Atlanta Motor Speedway
Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500
By Richard Tix
In 2015 we move from the Daytona 500 right into Atlanta Motor Speedway after NASCAR moved a few dated around on the schedule. In 2014 Atlanta's only stop on the schedule was race 25 which is one race (Richmond) before the Chase starts.
In 2014 Kasey Kahne picked up a late season win to lock himself into the Chase making him the fourth and final Hendrick car to do so. This year drivers will be looking for an early season victory to ease there minds when thinking about their Chase chances.
At the Daytona 500 Joey Logano came away as the first driver to pretty much lock his spot in the Chase. In 2014 we saw what that did for Dale Earnhardt's confidence and after the year JoLo just came off there is no reason not to expect the same for him.
Atlanta will be a huge test for teams as we will get to see the new car package and how teams will adjust to it. Who will be NASCAR's early season adapters? Will 2014's top teams adjust and stay on top? And the most interesting, will some small teams figure it out early and push the "big boys" to adjust quicker and widen the gap?
At the Daytona 500 Joey Logano came away as the first driver to pretty much lock his spot in the Chase. In 2014 we saw what that did for Dale Earnhardt's confidence and after the year JoLo just came off there is no reason not to expect the same for him.
Atlanta will be a huge test for teams as we will get to see the new car package and how teams will adjust to it. Who will be NASCAR's early season adapters? Will 2014's top teams adjust and stay on top? And the most interesting, will some small teams figure it out early and push the "big boys" to adjust quicker and widen the gap?
(A look back at recent driver results and where they place)
The Good
- Jeff Gordon- Could this be Gordons last stop at Atlanta Motor Speedway? We will be asking that a lot this season, but its fun to look at his career 41 starts here. He has 5 career ATL wins which is most of any full time driver (Bobby Labonte has 6, but wont run full time). He has 11 top 10's, 6 top 5's, and a win (2011) in his last 15 ATL starts.
- Jimmie Johnson- Over half the time in JJ's career he has finished in the top five at ATL. He has 12 top 5's in 23 starts (14 top 10's). He also has 3 career wins here. After starting 16th last year JJ finished fourth but didn't lead a single lap. He is still a front runner when NASCAR heads to ATL, though.
- Carl Edwards- His career at Atlanta has been top 10 or bust. He literally has either finished top 10 or outside the top 30 in every race (except one, 18th). He still has 3 wins, 9 top 5's, and 11 top 10's in 17 starts.
- Extra Credit- Kyle Larson (Only one career start at Cup level. 8th)
The Middle
- Greg Biffle- The Biff never seems to blow people away at Atlanta, but it is a style of driving he is comfortable with. Most of his career finishes at ATL have been between 7-16th (12 finishes in 20 career starts). He only has four career finishes better than 7th, but you can expect him to find a quality finish in the middle.
The Bad
- Brad Keselowski- What is it about Atlanta that brings out the bad luck in BK? In his last two starts at ATL he has lead in both races, but been affected by an engine issue and been in a wreck. If he stays clean he may end up like Kasey Kahne did last season (I had him in the bad category due to bad luck, but said he might turn it around).
- Casey Mears- 19 career starts and zero top 10's for Mears. ATL hasn't been one of his best tracks, but he does hang around the mid 20's at the end of every race. So, it isn't that he is horrible here, but I wouldn't expect many top 10 performances.
- Clint Bowyer- Just like BK, Bowyer has had some rough luck here lately. In his last four races, two were effected by an engine and a wreck. He doesn't have a top 5 in in 14 attempts, but he could pull of a top 10 from time to time.
Track Stats
- Fireball Roberts won the first Cup race at Atlanta in 1960 after starting on the Pole.
- An Cup Atlanta race has been won 11 times from the Pole. Only twice since 1991.
- Last time the race was won from the Pole was 2006 when Kasey Kahne won.
- Bobby Labonte won after starting 39th in 2001. The furthest back anyone has started and won at ATL
- Since 2011 NASCAR has only ran one race at ATL each season.
- In the last 18 races the race has been won from someone starting in the top 11. 16 of those were in the top 10.
- Fords last win was in 2008 (Carl Edwards). Carl also won in 2005 (twice). The last Ford driver not named Carl Edwards to win was Kurt Busch in 2002 (Carl now drives Toyota).
Atlanta
Motor Speedway
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Race
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Date
|
Cars
|
Winner(s)
|
St
|
Car
|
1960-27
|
7/31/1960
|
45
|
Fireball Roberts
|
1
|
'60 Pontiac
|
1960-44
|
10/30/1960
|
45
|
Bobby Johns
|
5
|
'60 Pontiac
|
1961-09
|
3/26/1961
|
46
|
Bob Burdick
|
7
|
'61 Pontiac
|
1961-33
|
7/9/1961
|
42
|
Fred Lorenzen
|
5
|
'61 Ford
|
1961-46
|
9/17/1961
|
42
|
David Pearson
|
5
|
'61 Pontiac
|
1962-24
|
6/10/1962
|
46
|
Fred Lorenzen
|
7
|
'62 Ford
|
1962-53
|
10/28/1962
|
44
|
Rex White
|
5
|
'62 Chevrolet
|
1963-11
|
3/17/1963
|
46
|
Fred Lorenzen
|
2
|
'63 Ford
|
1963-28
|
6/30/1963
|
36
|
Junior Johnson
|
2
|
'63 Chevrolet
|
1964-13
|
4/5/1964
|
39
|
Fred Lorenzen
|
1
|
'64 Ford
|
1964-28
|
6/7/1964
|
35
|
Ned Jarrett
|
17
|
'64 Ford
|
1965-09
|
4/11/1965
|
44
|
Marvin Panch
|
1
|
'65 Ford
|
1965-25
|
6/13/1965
|
42
|
Marvin Panch
|
2
|
'65 Ford
|
1966-08
|
3/27/1966
|
44
|
Jim Hurtubise
|
5
|
'66 Plymouth
|
1966-37
|
8/7/1966
|
42
|
Richard Petty
|
5
|
'66 Plymouth
|
1967-10
|
4/2/1967
|
44
|
Cale Yarborough
|
1
|
'67 Ford
|
1967-36
|
8/6/1967
|
44
|
Dick Hutcherson
|
8
|
'67 Ford
|
1968-07
|
3/31/1968
|
44
|
Cale Yarborough
|
4
|
'68 Mercury
|
1968-33
|
8/4/1968
|
40
|
LeeRoy Yarbrough
|
5
|
'68 Mercury
|
1969-10
|
3/30/1969
|
40
|
Cale Yarborough
|
5
|
'69 Mercury
|
1969-36
|
8/10/1969
|
40
|
LeeRoy Yarbrough
|
2
|
'69 Ford
|
1970-08
|
3/29/1970
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
9
|
'69 Dodge
|
1970-31
|
8/2/1970
|
40
|
Richard Petty
|
6
|
'70 Plymouth
|
1971-10
|
4/4/1971
|
40
|
A.J. Foyt
|
1
|
'69 Mercury
|
1971-33
|
8/1/1971
|
40
|
Richard Petty
|
3
|
'71 Plymouth
|
1972-06
|
3/26/1972
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
1
|
'72 Chevrolet
|
1972-20
|
7/23/1972
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
3
|
'72 Chevrolet
|
1973-06
|
4/1/1973
|
40
|
David Pearson
|
9
|
'71 Mercury
|
1973-19
|
7/22/1973
|
40
|
David Pearson
|
5
|
'71 Mercury
|
1974-06
|
3/24/1974
|
36
|
Cale Yarborough
|
9
|
'74 Chevrolet
|
1974-19
|
7/28/1974
|
36
|
Richard Petty
|
2
|
'74 Dodge
|
1975-06
|
3/23/1975
|
36
|
Richard Petty
|
1
|
'74 Dodge
|
1975-29
|
11/9/1975
|
36
|
Buddy Baker
|
3
|
'75 Ford
|
1976-06
|
3/21/1976
|
36
|
David Pearson
|
2
|
Mercury
|
1976-29
|
11/7/1976
|
36
|
Dave Marcis
|
2
|
Dodge
|
1977-05
|
3/20/1977
|
42
|
Richard Petty
|
1
|
Dodge
|
1977-29
|
11/6/1977
|
40
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
1978-05
|
3/19/1978
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
4
|
Ford
|
1978-29
|
11/5/1978
|
39
|
Donnie Allison
|
13
|
Chevrolet
|
1979-05
|
3/18/1979
|
40
|
Buddy Baker
|
1
|
Oldsmobile
|
1979-30
|
11/4/1979
|
41
|
Neil Bonnett
|
4
|
Mercury
|
1980-05
|
3/16/1980
|
41
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
31
|
Chevrolet
|
1980-30
|
11/2/1980
|
40
|
Cale Yarborough
|
12
|
Chevrolet
|
1981-05
|
3/15/1981
|
42
|
Cale Yarborough
|
17
|
Buick
|
1981-30
|
11/8/1981
|
40
|
Neil Bonnett
|
5
|
Ford
|
1982-04
|
3/21/1982
|
40
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
14
|
Buick
|
1982-29
|
11/7/1982
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
9
|
Buick
|
1983-04
|
3/27/1983
|
41
|
Cale Yarborough
|
22
|
Chevrolet
|
1983-29
|
11/6/1983
|
39
|
Neil Bonnett
|
15
|
Chevrolet
|
1984-04
|
3/18/1984
|
40
|
Benny Parsons
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
1984-29
|
11/11/1984
|
41
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
10
|
Chevrolet
|
1985-04
|
3/17/1985
|
41
|
Bill Elliott
|
3
|
Ford
|
1985-27
|
11/3/1985
|
42
|
Bill Elliott
|
3
|
Ford
|
1986-04
|
3/16/1986
|
42
|
Morgan Shepherd
|
3
|
Buick
|
1986-28
|
11/2/1986
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
1987-04
|
3/15/1987
|
41
|
Ricky Rudd
|
6
|
Ford
|
1987-29
|
11/22/1987
|
42
|
Bill Elliott
|
1
|
Ford
|
1988-04
|
3/20/1988
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
1988-29
|
11/20/1988
|
42
|
Rusty Wallace
|
1
|
Pontiac
|
1989-03
|
3/19/1989
|
42
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
1989-29
|
11/19/1989
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1990-04
|
3/18/1990
|
40
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
1990-29
|
11/18/1990
|
41
|
Morgan Shepherd
|
20
|
Ford
|
1991-04
|
3/18/1991
|
40
|
Ken Schrader
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
1991-29
|
11/17/1991
|
40
|
Mark Martin
|
4
|
Ford
|
1992-04
|
3/15/1992
|
42
|
Bill Elliott
|
4
|
Ford
|
1992-29
|
11/15/1992
|
41
|
Bill Elliott
|
11
|
Ford
|
1993-04
|
3/20/1993
|
40
|
Morgan Shepherd
|
7
|
Ford
|
1993-30
|
11/14/1993
|
42
|
Rusty Wallace
|
20
|
Pontiac
|
1994-04
|
3/13/1994
|
42
|
Ernie Irvan
|
7
|
Ford
|
1994-31
|
11/13/1994
|
43
|
Mark Martin
|
5
|
Ford
|
1995-04
|
3/12/1995
|
42
|
Jeff Gordon
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1995-31
|
11/12/1995
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
11
|
Chevrolet
|
1996-04
|
3/10/1996
|
41
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
18
|
Chevrolet
|
1996-31
|
11/10/1996
|
42
|
Bobby Labonte
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
1997-04
|
3/9/1997
|
42
|
Dale Jarrett
|
9
|
Ford
|
1997-32
|
11/16/1997
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
21
|
Pontiac
|
1998-04
|
3/9/1998
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
14
|
Pontiac
|
1998-33
|
11/8/1998
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
21
|
Chevrolet
|
1999-04
|
3/14/1999
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
1999-34
|
11/21/1999
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
37
|
Pontiac
|
2000-04
|
3/12/2000
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
35
|
Chevrolet
|
2000-34
|
11/20/2000
|
43
|
Jerry Nadeau
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
2001-04
|
3/11/2001
|
43
|
Kevin Harvick
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
2001-35
|
11/18/2001
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
39
|
Pontiac
|
2002-04
|
3/10/2002
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
9
|
Pontiac
|
2002-33
|
10/27/2002
|
43
|
Kurt Busch
|
8
|
Ford
|
2003-04
|
3/9/2003
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
2003-33
|
10/27/2003
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
19
|
Chevrolet
|
2004-04
|
3/14/2004
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
7
|
Chevrolet
|
2004-33
|
10/31/2004
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
2005-04
|
3/20/2005
|
43
|
Carl Edwards
|
4
|
Ford
|
2005-33
|
10/30/2005
|
43
|
Carl Edwards
|
2
|
Ford
|
2006-04
|
3/20/2006
|
43
|
Kasey Kahne
|
1
|
Dodge
|
2006-33
|
10/29/2006
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
11
|
Chevrolet
|
2007-04
|
3/18/2007
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
2007-33
|
10/28/2007
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
6
|
Chevrolet
|
2008-04
|
3/9/2008
|
43
|
Kyle Busch
|
6
|
Toyota
|
2008-33
|
10/26/2008
|
43
|
Carl Edwards
|
4
|
Ford
|
2009-04
|
3/8/2009
|
43
|
Kurt Busch
|
2
|
Dodge
|
2009-25
|
9/6/2009
|
43
|
Kasey Kahne
|
2
|
Dodge
|
2010-04
|
3/7/2010
|
43
|
Kurt Busch
|
11
|
Dodge
|
2010-25
|
9/5/2010
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
2011-25
|
9/6/2011
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
2012-25
|
9/2/2012
|
43
|
Denny Hamlin
|
7
|
Toyota
|
2013-25
|
9/1/2013
|
43
|
Kyle Busch
|
9
|
Toyota
|
2014-25
|
8/31/2014
|
43
|
Kasey Kahne
|
10
|
Chevrolet
|
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