BRISTOL, TN - With 7 top-ten finishes in the last 9 races, Mike Bliss and the #20 Team headed to Bristol Motor Speedway carrying some momentum. Marred by some incidents with other competitors and a questionable late race call by NASCAR, Bliss would not leave the track with the same good fortune.

Starting from the 17th position, Bliss knew patience would be the key to success at the World's Fastest Half Mile. As the race went green, Bliss maintained a position in the top fifteen. As the run continued, the car began to loosen up. Even with the handle of the car going away, Bliss was able to run lap times as quick as the leaders. When the caution flew on lap 70, Bliss followed the leaders to pit road for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment.

As the team was able to pick up five positions on pit road, it would be for not once the race restarted. As the competition started to heat up and patience was wearing thin, the 55 car of Robby Gordon was involved in an accident ahead of the #20 car. As Bliss got his machine slowed up, the #25 car of substitute driver Mike McLaughlin ran over the left rear of the #20 car forcing it into a spin on the apron of turn. This would result in major damage on the left quarter panel and damage on the front right fender well.

Bliss made several pit stops during that caution to repair the damage while still remaining on the lead lap. When the race restarted, Bliss was the last car on the lead lap in the 24th position. Fortunately for him, aerodynamics do not play as crucial of a role at Bristol as other tracks and Bliss was able to work his way back through the field. As the laps began to tick off, Bliss continued to pick up positions. By lap 132, he had worked his way into the top 20 and by lap 154, he had worked his way into the top 15.

When the caution flag flew on lap 168, Bliss followed the leaders to pit road for tires & fuel. During the pit stop, crew members checked the right front fender and pulled it away from the tire to insure the sheet metal would not cut the tire down. Bliss's stop was finished in 15 seconds and he returned to the track in the 11th position.

Bliss continued to run strong with the leaders until a multi-car wreck slowed the field again for caution. While the caution period took over 10 laps of caution to clean up the accident, NASCAR chose to wait until the one lap to green to inform the #20 Team that they would need to return to pit road to fix their front fender. If they did not, they would be given the black flag.

As the race was ready to restart, Bliss brought his car to pit road to have the fender repaired. As the green flag flew, Bliss followed the green flag rules for pit road and exited out of turn three. Bliss was then penalized a pass through penalty for exiting pit road too soon. Bliss would use the final laps to try to work his way back on the lead lap but would come up short and have to settle for 21st, one lap down to the winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr.