Foods Town Dust Race: Drivers, BMS staff thrilled for third go-all-around on filth | WJHL

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) – The countdown to the 2023 Food Metropolis Dust Race weekend is on. Only one more race this weekend in Richmond separates the NASCAR environment from descending on Thunder Valley.

On Wednesday in Knoxville, racecar drivers, past and existing, expressed their excitement to hit the track at the World’s Speediest Half-Mile.

“Every time you stroll into the coliseum – it is a sight to be found – for confident,” driver of the No. 19 McAnally Hilgemann Chevy truck Christian Eckes stated.

That sight is a bit unique now than when Eckes was increasing up looking at the activity, as Bristol Motor Speedway has laid down the filth for a third-straight spring.

It has been a around-excellent begin to the season for Eckes, who squandered no time with his new workforce and acquired a win at Atlanta in early March.

“It suggest a good deal for guaranteed – it’s what I arrived below to do,” he reported, “build it into a successful corporation and ultimately a championship business.”

Bristol will be a larger challenge for the New York native, as grime has not been Eckes’ sturdy match. But, he’s ready to set in the function to try out and generate a 2nd gain on this young season.

“It’s really hard,” he explained. “There are so a lot of components that you don’t assume about likely in … it’s genuinely sophisticated, but I’ll do a ton of researching in excess of the future couple weeks to get greater at it.”

On the Cup Collection side of matters, Jonathan Davenport will be building his debut on Easter Sunday.

“It’s often been a dream of mine – I could dream it, but I did not know that I could truly convert it into truth,” he reported.

The three-time Lucas Oil Late Product Grime Sequence champion has dozens of occupation wins on the clay – but under no circumstances in a Cup Sequence auto. Future weekend, Davenport will hop in the No. 13 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro for the extremely to start with time.

“The style of racing is going to be totally different than I’m made use of to,” he reported. “I’m basically acquiring set on dust – but absolutely nothing else is equivalent.”

Davenport claims he’s been way too busy to be nervous, but he’s positive those people nerves will come. Nonetheless, his pedigree and accomplishment on Bristol grime in previous decades will give him anything to maintain on to.

“I’ll consider that assurance in there,” he explained. “I really don’t experience like I’m rolling into the World 100 with my No. 49 Longhorn, but I’m however me. I’ve even now got to consider that confidence with me or there ain’t no use to unloading.”

Previous Cup Collection Driver and Knoxville entrepreneur, Trevor Bayne, was also in attendance Wednesday. He advised News Channel 11 that he never ever believed he’d see filth laid down on the Bullring.

“I considered they ended up a minimal little bit mad,” he explained. “Teams have figured it out, they continue to set on a excellent race and I glimpse forward to watching it.”

And Bayne is not the only a single all set to see the racing action.

“It’s what we operate for year-spherical,” Bristol Motor Speedway general supervisor Jerry Caldwell reported. “We perform to host these followers that occur in from all in excess of the entire world … It’s genuinely specific and we’re honored to be equipped to host [this race] for our activity and for all these enthusiasts. Just cannot hold out to see it.”

The Craftsman Truck Sequence Weather Guard Truck Race on Grime is set for Saturday, April 8 at 8 p.m. The Cup Collection Food items City Dirt Race is slated for Sunday, April 9 at 7 p.m.