Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500
Atlanta Motor Speedway
By Richard Tix
One race down and thirty five to go. The official start to the NASCAR season has now come and gone and we get to settle into the normal week to week. Preseason testing and adjusting to new rules and packages is over. All the work put it will now be tested during a long season with up's and downs.
No matter the style, pack racing or tandem, Daytona is Daytona. It is a great way to start the year but we learn the most after we leave Florida. Atlanta will be the first test for teams and for us to gauge where everyone is at. Will Roush Fenway Racing get it turned around in 2016? Will JGR keep their hot streak going? Will Team Penske be the team to keep up with JGR? Will Hendrick turn it back around an dominate?
All of these questions are hard to know 100% after Daytona, but we will start learning more about them after Atlanta. So, make sure to tune in this week and come back to Behind the Wall for the review as I am sure we will know a lot more.
No matter the style, pack racing or tandem, Daytona is Daytona. It is a great way to start the year but we learn the most after we leave Florida. Atlanta will be the first test for teams and for us to gauge where everyone is at. Will Roush Fenway Racing get it turned around in 2016? Will JGR keep their hot streak going? Will Team Penske be the team to keep up with JGR? Will Hendrick turn it back around an dominate?
All of these questions are hard to know 100% after Daytona, but we will start learning more about them after Atlanta. So, make sure to tune in this week and come back to Behind the Wall for the review as I am sure we will know a lot more.
**This section is just a quick look at some of Cup drivers latest finishes. This is not a tool for fantasy purposes and NBTW only is looking at end results. No deep statistic's are involved, but rather it is just a quick way to get ready for the race and get caught up on who has finished well at each track**
The Good
- Jimmie Johnson- JJ won last season at Atlanta and was the second driver locked into the 2015 Chase because of it. In the last 7 races here JJ has only once ran on average outside of 11th (2013) and finished top 5 in four of those. He has four career wins, 13 top 5's, and 15 top 10's in 24 Atlanta starts.
- Matt Kenseth- Kenseth has probably the best career numbers of current drivers at Atlanta without a win. Last year he actually didn't run all that great (only ran 67% of the race in the top 15) but he had a strong finish to notch a top 5 (5th).
- Kevin Harvick- Career long, ATL hasn't been "Happy's" best track, but lately he has been very good at this 1.5. He has eight top 10's in his last eleven starts here including runner up to JJ in 2015. He only has one win at AMS which was his first ever race here which many still remember. His five straight races of 100+ driver rating is nice and it includes three of the at 123+.
The Middle
- Paul Menard- Atlanta sure isn't one of Menards best tracks, but lately he has been finishing fairly well here. He will most likely be good for a top 20 finish but is a guy you can normally count out of the top 10.
The Bad
- Clint Bowyer- 15 career starts and just five top 10's (zero top 5's). 2011 was the last time Bowyer ran 70% or more of a race in the top 15. 2010 was the last time he finished in the top 10 or even better then 24th (7th). Atlanta just hasn't been a good stop for Bowyer.
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr- After starting on the pole in 2013, everything has been downhill for Ricky at Atlanta. He finished that 2013 race 16th (which is still his best finish). The last two years he finished 20th and 36th (2015). The worst thing is his drivers rating has gone down from the 70's in 2013, 60's in 2014, and 50's just last season.
- Jamie McMurray- JMac maybe the best of this bunch, but that still isn't anything to be happy about. His last top to was 2008, however he does have five top 15's in that time (10 races). He has never (since 2005) posted a driver rating of 99 or above.
About the Track
Track Stats
- Fireball Roberts won the first Cup race at Atlanta in 1960 after starting on the Pole.
- A Atlanta Cup 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
- A Atlanta race has been won five times from 30+ starting position including 2015 when Jimmie Johnson won from 37th.
- Since 2011 NASCAR has only ran one race at ATL each season. For the 2015 season ATL was moved from towards the end of the regular season to the beginning of the season.
- 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).
Track Info
- Length
- 1.54 miles
- Banking
- Turns: 24 degrees
- Straights: 5 degrees
Atlanta
Motor Speedway
|
||||
Race
|
Cars
|
Winner(s)
|
St
|
Make / Model
|
1960-27
|
45
|
Fireball Roberts
|
1
|
'60 Pontiac
|
1960-44
|
45
|
Bobby Johns
|
5
|
'60 Pontiac
|
1961-09
|
46
|
Bob Burdick
|
7
|
'61 Pontiac
|
1961-33
|
42
|
Fred Lorenzen
|
5
|
'61 Ford
|
1961-46
|
42
|
David Pearson
|
5
|
'61 Pontiac
|
1962-24
|
46
|
Fred Lorenzen
|
7
|
'62 Ford
|
1962-53
|
44
|
Rex White
|
5
|
'62 Chevrolet
|
1963-11
|
46
|
Fred Lorenzen
|
2
|
'63 Ford
|
1963-28
|
36
|
Junior Johnson
|
2
|
'63 Chevrolet
|
1964-13
|
39
|
Fred Lorenzen
|
1
|
'64 Ford
|
1964-28
|
35
|
Ned Jarrett
|
17
|
'64 Ford
|
1965-09
|
44
|
Marvin Panch
|
1
|
'65 Ford
|
1965-25
|
42
|
Marvin Panch
|
2
|
'65 Ford
|
1966-08
|
44
|
Jim Hurtubise
|
5
|
'66 Plymouth
|
1966-37
|
44
|
Richard Petty
|
5
|
'66 Plymouth
|
1967-10
|
44
|
Cale Yarborough
|
1
|
'67 Ford
|
1967-36
|
44
|
Dick Hutcherson
|
8
|
'67 Ford
|
1968-07
|
44
|
Cale Yarborough
|
4
|
'68 Mercury
|
1968-33
|
40
|
LeeRoy Yarbrough
|
5
|
'68 Mercury
|
1969-10
|
40
|
Cale Yarborough
|
5
|
'69 Mercury
|
1969-36
|
40
|
LeeRoy Yarbrough
|
2
|
'69 Ford
|
1970-08
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
9
|
'69 Dodge
|
1970-31
|
40
|
Richard Petty
|
6
|
'70 Plymouth
|
1971-10
|
40
|
A.J. Foyt
|
1
|
'69 Mercury
|
1971-33
|
40
|
Richard Petty
|
3
|
'71 Plymouth
|
1972-06
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
1
|
'72 Chevrolet
|
1972-20
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
3
|
'72 Chevrolet
|
1973-06
|
40
|
David Pearson
|
9
|
'71 Mercury
|
1973-19
|
40
|
David Pearson
|
5
|
'71 Mercury
|
1974-06
|
36
|
Cale Yarborough
|
9
|
'74 Chevrolet
|
1974-19
|
36
|
Richard Petty
|
2
|
'74 Dodge
|
1975-06
|
36
|
Richard Petty
|
1
|
'74 Dodge
|
1975-29
|
36
|
Buddy Baker
|
3
|
'75 Ford
|
1976-06
|
36
|
David Pearson
|
2
|
Mercury
|
1976-29
|
36
|
Dave Marcis
|
2
|
Dodge
|
1977-05
|
42
|
Richard Petty
|
1
|
Dodge
|
1977-29
|
40
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
1978-05
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
4
|
Ford
|
1978-29
|
39
|
Donnie Allison
|
13
|
Chevrolet
|
1979-05
|
40
|
Buddy Baker
|
1
|
Oldsmobile
|
1979-30
|
41
|
Neil Bonnett
|
4
|
Mercury
|
1980-05
|
41
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
31
|
Chevrolet
|
1980-30
|
40
|
Cale Yarborough
|
12
|
Chevrolet
|
1981-05
|
42
|
Cale Yarborough
|
17
|
Buick
|
1981-30
|
40
|
Neil Bonnett
|
5
|
Ford
|
1982-04
|
40
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
14
|
Buick
|
1982-29
|
40
|
Bobby Allison
|
9
|
Buick
|
1983-04
|
41
|
Cale Yarborough
|
22
|
Chevrolet
|
1983-29
|
39
|
Neil Bonnett
|
15
|
Chevrolet
|
1984-04
|
40
|
Benny Parsons
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
1984-29
|
41
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
10
|
Chevrolet
|
1985-04
|
41
|
Bill Elliott
|
3
|
Ford
|
1985-27
|
42
|
Bill Elliott
|
3
|
Ford
|
1986-04
|
42
|
Morgan Shepherd
|
3
|
Buick
|
1986-28
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
1987-04
|
41
|
Ricky Rudd
|
6
|
Ford
|
1987-29
|
42
|
Bill Elliott
|
1
|
Ford
|
1988-04
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
1988-29
|
42
|
Rusty Wallace
|
1
|
Pontiac
|
1989-03
|
42
|
Darrell Waltrip
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
1989-29
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1990-04
|
40
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
1990-29
|
41
|
Morgan Shepherd
|
20
|
Ford
|
1991-04
|
40
|
Ken Schrader
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
1991-29
|
40
|
Mark Martin
|
4
|
Ford
|
1992-04
|
42
|
Bill Elliott
|
4
|
Ford
|
1992-29
|
41
|
Bill Elliott
|
11
|
Ford
|
1993-04
|
40
|
Morgan Shepherd
|
7
|
Ford
|
1993-30
|
42
|
Rusty Wallace
|
20
|
Pontiac
|
1994-04
|
42
|
Ernie Irvan
|
7
|
Ford
|
1994-31
|
43
|
Mark Martin
|
5
|
Ford
|
1995-04
|
42
|
Jeff Gordon
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1995-31
|
42
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
11
|
Chevrolet
|
1996-04
|
41
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
18
|
Chevrolet
|
1996-31
|
42
|
Bobby Labonte
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
1997-04
|
42
|
Dale Jarrett
|
9
|
Ford
|
1997-32
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
21
|
Pontiac
|
1998-04
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
14
|
Pontiac
|
1998-33
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
21
|
Chevrolet
|
1999-04
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
1999-34
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
37
|
Pontiac
|
2000-04
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt
|
35
|
Chevrolet
|
2000-34
|
43
|
Jerry Nadeau
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
2001-04
|
43
|
Kevin Harvick
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
2001-35
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
39
|
Pontiac
|
2002-04
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
9
|
Pontiac
|
2002-33
|
43
|
Kurt Busch
|
8
|
Ford
|
2003-04
|
43
|
Bobby Labonte
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
2003-33
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
19
|
Chevrolet
|
2004-04
|
43
|
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
7
|
Chevrolet
|
2004-33
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
8
|
Chevrolet
|
2005-04
|
43
|
Carl Edwards
|
4
|
Ford
|
2005-33
|
43
|
Carl Edwards
|
2
|
Ford
|
2006-04
|
43
|
Kasey Kahne
|
1
|
Dodge
|
2006-33
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
11
|
Chevrolet
|
2007-04
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
2007-33
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
6
|
Chevrolet
|
2008-04
|
43
|
Kyle Busch
|
6
|
Toyota
|
2008-33
|
43
|
Carl Edwards
|
4
|
Ford
|
2009-04
|
43
|
Kurt Busch
|
2
|
Dodge
|
2009-25
|
43
|
Kasey Kahne
|
2
|
Dodge
|
2010-04
|
43
|
Kurt Busch
|
11
|
Dodge
|
2010-25
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
2011-25
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
2012-25
|
43
|
Denny Hamlin
|
7
|
Toyota
|
2013-25
|
43
|
Kyle Busch
|
9
|
Toyota
|
2014-25
|
43
|
Kasey Kahne
|
10
|
Chevrolet
|
2015-02
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
37
|
Chevrolet
|
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