The 2013 Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be the third-to-last race before the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The Sprint Cup Series standings are tight, with Kasey Kahne and Martin Truex Jr., in striking distance of moving into the top 10, and the likes of Joey Logano, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman lurking, hoping to potentially snag a wild card spot with a big performance in Bristol.
NASCAR Bristol 2013 qualifying: Irwin Tools Night Race could clear Chase picture
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is drawing near. Qualifying for the 2013 Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol could play a big role in determining the final Chase field.
Todd Warshaw
Those five drivers will be among the 44 entries set to take part in qualifying Friday. Qualifying will begin at 5:40 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast live on ESPN2 with no re-air scheduled. Coverage will begin at 5:30 p.m. Positions 1-36 will be filled by the fastest track speeds in descending order, fastest qualifier first.
Several former winners of the Night Race will be taking part in qualifying. Denny Hamlin will be vying for a second consecutive win in the event. Gordon is also a former winner, along with Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch and Mark Martin.
The Night Race itself is set to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
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