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.
| 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Schedule | ||
| Track | Race Name | Date |
| Atlanta Motor Speedway | Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart | Sunday, September 8, 2024 |
| Watkins Glen International | Go Bowling at The Glen | Sunday, September 15, 2024 |
| Bristol Motor Speedway | Bass Pro Shops Night Race | Saturday, September 21, 2024 |
| Kansas Speedway | Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet | Sunday, September 29, 2024 |
| Talladega Superspeedway | YellaWood 500 | Sunday, October 6, 2024 |
| Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL | Bank of America ROVAL 400 | Sunday, October 13, 2024 |
| Las Vegas Motor Speedway | South Point 400 | Sunday, October 20, 2024 |
| Homestead-Miami Speedway | Straight Talk Wireless 400 | Sunday, October 27, 2024 |
| Martinsville Speedway | XFINITY 500 | Sunday, November 3, 2024 |
| Phoenix Raceway | NASCAR Cup Series Championship | Sunday, November 10, 2024 |
The 16-driver Cup Series Playoff field was set last weekend in the regular season finale at Darlington Raceway, and in impressive fashion Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe won the race earning his spot in the postseason, joining Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Daniel Saurez and Alex Bowman as the drivers that won their way into the Playoffs this season. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs grabbed the final two postseason spots on points.
All the NASCAR Cup Series on-track action gets underway this weekend with Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 12:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Quick Rundown: NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Format
The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs format is competed over the final 10 races and includes 16 drivers and four rounds – the Round of 16, the Round of 12, the Round of 8 and the Championship 4 Round.
An overview:
- A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Playoffs.
- The number of Playoff drivers in contention for the championship will decrease after every three Playoff races, from 16 to start; 12 after race No. 3; eight after race No. 6; and four after race No. 9.
- The first three races (27-29) will be known as the Round of 16; races 30-32 will be known as the Round of 12; races 33-35 will be Round of 8; and race No. 36 will be the Championship 4 Round.
- A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Playoff race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Playoff round.
- Four drivers will enter the Championship Race with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Eligibility For The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs
- The top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races will earn a spot in the Playoffs – provided they have attempted to qualify for every race (except in rare instances).
- The 16th Playoff position will go to the points leader after race No. 26 if he/she does not have a victory. In the event that there are 16 or more different winners over 26 races, the only winless driver who can earn a Playoff spot would be the points leader after 26 races.
- If there are fewer than 16 different winners in the first 26 races, the remaining Playoff positions will go to those winless drivers highest in points. If there are 16 or more winners in the first 26 races, the ties will first be broken by number of wins, followed by points.
- Prior to the start of the Playoffs, all Playoff drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with all Playoff points added to their total. Those Playoff points will stay with the driver as long as he/she remains in the Playoffs (except for the Championship 4 Round race).
Playoff Structure
The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are an elimination-style format that is broken up into four rounds. After the third Playoff race, there will be 12 drivers. After the sixth Playoff race, the field will drop to eight drivers, and following the ninth Playoff race, only four drivers will remain in championship contention.
- Round of 16: The first round (races 27-29 at Atlanta, Watkins Glen, Bristol) is the Round of 16. If a Playoff driver wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the next round (Round of 12). The remaining available positions 1-12 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each driver will then have their points reset to 3,000, with any awarded Playoff points added.
- Round of 12: The second round (races 30-32 at Kansas, Talladega, Charlotte RC) is the Round of 12. Likewise, if a driver in the top 12 in points wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the next round (Round of 8). The remaining available positions 1-8 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each driver will then have their points reset to 4,000, with any awarded Playoff points added.
- Round of 8: The third round (races 33-35 at Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami, Martinsville) is the Round of 8. If a driver in the top eight in points wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the next round (Championship 4). The remaining available positions 1-4 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 5,000.
- Additionally, drivers who are eliminated in the Round of 16, Round of 12 and Round of 8 will have their points readjusted. Each eliminated driver will return to the Playoff-start base of 2,000 with any awarded Playoff points and any accumulated points starting with race No. 27 added. This will allow all drivers not in contention for the title to continue to race for the best possible season-long standing, with final positions fifth-through-16th still up for grabs.
Championship Finale
- The 36th and final race of the season will be the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, which will feature the Championship 4 Round. Simply stated, the highest finisher in that race among the remaining four eligible drivers will win the NASCAR Cup Series title.
- Playoff points for stage wins will not apply in the season finale, so the official finishing position alone will decide the champion.
- Note: All rules outlined above also apply to the owner championship structure.
Things to know about the first race of the Playoffs
Below are some quick facts and stats about the first race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs:
· Four times the winner of the opening race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the championship – 2004, 2011, 2012, and 2017:
o In 2004 (inaugural Cup Playoffs), Kurt Busch won the opening race of the Playoffs at New Hampshire and went on to win the title.
o In 2011 (race was delayed until Monday due to rain), Tony Stewart won the first race of the Playoffs at Chicagoland Speedway and went on to set the record for the most wins in a Playoff run with five victories and the title.
o In 2012, Brad Keselowski won the opening Playoff race at Chicagoland Speedway and went on to win the title.
o In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won the opening Playoff race at Chicagoland Speedway and went on to win the title.
· The worst finish in the opening race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs by a driver that went on to win the title was Jimmie Johnson’s 39th-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the 2006 postseason.
· The worst finish in the opening NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Chicagoland Speedway for a driver that went on to win the title was Jimmie Johnson’s 12th-place finish in 2016.
· The worst finish in the opening race of the Playoffs at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by a driver that went on to win the title was Kyle Busch’s 19th-place finish in 2019.
· The worst finish in the opening race of the Playoffs at Darlington Raceway by a driver that went on to win the title was Chase Elliott’s 20th-place finish in 2020.
· Last season, Ryan Blaney finished ninth at Darlington Raceway to open the Playoffs and went on to win the title.
· Since the inception of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs in 2014, entering the Playoffs as the No. 1 seed has been the most successful seeding, producing four championships among three drivers – Kyle Larson (2021), Kyle Busch (2019, 2015) and Martin Truex Jr. (2017).
· The deepest seeding an eventual champion has started the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with is 12th – by Ryan Blaney (2023). Blaney entered the 2023 Playoffs with just eight Playoff points.
· Prior to last season, the deepest seeding an eventual champion had started the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs was seventh and it had happened twice – by Kevin Harvick (2014) and Joey Logano(2018).
Scouting the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff field
Atlanta Motor Speedway is set to kick off the 21st running of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004-2024) with this Sunday’s Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at 3 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Since the inception of the postseason in 2004, 49 different drivers have qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; including this season’s 16-driver field.
Two drivers this season are making their Playoff career debuts in the NASCAR Cup Series – Harrison Burton and Ty Gibbs.
Veteran Denny Hamlin is making his NASCAR Cup Series record 18th Playoff appearance – the most all-time.
Six former NASCAR Cup Series Champions have qualified for the Playoffs this season – Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr.
A total of eight different organizations are represented in this season’s NASCAR Cup Series Driver Playoffs – Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, RFK Racing, Trackhouse Racing, 23XI Racing, Team Penske, Wood Brothers Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing.
All three NASCAR Cup Series official engine manufacturers have qualified for the Playoffs as well, led by Ford with six entries into the postseason, followed by Chevrolet and Toyota with five each.
| NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Outlook | |||||||||
| Following Darlington Raceway – September 1, 2024 | |||||||||
| Rank | Driver | Vehicle | Points | Next | Leader | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Playoff Pts | +/- Cutoff |
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 5 | 2,040 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 40 | 35 |
| 2 | Christopher Bell | 20 | 2,032 | -8 | -8 | 3 | 10 | 32 | 27 |
| 3 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 2,028 | -4 | -12 | 2 | 3 | 28 | 23 |
| 4 | William Byron | 24 | 2,022 | -6 | -18 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 17 |
| 5 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | 2,018 | -4 | -22 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 13 |
| 6 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | 2,015 | -3 | -25 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 10 |
| 7 | Chase Elliott | 9 | 2,014 | -1 | -26 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 9 |
| 8 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | 2,008 | -6 | -32 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
| 9 | Joey Logano | 22 | 2,007 | -1 | -33 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| 10 | Austin Cindric | 2 | 2,007 | 0 | -33 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| 11 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | 2,006 | -1 | -34 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 12 | Alex Bowman | 48 | 2,005 | -1 | -35 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 13 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | 2,005 | 0 | -35 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 14 | Harrison Burton | 21 | 2,005 | 0 | -35 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 15 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | 2,004 | -1 | -36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -1 |
| 16 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | 2,004 | 0 | -36 | 0 | 2 | 4 | -1 |
Clinch Scenarios: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Below are the clinch scenarios heading into this weekend’s Playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
Already Clinched
- No drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver field of the next round.
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:
- Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe, Harrison Burton, Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs
Quick Look: NASCAR Cup Playoffs’ 16 Challengers
Drivers are listed below by seeding heading into Atlanta Motor Speedway – Playoff Race 1 of 10:
Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 1 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,040 points.
- Up +35 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his eighth postseason appearance (2024, ‘23, ‘22, ’21, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16).
- Has made 13 series starts at Atlanta posting two top fives and four top 10s.
Christopher Bell (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 2 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,032 points.
- Up +27 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his fourth consecutive postseason appearance (2024, ‘23, ‘22, ’21).
- Has made eight series starts at Atlanta posting one top five and two top 10s.
Tyler Reddick (No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 3 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,028 points.
- Up +23 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his fourth consecutive postseason appearance (2024, ‘23, ‘22, ’21).
- Has made eight series starts at Atlanta posting one top five and two top 10s.
William Byron (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 4 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,022 points.
- Up +17 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his sixth consecutive postseason appearance (2024, ‘23, ‘22, ’21 ’20, ’19).
- Has made 10 series starts at Atlanta posting two wins, two top fives and three top 10s.
Ryan Blaney (No. 12 Team Penske Ford)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 5 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,018 points.
- Up +13 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his eighth consecutive postseason appearance (2024, ‘23, ‘22, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17).
- Has made 12 series starts at Atlanta posting one win, five top fives and seven top 10s.
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 6 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,015 points.
- Up +10 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his 18th postseason appearance – most all-time (2024, ‘23, ‘22, ’21, ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16, ’15, ’14, ’12, ’11, ’10, ’09, ’08, ’07, ’06).
- Has made 28 series starts at Atlanta posting one win, six top fives and 10 top 10s.
Chase Elliott (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 7 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,014 points.
- Up +9 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his eighth postseason appearance (2024, ’22, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16).
- Has made 11 series starts at Atlanta posting one win, two top fives and seven top 10s.
Brad Keselowski (No. 6 RFK Racing Ford)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 8 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,008 points.
- Up +3 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his 12th postseason appearance (2024 ’23, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16, ’15, ’14, ’12, ’11).
- Has made 19 series starts at Atlanta posting two wins, five top fives and 11 top 10s.
Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 9 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,007 points.
- Up +2 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his 11th postseason appearance (2024 ’23, ’22, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’16, ’15, ’14, ’13).
- Has made 21 series starts at Atlanta posting one win, three top fives and seven top 10s.
Austin Cindric (No. 2 Team Penske Ford)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 10 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,007 points.
- Up +2 points on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his second postseason appearance (2024, ‘22).
- Has made six series starts at Atlanta posting two top fives and two top 10s.
Daniel Suarez (No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 11 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,006 points.
- Up +1 point on the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his second postseason appearance (2024, ‘22).
- Has made 11 series starts at Atlanta posting one win, three top fives and five top 10s.
Alex Bowman (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 12 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,005 points.
- Up +0 points from the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his sixth postseason appearance (2024, ’22, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18).
- Has made 12 series starts at Atlanta posting two top fives and three top 10s.
Chase Briscoe (No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 13 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,005 points.
- Back +0 points from the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his second postseason appearance (2024, ‘22).
- Has made seven series starts at Atlanta posting a best finish of 15th (2022).
Harrison Burton (No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 14 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,005 points.
- Back +0 points from the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his first postseason appearance (2024).
- Has made five series starts at Atlanta posting one top-10 finish.
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 15 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,004 points.
- Back +1 point from the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his 11th postseason appearance (2024, ’23, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16, ’15, ’12, ’07).
- Has made 29 series starts at Atlanta posting six top fives and 13 top 10s.
Ty Gibbs (No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
- Heads to Atlanta as the No. 16 seed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with 2,004 points.
- Back +1 point from the Round of 12 cutoff.
- This is his first postseason appearance (2024).
- Has made three series starts at Atlanta posting two top-10 finishes.
For additional Playoff driver bio information, champion and Playoff stats and elimination grids please visit the following link on NASCARMedia.com: NCS Playoff Media Content Hub.
Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez looks for Atlanta season sweep
Earlier this season, Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Saurez scored his first and only win of the 2024 season at Atlanta Motor Speedway locking the Mexican-born driver into the Playoffs for the second-time in his Cup career.
Fast forward several months and the 32-year-old, Suarez returns to the 1.54-mile track this weekend with the opportunity to become the 12th different driver to win consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway; joining Marvin Panch (1965 sweep), Bobby Allison (1972 sweep), David Pearson (1973 sweep), Richard Petty (1974-75), Cale Yarborough (1980-81), Bill Elliott (1985 sweep, 1992 sweep), Dale Earnhardt (1989-90; 1995-96), Bobby Labonte (1997-98), Jeff Gordon (1998-99), Carl Edwards (2005 sweep) and Jimmie Johnson (2007 sweep; 2015-16).
Suarez has made 11 Cup Series starts at Atlanta posting one win (2024), three top fives, five top 10s and has led 23 laps.
NASCAR Cup Series is ready to turn-up the heat at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Originally it was named Atlanta International Raceway, and the track was then a 1.5-mile paved speedway, and it hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race on July 31, 1960. The event was won from the pole position by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts in a 1960 Pontiac.
Much like we all evolve over time, Atlanta Motor Speedway has undergone a few reconfigurations since opening its doors. The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the spring of 1970, and it was purchased by Speedway Motorsports and renamed to Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1990. The track layout was reversed, and the track was reconfigured to 1.54 miles between the two races in 1997. Then in the offseason prior to 2022, the track was again reconfigured by narrowing the racing surface and raising the degree of banking in the Turns to 28 degrees.
From 1960 – 2010, Atlanta Motor Speedway hosted multiple NASCAR Cup Series races during each season; starting in 2011 the series began only visiting Atlanta once a year (2011-2020). The 2021 season marked the first time since 2010 that the series visited the facility more than once a year. Also worth noting, from 1987 to 2000 Atlanta Motor Speedway hosted the final championship race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. In total, there have been 120 NASCAR Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since the first race there in 1960.
Hot-Lanta: Drivers to watch at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend
The 120 NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway have produced 53 different pole winners and 49 different race winners.
Buddy Baker (1968, 1971, 1976, 1979 sweep, 1980, 1984) and Ryan Newman (2003 sweep, 2004 sweep, 2005 sweep, 2007) are tied for the NASCAR Cup Series most poles at Atlanta Motor Speedway with seven each. Joey Logano (2015, 2023) leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in Atlanta poles with two. Aric Almirola won the pole for this race in 2023, and Michael McDowell is the most recent pole winner, grabbing the front starting spot back in February.
This weekend, six of the 53 NASCAR Cup Series Atlanta Motor Speedway pole winners are entered in the event.
| Active Atlanta Pole Winners | Poles | Season |
| Joey Logano | 2 | 2023, 2015 |
| Michael McDowell | 1 | 2024 |
| Kyle Busch | 1 | 2018 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 1 | 2013 |
| Denny Hamlin | 1 | 2010 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 1 | 2009 |
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway with nine victories (1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2000). William Byron (2022, 2023), Brad Keselowski (2017, 2019) and Kyle Busch (2008, 2013) lead all active NASCAR Cup Series winners at Atlanta Motor Speedway with two victories each. William Byron is the defending winner of this race (July 2023), and Daniel Suarez is the most recent winner, grabbing the checkered flag back in February.
This weekend, eight of the 49 NASCAR Cup Series Atlanta Motor Speedway race winners are entered in the event.
| Active Atlanta Race Winners | Wins | Seasons |
| William Byron | 2 | 2023, 2022 |
| Brad Keselowski | 2 | 2019, 2017 |
| Kyle Busch | 2 | 2013, 2008 |
| Daniel Suárez | 1 | 2024 |
| Joey Logano | 1 | 2023 |
| Chase Elliott | 1 | 2022 |
| Ryan Blaney | 1 | 2021 |
| Denny Hamlin | 1 | 2012 |
Seven of the eight active NASCAR Cup Series Atlanta Motor Speedway winners this weekend are Playoff drivers this season.
Below The Cutline: Who is making it out of the first round?
Following the reseeding of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff point standings at the end of the regular season, four drivers find themselves below the next round’s (Round of 12) cutline in the standings – Chase Briscoe, Harrison Burton, Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs. So, who has the best stats of the four at the next three tracks?
Chase Briscoe
Atlanta: Has made seven series starts at Atlanta posting a best finish of 15th (2022).
Watkins Glen: Has made three series starts at Watkins Glen posting one top-10 finish.
Bristol: Has made four series starts at Bristol posting two top-15 finishes.
Harrison Burton
Atlanta: Has made five series starts at Atlanta posting one top-10 finish.
Watkins Glen: Has made two series starts at Watkins Glen posting a best finish of 28th (2022).
Bristol: Has made three series starts at Bristol posting a best finish of 16th (2022).
Martin Truex Jr.
Atlanta: Has made 29 series starts at Atlanta posting six top fives and 13 top 10s.
Watkins Glen: Has made 17 series starts at Watkins Glen collecting one win, seven top fives and 11 top 10s.
Bristol: Has made 34 series starts at Bristol putting up three top fives and five top 10s.
Ty Gibbs
Atlanta: Has made three series starts at Atlanta posting two top-10 finishes.
Watkins Glen: Has made two series starts at Watkins Glen posting one top-five finish.
Bristol: Has made three series starts at Bristol putting up one top five and two top 10s.
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Crew Member Spotlight: Atlanta Motor Speedway – This weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway we wanted to highlight several of the team’s crew members that are from the surrounding areas of the track in Georgia.
| GEORGIA | ||||
| CREW MEMBER | ORGANIZATION | TEAM | ROLE | HOMETOWN |
| Caleb Williams | Front Row Motorsports | 38 | Lead Engineer | Dublin, GA |
| Jeremy Kimbrough | Kaulig Racing | 16 | Tire Carrier | Decatur, GA |
| Dennis Nance | Stewart-Haas Racing | 15 | Tire Carrier | Resaca, GA |
| Dwayne Moore | Stewart Hass | 41 | Suspension/Gasman | Atlanta, GA |
| Adam Riley | Joe Gibbs Racing | 20 | Tire Changer | Lawrenceville, GA |
| Nate McBride | Joe Gibbs racing | 54 | Jackman | Vidalia, GA |
Milestone Watch: Atlanta Motor Speedway – Below are the possible milestones that can be achieved this weekend at Atlanta or in coming weeks in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Starts
- Harrison Burton is expected to make his 100th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
- Austin Dillon is expected to make his 400th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Watkins Glen International.
- Brad Keselowski is expected to make his 550th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- Bubba Wallace is expected to make his 250th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Talladega Superspeedway.
- William Byron is expected to make his 250th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Poles
- Kyle Busch currently has 34 NASCAR Cup Series poles, if he were to win another pole, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett for 21st on the all-time pole winners list with 35 poles each.
- Joey Logano currently has 31 NASCAR Cup Series poles (tied with Kevin Harvick), if he were to win another pole, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famers Fireball Roberts and Fred Lorenzen for 24th on the all-time pole winners list with 32 poles each.
- Martin Truex Jr. currently has 23 NASCAR Cup Series poles (tied with Ken Schrader and Jack Smith), if he were to win another pole, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki for 33rd on the all-time pole winners list with 24 poles each.
Wins
- Denny Hamlin currently has 54 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace for 11th on the all-time wins list with 55 victories each.
- Brad Keselowski currently has 36 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie Bobby Isaac for 23rd on the all-time wins list with 37 victories each.
- Joey Logano currently has 33 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. for 25th on the all-time wins list with 34 victories each.
- Kyle Larson currently has 27 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie Carl Edwards and Rex White for 30th on the all-time wins list with 28 victories each.
NASCAR PR
