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NASCAR: Five Drivers Most Likely To Win At Bristol

By Cole Mentzel

Aug 22, 2015; Bristol, TN, USA; A general view during the NASCAR Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 22, 2015; Bristol, TN, USA; A general view during the NASCAR Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 8, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (17) drives down the front stretch during qualifying for the Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Stenhouse will start in fifth position. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (17) drives down the front stretch during qualifying for the Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Stenhouse will start in fifth position. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

The Underdog: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Stats at Bristol:

  • Wins: 0
  • Top-5’s: 2
  • Top-10’s: 3
  • Laps Led: 0

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has been one of the early surprises this season and while you may not believe it, he’s not that bad of a driver at Bristol.

Stenhouse Jr. has only been in Cup Series races there since 2013 but he already has finishes of second, fourth and sixth. He has the highest average finish (11.2) of any other active driver right now.

His 2016 season has not been spectacular but it has been a pretty big upgrade from last season. His fifth-place finish at Fontana was his best race of the year so far and his best finish since finishing fourth at Bristol a year ago.

He’s simply looked like a better driver and is avoiding those middle-of-the-pack incidents a lot more than he has in the past. Even at Texas last weekend, he ran in the top-10 for a while before he was involved in the late wreck that impacted many.

More racing: Power Rankings Heading Into Bristol

Every driver always remembers their first big win. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s next win in the Cup Series will be his first and it could come as soon as this weekend, should things go his way.

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