For the first time since its 2021 season-opening race weekend at Daytona International Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series held on-track practice. Alex Bowman and Ryan Blaney posted the fastest times in each respective practice session at the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track on Friday (March 26).
Practice 1
Bowman completed 42 laps in the opening practice session but his first lap became the fastest one in the field at 89.308 mph.
A trio of Joe Gibbs Racing drivers were second through fourth fastest in this session with Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin, respectively.
Kyle Larson, who is completing double-duty with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track, posted the fifth-fastest time.
Cup Series Bristol Dirt Practice 1 Results
Practice 2
Blaney wheeled his No. 12 Team Penske to the top of the leaderboard in the final practice session with a top speed of 89.233 mph.
Bowman showcased the speed in his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet as he was also second-quickest in this session.
Hamlin was third-fastest, the second driver to be in the top five in both practice sessions.
Joey Logano and rookie Chase Briscoe, who is also competing in both races at the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track, rounded out the top five.
During this session, Hendrick Motorsports changed the engine on Larson’s No. 5. As a result, he will have to drop to the rear of the field before the race begins on Sunday.
Cup Series Bristol Dirt Final Practice Results
The Cup Series will return to the track tomorrow for its four qualifying races. Those are slated to begin at 6 p.m. ET with FOX Sports 1 broadcasting all of those. The Food City Dirt Race will then take place on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET with TV coverage provided by FOX.
Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site's ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.