The 2010 Food City 500 was held on March 21, 2010, at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee as the fifth race of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. This race marked the last appearance of the rear wing on the Car of Tomorrow, with the spoiler returning the following race.
This race also was the first of three in Carl Edwards' probation following his altercation with Brad Keselowski at the previous race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, in which Keselowski went airborne, subsequently crashing on his side door. The race had 39 lead changes among 13 different leaders and 10 cautions.
The race attendance of 138,000 marked the end of a long streak of sellout seats at the track, which has a capacity of 158,000. The race had been a sellout since 1982.
Race report Practices and qualifying
In the first practice, the fastest were Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson, and Kasey Kahne; the practice also had three red flags because Kyle Busch, Bobby Labonte, and Jimmie Johnson spun on the frontstretch. During qualifying, Joey Logano won his first Sprint Cup Series pole position while Kurt Busch, Dave Blaney, Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff Gordon rounded out the top-five. There were only two drivers who failed to qualify: Mike Bliss and Max Papis, both suffering their first DNQs of the season. By contrast both Casey Mears (driving for Keyed-Up Motorsports) and rookie Terry Cook (driving for Whitney Motorsports) made their first starts of the season. In the second practice, the fastest were Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Joey Logano. During final practice, the fastest were Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, and Joey Logano.
Qualifying results Pos.No.DriverMakeTimeSpeed120Joey LoganoToyota15.396 124.630 22Kurt BuschDodge15.492 123.857 366Dave BlaneyToyota15.493 123.849 *448Jimmie JohnsonChevrolet15.497 123.818 524Jeff GordonChevrolet15.512 123.698 642Juan Pablo MontoyaChevrolet15.521 123.626 717Matt KensethFord15.537 123.499 899Carl EdwardsFord15.549 123.403 947Marcos AmbroseToyota15.561 123.308 1000David ReutimannToyota15.566 123.269 1114Tony StewartChevrolet15.569 123.245 1298Paul MenardFord15.579 123.166 135Mark MartinChevrolet15.587 123.103 1431Jeff BurtonChevrolet15.609 122.929 1511Denny HamlinToyota15.612 122.905 1638David GillilandFord15.613 122.898 171Jamie McMurrayChevrolet15.614 122.890 1888Dale Earnhardt Jr.Chevrolet15.614 122.890 1956Martin Truex Jr.Toyota15.625 122.803 2078Regan SmithChevrolet15.627 122.787 2139Ryan NewmanChevrolet15.638 122.701 2277Sam Hornish Jr.Dodge15.647 122.631 2343A.J. AllmendingerFord15.659 122.537 249Kasey KahneFord15.675 122.411 2516Greg BiffleFord15.678 122.388 2633Clint BowyerChevrolet15.684 122.341 2709Aric AlmirolaChevrolet15.698 122.232 *2883Brian VickersToyota15.701 122.209 2982Scott SpeedToyota15.711 122.131 *306David RaganFord15.733 121.960 3126David StremmeFord15.783 121.574 327Robby GordonToyota15.786 121.551 3329Kevin HarvickChevrolet15.792 121.505 3490Casey MearsChevrolet15.823 121.267 *3587Joe NemechekToyota15.833 121.190 *3612Brad KeselowskiDodge15.841 121.129 3719Elliott SadlerFord15.844 121.106 3818Kyle BuschToyota15.845 121.098 3955Michael WaltripToyota15.848 121.075 *4046Terry CookDodge15.850 121.060 *4134Travis KvapilFord15.868 120.923 4236Mike BlissChevrolet15.930 120.452 *4313Max PapisToyota16.014 119.820 *4471Bobby LabonteChevrolet16.193 118.496 PC4537Kevin ConwayFord16.268 117.949 OP OP: qualified via owners points
PC: qualified as past champion
PR: provisional
QR: via qualifying race
* - had to qualify on time
Failed to qualify, withdrew, or driver changes: Mike Bliss (#36), Max Papis (#13)
Race summary For pre-race concerts, the musical group 4TROOPS, a military band, and Lee Greenwood performed for the fans. Afterward, 4TROOPS performed the National Anthem, and Rev. Mike Rife, of Vansant Church of Christ, gave the Invocation. Steve Austin gave the command "Gentlemen, start your engines!". Before the race, Terry Cook moved to the back of the field because he missed driver introductions. For the first time in his young career, Joey Logano led the field for the green flag. Immediately after the start, Kurt Busch passed him for the lead. On lap 6, Jimmie Johnson passed Busch for the lead. While Logano fell back, Johnson continued to lead until lap 30; Busch passed him in heavy traffic. Busch kept the lead until lap 40, at the first caution. The caution came out when Dave Blaney had a flat tire. Brad Keselowski stayed out while other drivers came in to change tires and add gasoline which resulted him getting the lead. On lap 46, the green flag came out again. Keselowski kept the lead until lap 53 when Jimmie Johnson passed him. Five laps later, the second caution came out because Clint Bowyer slammed into the wall from a blown engine. Few drivers went to change tires and add gasoline on this caution; Johnson led the field to the green flag on lap 62. Johnson kept the lead until lap 99 when Busch passed him in traffic. After Kurt Busch led for seventeen laps, the third caution came out because Denny Hamlin hit the wall in turn two. Most drivers went to pit road to change their tires, but Busch was first off pit road and led them to the green flag on lap 123. Busch's lead would not continue for long as Greg Biffle passed him on lap 124. Three laps later, the fourth caution came out because of rain. With the few rain drops at the track, NASCAR decided to keep the cars on the track to help make sure the track would stay dry. After a sixteen lap caution period, the race resumed on lap 143 with Biffle as the leader. On lap 158, Jimmie Johnson attempted to get the lead but Biffle remained the leader. On lap 191 he was passed by Juan Pablo Montoya for the lead, but four laps later Biffle retook it.
Nine laps later, on lap 204, Biffle was still the leader, but the fifth caution flag came out because Kasey Kahne hit the wall. On lap 210 the green flag came out with Juan Pablo Montoya the leader. After some switching positions on lap 223 Kurt Busch took the lead. Soon after the lead change, there was a green flag run until lap 263 when the sixth yellow came out because Kyle Busch slammed the outside wall. The race resumed on lap 271 with Kurt Busch the leader.
At lap 300, the top three drivers were Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, and Jimmie Johnson. Then on lap 323 the seventh caution flag waved because Regan Smith had tire troubles. Kurt Busch won the race out of pit road to lead the field to the green flag on lap 331. Ten laps later, on lap 342, the eighth caution came out because of a large wreck. The wreck started with Mark Martin and Greg Biffle colliding; thirteen more cars were involved. On lap 358, the green flag came out with Kurt Busch the leader. By lap 370, the top three positions were occupied by Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Jamie McMurray. Rain brought out the ninth caution twenty laps later.
On lap 411, the green flag came back out with Brad Keselowski the leader; Kurt Busch passed him three laps later. By lap 433, Jimmie Johnson caught Kurt Busch. Johnson tried to pass Busch on lap 444, but did not get the lead. During the longest green flag run of the race, Joey Logano hit the turn two wall on lap 479; there was no caution. Three laps later, the tenth caution came out because of debris on the track. During pit stops, Greg Biffle beat everyone out of pit road to lead the field to the green flag on lap 490. Busch and Johnson were fifth and sixth. On lap 492, Tony Stewart took the lead from Biffle; Johnson passed him on the outside a lap later. Jimmie Johnson kept the lead to earn his first career win at Bristol. It was his fiftieth win in his Sprint Cup Series career, and his third win of 2010.
Race results Pos No. Driver Team Make 1 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2 14 Tony Stewart Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 3 2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing Dodge 4 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 5 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 6 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8 1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 10 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 11 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 12 56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 13 12 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Dodge 14 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 15 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Racing Team Toyota 16 39 Ryan Newman Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet 17 43 A. J. Allmendinger Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 18 98 Paul Menard Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 19 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 19 Elliott Sadler Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 21 71 Bobby Labonte TRG Motorsports Chevrolet 22 7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Toyota 23 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 24 26 David Stremme Latitude 43 Motorsports Ford 25 34 Travis Kvapil Front Row Motorsports Ford 26 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 27 20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28 37 Kevin Conway Front Row Motorsports Ford 29 6 David Ragan Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30 90 Casey Mears Keyed Up Motorsports Chevrolet 31 82 Scott Speed Red Bull Racing Team Toyota 32 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Penske Racing Dodge 33 47 Marcos Ambrose JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 34 9 Kasey Kahne Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 35 5 Mark Martin Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 36 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 37 46 Terry Cook Whitney Motorsports Dodge 38 00 David Reutimann Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 39 09 Aric Almirola Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 40 33 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 41 55 Michael Waltrip Prism Motorsports Toyota 42 66 Dave Blaney Prism Motorsports Toyota 43 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota
References