Nascar began racing on small, quarter-mile dirt tracks in the South. Over time, tracks have grown bigger, moved North, and other such adjustments. But there are still two tracks which fit the original description of a Nascar course. And this past weekend, Nascar raced at Bristol.

Carl Edwards started on the pole, and was followed by his three teammates. The four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers would lead over two-thirds of the laps on the day, but only one would finish.

Every now and then, something crazy happens at the start of a race. Sometimes it’s a wreck. Other times it’s an early spin. But this time it was a car that didn’t even start. As the filed took the green flag, Dale Earnhardt Jr’s car didn’t fire and he simply didn’t go. Several drivers were bunched up behind him, until he finally made it to pit road. In the process he lost two laps.

After just 52 lap of racing, Joe Gibbs Racing’s first misfortune struck. Kyle Busch blew a tire and pounded the wall, causing some damage to the right side of his car. However, a long pit stop was all it took for his team to repair his car.

Kyle had won t he past two Sprint Cup races, and he seemed determined to extend that streak. So after returning to the track, Kyle began  to work his way through the field, charging to the front. Only to be spun on lap 116 while racing older brother Kurt Busch. But still, Kyle was tough, and he continued to rebound.

On lap 147 Kyle Larson, who was running in the top-five, suffered a broken track bar, and scraped the wall, bringing out the caution. Larson went to the garage, fixed the car, and returned to the race 38 laps down.

After another forty laps of racing, Bristol bit it’s next Gibbs Racing victim. Leader Matt Kenseth’s season to forget continued, as he blew a tire and slammed the outside wall. However, like teammate Kyle Busch, he managed to stay on the lead lap, and slowly began to work his way to the front.

During this time period, Bristol quietly took out the third Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Denny Hamlin was hit on pit road, damaging the front of his car. Then, with 92 laps left in the race, Hamlin slammed the wall. He wound up twentieth.

For some reason, Bristol decided it wanted another Gibbs Racing victim, and it settled on blowing Kyle Busch’s tire again. This time however, Busch wasn’t able to stay in the race. Then teammate Matt Kenseth blew another tire, and this time he to was forced to end his race.

Just after the mid-point of the race, several mid-pack drivers stayed out on the track instead of pitting, and Landon Cassill, driving the no. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford, took the lead. Much to everyones surprise, Cassill held the lead for twenty laps, and he spent the next hundred laps in the top-ten. Despite being involved in a late race wreck, it was still an impressive day for the young driver and his under funded team.

Despite his teammates problems, Carl Edwards remained the race’s dominate driver, leading well over 200 of the races 500 laps. However, as the race neared it’s finish, he suddenly had three drivers right on his bumper, all of whom seemed capable of out running him.

Kurt Busch challenged him first, and actually passed him at one point. But, Edwards passed him back. Then a pair of teammates passed Busch and began to stalk Edwards.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had rebounded from his early problem and charged through the field. He was followed by teammate Chase Elliot, who early in the race had suffered a loose wheel, gone two laps down, and then rebounded. Both were hot on Edwards’ tail, and Busch was right behind them.

So when a caution flew late, it was anyone’s race. However, Edwards had one advantage: he restarted on the outside lane. This gave him a bit of a jump on the following restart, and  he managed to get in a small lead over his challengers. Then, much to his delight, Busch, Elliot, and Earnhardt began to battle for second, allowing him to drive away.

Edwards won his first race of the season, his fourth at Bristol, and Joe Gibbs Racing’s fourth of the year. Edwards was thrilled with the victory, although there was one driver who was happier than him.

Matt DiBenedetto, driving the no. 83 BK Racing Toyota, finished in sixth place, a personal best in the Sprint Cup Series. Him and his team were thrilled, and Matt looked to be near tears in his post race interview. It’s nice to see a small team finish strong in a difficult race.

P.S. Dale Jr. won that battle for second. Busch was third and Elliot was fourth, a new career best for the rookie