After a short break, theMonster Energy NASCAR Cup Series suits up Sunday for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.Those in charge probably used the reprieve to celebrate the success of risky alterations to the sport, including the new stage-based format. The tally: Six drivers boast checkered flags, including unexpected names like Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman.In fact, only a bit of dominance by championship contender Brad Keselowski has created a multiple-race winner so far this season. That could change Sunday, but Bristol tends to produce some unexpected results after demanding the most out of drivers, something only furthered by the new format.Here's a look at everything to know about this weekend's critical event.Viewing DetailsWhere: Bristol Motor SpeedwayWhen: Sunday, 2 p.m. ETWatch: FoxLive Stream: Fox Sports GoTickets: ScoreBig.comFood City 500 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup StandingsDrivers to WatchJimmie JohnsonIt's been an odd season forJimmie Johnson so far.Most expected him to grab a win at one point or another. He did last time out in Texas, yet he hasn't even cracked the 200-point mark. Nine other drivers have thanks to either wins and points or points alone.Johnson simply hasn't had the easiest time adapting to the new format. He started the year with a 34th slot at the Daytona 500 and didn't register a top-10 finish until mid-March. Finishes of 21st and 15th before his win in Texas didn't predict a win around the corner.Yet that's the beauty of this year, right' On one hand, Johnson now has seven wins at Texas. On the other, the track was repaved, and he didn't look great entering the event. Even he was surprised about the win, according to ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass."To pass as many cars as we did was out of the ordinary. It was very slick. You didn't have a second lane to work. I'm really, really surprised and also impressed with the car that we built and created to handle those conditions," Johnson said.So what's it going to be' Will Johnson continue to flourish with momentum in hand, or was last time out an anomaly at a familiar, though repaved, favorite'It's impossible to say, but it sure makes one of the sport's superstars all the more interesting to watch.Matt KensethIf Johnson owned Texas, Carl Edwards called Bristol his stamping grounds, at least lately after winning two out of the last three Food City 500 events.Maybe Matt Kenseth is the next veteran to dominate the event.Kenseth was the guy to break up Edwards' two wins, taking first place in 2015. He feels due for a win and looks like one of the most up-and-down drivers in the series so far. He slotted 40th at the Daytona 500 before a pair of top-10 wins, then went 37th and 36th before rebounding for ninth and 16th.Granted, Kenseth hasn't looked great at Bristol since his win. He's not afraid to acknowledge it, either."We have four or five DNFs (at Bristol) and a couple of wins," Kenseth, according to FoxSports.com's Tom Jensen. "So, it's kind of feast or famine for us there. I do enjoy it. I really always look forward to going there and the challenges, the little changes they keep making to the track."With a fresh new sponsor on his ride, maybe this is the turning point for Kenseth. Up-and-down drivers only need to get hot at the right time to take down a checkered flag in this format, so don't be too shocked if Kenseth starts a resurgence of sorts to go alongside a new paint job.Dale Earnhardt Jr.Much like his performance during the middle of the 2016 campaign before throwing in the towel, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a tough driver to figure out.Household name or not, Earnhardt started the year in Daytona on a rough note, finishing 37th. It's his worst mark of the year so far, but until Texas, he hadn't finished better than 14th at an event.During his best run of the season, Earnhardt took a liking to the repaved surface in Texas and turned a starting position of 37th into a fifth-place finish. Great, but now it's time to figure out if it was a one-off performance or the veteran getting better acclimated to the format."It was big for me," Earnhardt said, according to Pockrass. "We haven't had a top-5 finish since like four races before we stopped racing last year. This is great for us. I know the guys are excited. ... I was trying not to get frustrated, but you can only take so much."Earnhardt finished second last year in Bristol, part of what was a strong start to the season before things fell apart. New format or not, he's usually strong at the track, meaning Sunday gives him a good chance to build some serious momentum.It feels like a matter of time before Earnhardt becomes a regular on the leaderboard again. Fans might be right in the middle of his resurgence, so don't turn away from the No. 88 Chevrolet on Sunday.Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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