NASCAR Food City 500 takeaways: Ty Gibbs wins first Cup Series race at Bristol

Gibbs is just the sixth driver all-time to win his first Cup Series race at "The Last Great Colosseum," and the first since Hall of Famer Kurt Busch in 2002. 

Gibbs led 25 laps in the race, but it took an incredible drive in the closing laps to remain out front. Blaney ultimately fell short despite leading 190 laps with the race's best car. Larson, meanwhile, swept the stages and paced the field for a race-high 284 laps despite facing handling issues the entire day.

However, when eight of the 13 lead-lap drivers elected to pit after Elliott's spin, Gibbs was one of five who stayed on the track on older tires. Blaney and Larson threw everything at him, but in the end, it was finally Gibbs' time in his 131st career start. 

Rough day for Hendrick Motorsports

Despite Larson's third-place showing, it was not a typical day for the Rick Hendrick-owned organization. Fresh off his Martinsville win, Elliott ran outside the top 10 for much of the race and faded to 22nd - one lap off the pace - after his late spin.

William Byron entered the weekend still in search of his first lap led in "Thunder Valley," but left with more frustration after finishing five laps down in 30th. Alex Bowman, meanwhile, made his return from vertigo and finished dead last (37th) after getting caught up in a multi-car crash on Lap 160. 

It was an uncharacteristic day for the powerhouse organization and one they will look to quickly put behind them, going to Kansas Speedway next weekend — a track they swept one season ago with Larson and Elliott.

Christopher Bell's top-10 streak at Bristol ends

Larson and Denny Hamlin combined to win four of the last five races at Bristol entering Sunday. Bell was the only other driver to win during that stretch when he claimed the 2025 fall race and picked up his sixth consecutive top 10 at the track.

Until Sunday's 27th-place finish after breaking a toe link and spinning on Lap 144, Bell was the only driver of the Next Gen Era (since 2022) to finish inside the top 10 in each race at Bristol. It was a much different result this time around.

New tire combination puts on entertaining race

It has been no secret that the racing at Bristol has not been what fans are accustomed to over the last two years, either due to excessive tire wear or no falloff and little passing. That led to Goodyear bringing a new tire combination, in addition to the increased horsepower package that was already in play.

It was clear from the opening stage of Sunday's race that rubber was being laid down, and drivers could make the bottom and top grooves work. They had their hands full and put on one of the best races we have seen at Bristol with the Next Gen car.