Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Joey Logano Challenges NASCAR’s ‘Bring Back Old Bristol’ Myth

Originally posted on RFKRacingDigest
By Chionia Libania Colaco | Last updated Apr 10, 2026 10:58 AM ET

Joey Logano wants nothing to do with the ‘bring back old Bristol’ chants from many NASCAR fans. Ahead of the Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, the Team Penske driver put a firm end to those wanting the “good ol’ days” back.

In an appearance on the “Gluckcast” podcast hosted by reporter Jeff Gluck, Logano was about the reconfiguration of the 0.533-mile track and the old v/s new Bristol argument. The old Bristol was known to have single-file racing, which led to plenty of bump and runs that fans enjoyed.

However, Joey Logano, who is fresh off a podium in Martinsville, disagreed. He said:

“There was a moment where everyone thought that every car needed to be glued to the bottom like the Old Bristol, and the only way to pass was to knock them out of the way, and that’s what good racing looked like. I don’t know if that’s the case. We have a habit in our sport of always going back and saying, ‘Those were the good ol’ days. Those are better than what we got now.’”

"When we say make things back like they used to be… I don't know if that's always right"@joeylogano doesn't think old Bristol would be better with the Next Gen car. pic.twitter.com/R7lm38O66L
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) April 9, 2026

The Bristol Motor Speedway underwent reconfiguration in 2007, a year before Joey Logano’s Cup Series debut. The reconfiguration brought in multiple grooves across the 0.533-mile track and reduced bump and runs. Many fans have not been pleased with this change.

Since the 2024 Bristol race, NASCAR has conducted several tests at the short oval for tire development. The race saw the soft compound tires degrade rapidly, leading to a chaotic race. With Goodyear introducing a new tire configuration at this weekend’s Bristol race, it will be interesting to see how the cars perform as compared to last year.

Will the Next Gen cars perform well at Bristol?

In the aforementioned conversation, Joey Logano elaborated on what differentiated the old and new Bristol. He pointed out that the Next Gen cars did not exist back then, and even if they had, they wouldn’t necessarily have produced an entertaining race.

Though Logano agreed that old Bristol was “great,” he highlighted how many factors go into great racing besides the track configuration.

“Was the Old Bristol great? Sure,” Joey Logano began. “Well, there’s a lot of variables that were different, too, not just the track. The cars are way different. The bump-and-run is a lot different. It’s hard for us to get to the back bumper of someone in front of us now with the way the Next Gen car is, or to even get there. If everyone’s running the same line, you can’t even get to the guy to move him out of the way. Is that better?”

The Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday will see NASCAR debut the new 750-horsepower short track package. Coupled with Goodyear’s new soft compounds, the 500-lap race promises to be a thrilling showing.

This article first appeared on RFKRacingDigest and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: