On this week’s episode of Frontstretch Happy Hour, hosts Bryan Nolen, Michael Massie and Dalton Hopkins are joined by Zach Sturniolo, Digital Editorial Content Manager for NASCAR.com.
The four guys talk about what the racing in the NASCAR Cup Series could look like this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway with cooler weather expected in the forecast. Could the tire wear be as extreme as it was in the spring of 2024 race at the Tennessee track, or will there be hardly any falloff like in the past two races there?
The quartet also debate which drivers around the Cup playoff bubble could advance to the Round of 12 and which will fall to the wayside.
Two of those drivers, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen, were seen driving through the grass on the cool-down lap at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday (Sept. 7). Many have speculated that this was to get grass and dirt into the cars to add weight to them before post-race tech, and NASCAR will talk to the Trackhouse guys about it before Bristol. The gang weighs in on whether doing this should warrant a penalty or not.
Toyota has come out swinging to start the playoffs, with Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin winning the first two races of the Round of 16. The panel discusses whether or not the manufacturer is the championship favorite.
Watch the whole show or listen to the audio version wherever you get your podcasts.
Michael Massie joined Frontstretch in 2017 and has served as the Content Director since 2020.
Massie, a Richmond, Va., native, has covered NASCAR, IndyCar, SRX and the CARS Tour. Outside of motorsports, the Virginia Tech grad and Green Bay Packers minority owner can be seen cheering on his beloved Hokies and Packers.
Bryan Nolen is the Operations Manager and Multimedia Director for Frontstretch.com. He also hosts the Bringing the Heat with Bryan Nolen Podcast and occasionally makes appearances on The Happy Hour Podcast. He has a Sportscasting degree from the Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting. He resides in Boise, Idaho, with his wife, his French Bulldog Archer and two rabbits.
Follow him on Twitter @TheBryanNolen
Dalton Hopkins began writing for Frontstretch in April 2021. Currently, he is the lead writer for the weekly Thinkin' Out Loud column, co-host of the Frontstretch Happy Hour podcast, and one of our lead reporters. Beforehand, he wrote for IMSA shortly after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2019. Simultaneously, he also serves as a Captain in the US Army.
Follow Dalton on Twitter @PitLaneCPT