As dusk settled over the Tennessee hills on Easter Sunday, 2022, Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt-covered concrete bullring became the stage for a finish straight from NASCAR’s dramatic playbook. While faithful fans enjoyed the second consecutive dirt race, Kyle Busch channeled the spirit of the “Intimidator” himself, albeit without the bump. Just as Dale Earnhardt Sr. seized a controversial Bristol victory in 1999 that rained boos from the grandstands, Busch found himself in third place on the final lap before threading his Toyota through spinning leaders to steal an unexpected victory. “I feel like Dale Earnhardt Sr. right now. This is awesome,” Busch proclaimed afterwards. “I didn’t do anything.”

The path to this dramatic finish was paved with challenges that tested drivers’ patience throughout the evening. Two rain delays pushed NASCAR’s resurrection of Easter racing to nearly four hours, creating a slick, unpredictable surface that left competitors guessing. “It’s slimy,” Busch had observed during one delay. This was Rowdy’s 60th Cup Series victory, and it’s fair to say that lady luck smiled on the JGR driver that day to draw level with Richard Petty.

Final Lap Drama: Briscoe’s Slide Job Opens Door for Busch

Tyler Reddick appeared destined for his first career Cup victory, having masterfully controlled the final 99 laps while fending off a determined Chase Briscoe. The Richard Childress Racing driver executed brilliantly on restarts, including a bold three-wide move through the middle of turn two that earned him the lead. However, the real drama unfolded after the white flag was waved, and Briscoe was determined to make a hail-marry move on Reddick.

Lap traffic certainly helped Briscoe’s cause as the #14 Ford slid down on the track entering Turns 3 and 4. But with the racing surface formed of dirt, he couldn’t control his corner exit and rammed into the #8 RCR Chevy. Both Reddick and Briscoe spun across the racetrack just a few meters away from the start-finish line. All this time, Kyle Busch was biding his time, waiting for the right opportunity, and seeing the leaders spin out, he stepped on the gas and grabbed the checkered flag.

“We got one, you know?” Kyle Busch said in Victory Lane. “It doesn’t matter how you get them, it’s all about getting them.” Meanwhile, Briscoe immediately sought out Reddick on pit road. “I was going to spin out, I think, either way,” Briscoe admitted. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to let you know. I wish you would have won.” Reddick, showing remarkable sportsmanship, responded: “I shouldn’t have let him get that close. He ran me back down… I should have done a better job and pulled away so he wasn’t in range to try to make that move.”

The finish embodied everything that makes Bristol special—drama, heartbreak, and unexpected glory, setting up a perfect segue to Busch’s milestone achievement. This victory proved particularly meaningful for a driver whose 2022 campaign would ultimately feature career-low statistics—just eight top-five finishes and a playoff exit in the Round of 16.

As boos rained down from Bristol’s grandstands, Busch embraced the villain role that has defined much of his career. The unexpected victory foreshadowed major changes ahead, as it would ultimately stand as his final win with Joe Gibbs Racing before his shocking move to Richard Childress Racing for 2023. “I’d like to think that I still have that opportunity to be able to do that with RCR,” Busch would later say, comparing his team change to the career moves of NFL legends Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

For NASCAR fans, this Easter spectacle delivered precisely what the sport had hoped—a dramatic prime-time thriller that reminded everyone why Bristol remains the sport’s most unpredictable coliseum. But, the dirt experiment didn’t last long as by 2024, the Thunder Valley returned to its concert racing surface.

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The Final Chapter: Bristol’s Dirt Experiment Hits the Brakes

While Kyle Busch’s dramatic 2022 Easter victory showcased the potential excitement of Bristol’s dirt experiment, the controversial surface ultimately proved unsustainable for NASCAR’s premier series. By September 2023, Bristol Motor Speedway officials announced they would abandon the dirt configuration for 2024, returning both annual races to the traditional concrete “Last Great Colosseum” that fans had cherished for decades. The news delighted purists who had criticized the temporary surface as an ill-conceived gimmick that diminished one of NASCAR’s crown jewel venues.

The dirt experiment revealed fundamental challenges in adapting modern Cup Series cars to dirt racing conditions. NASCAR’s decision to maintain windshields created an impossible balancing act – too much moisture created visibility-limiting mud, while too little produced spectator-choking dust clouds. Despite moving the event to prime-time Easter Sunday in hopes of boosting ratings, the practical limitations prevented the kind of authentic dirt racing action many had envisioned. “Today’s modern cars don’t race well on the dirt and aren’t suited for it,” noted The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck, who had been a vocal critic of the experiment.

Though NASCAR’s attempt to reconnect with its dirt-track roots struck a nostalgic chord with some fans, the Bristol experiment highlighted the complexity of marrying 21st-century stock car technology with racing’s primitive surfaces. For drivers like Reddick and Briscoe, who came tantalizingly close to victory in 2022’s thrilling finish, the Bristol dirt race will remain a unique chapter in their careers. A brief return to NASCAR’s earliest days that ultimately proved better in concept than execution.

Should NASCAR ever attempt another dirt race, experts suggest legitimate dirt venues like Eldora or Knoxville with modified cars (minus windshields) would provide a more authentic experience than transforming an existing concrete colosseum.