speedway

Last time the NASCAR Cup Series came to Atlanta Motor Speedway, it set the closest top-three finish in series history with Daniel Suarez scantly beating Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch to the line in a photo-finish for the ages.

Now, with all the mounting pressures of the Playoffs, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the 1.54-mile track to break-open the postseason with some high-speed, close drafting action in this Sunday’s Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart (3 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) – the first race of the 2024 Playoffs.

Atlanta Motor Speedway is the fifth different track to host the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosted the first race of the Playoffs from 2004–2010, then Chicagoland Speedway held the first race of the Playoffs from 2011–2017, followed by Las Vegas Motor Speedway from 2018-2019 and then Darlington Raceway from 2020-2023. Prior to the 2024 season, Atlanta Motor Speedway has hosted five other Playoff races – the first event of the Playoffs’ Round of 8 (Race No. 33 of 36) from 2004-2008.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Sets Its Eyes on Atlanta Motor Speedway

After dancing with the Lady in Black last weekend, the NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to its second drafting track race in three weeks at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Focused Health 250 on Saturday, September 7 at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, the NBC Sports App, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The 1.54-mile track will be hosting its sixth race since its reconfiguration in 2022. Since then, Atlanta has produced five different pole winners but just three different race winners, none of which came from the first starting position.

Superspeedway ace Austin Hill has won half of the Xfinity races at Atlanta over the last three seasons, capturing the checkered flag at least once in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Chandler Smith – No. 81 Wheelers Toyota GR Supra Preview – Focused Health 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

SMITH AT ATLANTA: Georgia-native Chandler Smith will return to his home track this weekend as the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) races at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS). Smith has one top-five finish in three starts at AMS, which came earlier this year when he finished in second.

DARLINGTON RECAP: Smith started the latest NXS race at Darlington Raceway in fifth and struggled with handling for most of the race. The No. 81 earned an eighth-place finish.

ON THE PITBOX: Crew Chief of the No. 81, Jeff Meendering has visited Victory Lane 10 times as a NXS crew chief, most recently with Smith at Richmond in March 2024. His teams have collected 67 top-five finishes, 138 top-10 finishes, and 14 pole positions under his leadership. (more…)

Taylor Gray – No. 19 Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra Preview – Focused Health 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

GRAY AT ATLANTA: Taylor Gray started 19th and finished fourth in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this year. That race was his only experience at the 1.54-mile track so far.

GRAY XFINITY SEASON: Gray has claimed a pair of top-five finishes and three top-10s in nine NASCAR Xfinity Series starts this season. He made an incredible first impression with a third-place finish in his debut at Richmond Raceway in March. More recently, Gray posted top-five qualifying efforts in his last two starts at Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway on the way to back-to-back top-10 finishes. (more…)

Bobby Stirk, III Seeking First Late Model Victory in Paradiso Insurance 50 After Piecing Car Back Together

by Lou ModestinoSeptember 5, 2024

(Stafford Springs, CT)—With Stafford Speedway’s Late Model division set to run their annual extra distance feature event, the Paradiso Insurance 50, this Friday September 6, Bobby Stirk, III and the #9 team sponsored by A6A Associates, Tri-State Elevator & Hoist, and Costa & Son Construction are ready to fight for their first Late Model victory. The fact that Stirk will even be at the track to try to win the race would be a small miracle after crashing his car and seeing the front end briefly catch fire in last week’s feature event. But thanks to some hard work by his crew, Stirk will be at the track ready to chase the checkered flag.

Weekend Schedule Released And Discounted Tickets On Sale For The Annual Race Of Champions Weekend, Featuring The VP Racing Fuels Race Of Champions 250

– Discounted Tickets Available Until Friday, September 20, 2024 –

– Buy Your Tickets Now – https://www.lakeeriespeedway.com/roc-annual –

North East, Pa. – (September 4, 2024) – The Race of Champions Weekend schedule has been released and updated to include a “Friday Night” party in the pits where competitors who participated in practice will be encouraged to leave their cars out as we “open” the pits for an evening together with music and friends to peruse and hangout in the pit area with their favorite drivers following practice for the prestigious race weekend. (more…)

Rally Provides Bus Rideshare to NASCAR Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Crowd-powered event travel allows fans of stock car racing to avoid traffic and parking hassles so they can enjoy the thrilling race at one of the nation’s fastest and most exciting tracks.

NEW YORK, September 4, 2024 (Newswire.com) – Racing fans can leave traffic and parking worries behind and let Rally do the driving to the adrenaline-fueled NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Sept. 7 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. (more…)

Denny Hamlin – No. 11 Mavis Tire Toyota Camry XSE Preview – Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

HAMLIN AT ATLANTA: Denny Hamlin owns one win in 28 starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Overall, he has posted six top-five finishes, 10 top-10s, and 452 laps led at the 1.54-mile track. Hamlin has led in six of the past seven Atlanta races, including 15 laps when the series visited in February. Earlier this year, Hamlin finished 23rd at Atlanta after being collected in multiple accidents during the 400-mile race.

REGULAR SEASON RECAP: During the 26-race regular season, Hamlin scored three wins, nine top-five finishes, 12 top-10s, three pole awards, and 917 laps led. According to Loop Data provided by NASCAR, Hamlin leads the series in green flag speed, fastest on restarts, fastest drivers late in a run, and laps in the top 15. He also ranks second in laps led, average running position, driver rating and laps run on the lead lap. (more…)

Todd Gilliland Brings CITGARD to the Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 3, 2024) – The NASCAR Cup Series makes their return to the Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway for the first race of the 2024 playoffs.

For Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 team, Atlanta shows much promise to capture their first win in the NASCAR Cup Series. Gilliland led a race-high 58 laps at the 1.5-mile, Hampton, Georgia venue in February’s race. Gilliland has proven that he has what it takes to be a trusted drafting partner at tracks like Daytona, Atlanta, and Talladega. (more…)

Ron Silk Scores First-Ever Race Of Champions Victory At Spencer Speedway In Maynard Troyer Classic V This Past Friday

by Lou ModestinoSeptember 3, 2024

– Kevin Timmerman Drives to First-Ever Race of Champions Sportsman Modified Series Win; Joey VanLane Scores Another Race of Champions Rocket Performance 602 Sportsman Modified Series Victory –

Williamson, NY – (September 1, 2024) – Ron Silk of Norwalk, CT, drove to his first-ever Race of Champions Modified Series victory this past Friday night at Spencer Speedway in Williamson, NY, and it was in one of the most lucrative victories in the history of the Speedway, with over $54,000 in purse money for the Modified event. Silk took home $11,000 for his efforts in what is considered the best per lap for Modified racing in the region.

Silk started 5^th and slipped past Jake Lutz of Hamburg, NY, on a restart when Lutz missed a shift. From that point Lutz pressured Silk all the way to the checkered flag, however, it was to no avail as Silk narrowly earned the victory.