Kurt Busch gets 8th straight Atlanta Top-15

Kurt Busch earned his eighth consecutive top-15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway when he crossed under the checkers seventh.

Busch started the race 13th and was not a big factor in the first half of the race. He failed to earn any segment points for being inside the top 10 at the stage breaks, but he stayed out of trouble and was able to capitalize in the closing laps. That has been his strong suit in the past several seasons and it is why he was part of last year’s playoffs.

Martin Truex, Jr. finishes 8th at Atlanta

Martin Truex Jr. spent 72 percent of the afternoon in the top 10 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and finished eighth in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

Truex had adversity of his own. He had transmission difficulties that required him to be pushed from his pit box after each stop late in the race. Luckily, they did not affect him on restarts. He lined up eighth when the final green flag waved and maintained that position until the checkers waved. This is Truex’s 20th top-15 in his last 21 races on similarly-configured, 1.5-mile tracks.

Kevin Harvick lets QuikTrip 500 slip away

Kevin Harvick easily had the most dominant car all afternoon at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but a speeding penalty on the final pit stop cost him the victory. He finished ninth.

Harvick led the most laps, won both segments, and earned the third-most championship points for the race, but he was forced to start at the tail-end of the longest line with his penalty. Harvick passed five cars at the end to record his top-10 finish. He now has three playoff points that he will carry throughout the nine races heading into Homestead-Miami Speedway.

McMurray snaps 10-race Top-10-less streak

Entering the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, Jamie McMurray had not scored a top-10 finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway since fall 2008—a streak of 10 races. He broke that streak with a 10th-place finish on Sunday.

He came close on two previous occasions with an 11th in 2013 and a 12th the following season. McMurray made a lot of noise during the race, but was among the top 10 for a little more than 40 percent of the time.

WrapUp: Atlanta Motor Speedway

The Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) hosted all three NASCAR top series events this past weekend. On Saturday, the 1.54-mile oval in Hampton, Georgia featured a double-header. The XFINITY Series 163-lap Rinnai 250 was followed by the Camping World Truck Series 130-lap Active Pest Control 200. The Monster Energy 350-lap Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 was held on Sunday afternoon. The results and upcoming scheduled events for the ARCA Racing Series and the NASCAR Home Tracks are also shown below.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Time Trials: Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John's Ford Fusion) won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 with a lap of 190.398 mph. This is his 18th pole in 576 MENCS races. It is his first pole and second top-10 start in 2017. It is Harvick's second pole in 27 races at AMS. Ryan Newman (qualified second) posted his first top-10 start of 2017 and his 18th in 25 races at AMS. Kyle Busch (third) posted his 13th top-10 start at AMS and his first in two races this season. Daniel Suarez (21st) was the fastest qualifying rookie. Pole-sitter Kevin Harvick won the first two of the three segments, led 292 laps but was issued a penalty for speeding on pit road with about 14 laps to go. He finished the 325-lap race in ninth place and, based on segment points earned and race-earned points, assumed the lead in the championship standings.
Did Not Qualify: None, only 39 cars entered for 40 starting spots.

Results: Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Autotrader Ford Fusion) won the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, his 22nd victory in 271 MENCS races. This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in nine races at AMS. Kyle Larson (finished second) posted his second top-10 finish in four races at AMS. Matt Kenseth (third) posted his 17th top-10 finish in 29 races at AMS. Erik Jones (14th) was the highest finishing rookie.

Standings: Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by four points over Kurt Busch.

Top 16 - Chase Contenders:
1. Kevin Harvick
2. Kurt Busch
3. Brad Keselowski
4. Chase Elliott
5. Joey Logano
6. Kyle Larson
7. Martin Truex Jr.
8. Ryan Blaney
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Trevor Bayne
11. AJ Allmendinger
12. Jamie McMurray
13. Aric Almirola
14. Clint Bowyer
15. Paul Menard
16. Matt Kenseth

Next: Sunday, March12, Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval in Las Vegas, NV)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS)
Time Trials: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Rinnai 250 with a lap of 183.862 mph. This is the No. 18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota driver's 58th pole in 329 NXS races. It is his sixth pole in 13 NXS races at AMS. William Byron (qualified second) posted his first top-10 start of 2017. Cup regular Brad Keselowski (third) posted his fourth top-10 start at AMS. It is his second top-10 start in two NXS races this season. Byron was also the fastest qualifying rookie.
Did Not Qualify: No. 13 Carl Long, No. 74 Mike Harmon and No. 89 Morgan Shepherd.

Results: Pole-sitter Kyle Busch won the Rinnai 250, his 87th victory in 329 NXS races. This is his second victory and 10th top-10 finish in 13 NXS races at AMS. Cup regular Brad Keselowski (finished second) posted his sixth top-10 finish in eight NXS races at AMS and his second top-10 NXS finish in 2017. Cup regular Kyle Larson (third) posted his fifth top-10 finish in five NXS races at AMS. William Byron (seventh) was the highest finishing rookie of the year contender.

Standings: Elliott Sadler leads the point standings by 3 points over William Byron.

Top 12 - Chase Contenders:
1. Elliott Sadler
2. William Byron
3. Ryan Reed
4. Brendan Gaughan
5. Matt Tifft
6. Dakoda Armstrong
7. Brennan Poole
8. Michael Annett
9. Daniel Hemric
10. Harrison Rhodes
11. Garrett Smithley
12. Joey Gase

Next: Saturday, March 11, Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval in Las Vegas, NV)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS)
Time Trials: Christopher Bell (No. 4 JBL Toyota Tundra) won the Keystone Light Pole Award for the Active Pest Control 200 with a lap of 180.922 mph. This is his first pole in 32 NCWTS races. It is his second top-10 start in 2017. MENCS regular Kyle Busch (qualified second) posted his ninth top-10 start in nine NCWTS races at AMS. Austin Cindric (third), the fast qualifying NCWTS rookie, posted his first top-10 start at AMS.
Did not qualify: No. 63 J.J. Yeley, No. 6 Norm Benning and No. 10 Jennifer Jo Cobb.

Results: Christopher Bell won the Active Pest Control 200, his third victory in 32 NCWTS races. This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in two races at AMS. Matt Crafton (finished second) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 16 races at AMS. Johnny Sauter (third) posted his third top-10 finish in seven races at AMS. Grant Enfinger (eighth) was the highest finishing rookie.

Standings: Christopher Bell leads the point standings by seven points over Johnny Sauter.

Top 8 - Chase Contenders:
1. Christopher Bell
2. Johnny Sauter
3. Ben Rhodes
4. Kaz Grala
5. Matt Crafton
6. Timothy Peters
7. Regan Smith
8. Chase Briscoe

Next: Saturday, April 1, Alpha Energy Solutions 250 at Martinsville Speedway (0.526-mile oval in Virginia)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards
Feb. 18, Lucas Oil Complete Engine Treatment 200 at Daytona Int’l Speedway (2.5-mile tri-oval in Daytona Beach, FL)
Winner: Austin Theriault   -Pole: Tom Hessert   -Points Leader: Austin Theriault
Next: April 8, Music City 200 at Fairgrounds Speedway (0.596-mile oval in Nashville, TN)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NASCAR Home Tracks
K&N Pro Series-East
Feb. 19, Jet Tools 150 at New Smyrna Speedway (0.5-mile oval in New Smyrna Beach, FL)
Winner: Ronnie Bassett Jr.     -Pole: Harrison Burton    -Points Leader: Ronnie Bassett Jr.
Next: April 8 at Greenville Pickens Speedway (0.5-mile oval in Easley, SC)

K&N Pro Series-West
Season opener: March 18, NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Tucson Speedway (0.375-mile oval in AZ)

Pinty’s Series
Season-opener: May 21 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (2.459-mile road course near Bowmanville, Ontario)

Whelen Modified Tour
Season-opener: March 18 at Myrtle Beach Speedway (0,538-mile oval in SC)

Peak Mexico Series
Season-opener: March 26 at Autódromo Monterrey (1.0-mile oval in Monterrey, Mexico)

MENCS Race Preview: Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series:
Next Race: Fold of Honor QuikTrip 500
The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Date: Sunday, March 5
The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 500.5 miles (325 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 85),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 170), Final Stage (Ends on lap 325)

MENCS Atlanta Quick Facts:
Races: 109
Pole Winners: 50
Youngest Pole Winner: Terry Labonte (03/15/1981 - 24 years, 3 months, 27 days) Oldest Pole Winner: Harry Gant (11/14/1993 - 53 years, 10 months, 4 days)
Race Winners: 43
Youngest Winner: Kyle Busch (03/09/2008 - 22 years, 10 months, 7 days)
Oldest Winner: Morgan Shepherd (03/20/1993 - 51 years, 5 months, 8 days) Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 14
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Kasey Kahne (03/19/2006) Race Record: Bobby Labonte 159.904mph (11/16/1997)
Qualifying Record: Geoff Bodine 197.478mph (11/16/1997)

MENCS News & Notes:

Milestone Alert: 2,500th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race

Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway marks the 2,500th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race. Below are some stats from the first 2,499 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races.

· The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was held at Charlotte Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 19, 1949 – the race was won by Jim Roper (Lincoln)
· 186 drivers have won a race 
· The series has competed on 156 different tracks
· 234 different drivers have won a Coors Light Pole
· 2,536 drivers have made a start

Busch Wins DAYTONA 500

After finishing runner-up in the DAYTONA 500 three times (2003, 2005, 2008), Kurt Busch won his first Great American Race by leading only the final lap.

The 2004 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion is the 15th title-winner to visit Victory Lane in the DAYTONA 500. Busch’s triumph also marked the first DAYTONA 500 win for owner Tony Stewart and crew chief Tony Gibson. 

"There is nothing predictable about this race anymore, and the more years that have gone by that I didn’t win I kept trying to go back to patterns that I had seen in the past," Busch said of the race, which featured three lead changes on the final three laps. "My mirror fell off with 30 laps to go, and I couldn’t even see out the back. It just got crazy and wild, and I am so proud of all the drivers at the end. We put on a show for a full fuel run, and nobody took each other out, and it was one of the smartest chess games I have seen out there." 

Busch’s win was also the first for Ford with Stewart-Haas Racing. Coincidentally, his primary sponsor is Monster Energy and he won the first-ever Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race.

Busch will go for his second consecutive win in Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX) – a track where he's won three times.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Youths Put On Show in DAYTONA 500

Many of the young drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series shined in Sunday’s 59th running of the DAYTONA 500.  

Ryan Blaney, 23, finished second and scored points in all three stages (finishing third in Stage 1 and 10th in Stage 2).

Joey Logano, 26, came in sixth and posted a second-place finish in Stage 2.

Kyle Larson, 24, finished 12th after running out of gas with the lead on the final lap. He scored points in the first two stages (placing sixth in Stage 1 and eighth in Stage 2). 

Coors Light Pole Award winner Chase Elliott, 21, paced the field five times for 39 laps and led the field for the majority of Stage 3 (23 of the final 26 laps) until he also ran out of fuel and was passed by Martin Truex Jr. with three laps remaining. He finished 14th.

If Elliott wins at Atlanta, he would top Kyle Busch as the youngest Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victor at the 1.5-mile track. Busch was 22 years, 10 months, 7 days old when he visited Victory Lane at the 1.54-mile track on March 9, 2008.

Parity Abundant At DAYTONA 500

The top 13 finishers in the DAYTONA 500 all came from different teams: 1. Kurt Busch, Stewart-Haas Racing; 2, Ryan Blaney, Wood Brothers Racing; 3. AJ Allmendinger, JTG Daugherty Racing; 4. Aric Almirola, Richard Petty Motorsports; 5. Paul Menard, Richard Childress Racing; 6. Joey Logano, Team Penske; 7. Kasey Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports; 8. Michael Waltrip, Premium Motorsports; 9. Matt DiBenedetto, Go FAS Racing; 10. Trevor Bayne, Roush Fenway Racing; 11. Brendan Gaughan, Beard Motorsports; 12. Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing; 13. Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Racing.

NASCAR Set To Debut Lower Downforce Package At Atlanta

This season, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series continues last year’s efforts of lessening aerodynamic forces from the cars. These efforts make the car harder to driver, which emphasizes the drivers’ ability to get the most out of the car. Below are the changes under the 2017 rules package, which decreased downforce from 2,100 pounds last year to 1,600 pounds:

· Spoiler height decrease from 3.5 inches to 2.375 inches

· Outboard regions of the splitter are reduced by 3 inches

· Deck fin is tapered to match spoiler height

· Drivers must start the race on the tires used in qualifying

Johnson Goes For Sixth Atlanta Victory

Active Atlanta wins leader Jimmie Johnson will go for his sixth victory at the 1.54-mile track this weekend.  

The seven-time champion boasts five wins, 14 top fives and 16 top 10s in the Peach State. He also owns the top average running position (8.7) and driver rating (107.1), as well as the third-best average finish (9.6) at AMS.

Johnson has won the most recent two Atlanta races. Both were held in February/March after the race was moved from Labor Day weekend for the 2015 season. The last driver prior to Johnson to win at Atlanta was his teammate Kasey Kahne in 2014.

Hotlanta: Elliott Takes Home Track Looking For First Win

A native of Dawsonville, Georgia, Chase Elliott will take the wheel in his home state this weekend for Sunday’s Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 

Elliott finished eighth in his only start there as a rookie last season.

The No. 24 Chevrolet driver is holding his Chase U program at AMS this weekend. Fans currently enrolled in college can buy a $24 ticket for a seat in the Lower Winners Grandstand, free parking at the race and admission into the exclusive Chase U tailgate party taking place from 10 a.m. to noon on the day of the race. The tailgate will include complimentary food and beverage for each ticketholder, live music, tailgate games, a Daytona USA racing simulator and a free-entry cornhole tournament with prizes and awards. Elliott will make an appearance at the party for a special Q&A session with tailgate attendees and will take time afterwards to meet with fans. 

Kahne Hopes He’s Able At One Of His Top Tracks

Kasey Kahne has failed to win a race in his last 84 starts. On Sunday, he returns to the site of his last victory – Atlanta Motor Speedway. Kahne came up clutch at the Georgia track on Aug. 31, 2014, leading 24 laps and making the playoffs in a "win-or-go-home" situation.

In 20 Atlanta starts, Kahne claims three wins, seven top fives and nine top 10s. He’s led 353 laps at the 1.54-mile track.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, etc.

Ty Cunningham To Serve As Grand Marshal For Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500

Acclaimed television personality and designer Ty Pennington will serve as grand marshal for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. An Atlanta native and alumnus of The Art Institute of Atlanta, Pennington has starred in the shows "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "American Dinner Revival," "Trading Spaces," and "On the Menu."

NXS Race Preview: Rinnai 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: Rinnai 250
The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, March 4
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 1:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 251.02 miles (163 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 40),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on lap 163)

XFINITY Series Atlanta Quick Facts:
Races: 25
Pole Winners: 16
Youngest Pole Winner: Chase Elliott (08/30/2014 - 18 years, 9 months, 2 days) Oldest Pole Winner: Dick Trickle (11/07/1998 - 57 years, 0 months, 11 days) Race Winners: 16
Youngest Winner: Jeff Gordon (03/14/1992 - 20 years, 7 months, 10 days)
Oldest Winner: Harry Gant (03/12/1994 - 54 years, 2 months, 2 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 5
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Kyle Busch (02/27/2016)
Race Record: Kevin Harvick 149.813mph (02/28/2015)
Qualifying Record: Greg Biffle 192.3mph (10/25/2003)

NXS News & Notes:

Ryan Reed’s Daytona Win Has A Season Worth Of Perks

Winning the season opener has its perks, and this season’s Daytona International Speedway victor, Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Reed, is well aware of the prestige and spoils that come with it. 

For starters, winning all but guarantees Reed a spot in the NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs. Now all he has to do is qualify for the remaining regular season events and stay inside the top 30 in points.

In addition to the win, Reed captured five playoff points which he can use to his advantage come reseeding time during the playoffs.

"Having a race team that believes in you is half the battle," said series points leader Ryan Reed. "If you show up to the race track and you have your guys already questioning you, you’re already beat. And I don’t have that."

Reed’s Daytona prowess has been one of the series-best over the last few seasons. This past Saturday, Reed posted an average running position of 7.8, a driver rating of 108.2 and spent 83.1% of his laps completed inside the top 15.

Reed holds the standings lead with a nine-point edge over second-place Brendan Gaughan. By winning the race Reed scored 40 points, but he also finished fourth in Stage 2; where he banked seven more points to bring his total to a series-leading 47 points after Daytona.

Heading to Atlanta this weekend, Reed will look to hold on to his points lead. The Bakersfield, California, native has made three starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, posting a best finish of 15th last season.  Reed will be looking to become the first driver to win the first two races of the NASCAR XFINITY Series season since Tony Stewart did it in 2008 (Daytona, Auto Club Speedway).

Veterans Gaughan, Sadler Start 2017 Strong

Seasoned drivers, Brendan Gaughan and Elliott Sadler, have kicked off the 2017 season right where they left off in 2016 - the top 12 in points.

Following a wild race in Daytona, Gaughan is now second in the NASCAR XFINITY Series standings, nine points behind Ryan Reed in the standings lead.  Richard Childress Racing’s Brendan Gaughan led 16 laps last weekend at Daytona en route to a fifth-place finish yielding 32 points. But Gaughan also capitalized on the first two Stages; finishing ninth in Stage 1 (two more points) and seventh in Stage 2 (four more points) bringing his total to 38.

Gaughan rolls into Atlanta this weekend having made five starts on the 1.5-mile speedway posting an average finish of 17.2.  He posted a series career-best finish (12th) at Atlanta in 2015.

Last season’s championship runner-up, Elliott Sadler burst into 2017 looking a strong as ever, as he currently sits third in the series standings, 14 points back from the standings leader.

Touted as one of the best restrictor-plate racers in the series, Sadler dominated most of the season-opening race at Daytona by leading 40 laps and winning the first two Stages before being caught in an accident relegating him to a 24th-place finish. Sadler’s finish in the Final Stage garnered him 13 points, but by winning the first two Stages he also gathered an additional 20 points (10 points from each Stage win) to bring his total to 33.

Plus, Sadler’s Stage wins rewarded him with two playoff points (one for each Stage win), which will be to his advantage come time for reseeding in the playoffs. 

Expect Sadler to keep his early season momentum going at Atlanta, where he has made 11 series starts posting one top five and six top 10s.  

Sunoco Rookie Recap: Byron Heads To Atlanta On Top

With such a high level of talent within the five Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders in the 2017 class, is shouldn’t be a surprise if they rocket to stardom.

Sunoco Rookie Standings Following Daytona: William Byron (13), Matt Tifft (10), Daniel Hemric (9), Spencer Gallagher (8) and Cole Custer (7).

JR Motorsports William Byron won the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award at Daytona this past weekend and opens the season with the lead in the 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings. Byron started the race 17th and battled his way up to a ninth-place finish. 

Byron is also ranked 10th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series driver points, 19 points behind Ryan Reed in the standings lead.

This weekend will be Byron’s NASCAR XFINITY Series track debut at Atlanta.

JR Motorsports is hoping Byron can bring the organization its second Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in the last four seasons (Chase Elliott, 2014).

Busch Is Back To Defend His Atlanta Win

Nobody wins more than Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

He owns the series record for wins with 86 victories in 328 starts (26.2%) – 10 of which came last season. But it wasn’t until his 2016 win from the pole that he had been to Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Victory Lane.

Busch has won at 24 different tracks in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (three are no longer active in the series – Mexico City, Lucas Oil Raceway and Gateway Motorsports Park). With his win at Atlanta this past season, he now only has four active tracks on the schedule he has never won at: Mid-Ohio, Road America, Watkins Glen and Pocono.

Having foregone the season opener at Daytona this season, Kyle Busch returns to the series this weekend looking to defend his lone Atlanta win in the Rinnai 250 (on FS1 at 1:30 p.m. ET).

Busch had made 12 starts at Atlanta, posting one win (2016), eight top fives, nine top 10s and an average finish of 11.0.

NASCAR XFINITY Series etc.
Georgia Natives Come Home – Three drivers competing this weekend have their home state recorded as Georgia – Richard Childress Racing’s Brandon Jones (Atlanta), JD Motorsports’ Garrett Smithley (Peachtree City) and RSS Racing’s Ryan Sieg (Tucker). …

Doubling The Duty – Several Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers will be competing this weekend in the Rinnai 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway – Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Corey LaJoie, Kevin Harvick, Timmy Hill, Kyle Larson and Aric Almirola. … Only two former NXS Atlanta winners are entered this weekend – Kevin Harvick (series leader in wins with four) and Kyle Busch (last season’s winner).

NXS Atlanta Quick Facts:
Number of XFINITY races - 25
Most Starts – Jason Keller (17)
Most Poles – Kyle Busch (5)
Most Wins – Kevin Harvick (4)
Most Top Fives – Kevin Harvick (9)
Most Top 10s - Kevin Harvick (11)
Most Laps Completed – Jason Keller (2,985)
Most Laps Led – Kevin Harvick (768)
Most Cautions – 10 (1993)
Average Number of Cautions (since 1992) – 5.48
Most Caution Laps – 52 Laps (1993)
Average Number of Caution Laps (since 1992) – 28.56 Laps
Most Number of Leaders – 11 (2008)
Average Number of Leaders (since 1992) – 6.92
Most Number of Lead Changes – 21 (twice: 2008 and 2011)
Average Number of Lead Changes (since 1992) – 12.84

NCWTS Race Preview: Active Pest Control 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: Active Pest Control 200
The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, March 4
The Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 4:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 200.2 miles (130 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 40),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on lap 130)

NCWTS Atlanta Quick Facts:

Races: 15
Pole Winners: 10
Youngest Pole Winner: Ty Dillon (08/31/2012 - 20 years, 6 months, 4 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr (03/06/2010 - 51 years, 8 months, 14 days) Race Winners: 11
Youngest Winner: John Hunter Nemechek (02/27/2016 - 18 years, 8 months, 16 days) Oldest Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr (09/02/2011 - 53 years, 2 months, 13 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 4
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Ty Dillon (08/31/2012)
Race Record: Ron Hornaday Jr 142.424mph (03/18/2005)
Qualifying Record: Rick Crawford 182.735mph (03/18/2005)

NCTWS News & Notes:

Rookie Kaz Grala Puts His Stamp On Daytona And The Record Books

Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate and GMS Racing driver Kaz Grala, has taken the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2017 season by storm. Not only did he win the pole and then the race at Daytona International Speedway but he also snatched the series standings lead on his way out of town.

Grala clutches the standings lead over second-place and defending series champion Johnny Sauter by 14 points.

Not only did Grala burst on the scene as a winner he also holds a few records now. Grala has become the 33rd quickest driver (fewest races) in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history to get his first career win – having won in just his 10th series start. He also has become the youngest pole winner and race winner in series history at Daytona International Speedway at 18 years, 1 month and 26 days. And if that wasn’t enough, he is just the fourth driver in series history to win at Daytona from the pole; joining Jack Sprague (2007), Mark Martin (2006) and Joe Ruttman (2001).

Grala, a Westborough, Massachusetts native will be making his series track-debut this weekend in Atlanta.

Sauter Again Looks Like A Championship-Contending Force To Reckon With

Considered one of the best restrictor-plate active drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Johnny Sauter showcased his skills this past weekend at Daytona International Speedway by dominating the first two Stages of the race and bringing home a 15th-place finish. The performance secured him second place in the standings, just 14 points back from standings leader Kaz Grala.

Though Sauter’s finish wasn’t a win, he was still able to capitalize on pivotal parts of the race. By winning both Stages, he tallied totaling 42 points (10 per Stage win, 22 via his finish at the checkered flag) and also captured two playoff points, which will be to his advantage come playoff reseeding time.  

Sauter led a race-high 52 laps at Daytona and looked to be one of the trucks to beat this season. 

GMS Racing’s Sauter will be looking to rebound from his performance last season at Atlanta where he finished 28th (second-worst finish of 2016). Sauter has made six starts at Atlanta, posting two top 10s and an average finish of 16.8.

John Hunter Nemechek Returns To Atlanta To Defend His Victory

Whenever NEMCO Motorsport’s driver John Hunter Nemechek wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series it seems like a victory for the ‘underdogs.’ 

John Hunter and his father Joe Nemechek have built NEMCO Motorsports from the ground up and they will be quick to explain how they might not have all the funding some of the other teams have nor the numbers in staff, but they make up for it in heart and hard work.

Nemechek returns to Atlanta this season as the defending race winner. John Hunter started 18th last season and raced his way to victory; the first of two wins for the Mooresville, North Carolina native.  He sits eighth in the current series standings, 22 points back from Kaz Grala in the standings lead, following his fourth-place finish at Daytona last weekend.

This season NEMCO Motorsports has grown to a two-truck operation that both John Hunter and Joe will now be driving for.

Seven Different Winners Last Seven Atlanta Races: Will We See Eight?

Over the last seven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway we have seen seven different winners - John Hunter Nemechek (2016), Matt Crafton (2015), Ty Dillon (2012), Ron Hornaday Jr. (2011), Kevin Harvick (2010), Kyle Busch (2009) and Ryan Newman (2008) – boding the question, will we see an eighth?

An eighth different winner is possible, but it might be tough for them to break through with a win because Nemechek, Crafton and Busch are all entered this weekend to snap the streak.

Nemechek won in his only start at Atlanta and Busch holds the series record for average finishing positions at Atlanta with a 2.375. Plus, Crafton has led the series in wins on 1.5-mile speedway over the last two season with six victories.

On the other hand, the last four Atlanta winners have all been NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship contenders. 

Fantasy Picks – Atlanta Motor Speedway

Kurt Busch heads to Atlanta fresh off a Daytona 500
victory this past Sunday. He has three wins in 25 starts
at Atlanta. 

Sleepers:

Kurt Busch: Fresh off his first Daytona 500 victory, Kurt Busch looks to make #FantasyNASCAR owners pleased again this week at Atlanta. In 25 starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kurt has three wins, six top fives and 11 top 10s. Since 2005, Busch has a driver rating of 95.4 at AMS – good for fifth among active drivers. He’s led 749 laps at Atlanta – which is the most am ong active drivers. Kurt is easily a top sleeper candidate this week and should be picked as such.

Ryan Blaney: Those who watched the Daytona 500 surely liked what they saw from second-year full-time driver Ryan Blaney. Blaney started the Great American Race 36th and finished... second. For those keeping score, that’s a +34 place differential. Blaney’s price makes him appealing heading into Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he scored a top-25 finish a season ago. Though early this season, Blaney could be a top sleeper candidate this season. Pick him up and start him wherever you can.

Kasey Kahne: Kahne makes a solid sleeper pick this week at Atlanta. It’s very early, but you should like what you’re seeing from Kahne early on in 2017. He scored a top 10 in the Daytona 500 and finished second in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona. His credentials at Atlanta are worthy of a sleeper pick alone. In 20 starts at AMS, Kahne has three wins, seven top fives and nine top 10s. He also has led 353 laps and owns an average finish of 18.6.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Though not a strong start to 2017 in the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is sleeping giant this week at Atlanta. His price is slowing decreasing to the sleeper range and his history here warrants a strong look. In 29 starts at AMS, Earnhardt Jr. has one win, 10 top fives and 14 top 10s. His 633 laps led are only third to Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. He owns an average finish of 11.6, with a +4.2 place differential. Highly consider Dale Jr. this weekend while he’s affordable.

Value Picks:

AJ Allmendinger: If you can afford a little extra salary, consider Dinger this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 11 starts at AMS, AJ has three top 10s but has finished outside the top 20 only twice. He has an average finish of 17.2, with an average place differential of +6.8. Dinger has run 32.1% of his laps in the top 15 and has one led lap at Atlanta. For his asking price and potential value at Atlanta, consider AJ very solid value this week.

Paul Menard: Menard’s is open for business! Paul Menard that is. After starting the Daytona 500 33rd, Menard scored a fifth-place finish. Again, for those keeping score, that’s a +28-place differential. Looking ahead to Atlanta, Menard has exceeded value pick production and his price is almost perfect. In 15 starts at AMS, Menard has one top five and three top 10s. He has six-consecutive top 25s and owns an average finish of 19.8. Look for Menard to give owners points in place differential.

Ty Dillon: Though not the best start to the season after wrecking at Daytona, Ty Dillon looks to rebound at Atlanta. And it looks like just the place he can do that. Dillon has raced two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta and has scored top 25s in both – including a 17th-place finish in 2016. He owns an average finish of 21.0 with a +2.5 place differential. Given his asking price and quality production here, Ty is a strong value play at Atlanta.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is going to be driver you want to take a quality look at as a value play this week for Atlanta. In four career starts here, Stenhouse Jr. has one top 10 (2016) and an average finish of 20.5. In 2013, Stenhouse Jr. won the Coors Light Pole here and he’s only finished outside the top-20 only once in those four starts. He’s run 31.1% of his laps in the top 15. Stenhouse Jr. is likely to earn a top-25 finish but anything better with this asking price is gold for a value play.