posted March 24, 2006 at 10:04 EST in NASCAR Betting Trends

Busch loves Bristol

If you want proof that NASCAR is a contact sport, check out the Nextel Cup race this weekend.

On Sunday, the good ol’ boys will be swapping paint during the Food City 500 in Bristol, Tennessee (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX).

The reason why there will likely be even more contact than normal is because the race will be taking place at the Bristol Motor Speedway, a super-fast oval measuring just 0.533 miles long.

Nicknamed “the bullring”, the short track at Bristol creates high-speed congestion forcing drivers to aggressively bump and shove each other in order to make space and pass. All of which should make for an entertaining mix of flared tempers, shaking fists and twisted metal.

One driver who seems to excel under these types of racing conditions is Kurt Busch. The 27-year-old racer from Las Vegas has won at Bristol four times - the Food City 500 on three occasions and the Sharpie 500 once. He has six short track victories in total.

All of Busch’s wins at the bullring came while racing a Ford with Roush Racing. His last victory came at the Food City 500 in 2004. That same year, Busch won the inaugural Chase for the Nextel Cup.

This season, Busch joined Penske and is racing a Dodge. Through four races, he has no victories and no Top 10 finishes. His best finish was 16th at the Auto Club 500, where he captured the pole. He also finished 16th at the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. Last week, he placed 37th in the Golden Corral 500.

Currently, Busch is in 27th place in the Nextel Cup standings. He opened as a +550 favorite to win the Food City 500.

Following Busch, Jeff Gordon has the next best odds to win at +600. The four-time NASCAR champion also has also won four times at Bristol. In total, the 34-year-old racer has 15 wins on short tracks.

Driving a Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports, Gordon is currently No. 6 in the Nextel Cup standings with two Top 5 finishes.

Following Gordon, defending Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth check in at +750.

Stewart is No. 12 in the standings with two Top 5 finishes this season. He has won once at Bristol and has five short track victories in total.

Kenseth’s only win at Bristol came last August at the Sharpie 500. Kenseth, who has two short track victories in total, is currently No. 3 in the standings with one checkered flag and two Top 5 finishes.