BSNblog

Busch took the checkered flag in the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 8, holding off Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards to claim the victory. Kevin Harvick and Brian Vickers rounded out the top five drivers at Atlanta.

Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, and Martin Truex Jr. made up the rest of the Top 10 in the Kobalt Tools 500. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 11th, Matt Kenseth was 12th, and Kyle Busch had to settle for an 18th-place result.

Gordon's second-place result at Atlanta allowed him to hold onto top spot in the driver standings for another week; he holds a 43-point lead on Bowyer, and a 46-point advantage on Kurt Busch after four events so far this season.

Jeff Burton sits in 15th place in the current Sprint Cup Series standings, but he's the defending champion at the Food City 500. Carl Edwards won the Sharpie 500 at Bristol in both 2007 and 2008, while Kyle Busch took the Food City 500 in 2007.

Gordon and Kurt Busch each have five career Cup wins at Bristol; Kurt Busch won there most recently in 2006, while Gordon's last victory at the track came back in 2002. Kenseth and Mark Martin have each taken the checkered flag at Bristol twice.

After racing at Bristol the drivers of the Sprint Cup Series will finish off their March schedule in the Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 29. April will then feature NASCAR events at Texas, Phoenix, and Talladega.