When rubber meets concrete at Bristol, everyone's on edge

Adding drama to racing at Bristol Motor Speedway isn't necessary. The high-banked Tennessee short track already has a long reputation for tight racing, high emotion and short tempers.

But in the wake of the Brad Keslowski-Carl Edwards tangle in Atlanta two weeks ago, there's an extra dash of excitement added into this weekend's equation.

Don't expect either combatant to do anything too far out of line. NASCAR has already spoken to both and will have another sit-down with the drivers as well as team owners Roger Penske and Jack Roush just to make sure everyone's calmed down.

However, don't rule out any incidental contact between the duo, and anyone else in Sunday's Food City 500, because well ... it's Bristol.

"All the fans love it because of the excitement, the run-ins, the closer quarter action with all the cars being packed on top of one another at a half-mile racetrack with us 43 lunatics running around in a tight circle," said Kyle Busch, who swept both Sprint Cup races at Bristol a year ago and looks for a third straight win Sunday.

The .533-mile track has been described as "racing in a cereal bowl," "flying jet fighters in a gymnasium" or "the world's fastest roller coaster."

Anyway you look at it, the track is one of the most unique on the NASCAR schedule.

"There's no place like Bristol," said Ryan Newman. "I've told people before that Bristol is like a baby superspeedway. If something happens in front of you, it may not be your fault, but you can get caught up in somebody else's wreck in the blink of an eye. I think that's also one of the reasons emotions run so high at Bristol. You have to really be on your toes at Bristol and that seems to be where frustrations can rise and flame up quicker than at any other racetrack."

The early season has been frustrating for Busch, who hasn't been able to muster a finish better than 14th in the first four races. He comes into the weekend 15th in the point standings, but with his past success at the track, he is confident he can improve on that by the time the checkered flag waves on Sunday.

"I think it's a place that reminds me of racing Saturday nights on the short track back in Vegas growing up," Kyle Busch said. "It just seems to be a place that suits my driving style.

"Your driving style has had to change at Bristol a lot. Bristol used to be a track where you could charge the corners a little bit and get it right in and down to the bottom of the track. You kind of would go through the middle of the corner and then slingshot out on the exits. Now it's just so smooth that you're easy in, you're kind of easy through the center, and easy off."

Things have been anything but easy for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the early going. After a second-place finish in the Daytona 500, Junior has experienced all sorts of mechanical problems and bad luck to drop down to 13th in the point standings and again is under the spotlight.

But he points to his past success at Bristol as a reason to believe the 88 car is in for a good weekend and is a potential winner.

"Bristol is a pretty physically demanding track, but we've always been pretty good there. I like running there," said Earnhardt Jr., who understands getting the weekend off to a good start in qualifying is key to overall success at Bristol. "It's tough to qualify, but it's important to have a good pit stall selection. You want to have that front straightaway pit. Bristol is a tough track. I got to go there when I was growing up, and I always look forward to going back."

Who's hot

Kyle Busch -- Swept both races in 2009, Busch has combined to lead 861 laps in last three races. He won the 2007 spring race with Hendrick Motorsports.

Kevin Harvick -- His best track on the circuit with 10 or more starts based on average finish of 12.3. Harvick was the winner of the 2005 spring race, but finished 30th and 38th, in 2009. He has a 15.7 average finish in six starts with the new car.

Kurt Busch -- A five-time Bristol winner, Busch has posted one win and three top 10s in eight starts with Penske Racing. His four other wins came with Roush Racing. He has a 13.3 average finish in six starts with the new car.

Who's not

Jimmie Johnson -- Although Johnson has finished in the top 10 and led 195 laps in last two starts, Bristol is not one of his strongest tracks on the schedule. He equaled his best finish (third) in this event last year but has a 16.5 average finish in six starts with the new car.

Joey Logano -- Has a 36.0 average finish in two starts, Logano finished 38th in the fall event last year after the engine expired.

Brian Vickers -- Has yet to post a top-10 finish in 11 starts, Vickers posted an average finish of 23.0 in five starts with Team Red Bull.

Make a note

•  Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch share the top spot among active drivers on Bristol's wins list with five each. Darrell Waltrip holds the all-time record with 12 Bristol wins.

•  Sunday's race will be the 99th for NASCAR's top series at the Tennessee track.

•  Mark Martin posted an overall average finish of 4.0 in both races last season.

•  Marcos Ambrose finished in the top 10 in his first two starts.

•  Clint Bowyer and Dale Earnhardt Jr. each have finishing averages of 10.0 or better with the COT.

•  Denny Hamlin was the only other driver besides Busch to finish in the top five in both races in 2009.