Larson Dominates Bristol

Kyle Larson celebrates winning the 2025 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Photo: Sean Gardner, Getty Images)

Food City 500: Kyle Larson dominated the 2025 Food City 500 on the way to his second win of the 2025 season. Larson lead 411 of 500 laps and had no real serious challengers throughout the day. The win was his second of the weekend after winning the Xfinity Race the day before and his second straight win at the Tennessee half-mile track.

Before I get started into berating this race, which it rightfully deserves, I do want to say that I am not upset Larson won or that he dominated. Larson and the 5 team did what they needed to do on Sunday and for that they should be celebrated and congratulated. They were, once again, the class of the field at Bristol and to lead 400+ laps in two consecutive races anywhere is an amazing feat especially over the last few decades when the talent and competition has been so great. Now that that is out of the way, let's discuss the real problems at hand with the race. It sucked. There was no redeeming quality for this race and NASCAR, Goodyear, and SMI/Bristol should be embarrassed for the horrific product they put on display this weekend and yet again for Bristol and short track racing in the premier stock car racing circuit of the world.

I am not an engineer or an expert on mechanics, aerodynamics, or tires. What I am, however, is a life long fan who is passionate and cares deeply about the sport I have loved for as long as I can remember. And aside from the Bristol Spring race in 2024 (and kind of the last two Martinsville races) NASCAR (and likely Goodyear and track operators to some extent as well) have killed short track racing. And not only that, they appear to have no appetite to fix it for their well worded PR statements and claims that this is what we want, the sponsors want, the teams want, new OEMs want, or to save money. Whatever this misguided, misplaced, or malevolent reasoning, it sucks. And it is ruining what should be routinely the best racing on the circuit. I am hopeful but not optimistic that this will be resolved and Bristol will serve as an eye opener. They have had plenty of opportunities to right this ship and the NASCAR brass are keeping it squarely pointed at the iceberg while telling us to ignore and they are working on it. I have no reason to believe them. I will continue to tune into races. I will not abandoned the sport I love. But I will, when needed, express my deepest concerns as much as I celebrate the (fleeting) good.

Next up is an off weekend for the Cup Series before they pick up their schedule again the following weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. This weekend we have the Craftsman Truck Series and the Xfinity Series on track at Rockingham Speedway. The Truck Series kicks off the weekend Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. (a horrific time for a race) on FS1 with the Black's Tire 200. The Xfinity Series takes to the track on Saturday afternoon on The CW at 4 p.m. with the North Carolina Education Lottery 250. Then, the following weekend we have no Truck Series action, but the Xfinity Series and Cup Series take over Talladega Superspeedway with the Xfinity Series going green Saturday (April 26) at 4 p.m. on The CW with the Ag-Pro 300. The Cup Series headlines Talladega weekend with the Jacks Link's 500 on Sunday afternoon (April 27) at 3 p.m. on FOX.

Rockingham Picks:

Trucks = Ben Rhodes

Xfinity = Kasey Kahne

Cup = Off

Talladega Picks: Trucks = Off

Xfinity = Sammy Smith

Cup = Chase Elliott