Track Blog
Can Edwards Carry Momentum To Atlanta?
In most sports, momentum is key. That's especially true in auto racing...
A good run one week can give a team and/or driver an extra boost moving forward while a bad run can cause some to feel down on themselves and less optimistic about their chances at the next race.
In the case of Carl Edwards, he's likely hoping to harness momentum from winning Sunday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Montreal and use it to either win for the first time this season in the Sprint Cup Series at the Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway or take a big step toward locking up a position in the Chase for the Championship.
Edwards, who won nine Cup races a year ago, has yet to win this year and currently sits fifth in the points standings.
Just a few weeks ago at Bristol, we saw Kyle Busch win the Camping World Truck Series race, giving him a jolt that helped him win the Sprint Cup race a few nights later.
Who knows...winning Sunday's Nationwide race could be the very thing Carl Edwards needs as he heads toward this weekend's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Chase Scenarios For The Pep Boys Auto 500
Some drivers could take care of clinching a spot in the Chase for the Championship at the Pep Boys Auto 500...
With Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon having already clinched spots in the Chase, nine spots are up for grabs entering Sunday's Pep Boys Auto 500.
According to NASCAR's Public Relations Department, any driver with a 196-point lead over the driver in 13th place will clinch a Chase spot.
Currently, #11-Denny Hamlin, in fourth place, has a 230-point lead on 13th - meaning he can lose 34 points and still clinch. Put simply, if Hamlin finishes third or better, fourth and leads at least a lap or fifth and leads the most laps at Atlanta, he will clinch a Chase spot.
#99-Carl Edwards, in fifth, is 199 points ahead of 13th and can lose three points to that position. Although there are numerous possibilities for Edwards to clinch, only an Atlanta win will guarantee it.
#2-Kurt Busch, in sixth, holds a 192-point lead over 13th. He needs to gain four points to clinch. Like Edwards, there are a number of ways for that to happen, but only a win on Sunday would guarantee a clinch.?
Those drivers currently in position seventh through 11th can mathematically clinch - but the scenarios are almost too far-fetched for it to happen. #39-Ryan Newman needs to gain 84 points over 13th, #16-Greg Biffle needs 75 points, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya needs 132 points; #5-Mark Martin needs 136 points; and #9-Kasey Kahne needs 144 points.
It's Almost That Time
The time is nearly among us. In less than a week, it'll officially be race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway!
Slowly but surely, it has begun to look like it's almost time for the Pep Boys Auto 500 race weekend during the past few days with assorted vehicles, including production trucks for PRN, SPEED and ESPN having already rolled into town.
But the bigger sign was this morning with the opening of unreserved camping and a good-sized crowd that had been waiting for a few days made its way into the camping area, staking out their spots. For some, it's the beginning of Atlanta Motor Speedway being a second home for the next week or so. For others, today was simply about setting up their camping spot so that it would be good to go for next weekend.
And according to some of the campers I talked to, this is a bigger crowd for day one of camping than in the past couple of races.
It's always fun to go to events like this morning's because it allows us to get to meet and interact for many of you fans. If you see us walking around the Speedway during the next week, feel free to say hello...and you may end up getting on camera!
Degree V12 300 Attracting Star-Studded Field
Most drivers racing in the Pep Boys Auto 500 will be dealing with the x-factor of it being Atlanta Motor Speedway's first Sprint Cup Series Night Race...
But for some drivers, it won't be as unfamiliar. That's because a handful of drivers will likely get a pretty good feeling of what the racing surface at Atlanta Motor Speedway is like under the lights with the Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 on Saturday, Sept. 5.
One of those drivers will be series points leader Kyle Busch, who could likely gain information about racing at night in Atlanta and build momentum for Sunday's Pep Boys Auto 500 with a good finish in the Degree V12 300.
But Busch won't be the only Cup driver that fans at the Degree V12 300 will get to see tackle Atlanta's 1.54-mile quad-oval. Other drivers expected to race include Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle and Brian Vickers.
Also racing in Atlanta will be Unadilla, Ga., native David Ragan, who has won twice this season, picking up wins at Talladega and at the most recent Nationwide Series race at Bristol. Another Georgia native, Joey Logano, has won three times this year. Each of those wins, by the way, were at tracks at least 1.5-miles long.
Throw in full-time Nationwide drivers such as Brad Keselowski, Steve Wallace, Justin Allgaier and Brendan Gaughan, and you've got the makings for a very exciting night during a Labor Day weekend filled with racing!
Get your tickets to see NASCAR's best drivers battle it out under the lights at the Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sept. 6 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Tickets start at $39 and can be purchased by calling 877-9-AMS-TIX or by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com
Win A Victory Lane Experience At The Pep Boys Auto 500!
Ever wanted to be in Victory Lane after a NASCAR race? Here's your chance!
It's one of the most recognizable scenes in sports - A car rolls in off the racetrack into Victory Lane. Then, out climbs the race winner, who is instantly mobbed by his pit crew and showered by screams of excitement and sprays of champagne. Victory Lane is the holy grail for each driver at the start of each NASCAR race, the magical place where each team hopes to be when the race ends.
If you purchase tickets to the Pep Boys Auto 500 between 9 a.m. EDT on Aug. 24 and Midnight EDT Aug. 28, you'll be entered into a drawing for you and one guest to be in Victory Lane at the Pep Boys Auto 500! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, one that you cannot purchase at the ticket office!
Fans can also enter the contest by sending a 3" x 5" card with their name, address and telephone number to Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Entries must be postmarked by Aug. 28. The card should be addressed as follows:
Attn: Victory Lane Promotion
Atlanta Motor Speedway
P.O. Box 500
Hampton, GA 30228
To view contest rules, click here.
Frontstretch tickets available for $59!
You can sit on the frontstretch at the Pep Boys Auto 500 for $59!
Seats are in the first nine rows of the Petty Grandstand, which overlooks Turn Four. Click here for more info! Available while supplies last.
Our Fan Guide is Online!
You don't have to wait until race weekend to get a look at our fan guide...
That's because you can now view it online by going to this link. Get all the information in the fan guide before you come to the race track!
Is A First-Time Winner In The Cards At Atlanta?
One of NASCAR's most-famous first-time victories occurred at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2001. Could we see another at the Pep Boys Auto 500?
Atlanta Motor Speedway was the site of one of the more memorable first victories for a driver in 2001 when Kevin Harvick won in a photo finish, edging Jeff Gordon for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory.
Harvick is one of three drivers to get his first-career Sprint Cup Series victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway since 2000.
In November 2000, Jerry Nadeau collected his first win. The most recent driver to get his first career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway is Carl Edwards in 2005, also winning in a photo finish. In Edwards' case, it was Jimmie Johnson who he beat to the checkered flag.
There will be a handful of hungry drivers looking to make Atlanta the site of their first Sprint Cup Series win during the Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sept. 6. They include Marcos Ambrose, A.J. Allmendinger and Sam Hornish Jr.
Ambrose has been solid throughout the season and is currently 17th in the points standings with three top fives and six top tens. Allmendinger has finished in the top 20 each of the three times he has raced in Atlanta.
Hornish appears to improving with each race that goes by. He has six top ten finishes and two top fives this season after having no finishes in either category a year ago. He has finished in the top five in two of the past three races, giving him some possible momentum heading into Atlanta.
Get your tickets to see NASCAR's best drivers battle it out under the lights at the Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sept. 6 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Tickets start at $39 and can be purchased by calling 877-9-AMS-TIX or by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com
Counting Down To Race Weekend With Car No. 17
In just 17 days, the first full weekend of night racing comes to Atlanta Motor Speedway...
As the much-awaited weekend gets closer and closer - 17 days away to be exact - here's a look at the driver of car No. 17 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Matt Kenseth.
Although Kenseth has never won a Sprint Cup Series race in Atlanta, he is no stranger to success at AMS. In the Cup Series, he has finished in the top five 11 times in 19 starts at Atlanta, matching his highest number of top fives at any track other than Dover and Michigan. In the Nationwide Series, Kenseth has won twice at Atlanta and is the defending champion of Atlanta's Nationwide race - the Degree V12 300.
Atlanta could end up being very important to Kenseth's hopes of qualifying for the Chase for the Championship as he is currently 11th in the points standings, 32 points ahead of 13th place Brian Vickers.
Make sure to have your seat to witness Kenseth and the rest of NASCAR's stars race under the lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway! Tickets start at $39.
Visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or call 877-9-AMS-TIX.
Walk The Track With Ragan, Loomis And Logano
There will be no shortage of activities for race fans to enjoy during the Pep Boys Auto 500 weekend on Sept 5-6...
Among them are the chances to have a great time and benefit a great cause - Speedway Children's Charities.
One of them is Sept. 6 with the Track Walk. Fans can walk the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway and they'll be joined by three special guests - David Ragan, Joey Logano and Robbie Loomis!
At-track registration is $35 and kids 16 and under can walk for free! A $10 discount is available for those registering by Aug. 28. The walk begins at 11 a.m. Sept. 6 and registration is Sept. 5 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sept. 6 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Go here to register online!
Other events during race weekend include the Reed Sorenson Charity Golf Classic Presented by AutoTrader.com on Sept. 4 at Eagle's Landing Country Club in McDonough and Kruz'n 4 Kids on Sept. 5, giving motorcycle riders a chance to participate in a motorcycle ride to Atlanta Motor Speedway and watch Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series qualifying and the Nationwide Series Degree V12 300. A memorabilia auction is scheduled for Sept. 6 with the final event being Hot Laps on the High Banks, giving fans an opportunity to drive their personal vehicles on the track Sept. 7.
For more information about Speedway Children's Charities activities during the Pep Boys Auto 500 weekend, go the SCC's Web site.
Atlanta a Make or Break Race for Busch?
The Pep Boys Auto 500 could be a make or break race for Kyle Busch’s Chase for the Championship hopes…
As it stands right now, with three races to go until the Chase for the Championship, Kyle Busch is outside the top 12 of the points standings, sitting 70 points out of the top 12 in 15th place.
Busch needs more than some solid finishes in the next few races – he needs to run strong and have some drivers ahead of him develop problems.
Although Busch may not be able to control how other drivers finish, he can control his own fortunes. That’s where the Pep Boys Auto 500, the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway will come into play on Sept. 6.
Atlanta has been a good track for Busch, especially in recent years. In his past three races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Busch has a pair of top five finishes, including a victory in March 2008.
Busch needs to pick up as many points in the next three races in order to qualify for the Chase. He’ll have a golden opportunity to do so at the Pep Boys Auto 500.
Be there when history is made when NASCAR’s biggest stars race under the lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Visit Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Web site or call 877-9-AMS-TIX.
Sizing up the Chase to Atlanta
Two races remain until the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a race that will be key for drivers hoping to qualify for the Chase...
Here's a look at the drivers either looking to hang onto their spots in the top 12 of the points standings or sneak into one the Chase for the Championship positions.
7th Place: Juan Montoya - Another good run at Watkins Glen improved Montoya's chances of qualifying for the Chase. He's currently 154 points ahead of 13th-place Kyle Busch.
8th Place: Kasey Kahne - Kahne dropped a position as a result of his finish at Watkins Glen, putting him 127 points ahead of 13th place Kyle Busch. Atlanta's placement on the schedule could work to Kahne's advantage given his history at AMS that includes winning the 2006 spring race.
9th Place: Ryan Newman - Has been solid all year, but might have to get up on wheel when Atlanta comes around in order to cement his position in the Chase.
10th Place: Greg Biffle - Certainly helped his chances of making the Chase with a 5th place finish at Watkins Glen. He's got to feel good about his chances with one of his better tracks, Michigan, coming up combined with seven top ten finishes in 13 races at Atlanta. But if he slips up, Kyle Busch is sitting in 13th place chomping at the bit.
11th Place: Mark Martin - Slipped a spot in the points standings as a result of finishing 23rd at Watkins Glen. He's got a great chance to rally back, however, with Michigan (where he won in June) and Atlanta (where he started on the pole in March) coming up.
12th Place: Matt Kenseth - He's on the threshold of missing the Chase, just 58 points ahead of 13th-place Kyle Busch. He'll need some strong finishes in the next few weeks, especially at Atlanta to keep his position in the top 12.
13th Place: Kyle Busch - Speaking of Kyle Busch, he closed in on getting into the Chase by finishing fourth at Watkins Glen. But with him needing to gain ground on the likes of Martin, Biffle and Kenseth, Busch will need to run very well and need some drivers in front of him to slip up. He's currently 58 points out of the top 12.
14th Place: Brian Vickers - Vickers is in position to possibly sneak into the Chase, 96 points out of 12th. To get in, he needs to do two things - run well and have some drivers in front of him have problems. That may call for him to get more aggressive than usual at upcoming races at Michigan, Bristol and Atlanta.
Counting down to race weekend with car No. 26
In 26 days, the first full weekend of night racing will come to Atlanta Motor Speedway...
The weekend kicks off Sept. 5 with Sprint Cup Series qualifying and the Nationwide Series Degree V12 300. Then, on Sept. 6, it's the first Cup night race in Atlanta with the running of the Pep Boys Auto 500!
With 26 days to go until race weekend, here's a look at one of the drivers that will take to the track during that time, Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 26 car.
McMurray had an impressive debut weekend in his first Cup race in Atlanta in 2002, finishing seventh the day after he won the Nationwide race. His best finish came in the fall of 2005 when he came in sixth.
Overall, he has four top ten finishes in Atlanta in 14 races.
McMurray has two top-five qualifying efforts at Atlanta, including a career-best starting spot of third in the Kobalt Tools 500 this past March.
Get your tickets to see McMurray and many other NASCAR stars by calling 877-9-AMS-TIX. You can also visit Atlanta Motor Speedway's Web site!
Keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter!
It's now easier than ever to keep up with all that is going on at Atlanta Motor Speedway year-round...
From NASCAR events, Thursday Thunder, Friday Night Drags or anything else, it's easy to stay in tune to what's going on at AMS!
Want to stay plugged in? All you've got to do is follow us on Twitter or become a fan of Atlanta Motor Speedway on Facebook! Here, you'll get the latest updates from the track and can even interact with other fans on our Facebook page.
Also, during the Pep Boys Auto 500 weekend, we'll be posting frequent updates on both pages. If you receive Facebook and Twitter updates on your cell phone, you'll be able to get those updates in the palm of your hand!
But that's not all. You also have an opportunity to win prizes! In the past few weeks, we've given fans of Atlanta Motor Speedway on Facebook chances to win a diecast signed by Denny Hamlin, a cap signed by David Ragan and most recently, a guided pre-race garage tour for two lucky fans on the day of the Pep Boys Auto 500!
Don't miss out. Become a fan of Atlanta Motor Speedway on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!
Road to The Chase Runs Through Atlanta
As if racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Labor Day Weekend and doing so under the lights wasn't enough to look forward to...
Drivers in the Sprint Cup Series points standings are presenting another one.
The Pep Boys Auto 500 is a week before the final race prior to the 12-driver Chase for the Championship being set, meaning that Atlanta will be a vital race for drivers hoping to either solidify positions in the Chase or move within striking distance of making it into the top 12.
For some drivers, a good race in Atlanta could mean less concern heading to Richmond and less pressure to finish high enough in order to lock up a spot in the Chase. A bad night in Atlanta, meanwhile, could either eliminate chances of qualifying for the Chase or put a driver in a tough position when the checkered flag falls at the Pep Boys Auto 500.
And just by taking a glance at the current points standings, a lot will be on the line in Atlanta for some of NASCAR's biggest stars.
Matt Kenseth sits 11th, just a single point ahead of Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle. Both have little margin for error as Kyle Busch is 101 points out of the top 12 and Brian Vickers is 104 back.
What it all comes down to is that there will be some upset drivers following the race at Richmond when the Chase for the Championship field is set, and that Atlanta Motor Speedway will play a big role in who makes the Chase and who doesn't.
Be sure to witness some of NASCAR's best drivers fight to get into the Chase in person by getting your tickets to the Pep Boys Auto 500. Tickets start at $39 and frontstretch tickets are priced as low as $59! Also, student tickets in the Elliott Grandstand are $19!