Kyle Busch (18) jumps to the early lead of Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway after outside pole sitter William Byron (9) spins his tires on the start of the race. Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
As Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series races played out at Atlanta Motor Speedway, there was one thing that became painfully obvious.
The outside line is not the place to be on a restart.
On almost every restart during the Xfinity Series Rinnai 250, cars that started – or restarted – in the outside lane would spin their tires, allowing the leader, and usually several cars on the inside, to get away while drivers in the outside line plummeted back.
It happened to Brad Keselowski. It happened to Kyle Larson. It even happened to eventual race winner Kyle Busch.
The reason is simple – too much horsepower mixed with the slippery, abrasive asphalt at the Hampton, Georgia track.
“Yeah, that is kind of a characteristic here at Atlanta,” said Kevin Harvick, who will start Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 from the pole and who finished fourth on Saturday. “You get stuck on the outside there and have a lot of trouble with wheel spin.”
It was also a problem in the Truck Series race late Saturday afternoon. But while some drivers struggled to get a handle on the worn track surface, two-time series champion Matt Crafton was adamant in his stance on the track surface.
“Please, please do not repave this race track,” he said. “This is by far the coolest race track that we race on just because you can move everywhere. Did you see where we ran? I mean on the yellow line, the middle of the race track, against the fence – it was great racing and that’s what it’s all about when you have good old asphalt like that and put on a great show for everybody hopefully.”
But that’s just what will happen after Sunday’s Cup Series race. The old racing surface, which has been in place since 1997, is slated to be done away with, as a fresh coat of asphalt will be in place to greet the NASCAR teams when they return in 2018.
But there’s still one question left – just how big of a role will the old asphalt play in Sunday, especially for drivers restarting in the outside line?
“Yeah, it will be a big concern,” said Brad Keselowski, who finished Saturday’s Xfinity Series race in second place. “It should be a huge hindrance tomorrow. That is one of the major flaws in the whole double-file restart thing, that there is not a lot of equality there in lane choice. You know that and hope it doesn’t affect you at the wrong time.”
Busch, Elliott Fail Saturday NXS, NCWTS Post-Race Inspection
Kyle Busch’s victory in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Rinnai 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway didn’t come without a few bumps in the road.
That included a big bump afterwards.
Matt Humphrey, NASCAR Senior Manager Racing Communications, announced early Saturday evening that Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota failed post-race inspection. The car was said to be too low in the right front and in the left rear.
Humphrey said Busch’s Toyota will be taken back to the NASCAR R&D Center in Charlotte, North Carolina for further inspection.
He added that any penalties will be announced next week.
Busch took the lead in Saturday’s race on a late pit stop, and then surged out ahead of Kyle Larson on the restart. Busch led the final 16 laps en route to the win.
Meanwhile, Chase Elliott’s ride in Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series race at Atlanta also had post-race tech issues.
Elliott drove the No. 23 Chevy for GMS Racing to a fifth place finish. But in post-race inspection, the truck was found to be too low, as well as having a loose lug nut on one wheel.
The truck will be taken to the NASCAR R&D Center, with any penalties to be announced next week.
Elliott Paces Final Practice
For those out there who are hoping for a hometown winner in Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, Chase Elliott may be your best hope.
The Dawsonville, Georgia speedster topped the field in final practice Saturday afternoon, turning a lap at 188.015 mph in the No. 24 Chevrolet.
By comparison, second quickest driver Brad Keselowski turned a lap at 187.502 mph, almost half a mile an hour slower.
Kurt Busch was third quickest, followed by A.J. Allmendinger and Denny Hamlin.
Elliott will take the green flag for Sunday’s race from the 11th starting position.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Atlanta Motor Speedway – Hampton, GA
Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 – March 5, 2017
Sunday’s Starting Line Up
Row 1
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2. 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet 29.199 189.870
Row 2
3. 18 Kyle Busch Snickers Crisper Toyota 29.202 189.850
4. 17 Ricky Stehnouse Jr. SunnyD Ford 29.356 188.854
Row 3
5. 2 Brad Keselowski Autotrader Ford 29.367 188.783
6. 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 29.374 188.738
Row 4
7. 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet 29.397 188.591
8. 42 Kyle Larson Target Chevrolet 29.533 187.722
Row 5
9. 78 Martin Truex, Jr. Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Toyota 29.534 187.716
10. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 29.544 187.652
Row 6
11. 24 Chase Elliott NAPA Chevrolet 29.554 187.589
12. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Nationwide Chevrolet 29.633 187.089
Row 7
13. 41 Kurt Busch Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford 29.649 186.988
14. 21 Ryan Blaney Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 29.707 186.623
Row 8
15. 6 Trevor Bayne Liberty National Life Insurance Company Ford 29.710 186.604
16. 20 Matt Kenseth DeWalt Flexvolt Toyota 29.738 186.428
Row 9
17. 27 Paul Menard Richmond/Menards Chevrolet 29.743 186.397
18. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet 29.757 186.309
Row 10
19. 3 Austin Dillon DOW/Quikrete Chevrolet 29.780 186.165
20. 47 AJ Allmendinger Kroger Click List Chevrolet 29.954 185.084
Row 11
21. 19 Daniel Suarez # ARRIS Toyota 29.963 185.028
22. 32 Matt DiBenedetto Can-Am/Kappa Ford 29.964 185.022
Row 12
23. 77 Erik Jones # SiriusXM Toyota 30.113 184.107
24. 10 Danica Patrick Aspen Dental Ford 30.344 182.705
Row 13
25. 14 Clint Bowyer Haas Automation Ford 29.723 186.522
26. 13 Ty Dillon # GEICO Chevrolet 29.787 186.121
Row 14
27. 34 Landon Cassill CSX Play It Safe Ford 29.919 185.300
28. 37 Chris Buescher Bush’s Beans Chevrolet 29.928 185.245
Row 15
29. 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet 29.953 185.090
30. 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 30.034 184.591
Row 16
31. 23 Gray Gaulding # Dr Pepper Toyota 30.401 182.362
32. 83 Corey LaJoie # Dustless Blasting Toyota 30.598 181.188
Row 17
33. 15 Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 30.697 180.604
34. 38 David Ragan Camping World/Good Sam Ford 422.357 13.126
Row 18
35. 33 Jeffrey Earnhardt Chevrolet 0.000 0.000
36. 95 Michael McDowell WRL General Contractors Chevrolet 0.000 0.000
Row 19
37. 72 Cole Whitt Rinnai Chevrolet 0.000 0.000
38. 55 Derrike Cope Wade Tractor and Equipment Chevrolet 0.000 0.000
Row 20
39. 51 Cody Ware Spoonful of Music Foundation Chevrolet 0.000 0.000
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
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