1. Is the Bump and Run Ceasing to Exist on Short Tracks?
It was a scene that has played out many times over the years. A race leader needs a few more laps to hold on for a win, and a hard-charging second-place running car has its sights on the lead. If you are watching, the second-place car loosening up the race leader is anticipated.
To a degree during the final laps on Saturday (Sept. 13), that exact scenario played out. Yes, Brad Keselowski was able to get to the bumper of Christopher Bell. And there was a bump. But it got no further than that at Bristol. Yes, the track that is known for the tactic of the ‘bump and run,” and the combo with the current generation of race car resulted in a bump … but no run, as a thump on the rear bumper did nothing to upset Bell’s car.
That, folks, is a problem.
This is not a place to debate the merits of the current generation of car being used in the NASCAR Cup Series. That criticism has been made in plenty of places. But the fact that this race car has taken away one of the bedrocks of excitement at Bristol is an even greater black mark on a type of race car that has other issues that need to be addressed in the offseason.
2. Racing, Not Tires, Should be the Story
Coming away from Saturday night at Bristol, you had plenty of storylines to talk about. One of the most mentioned? Tires and how they held up and impacted the race.
Tire management is part of what has set racing apart at places like Darlington Raceway, Rockingham Speedway, and the former version of EchoPark Speedway. It’s what made someone a somebody by winning at those tracks where you had to balance going fast and saving your car over a long run. That was perfect for those tracks, but when you think of Bristol, do you really think of tire wear? You should think of trading paint and moving a driver out of the groove for position at Bristol … not tire wear.
Goodyear is to be commended for meeting the asks of NASCAR teams for the tire it brought to put on a good racing product. But the racing itself should sell Bristol. The track should not pin its hopes on tires alone for a good event. Just ask anyone who watched the infamous 2008 Brickyard 400 about what happens when tires ruin a race and tarnish an event’s reputation.
3. Do Cautions Really Need to Last This Long?
Unless you want to try and make a quick run to the concession stand, extended caution periods are undesirable if you are at the racetrack. At tracks like Bristol when cautions take up more time, it means more laps come off of the board.
The yellow flag is going to fly a good bit at Bristol in a typical case. But should it slow the pace that much? Consider this: In 2003, at Bristol, the average number of laps under caution was 5.95. This year? That number is nearly double with 9.79 laps per caution. That’s right. Nearly double.
This should not be a TV issue. If the networks need to sell more ad time, that’s why you have a more in-depth post-race or a pre-race show. The product, whether live or on TV, should not suffer because the pace slows to a crawl, no pun intended.
Fans pay hard-earned money to see an exciting race, not cars parading under yellow, especially when it ticks laps off the board in the final 30 laps, which is also why not counting caution laps in the final 20 circuits should also be considered.
4. Josh Berry’s Postseason Shouldn’t Detract From What’s Been Accomplished
There’s an old saying from softball and other double-elimination tournaments: “Two and BBQ.”
It refers to teams that make it into a tournament, only to quickly exit with two losses but are still able to attend the event’s celebratory BBQ at the conclusion.
Josh Berry has the dubious distinction of being this year’s version of that in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
This is not to say that the season is a let-down for Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing Team. Berry’s early-season win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway got him into the postseason, and it endeared him to long-time fans of the sport with fond memories of the No. 21 Ford being near the front.
The fact is that if you are in the postseason within this format, you have had a good season, and that’s especially gratifying for a driver like Berry who stepped into a new ride this year.
Making it to the postseason is certainly something that any team like the No. 21 can build on. Berry is no exception. Having that to hang one’s hat on is a good thing, because Berry’s postseason has been nothing short of nightmarish.
Damage caused Berry to limp to a finish of 38th at Darlington before a crash ended his day early at World Wide Technology Raceway, and brake damage ended his night while running seventh at Bristol. Showing up ready to contend was not an issue for Berry, who in the opening round started no worse than 12th. He was just a victim of factors he could not control.
Failing to advance may have been a disappointment for Berry and company, but it should not take away from what was accomplished in 2025.
5. What’s the Worst-Case Option for 23XI Drivers?
What will really happen if and when all of the legal wrangling ends between NASCAR, Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing? That won’t be known until it happens. But you can’t look at this ongoing saga without thinking about what could possibly happen to 23XI if this case does not go its way.
Could sponsors decide to go elsewhere? Does Michael Jordan, depending on the result, decide to take his resources to another place?
Who knows … but the other question is this – what could become of its two primary drivers, Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick? Both have won multiple races. If this race team is forced to compete without the safeguard of a charter long-term, would another team where they could just focus on racing be attractive? It’d be hard not to see it that way.
Loyalty’s fine, but at some point, drivers have to think of their own interests. If someone like Trackhouse Racing was looking to expand or another top team was making a change, it’d be foolish not to think of Reddick or Wallace.
Brad joined Frontstretch.com in 2020 and contributes to the site's 5 Points To Ponder column and other roles as needed. A graduate of the University of Georgia's Henry W. Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communication, he has covered sports in some capacity for more than 20 years with coverage including local high school sports, college athletics and minor league hockey. Brad has received multiple awards for his work from the Georgia Press Association.