Three big questions ahead of the Food City 500 at Bristol

The NASCAR Cup Series will return from its one-week hiatus on Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway with the running of the Food City 500. 

Here are three big questions ahead of the eighth race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. 

How will new tires react?

It's probably a safe bet that absolutely nobody in the industry will know the answer to this question until the first run of Sunday's race is completed.

In recent years, the tire situation for Cup Series races at Bristol has been quite volatile. In the 2024 spring race and 2025 fall race, tires fell apart quickly and led to chaotic races with many comers and goers.

But in the 2024 fall race and 2025 spring race, tire wear was largely a non-factor, leading to a pair of dominant displays from Kyle Larson, who led 411 of 500 laps at Bristol in April 2025.

A new Goodyear tire combination for the Cup Series cars will be on display at Bristol this weekend, making Saturday's practice session and the first run of Sunday's race incredibly important as teams search for answers. 

Will the horsepower increase matter?

It's difficult to get a reading on NASCAR's 2026 horsepower increase at tracks under 1.5 miles in length. Different drivers have different takes, and while the best barometer for whether or not the 80 HP increase from 670 to 750 horsepower is successful was at Martinsville on March 29, reactions were mixed.

It's difficult to say whether or not the horsepower increase will improve the racing at Bristol by making it easier to pass, but unpredictability has been the name of the game in "Thunder Valley" as of late. The increased horsepower is just another new variable for teams to figure out this weekend.

Can Ford get back to Victory Lane?

Toyota and Chevrolet, and specifically Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, have dominated Bristol over the last three years. The last six Bristol Cup races have all been won by JGR drivers or Kyle Larson.

Ford hasn't won at the track since the 2022 fall race with Chris Buescher, but Team Penske's Ryan Blaney might be in a position to change that. Blaney has finished sixth, fifth and fourth in the last three Bristol races and led 78 laps over the last two.

If the Blue Ovals are to get back to Victory Lane at Bristol this weekend, Blaney is likely their best shot.