Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski win stages at Atlanta

Posted on February 25, 2018February 26, 2018 by Staff Report

Kevin Harvick won Stage 1 of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, leading 64 of the 85 laps in the first stage. Harvick was one of three drivers credited with leading laps during the stage as the front row tandem of polesitter Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman also led circuits.

Harvick, the 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, won Saturday afternoon’s Xfinity Series race and has led 734 laps in the last four Atlanta Monster Energy Series races entering today.

Stewart-Haas Racing placed all four of its cars — Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch and Aric Almirola — inside the top eight during the opening 85 laps.

A competition caution was waved on Lap 30 due to rain earlier in the day.

Finish	Driver	Team	Race points
1	Kevin Harvick	Stewart-Haas Racing	10
2	Clint Bowyer	Stewart-Haas Racing	9
3	Brad Keselowski	Team Penske	8
4	Martin Truex Jr.	Furniture Row Racing	7
5	Aric Almirola	Stewart-Haas Racing	6
6	Kyle Busch	Joe Gibbs Racing	5
7	Kyle Larson	Chip Ganassi Racing	4
8	Kurt Busch	Stewart-Haas Racing	3
9	Denny Hamlin	Joe Gibbs Racing	2
10	Joey Logano	Team Penske	1

Stage 2 recap | Results

Brad Keselowski won the race off pit road following a late caution in Stage 2 and that was the advantage he needed to wrestle the stage away from Stage 1 winner Kevin Harvick at the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The stage wins give Keselowski and Harvick each a playoff point.

Harvick drove up through the field following trouble with the air gun on a pit stop under caution at the end of Stage 1. He then came back down pit road to make sure all the lug nuts were tight on his No. 4 Ford. Harvick restarted in 19th and then proceeded to drive up to the lead on Lap 126. After a round of green-flag pit stops, Harvick came out with the lead and didn’t give it up until the race off pit road on Lap 161. As was the case in Stage 1, all four Stewart-Haas Racing Fords earned stage points.

A caution came out on Lap 159 for a spin involving Jimmie Johnson, a five-time winner at Atlanta. During that round of pit stops, the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing pit crew had trouble with the air gun when Martin Truex Jr. came to pit, leading to a slow stop that dropped him from sixth (before the caution) to 15th. Truex, the reigning Monster Energy Series champion, finished Stage 2 in 13th.

Finish	Driver	Team	Race points
1	Brad Keselowski	Team Penske	10
2	Kurt Busch	Stewart-Haas Racing	9
3	Kyle Busch	Joe Gibbs Racing	8
4	Joey Logano	Team Penske	7
5	Kevin Harvick	Stewart-Haas Racing	6
6	Denny Hamlin	Joe Gibbs Racing	5
7	Kyle Larson	Chip Ganassi Racing	4
8	Aric Almirola	Stewart-Haas Racing	3
9	Clint Bowyer	Stewart-Haas Racing	2
10	Daniel Suarez	Joe Gibbs Racing	1

Posted on February 25, 2018February 26, 2018 by George Winkler

Kevin Harvick flashed the “3” in honor of NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt as he drove by fans on a victory lap following his win in Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The tribute called to mind Harvick’s first win in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, which was in 2001 at Atlanta in his third race with Richard Childress Racing.

That win, which came shortly after Earnhardt’s death, was Harvick’s last one at the 1.54-mile track prior to Sunday. Harvick, who drives the No. 4 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing, now has 38 wins in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Always in our hearts. pic.twitter.com/Yj1SJSncFt

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 26, 2018

Posted on February 25, 2018March 2, 2018 by Staff Report

What channels are NASCAR races on this week? We answer that and provide all the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

MORE: Get the NBC Sports App | How to find FS1, FS2 | Get FOX Sports GO | How to find NBCSN

Monday, February 26
9 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Rinnai 250 at Atlanta (re-air), FS2
11 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (re-air), FS2
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN

Tuesday, February 27
2 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (re-air), FS1
5 a.m.: NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FS1
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m. NASCAR Racing: K&N Pro Series East, NBCSN

Wednesday, February 28
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Thursday, March 1
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Friday, March 2
3:30 a.m.: NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FS1
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Las Vegas, FS1 (Canada: TSN2)
3 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series practice at Las Vegas, FS1
4 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FS1
5 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice at Las Vegas, FS1
6 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying at Las Vegas, FS1
7 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Las Vegas, FS1
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay: Camping World Truck Series at Las Vegas, FS1
9 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Stratosphere 200 at Las Vegas, FS1

Saturday, March 3
4:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Las Vegas (re-air), FS1
6 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Stratosphere 200 at Las Vegas (re-air), FS1
11:30 a.m.: Classic NASCAR: 1988 Daytona 500, FS1
12 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Las Vegas, FS1
1 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at Las Vegas, FS1
2 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FS1
2:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice at Las Vegas, FS1
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Race Day: Xfinity Series, FS1
4 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas, FS1 (Canada: TSN5)

Sunday, March 4
6:30 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas (re-air), FS1
2 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, FS1
3 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pre-Race Show, FOX
3:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas, FOX (Canada: TSN5)

Posted on February 25, 2018 by Alex Weaver

Prior to the Daytona 500, Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott swung by hometown Atlanta Motor Speedway to give some pace car rides and talk racing. NASCAR Digital’s Alex Weaver tagged along and interviewed Elliott as he sped around the 1.54-mile oval.

Here’s their conversation:

Weaver: Give me your full name

Elliott: William Clyde Elliott II

Birthday?

November 28, 1995

If you could have any food right now, what would you eat?

A bowl of cereal. I didn’t get to have my morning bowl so that’s what I want.

What kind of cereal?

I am a big Honey Nut Cheerios fan.

What food would you not eat right now or ever?

I do not like tomatoes.

$100, you won’t eat a tomato?

No.

$200?

Okay, I might start thinking about it. Do you like tomatoes?

Absolutely! You can’t be southern and not like a good tomato sandwich with mayo.

That is absolutely disgusting!

What’s your favorite movie?

Wedding Crashers. Hey, Ma! The meatloaf! We want it now!

Favorite musical artist?

Eric Church

Favorite song by Eric?

So hard to pick just one… He has one song that I don’t think was ever cut called ‘Old Friends, Old Whiskey, Old Songs’ look it up on YouTube.

What color is your toothbrush?

(Laughing) Hard-hitting questions here, white with a little bit of green on it.

What is one thing on your bucket list?

I have always wanted to go visit Australia. So that’s on there and I think that’d be pretty cool.

Morning or night person?

Night. I am only a morning person when I have to be.

If you could trade lives with anyone for a day, who would it be?

I don’t know just one person but I really like the music industry. I think going on stage and putting on a concert for a night would be cool.

Can you sing?

Heck no!

Well can you play a musical instrument?

I am slowly learning to play the guitar but I’m not ready to take her out yet.

Give me one word to describe Ryan Blaney.

Mischievous

Jimmie Johnson?

Outgoing.

William Byron?

Underestimated.

Alex Bowman?

Loud.

Bill Elliott?

Misunderstood.

Cindy Elliott?

Oh, see now you’re trying to get me in trouble (laughing.) Mom.

What was your favorite thing you did during the offseason?

Probably going to the Georgia (college football) games. I went to the SEC Championship and then the National Championship. Wasn’t the best finish but a lot of fun.

Did you cry?

No, but man did I want to. I had to be on track in Texas the next morning at 9 a.m. I wasn’t about to miss that game but it was rough.

The No. 9 and this track has a lot of history for your family. What does it mean for you to be back in Atlanta at your home track in the No. 9?

That number just fits me. That number is where I’ve always been regardless of what’s been on the side of my car. Now to be in that number and on this track, it just feels even more like home. I’m excited.

You told me earlier that your dad gave a quote about the number being just as much his as it is yours. How did they make you feel?

Yeah, now I would have never said that but he did. I do think there’s some truth in that. There is a deep history in my house with that number and I am honored and excited to carry that history on.

Heck of a way to end it and you didn’t kill me.

We weren’t going that fast. Only 110ish…

Posted on February 25, 2018February 25, 2018 by Staff Report

Rain delayed the start of Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway but racing commenced just at 3:32 p.m. ET.

NASCAR and track officials made adjustments Saturday to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500’s start time, moving it up by 70 minutes to a projected green flag of 1:06 p.m. ET (FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). But showers dampened the 1.54-mile facility Sunday morning, placing the series’ second race of the year on hold for a delay of nearly two and a half hours.

A look at the Air Titans working to dry Atlanta Motor Speedway (Jessica Ruffin/NDM)

Race officials had a solid contingent of track-drying equipment at the Georgia venue: 11 NASCAR Air Titans, six conventional jet-dryers, two track vacuums, two Elgin sweepers and one tractor broom.

Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman made up the front row and lead the field to the green flag. Busch won the pole in Friday’s qualifying. No. 2 starter Newman was fastest in final practice for the Monster Energy Series.

There will be a competition caution on Lap 30. The first stage will end on Lap 85 and the second stage will end on Lap 170.

Posted on February 25, 2018February 25, 2018 by Staff Report

Ever wonder what goes on in a driver meeting? We’re here to help.

This year, we’ll publish the actual rules video your favorite Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers will watch before climbing into their stock cars. Above is the video for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Enjoy!

Posted on February 25, 2018February 25, 2018 by Staff Report

Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon will start at the rear of the field after a rear gear change in the No. 3 Chevrolet for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (1 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), a NASCAR spokesperson confirmed.

Dillon had qualified 25th for the race at the 1.54-mile track in Hampton, Georgia. In five starts at Atlanta, Dillon has an average finish of 25.0 with a best finish of 11th-place in the 2016 race.

It’s been a jammed packed week for the 27-year-old with a slew media appearances following his victory in the iconic No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet at “The World Center of Racing.” The win came 20 years after NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt won his only Daytona 500 in the No. 3 car for RCR.

In other competition news for the Atlanta race, NASCAR announced that there will be a competition caution at Lap 30 during Sunday’s drivers’ meeting.

Posted on February 25, 2018June 22, 2021 by RJ Kraft

PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup | How the new Fantasy Live works
RELATED: Fantasy analysis for Atlanta | Full lineup | 10-lap averages

Kyle Busch will start on the pole for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (1 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). With two practice sessions for this race, we’ve dissected the numbers and 10-lap averages to offer a look at three drivers worthy of your Fantasy Live consideration as you go to make roster decisions for the second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of 2018.

1. Martin Truex Jr. Yes, he is starting at the back — 35th to be exact — after not making it out for qualifying on Friday. However, he placed second in the final practice session. And do not forget, he won seven of the 11 races contested on track’s in the 1.5-mile range last year. Simply put, the risk is too great to sit him out completely, so this is where the beauty of having a garage driver comes in. If his starting position makes you uneasy, place him in the garage to start and see what unfolds.

2. Denny Hamlin. With three finishes of 38th in his last five Atlanta starts, Hamlin admittedly wasn’t on the radar entering this weekend. But topping the 10-lap averages board in both practices has changed our thinking on that. In addition, tire fall-off will be a consistent development on this rough track surface and the veteran drivers like Hamlin are much more likely to manage that better than the young drivers in the series. Some may point to Ryan Newman as this type of driver as well, but his 10-lap average times are a cause for concern as is his recent Atlanta trend of strong starting spots and finishes outside the top 20 in his last two runs here.

MORE: How NASCAR measures track surfaces

3. Kasey Kahne. The veteran has a favorable Atlanta history with three wins and was fourth in this race last year. Yes, he has changed teams for the 2018 season — he now drives the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet — but he had the best 10-lap average among the Chevrolet camp in final practice. This is a play based on good track history, upside and not wanting to use up a race for some others in the Chevrolet group just yet like Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott.

RJ Kraft’s revised Fantasy Live lineup following practices and qualifying:
1: Kyle Busch
2: Kevin Harvick
3: Denny Hamlin
4: Kurt Busch
5: Kasey Kahne
Garage: Martin Truex Jr.

Analysis: My initial plan was to have Kyle Busch in the garage to start with Harvick, Truex and a host of young stars like Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones. Poor qualifying efforts and concern over the 10-lap averages plus wanting to not burn through Blaney’s 10-race usage limit just yet led to some significant changes. Kyle Busch’s pole-winning effort and second-best 10-lap time in final practice moves him into my starting lineup. Harvick’s record at Atlanta speaks for itself. Hamlin’s sustained 10-lap times propel him into the group — even though I already used him at Daytona — just not sure where else besides short tracks I’ll plug him in. Kurt Busch has a good Atlanta history with six top-seven finishes in his last eight starts, and the Fords have had speed this weekend. Kahne is a bit of risk with a new team and all, but I like the track history as well. I anticipate plugging Truex into my lineup before the end of Stage 2, but for now he’ll start in the garage. What better insurance to have than the best driver on the intermediate tracks last season!

The tire falloff concerns have me favoring a more veteran group of drivers for this weekend’s race. I also was trying to avoid using Kyle Larson here — he’s not a bad play at all — I just like the upcoming NASCAR Goes West tracks a lot better for him. Elliott’s qualifying effort and 10-lap times have me shifting away from him as well.

Remember to set your roster and bonus picks ahead of Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET start time and to keep tabs on your team during the race with the ability to go to the garage locking at the completion of Stage 2.

Posted on February 24, 2018February 24, 2018 by

RELATED: Race recap | Full results | Series standings

HAMPTON, Ga. — John Hunter Nemechek’s Xfinity debut started with near spins in the first 10 laps and a cut tire — and ended with a fourth-place finish in Saturday’s Rinnai 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“That first stage was pretty hectic … overall a great day,” Nemehek said on pit road. “We cut down a right front early on in the race and had to rebound from that. We went a lap down, ended up getting the lucky dog and came back through the field. (No. 42 crew chief Mike) Shiplett and all the guys here at Chip Ganassi Racing …”

“You had a full day there, boy,” team owner Chip Ganassi said, approaching Nemechek with a smile.

Nemechek laughed. “Appreciate it!”

He continued, “If it wasn’t for Chip, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity, so I have to thank him. Overall, it was a fun day, a long day, a lot of work, but I guess that’s what is supposed to be made in your debut. Really great learning day overall adjustment-wise, talking with Shiplett on the box and trying to get the car better. To come top five, that was my goal and we came home fourth.

“So, I’m happy with that, so now to the next one and hopefully we can keep improving finishing positions.”

Nemechek’s whirlwind of a day began at Lap 7 when eventual race winner Kevin Harvick tagged him while passing his No. 42 Chevrolet for third. After saving the car, Nemechek tangled with Elliott Sadler, who was making a big run and tapped Nemechek. The contact caused Nemechek to hit Cole Custer’s No. 00 Ford, ending Custer’s day early and prompting Nemechek to apologize to Custer and the No. 00 team post-race.

Later in the race, he cut a tire and was forced to battle back through the field. The resilience impressed one very important figure; Nemechek’s father and Camping World Truck Series driver Joe Nemechek.

“He definitely passed more cars than anybody today,” the elder Nemechek said ahead of climbing into his own No. 8 truck on Saturday. “In a season debut, that’s probably the hardest thing ever to overcome, when you have adversity and just all the things that are going against you stacked and then you rebound to have a fourth-place finish. Pretty incredible day.”

Before his Xfinity debut Saturday, John Hunter had driven full-time for Joe Nemechek-owned NEMCO Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series since 2016. He will continue to make select starts for his family-owned team in the Truck Series.

As a father and an owner, Nemechek knows what his son is able to accomplish.

“(Ganassi is) happy and he keeps telling me, ‘as a dad you’ve got to be so proud’ and I am,” he said. “I just know how capable of a race car driver he is given the right tools. And we’ve been able, as far as myself and our family team … to give him the tools he needed to get to this point and now, to make the next step, you’ve got to have more tools. And Chip’s going to give that to him.

“I think you’re going to see him be very, very competitive this year.”

Nemechek is slated to run a part-time schedule in the No. 42 Chevrolet this season, splitting seat time with Kyle Larson. His next race will come on March 17 at Auto Club Speedway.

For the young driver, Saturday’s run is a solid start to his season.

“I had an open mindset coming into the season,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect, didn’t know where we were going to stack up in practice, didn’t know where we were going to stack up in qualifying, didn’t know where we were going to stack up in the race.

“My goal this weekend was to learn as much as I could and to try and run up front if our car was capable or if I was capable … after practice yesterday and after qualifying, I thought we were going to have a shot to run top three or even try and contend for the win.

“It’s definitely something that I’m looking forward to — it’s a great opportunity and great debut in my opinion.”

Posted on February 24, 2018June 17, 2021 by Reid Spencer

HAMPTON, Ga. – Brett Moffit streaked into the lead on an overtime restart in Saturday’s Active Pest Control 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and pulled away to win the second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of his career.

Diving to the inside and taking then-leader Myatt Snider and Johnny Sauter three-wide into the first corner on Lap 133 of 134, Moffitt beat Noah Gragson to the finish line by 1.326 seconds. Gragson charged from ninth to second on the penultimate lap and beat third-place finisher Johnny Sauter to the line by .014 seconds.

In a deal that came together late in the offseason, Moffitt signed with Hattori Racing after Ryan Truex opted to move up to the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Moffitt was the Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2015 but hasn’t had a full-time deal since then.

“It’s unbelievable to even be in a race car at this point, let alone in Victory Lane,” Moffitt said. “We had a really good truck. Kyle (Busch) spun his tires a couple of restarts ago and put us back.

“But right at the end, the 13 (Snider) was a sitting duck, and I just needed a good restart. And hopefully they got into a battle behind us, which they did, and it’s pretty surreal.”

The victory was Moffitt’s first since he claimed the trophy at Michigan in 2016 in the fourth of six starts that year. And it was the first win for team owner Shigeaki Hattori, who was 0-for-43 in the Truck Series entering Saturday’s race.

Busch was on the verge of his 50th NCWTS victory when Josh Reaume crashed on Lap 125 of a scheduled 130 to cause the fifth caution of the race. With tires at a premium, the lead-lap trucks came to pit road under the yellow, but Busch left pit road with the lugs off his left rear tire, which fell off as he pulled onto the apron off Turn 1.

Busch finished 21st, a lap down, after backing into his stall to correct the miscue.

Sauter, who won the season opener last week at Daytona, was disappointed with his third-place finish but didn’t think he could have done anything differently on the restart, which found him on the outside of the three-wide charge into the corner.

“I just feel like I’m going to beat myself up on this,” Sauter said. “But sitting here watching the replay, I don’t feel like I could have done anything different. When you have a shot to win, you’ve got to capitalize on it, and I didn’t do that.”

Ben Rhodes came home fourth and Matt Crafton fifth. Stewart Friesen ran sixth, and Snider, who took two tires on the pit stop before overtime, ran seventh. Sauter retained the series lead by 31 points over Crafton.

In addition to claiming the trophy, Moffitt is all but assured of advancing to the Playoffs.

“That’s a hell of a way to start the year right there,” he said.