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NASCAR: Five dark horse drivers who could win at Bristol

By Asher Fair

BRISTOL, TN - APRIL 24: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Demo Days Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 24, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
BRISTOL, TN - APRIL 24: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Demo Days Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 24, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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BRISTOL, TN – AUGUST 18: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AXALTA/Ducks Unlimited Chevrolet (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
BRISTOL, TN – AUGUST 18: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AXALTA/Ducks Unlimited Chevrolet (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet

We have heard it asked time and time again this season. Will this be the race Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally wins to earn himself a playoff spot in his final full-time Cup Series season before retirement? How about this one? Maybe Daytona? It has to be Daytona, right?

Wrong. There are now just three races remaining in the 2017 regular season, and he still has yet to visit Victory Lane since the 2015 season. So his chances at doing so in the regular season are running out.

Earnhardt Jr. can no longer qualify for the playoffs on points, so if he wants to get in, he’s going to have to do it with a race victory. Of the three remaining race tracks on the regular season schedule, Bristol may just be the track where he has the best chance at getting that victory.

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A crash took him out of the first Bristol race of the season just before the halfway mark of the race. He didn’t appear to have what it would have taken to challenge for the win, as he qualified in 20th place and failed to lead any laps.

However, his stellar history at Bristol makes him an interesting driver to watch this weekend. Only Chase Elliott and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. have better track finishing averages at Bristol than Earnhardt Jr. has among active drivers.

While he has just one victory at the track in 34 races, his eight top 5 finishes, 16 top 10 finishes and motivation to get that all-important first post-retirement announcement victory make him a driver who you certainly will want to keep your eyes on this weekend.

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