Kyle Busch running Bristol Dirt Nationals

Kyle Busch running Bristol Dirt Nationals
Kyle Busch celebrates after winning the final Prelude to the Dream at Eldora. Photo Courtesy Chris Graythen.

Kyle Busch is headed to Bristol, just a bit before everyone else.

The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will be teaming up with the Double L Motorsports Longhorn Chassis team to run the Bristol Dirt Nationals a weekend ahead of the NASCAR event at the track.

Busch will run as a teammate to Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series veteran Jonathan Davenport, and receive backing Nutrien Ag Solutions. He’ll run the number 51.

“I believe that this year’s Bristol Dirt Nationals and having Kyle (Busch) compete in it along with a bunch of talented dirt drivers, will put even more eyeballs on our sport,” Davenport said in a release. “He is a heck of a wheelman in anything he drives, so I am definitely looking forward to teaming up with Kyle and see what we can both do on the high banks of Bristol Motor Speedway.”

Davenport himself is a two-time LOLMDS series champion and regularly runs the Nutrien Ag Solutions No. 49 car.

“Nutrien Ag Solutions is very excited to have this caliber of drivers representing us on the famed 1/2-mile dirt oval at Bristol,” Steve Martin with Nutrien Ag Solutions said in a release. “Jonathan (Davenport) and Double L Motorsports have done a great job of representing us over the past several years and all of us are excited about this inaugural Bristol Dirt Nationals event. To add Kyle (Busch) to our team for that weekend is extra special, as he is obviously one of the best drivers in the world. I know he hasn’t wheeled a Super Late Model in a few years, but he will be in great equipment – just like Jonathan – and I’m looking forward to watching both drivers perform well on March 19-20.”

The event will hold eight different classes of racing Monday, March 15 – Saturday, March 20 ranging from modifieds and sport mods to super late models.

Busch frequently runs super late model races when he’s not on the asphalt, however he remains the last winner of the old Prelude to the Dream races held at Eldora Speedway.

“Most of my experience in super late models have come on pavement, but I’ve really enjoyed dirt Super Late Model races when I’ve had the chance to run them,” Busch said in the release. “The Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway was a race I looked forward to every year and bringing home the win there in 2012 was something I’ll always remember. I want to thank Nutrien Ag Solutions and Double L Motorsports for the opportunity to get some seat time at Bristol in one of their Dirt Late Models. Jonathan Davenport’s resume speaks for itself with all the success he’s had in the Dirt Late Model cars, so I’m looking forward to learning all I can from him. While the cars are completely different than the NASCAR Cup Series cars we will run at Bristol, just getting some experience on dirt with a great team and a knowledgeable teammate will be invaluable for the following weekend.”

Busch’s action will be on just Friday and Saturday of the event.