NASCAR Chevy Teams Post Mixed Results At 2023 Dirt Bristol: Video

The annual dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway always produces some interesting results – quite a few drivers in the Cup Series level have extensive dirt racing experience, but many do not, and the NASCAR Chevy drivers experienced an up-and-down race around the half-mile oval on Easter Sunday, April 9^th, 2023.

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 NASCAR Chevy Camaro ZL1 and veteran dirt racer, started on the pole position after winning his qualifying heat on Saturday. He led all 75 laps of Stage 1, but his day took a turn for the worse after a run-in with Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 Ford Mustang. Preece’s No. 41 Mustang made contact with Larson’s No. 5 Camaro, sending the former into the wall. Then, just 20 laps later on Lap 175, Preece threw the No. 41 Mustang into Larson’s No. 5 Camaro, wrecking Larson into the wall.

“Yeah, I’m guessing he was paying me back for whatever I did earlier,” said Larson, whose No. 5 Camaro suffered suspension damage and was forced to retire. “[Preece] ran me straight into the fence, and my car was broke and we crashed.” Larson was scored 35^th.

Meanwhile, Austin Dillon’s No. 3 NASCAR Chevy, meanwhile, quietly finished third after battling up front for most of the day. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the No. 47 Camaro, took it home fourth.

“I just have to thank (Speedway Motorsports Inc.) for all of the hard work they’ve done with this dirt racing,” Dillon said after exiting the No. 3 Camaro after the race. “I don’t care what anybody says, that was an amazing show throughout the field. I felt like it was some great racing.”

Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 20 Toyota TRD Camry, survived 14 caution periods to claim his first win of the 2023 season.

# – Rookie
i – Points ineligible
* – Part-time driver

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