 | 4 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 15 |
| 5 | 6 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 15 |
| 6 | 9 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 15 |
| 7 | 3 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 8 | 8 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 15 |
| 9 | 7 | 42 | Noah Gragson (R) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 15 |
| Official race two results | ||||||
Race 3
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 2 | 5 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 15 |
| 3 | 9 | 15 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 15 |
| 4 | 1 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 5 | 8 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 15 |
| 6 | 4 | 51 | Matt Crafton (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 15 |
| 7 | 7 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 15 |
| 8 | 3 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 9 | 2 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15 |
| Official race three results | ||||||
Race 4
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 15 |
| 2 | 6 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 3 | 7 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 15 |
| 4 | 2 | 13 | Jonathan Davenport | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 15 |
| 5 | 8 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 15 |
| 6 | 4 | 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 15 |
| 7 | 5 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 15 |
| 8 | 9 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 15 |
| 9 | 3 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 15 |
| Official race four results | ||||||
Starting Lineup
Race
Stage Results
Stage OneLaps: 75
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 10 |
| 2 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 7 |
| 5 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 5 |
| 7 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 4 |
| 8 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 3 |
| 9 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1 |
| Official stage one results | |||||
Stage TwoLaps: 75
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 10 |
| 2 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 7 |
| 5 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 6 |
| 6 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 5 |
| 7 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 4 |
| 8 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 1 |
| Official stage two results | |||||
Final Stage Results
Stage ThreeLaps: 100
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 250 | 52 |
| 2 | 6 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 250 | 48 |
| 3 | 2 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 250 | 52 |
| 4 | 22 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 250 | 33 |
| 5 | 14 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 250 | 41 |
| 6 | 25 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 250 | 35 |
| 7 | 27 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 250 | 34 |
| 8 | 15 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 250 | 29 |
| 9 | 26 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 250 | 28 |
| 10 | 23 | 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 250 | 27 |
| 11 | 13 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 250 | 26 |
| 12 | 11 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 250 | 25 |
| 13 | 10 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 250 | 25 |
| 14 | 18 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 250 | 23 |
| 15 | 20 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 250 | 22 |
| 16 | 29 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 250 | 21 |
| 17 | 33 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 250 | 20 |
| 18 | 28 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 250 | 19 |
| 19 | 7 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 250 | 18 |
| 20 | 3 | 15 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 250 | 0 |
| 21 | 32 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 250 | 16 |
| 22 | 30 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 250 | 15 |
| 23 | 9 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 250 | 23 |
| 24 | 8 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 250 | 20 |
| 25 | 34 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 250 | 12 |
| 26 | 37 | 78 | B. J. McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 250 | 11 |
| 27 | 31 | 9 | Josh Berry (i) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 250 | 0 |
| 28 | 16 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 249 | 9 |
| 29 | 17 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 248 | 8 |
| 30 | 35 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 247 | 7 |
| 31 | 19 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 240 | 7 |
| 32 | 5 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 236 | 19 |
| 33 | 36 | 42 | Noah Gragson (R) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 205 | 4 |
| 34 | 24 | 51 | Matt Crafton (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 185 | 0 |
| 35 | 1 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 177 | 20 |
| 36 | 21 | 13 | Jonathan Davenport | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 176 | 1 |
| 37 | 12 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 96 | 1 |
| Official race results | |||||||
Race statistics
- Lead changes: 4 among 4 different drivers
- Cautions/Laps: 14 for 71 laps
- Red flags: 0
- Time of race: 2 hours, 40 minutes and 40 seconds
- Average speed: 46.68 miles per hour (75.12 km/h)
Media
Television
The Food City Dirt Race was carried by Fox in the United States. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing Tony Stewart called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Josh Sims handled pit road for the television side. Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.
| Fox | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Pit reporters | In-race analyst |
| Lap-by-lap: Mike Joy Color-commentator: Clint Bowyer Color-commentator: Tony Stewart | Jamie Little Regan Smith Josh Sims | Larry McReynolds |
Radio
PRN had the radio call for the race which was simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race in the booth when the field raced down the frontstretch. Rob Albright called the race from atop the turn 3 suites when the field raced down the backstretch. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan, Matt Prieur, Lenny Batycki and Heather Debeaux covered the action on pit lane for PRN.
| PRN | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| Lead announcer: Doug Rice Announcer: Mark Garrow | Backstretch: Rob Albright | Brad Gillie Brett McMillan Matt Prieur Lenny Batycki Heather Debeaux |
