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| Kevin Harvick used his winning Texas chassis from November to win at Atlanta on Sunday. It really was freaky fast. |
FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500 RESULTS
Monday, February 26, 2018
Kevin Harvick dominates at Atlanta
FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500 RESULTS
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Final Atlanta Driver Ratings: 2018 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500
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| Ryan Newman had two really good days of practice and qualifying. Childress back-to-back weeks of winning? |
FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2018 - 1:16 PM ET (time change due to expected weather)
RATING DRIVER ODDS PRAC 1 QUALIFIED PRAC 2 *ATL '17
1. Kevin Harvick 9/2 7th 3rd 23rd 9th
2. Denny Hamlin 12/1 6th 12th 4th 38th
3. Martin Truex Jr 9/2 10th 35th 2nd 8th
4. Kyle Busch 6/1 20th 1st 15th 16th
5. Brad Keselowski 12/1 24th 5th 29th 1st
6. Jimmie Johnson 12/1 16th 22nd 6th 19th
7. Ryan Blaney 25/1 25th 26th 8th 18th
8. Clint Bowyer 20/1 11th 9th 9th 11th
9. Kyle Larson 9/2 2nd 8th 19th 2nd
10. Paul Menard 200/1 15th 15th 3rd 25th
11. Chase Elliott 8/1 29th 27th 28th 5th
12. Ryan Newman 100/1 12th 2nd 1st 35th
13. Joey Logano 12/1 9th 16th 5th 6th
14. Daniel Suarez 60/1 13th 4th 13th 21st
15. Kurt Busch 30/1 21st 7th 20th 7th
* Results from the March 5, 2017 Cup race at Atlanta.
Opening odds courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.
Micah Roberts, a former Las Vegas sports book director, has been setting auto racing odds in Las Vegas since 1994.
RACE 2: ATLANTA
Kevin Harvick gets the top rating not only because of dominating this race last season, leading the most laps (971) at Atlanta among active drivers or using a chassis that won at Texas in November. He also had a pretty good set of practices where he used his same bag of regular Atlanta tricks sticking to the yellow line near the apron. It works well for him. And with not much changes to the 2018 Cup cars and Harvick getting top-five finishes in four of the five 2017 playoff races on 1.5-mile tracks, he's got the most attractive resume for Atlanta.
Denny Hamlin got a boost in his rating after posting the best 10-consecutive lap average in both practices. His car is ready to roll just like it closed out 2017 with top-five finishes in six of his final seven starts on 1.5-mile tracks. Gibbs teammate Kyle Busch is almost as good and Daniel Suarez is also someone to keep an eye on.
Chase Elliott won't be as bad as he practiced or qualified and Ryan Newman won't be as good as he practiced or qualified -- just my opinion. Paul Menard in the No. 21 showed lots of speed and I'm expecting them to have a good run after having the third best 10-consecutive lap average during the second practice.
I also like a couple veterans to have a good showing Sunday -- or Monday since it's expected to rain. Clint Bowyer has something cooking similar to his teammate Harvick and Jimmie Johnson loves this old abrasive asphalt at Atlanta.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Kyle Busch wins Atlanta pole
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| Kyle Busch grans his first Atlanta pole. |
Busch posted a time of 30.024 to beat Ryan Newman for the top spot by .038-seconds.
“Just a great day,” Busch said. “That’s a great achievement for our team today. Hopefully, that bodes well for Sunday.”
Kevin Harvick will start third in the Fold of Honors QuikTrip 500 followed by Daniel Suarez, Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson, Clint Bowyer and Erik Jones.
Once again, Harvick was the first car on the track for the five-minute session. He established a time of 184.376mph. Stenhouse was second, Kurt Busch third. Keselowski bumped Stenhouse to third with a lap of (183.850mph).
READ MORE HERE....MOTORSPORT.COM
More updates Friday with Wallace-Hamlin feud.
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| Way to go Hamlin. Wallace thinks he's got it all figured out in Cup racing. |
“Both. I’ve been removed from both, although I didn’t get the direct text,” Wallace said. “It went through like five or six people, so that’s classy, I guess.”
Wallace’s remarks came in Friday morning’s driver availabilities before opening Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Wallace finished second to race winner Austin Dillon in last weekend’s Daytona 500. His debut in the Great American Race was just his fifth premier series start and the maiden voyage of his first full-time season in the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Chevrolet.
Read More Here....NASCAR.com
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Kurt Busch goes for fourth Atlanta win
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| Kurt Busch is 30/1 to win at Atlanta. |
Busch won his first race at Atlanta in October 2002. He had the strongest car of the afternoon, leading a race-high 84 laps and holding the point when rain stopped the race after 248 of a scheduled 325 laps. His second Atlanta win came in March 2009, when he again had a dominant car, leading 235 of the eventual 330 laps to claim the victory in a green-white-checkered finish. His most-recent Atlanta win came in 2010 when, for the second year in a row, he won the spring race. He was in the lead when a horrific accident sent the race into overtime. He was in the lead during the first green-white-checkered finish, when another accident involving seven cars sent the race into another extended period. He was able to hold on and score the win in the second green-white-checkered finish.
KURT BUSCH, Driver of the No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:
KURT BUSCH, Driver of the No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:
How do you switch gears from all that is Speedweeks at Daytona and go about your business on a normal race weekend like you will at Atlanta?
“Atlanta is the first mile-and-a-half track, the regular season kicks off there and you have that feel of, alright, this is the repetition of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Daytona was different this time around because of the new ride-height rule and how stiff the rear springs are. So this really gets us into the regular season and all of the R&D work that went on during the offseason. It really comes into play at Atlanta.”
What do you think about the decision by Atlanta Motor Speedway management to continue racing on the old track surface rather than repave it after last year’s event?
“The decision was made and I think it was primarily based on the drivers’ comments. The drivers don’t have a union, so to speak, or a race driver alliance like the teams do so, ultimately, Bruton Smith, Marcus Smith and the staff at Atlanta Motor Speedway had to make a decision and they went off what the drivers had to say. I’m hoping the old surface continues to make it where it’s about tire management and you see the multiple lanes and the grooves widen out, and the race is going to come down to that last pit stop. While it’s about which lane you’re in and how well you’ve done on tire management at the point, it also could be a 30- or 50-lap run at the end where it’ll be obvious who saved their tires. I applaud Atlanta’s effort and we’ll have to make sure the asphalt doesn’t tear up too much and hurt the cars, but we are going to be slip-sliding around and it’s going to be pretty neat.”
We saw at Daytona that finishing position at the end of each stage seems to be more important than ever. Do you expect that trend to continue?
“I think this whole season in 2018 we’re going to see each of the stages a bit more aggressive where people are going to try to gain those points and to win those stages because you need those bonus points to help cover you or protect you in the playoffs. If you don’t have them, you’re now working from behind in the playoffs. We’ll see it probably right away – guys will be out to win those first and second stages early in the season and on through the rest of the regular season.”
Kevin Harvick using winning Texas chassis at Atlanta
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| Kevin Harvick is a 9/2 co-favorite to win at Atlanta. |
KEVIN HARVICK, Driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:
You’ve led 100 or more laps in five of your last six races at Atlanta. Talk about that.
“It’s been a really good racetrack to us to be able to lead a lot of laps. We’ve won some Xfinity and Truck races there and we’ve dominated a lot of the Cup races and just haven’t gone to victory lane enough. So, it’s just one of those places where we went to a tire test there in 2008 and figured some things out and nothing’s really changed since then. A lot of the same techniques, cracks and crevices are still there. Last time, we saw some of the racing lanes move up the racetrack, but it’s a great place to race. I love going to Atlanta and I hope the nice warm weather this weekend brings a lot of race fans to Atlanta.”
You dominated last year and came up short in the end. What makes Atlanta such a fun place to race?
“I led 292 laps last year at Atlanta and screwed it up with a speeding penalty at the end of the race. But, I think if you would talk to the garage in general, this is one of the drivers’ favorite tracks. I think the reason it is considered one of the favorite tracks on the circuit is that the tires wear out so fast, cars slide around and you just have to do so much behind the wheel to be able to make your car go around the corner all day. It’s a very fun place to race but, for me, it’s been a very frustrating place to race because we’ve run so well through the years there and only been to victory lane one time – and that was my very first time. It’s a place we want to go to and run well and hopefully they keep putting a lot of patches down – a lot of patches. Anybody from a fan standpoint or a driver standpoint, feel free to find Marcus Smith on Twitter and tell him how great the old asphalt is and do not repave the racetrack. The campaign has begun – do not repave Atlanta.”
What do you like about the Atlanta Motor Speedway layout?
“I just love the abrasiveness of the racetrack. It still has a lot of speed for the first three or four laps, but then it has a lot of fall-off and a lot of bumps that give it character. As a driver, you just love the challenge that comes with racing at Atlanta. This is always one that I circle on my calendar as a favorite and I look forward to racing in Atlanta this weekend.”
At some point in time, if they have to repave, do you keep the same configuration or change it up a bit?
“I have told Ed Clarke this – he is the president of Atlanta Motor Speedway – I’ve told him face-to-face that if you repave Atlanta Motor Speedway, and you can remember back to the last time they repaved and gave it its current configuration, just how fast it was. Atlanta is just one of those racetracks where the banking is just really smooth getting into the corner and the transitions are really smooth off of the corner, the exits open up really nice – you can just carry a ton of speed. For me, that is not exactly what we need more of. If you’re going to redo the racetrack and you just have to repave it – and the only way I would repave it is if you can’t dry it like we had at Texas a few years back. I would do everything that I could not to repave it because of the fact it’s just a great place to drive and the competitors love it. I would definitely try to reconfigure it in some way, shape or form if you did have to repave it. I told Ed that, if it was me, I would just move the backstretch in a whole bunch and go back to the original tighter corners they used to have. If you’re going to go through the whole repaving process, have an open mind and the ability to have some ownership where they’ve redone their corners and some of their racetracks with the banking. They’re obviously willing to change things and make them different. There is no way I would just repave it in the current configuration because it would be lightning fast.”
What’s it like to be back at the site of your first NASCAR Cup Series win?
“You can’t ever win the first one twice. To come back here and know everything that was attached to that first win is something you look back on and realize the magnitude of the situation. I guess the second thing is, I can’t believe we haven’t won there since. It’s definitely one of my favorite racetracks and we’ve led a ton of laps there. For whatever reason, on Sundays, we haven’t been able to put the finishing touches on it. Fridays and Saturdays in the Truck Series and the Xfinity Series, we’ve won a ton of races but, hopefully, we can end that Cup Series streak this weekend. I’m looking forward to having Folds of Honor there this weekend. They’re a big part of all the sponsors on our car and I would call Major Dan a good friend. He participates a lot in the activities we do. Usually, for whatever reason, when we’re around Major Dan, we’ve had a lot of success over the next weekend’s race so, hopefully, we can go to victory lane and have someone from the Folds of Honor hand us that trophy.”
Solid Las Vegas test should help William Byron at Atlanta
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| William Byron is 60/1 to win at Atlanta. |
“I’m looking forward to going to Atlanta where we can show some of our strength as a team. We expect the track to be pretty slick because of the older pavement. The biggest key is going to be trying to get our car to handle well and make sure we can keep the long-run speed in it. Qualifying is going to be a different animal with the tires falling off so quickly. You’re probably only going to get one run each round, so you have to make sure that run counts. We want to qualify well so that we don’t have to pass as many cars on Sunday.”
Driver William Byron
Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 20
Resides Charlotte, North Carolina
DAYTONA 500 RECAP: Last Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, William Byron persevered to finish with a 23rd-place result in the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Starting 33rd after being forced to a backup car following last Thursday's Duel qualifier race, Byron ran a race-high 11th prior to a multiple-car incident on Lap 59. The No. 24 team was able to keep Byron on the lead lap and he worked his way back up to 11th. However, a tire issue triggered Byron to bring out a caution on Lap 93, which caused him to lose a lap undergoing repairs on pit road. He later raced his way back onto the lead lap in the final stage, but another flat tire caused further damage to the No. 24 car and required Byron to spend several laps on pit road for repairs.
AT ATLANTA: While superspeedway racing is known to be unpredictable, Atlanta Motor Speedway marks the first real opportunity to see where drivers and teams stack up on the intermediate tracks that comprise the bulk of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. This weekend marks Byron’s first Cup start at the 1.54-mile oval in Hampton, Georgia, but he has two starts at the track in other series. In last year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, Byron finished seventh and was the third-highest finishing Xfinity regular. In the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Byron was running second when he lost an engine, relegating him to a 32nd-place finish. Atlanta historically has been a good track for the No. 24 team, as Jeff Gordon earned five wins at the track in the iconic No. 24 Chevrolet. Even more promising, Hendrick Motorsports has had at least two drivers finish in the top five in each of the last four races at Atlanta.
FIRST CUP PRIMARY FOR LIBERTY U: The new blue, red and white No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will make its 2018 debut this weekend at Atlanta. Liberty University will be the primary sponsor of Byron and the No. 24 team for 12 races in both 2018 and 2019. The school began its support of Byron in 2014 when he drove late models for Hendrick Motorsports affiliate JR Motorsports and is now in its fourth season sponsoring the 20-year-old driver. Founded in 1971, it is the largest private, nonprofit university in the United States, the largest university in Virginia and the largest Christian university in the world. Byron is currently a sophomore working toward an undergraduate business communications degree through the school’s online program.
XFINITY CHAMP APPEARANCES: On Thursday, Feb. 22, Byron will visit an Xfinity store in downtown Atlanta to sign autographs for customers and employees. The 2017 Xfinity Series champion will be at the store (945 Battery Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30339) from 6:30-7:30 p.m. local time as part of a store event that begins at 4:30 p.m. Byron will also make an appearance at the Xfinity Zone stage at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday at 11:10 a.m.
CHEVY STAGE: Byron will visit the Team Chevy stage at Atlanta Motor Speedway for a question-and-answer session on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 11:05 a.m. local time.
THUNDERBIRDS FLIGHT RECAP: On Tuesday, Feb. 13, Byron experienced the ride of a lifetime when he got the chance to fly with the United States Air Force Thunderbirds in Daytona Beach, Florida. He explained afterward how powerful the G-forces were on his body as he experienced a variety of aerial maneuvers in the F-16 aircraft, including a turn where he experienced forces up to nine Gs, over the course of the one-hour flight. Byron even got an opportunity to take the controls and fly the plane himself. Check out his experience – including footage from inside the cockpit – in the link here.
FYI....VEGAS TESTING THREE WEEKS AGO (1.5-MILE TRACK)
In the Las Vegas testing rookie William Byron was fastest in one of the four sessions Larson wasn't. One driver represented each team to share data gained on being fast on these types of tracks this season. What the No. 24 learned in the test will help find speed this weekend.
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Atlanta is one of Paul Menard's favorite tracks
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| Paul Menard is 200-to-1 to win at Atlanta. |
But to real racers, those are positive attributes.
“It’s one of my favorite race tracks,” he said. “It’s fun.”
Menard said the old surface gives drivers several options for racing grooves and puts a premium on driving skill.
“It’s a great surface,” he said. “I know they will have to repave it at some point, but I hope I’m retired when they do.”
The excessive tire wear caused by the worn surface at Atlanta causes drivers to want fresh tires at every opportunity, but crew chiefs having to play a tire-management strategy so they won’t run through their allotment of tires before the checkered flag falls.
“After you run two laps at Atlanta, you want four tires,” Menard said. “But you have to have a plan so you won’t run out of tires.”
Atlanta’s 500-miler also marks the first race of the season on the downforce tracks that dominate the Monster Energy Cup Series schedule.
“Daytona is kind of its own animal,” Menard said. “Atlanta is the first normal race of the year on one of the tracks that are the bread and butter of our season.
“Having a good car at Atlanta can be the start to having a good year. It’ll be a good chance to see what these Ford Fusions have for this year.”
Menard and his No. 21 Wood Brothers team is already off to a good start to the season thanks to a sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500 and 15 Stage points earned during Speedweeks. He enters Atlanta fifth in the championship standings.
“We had a good points day at Daytona,” he said. “Obviously we wanted to have a shot at the win there are the end, but we dodged a lot of wrecks and got a good finish.”
After carrying the orange and white colors of Omnicraft in the Daytona 500, the No. 21 will be painted neon yellow and carry the logos of Moen at Atlanta.
Moen is the No. 1 brand of faucets in North America and offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed kitchen and bath faucets, showerheads, accessories, bath safety products, garbage disposals and kitchen sinks for residential and commercial applications each delivering the best possible combination of meaningful innovation, useful features, and lasting value.
Qualifying for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 is set for 5:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, and the race is scheduled to start just after 2 p.m. on Sunday with TV coverage on FOX.
Menards
With 297 stores in 14 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether just needing a light bulb or can of paint to building a deck or new home. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember. Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 119 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Fusion driven by Paul Menard in the famous No. 21 racer.
Rain expected Sunday at NASCAR's Atlanta race
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| Rain expected Sunday at Atlanta: 90 percent chance of Thunderstorms in the afternoon. |
“A cold front will make a push through Georgia this weekend,” Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said. “It will produce rain and isolated storms.”
Read More Here...........ACJ weekend weather
Hamlin rolls into Atlanta: Top-5 in 6 of last 7 on 1.5-mile tracks
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| Hamlin is 12/1 to win at Atlanta. |
Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Ground Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Race Info:
Race: Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500
Date/Time: Feb. 25/2 p.m. ET
Distance: 325 laps/500.5 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Track Shape: Quad Oval
Banking: 24 degrees
2017 Winner: Brad Keselowski
Express Notes:
Press Kit: Download the 2018 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Mike Wheeler and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights and statistics.
Daytona Recap: Denny Hamlin finished third in Sunday’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, overcoming a pit road penalty and avoiding a number of multi-car wrecks to position himself and the #11 FedEx Express Toyota for a shot at the 2018 ‘Daytona 500 Champion’ title. Hamlin grabbed ahold of the lead with only two laps remaining in the 200-lap event, but a caution simultaneously appeared for a single-car incident, forcing the field to an overtime restart. Hamlin lined up first in line for the green-white-checkered finish and fought to maintain his lead, but he was challenged by a hard-charging outside line who was able to overtake the top spot. Hamlin crossed the finish line third to secure his first top-five finish of the 2018 season. Hamlin started the 500-mile event in second on the front row of the field, taking an immediate lead and showing the way for the race’s first 10 laps before the first caution flag of the event waved. He led the leaders down pit road during the caution to refresh the #11 FedEx Express Toyota with fuel, but received a one-lap penalty hold for pitting outside of his pit box after overshooting the stall. The penalty relegated Hamlin to 39th place, but he maintained his position and received the “free pass” to begin the second 60-lap Stage on the lead lap. From there, consistent lap times and swift pit stops by the #11 FedEx Racing team put Hamlin back into contention for the win in the race’s closing laps.
Atlanta Preview: The Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for Sunday’s 500-mile event on the tough, 1.5-mile asphalt Georgia oval. Hamlin is a one-time winner at the track, taking the checkered flag when the race was run over Labor Day Weekend in 2012. Hamlin owns three top-fives and six top-10 finishes in 18 career races at Atlanta, leading 365 laps. Hamlin was relegated to a 38th-place finish one year ago after completing just 182 of 325 circuits.
Delivering Laps for FedEx Cares: This season, FedEx is tying the performance of the #11 FedEx Toyota on the track to its efforts to improve road safety through a new program, Delivering Laps for FedEx Cares, by donating $111 for each lap Hamlin leads and $11,000 for each race victory to Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit working to protect kids on the road, at home and at play. FedEx will also contribute $111,000 to Safe Kids if the #11 team wins the 2018 NASCAR championship. New for the 2018 season, the Denny Hamlin Foundation will also match the total donation to Safe Kids Worldwide.
Hamlin led 22 laps during Sunday’s race at Daytona, triggering a $2,442 donation to Safe Kids on behalf of FedEx. Fans can track the total amount donated to date from the Delivering Laps for FedEx Cares program on the homepage of FedExRacing.com.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Races: 18
Wins: 1 (2012)
Top-5: 3
Top-10: 6
Laps Led: 365
Avg. Start: 12.3
Avg. Finish 19.1
Hamlin Conversation:
What are your expectations heading into the first intermediate race track of the season?
“Obviously, Daytona is a different animal than almost every track we go to, so Atlanta this weekend will give us a good idea of which teams will start off the season strong on more traditional tracks. Atlanta is a bit more worn out than most other intermediate tracks, so handling will definitely play a big role in Sunday’s race, but I’m always happy to see tires fall off in speed and put the race a bit more in the drivers’ hands. Our #11 team is confident we can go out there and compete for the win.”
FedEx Ground Northwest District Along for the Ride at Atlanta: The FedEx Ground Northwest district will be recognized for their safety performance this fiscal year by having their “NWST” call letters on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
More Wallace - Hamlin stuff
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| Veteran justice coming soon for the rookie? |
Tempers flared early this year, starting between Denny Hamlin and Darrell Wallace Jr. As Austin Dillon took the checkered flag, there was a close battle for second. As the two battled side by side, contact was made entering the tri-oval. After crossing the start/finish line, both suffered minor crash damage after colliding with the wall exiting the tri-oval. Hamlin didn’t take kindly to Bubba’s actions on track nor his comments after the race.
While Bubba was quite emotional by placing the famed 43 car in the runner-up position, he did have a few words regarding the incident with Denny Hamlin.
“I want to see the replay before I say anything stupid, but he might need to take some Adderall for that one,” he told FOX.
READ MORE HERE....VIDEO ON SPEEDWAYMEDIA.COM
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Atlanta would be fitting place for first Chase Elliott Cup win
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| Chase Elliott is 8/1 to win at Atlanta. |
Chase Elliott on his goals for 2018:
"Atlanta will always be a special place for me. I remember watching the races from the playground as a kid in the driver/owner lot. Haven’t raced a ton here, but I was able to get the pole in 2014 in the Xfinity Series. I would love to make some more memories to go down in the book at Atlanta."
Driver: Chase Elliott
"Atlanta will always be a special place for me. I remember watching the races from the playground as a kid in the driver/owner lot. Haven’t raced a ton here, but I was able to get the pole in 2014 in the Xfinity Series. I would love to make some more memories to go down in the book at Atlanta."
Driver: Chase Elliott
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Age: 22
Age: 22
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Dawsonville, Georgia, native Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media on Friday, Feb. 23, at 1:20 p.m. local time in the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center.
Dawsonville, Georgia, native Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media on Friday, Feb. 23, at 1:20 p.m. local time in the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center.
NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1: NAPA AUTO PARTS will return to the hood of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Last week, it was announced that the Atlanta-based company has grown its relationship with 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports with a new agreement that immediately expands its majority sponsorship of driver Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team in 2018 and extends its support for another two years through the 2020 racing season. The new agreement increases NAPA’s majority sponsorship of Elliott from 24 to 26 races.
HOMETOWN TRIFECTA: In addition to NAPA AUTO PARTS, No. 9 team primary partners Hooters and Kelley Blue Book are headquartered in Atlanta. Hooters, a casual dining establishment with a deep history in NASCAR, will make its season debut in July at Daytona International Speedway. Kelley Blue Book will make its return to the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in August at Bristol Motor Speedway.
1.5-MILE TRACK STATS: Elliott’s production at 1.5-mile tracks during the 2017 season was impressive, collecting two second-place finishes (tied for second among NASCAR Cup Series drivers), seven top-five finishes (second) and nine top-10s (third). The Dawsonville, Georgia, native also averaged the third-best average finish of Cup drivers (9.82) on 1.5-mile tracks last year.
GEORGIA ON HIS MIND: On Sunday, Elliott could become just the second Georgia-born driver to win a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, joining his father, Bill Elliott, who won five races at the track. Six drivers have won their first career Cup race at Atlanta: Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Jerry Nadeau, Jim Hurtubise, Bob Burdick and Bobby Johns.
DAYTONA REWIND: The No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS team started the 60th running of the Daytona 500 from fourth after winning Duel qualifying race No. 2. Elliott had an impressive showing for much of the event but was involved in a mid-race incident that ultimately ended the team’s day, relegating the driver to a 33rd-place result.
TAKING IT TO THE BOOTH: On Saturday, Elliott is scheduled to make his way to the broadcast booth during the 163-lap NASCAR Xfinity Series event. The driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the Cup Series will join the NASCAR on FOX crew as a guest analyst for the second time during FOX Sports 1’s live coverage from Atlanta Motor Speedway beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
DESI9N TO DRIVE: On Wednesday, Feb. 21, Elliott will visit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite to unveil patient-designed racing shoes from the Chase Elliott Foundation's second annual “DESI9N TO DRIVE” art collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The racing shoes will be worn by Elliott and his three Hendrick Motorsports teammates during the NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, signed and then put on the auction block for nine days (Feb. 21 to March 2) at the NASCAR Foundation online auction site located at www.fanaticsauctions.com to benefit Children’s summer camps.
CHASIN’ 9 SALE: This weekend in Atlanta, the No. 9 team will wear special, limited-edition NAPA hats at the racetrack. The hats are part of NAPA AUTO PARTS' “Chasin’ 9 Sale.” In the month of March, if customers spend $25 in store they will receive the No. 9 NAPA Racing/Chase Elliott hat, while supplies last
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HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AT ATLANTA: Hendrick Motorsports leads all NASCAR Cup Series teams with 14 wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway, one of 13 active tracks on the circuit where the organization holds the most wins among all Cup teams. Hendrick Motorsports' most recent victory at Atlanta came in 2016 thanks to Jimmie Johnson. The organization has earned 59 top-five finishes, 89 top-10s and five pole positions at the Georgia track.
SIX DRIVERS FIND VICTORY LANE AT ATLANTA: Car owner Rick Hendrick's first Atlanta Motor Speedway NASCAR Cup Series win came on March 19, 1989, with driver Darrell Waltrip. The organization has posted Atlanta victories with six different drivers: Jeff Gordon (five wins), Johnson (five wins), Waltrip, Ken Schrader (1991), Jerry Nadeau (2000) and Kasey Kahne (2014).
1.5-MILE CHAMPS: Hendrick Motorsports has a NASCAR Cup Series record 57 total wins on 1.5-mile tracks, 15 more than the next closest team, Joe Gibbs Racing. Johnson also holds the record for most 1.5-mile track victories with 28 over Gordon (17), Tony Stewart (15), Dale Earnhardt (14) and Richard Petty (13).
Atlanta is one of Ricky Stenhouse's favorite tracks, he says
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| Ricky Stenhouse Jr is 100/1 to win at Atlanta on Sunday. |
Crew Chief: Brian Pattie
Twitter: @Stenhouse17Team @stenhousejr and @roushfenway
ADVANCE NOTES
Stenhouse Jr. at Atlanta Motor Speedway
o Stenhouse has five career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Atlanta with an average starting position of 11.2 and average finishing position of 19.0.
o 2013 – Atlanta Motor Speedway is the site of where Stenhouse earned his first career MENCS Coors Light pole award.
o 2012 – Stenhouse overtook the lead on the final lap from Kevin Harvick to claim the victory in the NASCAR XFINITY series event.
Last time at Atlanta
After steadily running in the top-10 for a majority of Sunday’s Fold of Honors Quik Trip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Stenhouse Jr. lined up in the seventh position for the final restart but as he was jockeying for position contact was made with the No. 1 machine causing damage to the right front fender. After the damage, the Ford was tight causing Stenhouse to settle with a 13th-place finish.
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Stenhouse Jr. on racing at Atlanta:
“Atlanta is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit. It’s rough and fast. Last year, we ran solidly in the top-10 for a majority of the race so I’m looking forward to getting on track there this weekend. During the off-season, we focused on our intermediate program so this will allow us to see how we stack up. We will keep adjusting on our Ford and hopefully can leave Atlanta with a solid finish.”
Bowman gets first laps on downforce track with new Camaro at Atlanta
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| Alex Bowman is 30/1 to win this week at Atlanta. |
“It was great to sit on the pole last week in Daytona and have the No. 88 up front. We had a great Camaro ZL1 the entire race and (No. 88 team crew chief) Greg (Ives) made great calls. There at the end, I was in a bad spot on that restart and we got caught in an accident. It wasn’t the finish we wanted, but we will move on to Atlanta.”
Bowman on the Camaro ZL1 at Atlanta:
“I am all for the rough racetrack at Atlanta Motor Speedway. That is a track that always puts on a really good show and I am excited to see how this new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 drives. I haven’t driven one on a downforce track yet, so really looking forward to seeing where we unload.”
Bowman on the return of Axalta:
“The Axalta paint scheme on this No. 88 Camaro ZL1 looks great. I am excited to get back behind the wheel of the No. 88 Axalta machine this weekend in Atlanta. The track is rough and has a lot of bumps, which makes for great racing. Hopefully we can put the new Camaro ZL1 in Victory Lane this weekend.”
Driver: Alex Bowman
“I am all for the rough racetrack at Atlanta Motor Speedway. That is a track that always puts on a really good show and I am excited to see how this new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 drives. I haven’t driven one on a downforce track yet, so really looking forward to seeing where we unload.”
Bowman on the return of Axalta:
“The Axalta paint scheme on this No. 88 Camaro ZL1 looks great. I am excited to get back behind the wheel of the No. 88 Axalta machine this weekend in Atlanta. The track is rough and has a lot of bumps, which makes for great racing. Hopefully we can put the new Camaro ZL1 in Victory Lane this weekend.”
Driver: Alex Bowman
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Age: 24
Age: 24
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
DAYTONA REWIND: After capturing the pole for Sunday’s 60th running of the Daytona 500, Alex Bowman brought the field to the green flag in his No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The 24-year-old driver led the Daytona 500 for the first time – leading 13 total laps – before being caught up in a lap 199 incident and finishing 17th. He spent 147 of the first 199 laps running inside the top 10.
DAYTONA REWIND: After capturing the pole for Sunday’s 60th running of the Daytona 500, Alex Bowman brought the field to the green flag in his No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The 24-year-old driver led the Daytona 500 for the first time – leading 13 total laps – before being caught up in a lap 199 incident and finishing 17th. He spent 147 of the first 199 laps running inside the top 10.
BOWMAN AT ATLANTA: Bowman has two previous starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, with his best finish of 23rd coming back in 2015. Bowman drove for GMS Racing in last year’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at the track, where he started fifth and finished sixth. In addition to his one truck appearance, Bowman made one Atlanta start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2013, when he started 18th but suffered engine complications, relegating him to a 34th-place finish.
AXALTA CAMARO ZL1: Bowman will be behind the wheel of the No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. The Tucson, Arizona, native last drove an Axalta paint scheme at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2016. Atlanta will be the first of 15 NASCAR Cup Series events in which Axalta will adorn the No. 88 machine.
IVES AT ATLANTA: No. 88 team crew chief Greg Ives has three previous starts calling the shots atop the pit box at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Cup Series, which include two top-five finishes with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ives was the crew chief for two races at the track for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, capturing one top-five finish and two top-10s in addition to earning the pole with Chase Elliott in 2014.
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Atlanta Betting Preview: Expect Elliott and Johnson to run well
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| How will Hendrick Motorsports fare in new Camaro on downforce track? |
"The track is such a challenge for both the drivers and the teams," said Johnson. "I’m stoked they decided not to repave it just yet – that was a popular decision among the drivers. The surface is so abrasive that the tire falloff is so great, you will see us pitting halfway through a fuel run just to gain four or five seconds. I can’t wait to get there and slide around on the track.”
His 12/1 odds are very attractive.
Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports' teammate Chase Elliott hails from Georgia and he's been outstanding in his first two Cup starts on his home track.
"Atlanta will always be a special place for me," said Elliott who is 8/1 to win. "I remember watching the races from the playground as a kid in the driver/owner lot. Haven’t raced a ton here, but I was able to get the pole in 2014 in the Xfinity Series. I would love to make some more memories to go down in the book at Atlanta."
Elliott was fifth last season and eighth during his rookie year. He had top-five finishes in five of his last six starts on 1.5s. No wins yet, but it's going to happen soon. It's just a matter of time, and being at home would make it so appropriate to happen this week.
READ COMPLETE STORY HERE......TOP-5 FINISH PREDICTION ON VEGASINSIDER.COM
Atlanta Driver Match-Ups: Truex -110 vs Larson, Harvick -110 vs Truex
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| Truex, Harvick & Larson all have the same pre-race driver rating at Atlanta. |
FOLDS OF HONOR QUICKTRIP 500
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2018 - 2:16 PM ET
DRIVER VS DRIVER MATCH-UPS
Martin TRUEX JR - 110
Kyle LARSON - 110
Martin TRUEX JR - 110
Kevin HARVICK - 110
Martin TRUEX JR - 130
Kyle BUSCH +110
Martin TRUEX JR - 150
Chase ELLIOTT +130
Kyle LARSON - 110
Kevin HARVICK - 110
Kyle LARSON - 130
Kyle BUSCH +110
Kyle LARSON - 150
Chase ELLIOTT +130
Kyle BUSCH +110
Kevin HARVICK - 130
Kyle BUSCH - 130
Chase ELLIOTT +110
Kevin HARVICK - 150
Chase ELLIOTT +130
Denny HAMLIN - 110
Brad KESELOWSKI - 110
Denny HAMLIN - 130
Jimmie JOHNSON +110
Jimmie Johnson on Atlanta's Surface: "I can't wait to get there and slide around the track."
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| Common site in Atlanta. Jimmie Johnson is 12/1 to win this week. |
Jimmie Johnson on looking ahead from Daytona to Atlanta:
“I was really bummed out after last week in Daytona. We had a fast Lowe’s for Pros Chevy Camaro and it was so disappointing we got caught up in a wreck so early in the day. I spent a few days with my girls at Disney World after the race and now we are ready to take on Atlanta. The track is such a challenge for both the drivers and the teams. I’m stoked they decided not to repave it just yet – that was a popular decision among the drivers. The surface is so abrasive that the tire falloff is so great, you will see us pitting halfway through a fuel run just to gain four or five seconds. I can’t wait to get there and slide around on the track.”
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
“I was really bummed out after last week in Daytona. We had a fast Lowe’s for Pros Chevy Camaro and it was so disappointing we got caught up in a wreck so early in the day. I spent a few days with my girls at Disney World after the race and now we are ready to take on Atlanta. The track is such a challenge for both the drivers and the teams. I’m stoked they decided not to repave it just yet – that was a popular decision among the drivers. The surface is so abrasive that the tire falloff is so great, you will see us pitting halfway through a fuel run just to gain four or five seconds. I can’t wait to get there and slide around on the track.”
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Hometown: El Cajon, California
Age: 42
Age: 42
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
HOT IN ATLANTA: Johnson has a total of five wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway – the most among active drivers. He has scored two of the four wins Hendrick Motorsports has captured at Atlanta in the last seven years and five of the organization’s record 14 victories at the track. The two most recent wins came back to back, with Johnson starting from 37th in 2015 and 19th in 2016. Johnson has a Cup Series record 28 wins on 1.5-mile tracks – 11 more than former teammate Jeff Gordon, who is second all-time with 17.
HOT IN ATLANTA: Johnson has a total of five wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway – the most among active drivers. He has scored two of the four wins Hendrick Motorsports has captured at Atlanta in the last seven years and five of the organization’s record 14 victories at the track. The two most recent wins came back to back, with Johnson starting from 37th in 2015 and 19th in 2016. Johnson has a Cup Series record 28 wins on 1.5-mile tracks – 11 more than former teammate Jeff Gordon, who is second all-time with 17.
DAYTONA IN THE REAR VIEW: The 2018 Daytona Speedweeks events were not kind to seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 Lowe’s for Pros team. First, Johnson narrowly missed starting on the front row for the Daytona 500 by just .085 seconds, posting the third-best qualifying speed. Next, an incident took Johnson out of The Clash at Daytona early. He then blew a tire in the first Duel qualifier, forcing the team to a backup car for "The Great American Race." Johnson started the Daytona 500 from 35th and made it to the top 10 in only 26 laps. He was running eighth before he was collected in a multi-car accident on Lap 59 coming to the Stage 1 finish. Johnson ultimately settled for a 38th-place finish in the 60th running of the Daytona 500.
84 IS NEXT: Johnson is on the verge of his 84th points-paying NASCAR Cup Series win. He secured his 83rd in June 2017 to tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough for sixth on the all-time wins list. An 84th win would tie Hall of Famers Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for fourth all-time. Johnson is currently 10 wins behind former teammate Gordon, who has 93 victories and is third on the list. Johnson has the most wins of all active drivers and No. 48 team crew chief Chad Knaus has the most wins of all active crew chiefs with 81.
APPEARANCES IN ATLANTA: Johnson will make an appearance for a question-and-answer session with fans at the “Trackside Live” experience located in Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Fan Zone on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 10:35 a.m. local time.
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Darrell Wallace quotes regarding Denny Hamlin, Daytona
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| Why so much disrespect by a rookie towards a veteran? |
“At the garage, he was upset with me over the comments I made about something he was joking about, which shouldn’t have been joked about. All in all, that’s all right. We’re actually texting each other right now, we’re still not happy. I’m OK, he’s not. We’re racers, and we’ll go to Atlanta and be battling each other.
“I told him we’ll be racing together for a long time so I wanted to step out and reach out and clear the air. We’ll see how long it takes to officially clear the air.
“All in all, it was an exciting week for us. I told him I was just pumped up with the way we finished and just hated that I couldn’t go out and celebrate the finish with my guys. I really wanted to see them. I had Richard Petty running all over pit road and all over Daytona to the infield care center so that was just a bummer. When you have a good finish, the first thing you want to do is get out and hug your guys and give them all the praise that they deserve.’’
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