For the third straight year, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will race on dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway during the Food City Dirt Race on Sunday, April 9. 

While NASCAR has a history of racing dirt track that dates all the way back to 1949, NASCAR's premier series had not competed on a dirt track in more than 50 years prior to the inaugural Food City Dirt Race at Bristol in 2021. 

The addition of a dirt race to the schedule adds an interesting dynamic considering many of NASCAR's biggest stars have minimal dirt track racing experience. However, there are a handful of drivers who have a dirt track racing background, as well as a group of drivers who appear to have learned the craft quickly. 

Let's rank the top 10 dirt drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series heading into the 2023 Bristol Dirt Race. 

1. Kyle Larson 

Bristol Finishes: 29th (2021) and 4th (2022)

Was there really any doubt here? While Larson has yet to experience success in the NASCAR Food City Dirt Race, his dirt track racing resume is unmatched. Over his career, Larson has found success in Sprint Cars, Dirt Late Models, Dirt Midgets and everything in between. 

Larson's career highlights on dirt include wins in the Chili Bowl Nationals (2), Kings Royal, Knoxville Nationals and Prairie Dirt Classic. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion kicked off the week Thursday night with an exciting win in the Kyle Larson Late Model Challenge at Volunteer Speedway, a race he co-promoted with FloRacing. 

VIDEO: Watch highlights from Thursday's Kyle Larson Late Model Challenge. 

2. Christopher Bell

Bristol Finishes: 34th (2021) and 7th (2022)

Like Larson, Bell has yet to breakthrough and pick up a NASCAR Cup Series win on the dirt at Bristol. Regardless, he's one of the most talented drivers to come out of the dirt track ranks over the last decade. 

Bell has 20 career USAC National Midget Series wins, five World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victories and seven career wins in Tony Stewart's Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions. His major event wins include three Chili Bowl Nationals wins, three USAC Turkey Night Grand Prix wins and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win at Eldora Speedway. 

3. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 

Bristol Finishes: 2nd (2021) and 29th (2022)

Stenhouse is often overlooked when it comes to his dirt track racing abilities. In addition to coming up just one spot short of the Bristol Food City Dirt Race win in 2021, the Mississippi native has put together an impressive resume driving Dirt Midgets and Sprint Cars. 

Stenhouse's dirt track resume includes five USAC National Midget Series wins, including a 4-Crown Nationals win at Eldora Speedway. Additionally, he has three career All Star Circuit of Champions wins in 11 career starts. 

In his return to Sprint Car racing last year at the High Limit Open, Stenhouse finished fourth against an impressive field of drivers. 

VIDEO: Ride on-board with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. at the 2020 Chili Bowl Nationals. 

4. Chase Briscoe

Bristol Finishes: 20th (2021) and 22nd (2022)

Before he became an ARCA Racing Series champion and eventually a NASCAR Cup Series winner, Chase Briscoe cut his teeth racing on dirt tracks. 

Over the years, Briscoe has competed in a variety of different dirt track cars including Midgets, Sprint Cars, Late Models and Micro Sprints. He also won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway in 2018. 

Briscoe led 59 laps in last year's Food City Dirt Race at Bristol before finishing 22nd. 

5. Alex Bowman

Bristol Finishes: 22nd (2021) and 6th (2022)

When he's not busy with the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, Bowman is focused on elevating his Alex Bowman Racing team that competes in the Sprint Car and Midget ranks. 

Bowman is a regular competitor in major dirt track events like the Chili Bowl Nationals. This year, he's also planning to race all 11 High Limit Sprint Car Series events promoted by Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet. 

VIDEO: Alex Bowman discusses future plans for Alex Bowman Racing. 

6. Austin Dillon

Bristol Finishes: 21st (2021) and 31st (2022)

In addition to being a former winner with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Eldora Speedway, Dillon has raced Dirt Late Models and Dirt Modifieds during his career.

Before making the move to NASCAR, Dillon won Dirt Late Model races with both the Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series and Southern Nationals Series. He also DIRTcar UMP Modified wins and a DIRTcar Nationals UMP Modified championship on his resume.

7. Tyler Reddick

Bristol Finishes: 7th (2021) and 2nd (2022)

Reddick has been one of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR's Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway over the last two years. With a pair of top-10 finishes, including a runner-up effort last year, Reddick has an average finish of 4.5. 

Prior to his NASCAR career, Reddick cut his teeth in the Dirt Late Model ranks where he collected a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win in 2011. 

8. Kyle Busch

Bristol Finishes: 17th (2021) and 1st (2022)

Busch enters this year's Food City Dirt Race as the defending race winner at Bristol Motor Speedway.And while Busch didn't grow up racing at dirt tracks, he's proven to be a quick learner. 

Busch won the 2012 Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway and recorded five top-five finishes in the event in six career starts. He's also dabbled in Micro Sprint racing in recent years while traveling the country racing with his son, Brexton. 

On Thursday, Busch strapped into a Dirt Late Model and finished 16th in the Kyle Larson Late Model Challenge at Volunteer Speedway. 

VIDEO: Kyle Busch won a Micro Sprint race on dirt last year at Port City Raceway.

9. Joey Logano

Bristol Finishes: 1st (2021) and 3rd (2022)

Statistically speaking, Logano has been the best driver through two editions of the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol. For that reason alone, we can't leave him off this list. 

Logano won the inaugural event in 2021 before finishing third in last year's race, giving him an average finish of 2.0.

Outside of the two dirt races at Bristol, Logano doesn't have a ton of dirt track racing experience. He did finish third in a DIRTcar UMP Modified race at Volusia Speedway Park in 2021 while attempting to gain experience prior to the inaugural dirt event at Bristol. 

10. Justin Haley

Bristol Finishes: 14th (2022)

Haley made his Bristol Dirt Race debut last year, winning his heat race and ultimately finishing 14th in the main event.

Outside of the NASCAR ranks, Haley spends his time racing UMP Modifieds. And he's pretty dang good at it. 

In February, Haley won three DIRTcar UMP Modified features and finished second in the DIRTcar Nationals championship standings at Volusia Speedway Park.