Posted on by Staff Report

Corey LaJoie has proven the new-age version of Atlanta Motor Speedway is quite the venue for the Spire Motorsports driver.

The driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet posted a fourth-place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, his second top five in three races on the newly reconfigured 1.54-mile speedway that utilizes the pack-racing package typically reserved for the superspeedways of Talladega and Daytona. Last summer, LaJoie led a career-high 19 laps at the Georgia oval before a late crash relegated him to a finish outside the top 20.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Corey LaJoie stands on pit road after finishing fourth at Atlanta
Alexander Daus | NASCAR Studios

But LaJoie’s first top-five finish of 2023 should come far less shocking than any other prior run. Through five races in 2023, LaJoie boasts a 15.2 average finish, with four results inside the top 20 and a worst finish of 26th on March 12 at Phoenix. He entered Sunday’s race 18th in points and leaves Atlanta 14th in the standings.

“We’ve started the year off really really solid. And I don’t think we could have started any better,” LaJoie said. “We missed it a bit last week in Phoenix, but we come back and rebound and put a good payday in the bank and (take) a couple points from the guys that we’re racing around as well. Because it’s inevitable that a lot of the guys we’re in front of are gonna catch us just (because) those guys are the ones that are on top 10, top 15 consistently.

“So we have to get to where we can, on any given intermediate or any given short track, run in the top 15 a little bit better. But we’re getting there. You know, days like this certainly give us confidence and give us a little more money in the kitty to keep it digging.”

LaJoie has proven to be more than a superspeedway feel-good story this year. Spire Motorsports struggled to string together consistently strong finishes on track in years past, due largely to its lack of resources in comparison to the sport’s powerhouse programs. This year, a closer relationship with one of those elite teams — Hendrick Motorsports — has provided more data to the No. 7 program, elevating the team’s ceiling.

More importantly, LaJoie is capitalizing on resources now at his fingertips, boosting belief in himself in the process.

“We’re getting some help from Hendrick and obviously paying off with underwing scans and some setup help, so hopefully that continues to translate,” LaJoie said. “You know really and truly I’ve got a lot of confidence right now and that certainly helps too.”

LaJoie and Co. executed its game plan nearly to perfection on Sunday. LaJoie found himself on the edge of the top 10 entering the final stage of the race, finishing 10th in Stage 2, and continued to climb the leaderboard when it mattered.

“I don’t think we could have done it better. I don’t think we could have done anything different,” LaJoie said.  “Our green-flag [pit] sequence I think was a net positive. We got a stage point there. The only thing I could have done different I’ll look back on was just covering that bottom lane when I had the opportunity to with like 18 to go.

“I just didn’t anticipate that bottom being as strong and as long as it lasted. I thought that they were gonna give up a bit, but they were able to maintain down there. And if I had just covered that I’d have been leading that line, you know, who knows what could’ve happened?”

Contributing: Sean Montgomery

Posted on by Sean Montgomery

HAMPTON, Ga. — Brad Keselowski’s first victory driving for RFK Racing was so close he could taste it.

One of the most dominant cars in the final stage of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Keselowski and his No. 6 Ford Mustang had to settle for second after a dogfight with former Team Penske teammate Joey Logano went the latter’s way on the final lap.

“It just didn’t come together there at the end,” Keselowski told media after the race. “Joey (Logano) got such a huge run down the frontstretch, there was just nothing I could do.”

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos

Keselowski led the field to green for the final time on Lap 231, battling to stop the momentum of big runs forming behind him in both the top and bottom groove. To the bottom, the Team Penske trio was lined up, spearheaded by a hard-charging Logano, who had led more than 100 laps to that point in the race. On the final lap, Logano manufactured a magnificent run from the bottom lane — the racing line that had been the weaker of the two lanes throughout much of the race.

Brad Keselowski (6) races alongside Joey Logano at the front of the pack at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Jonathan Bachman | Getty Images

Despite tremendous experience racing his former colleague, Keselowski could only watch the No. 22 speed through Turn 4 with the lead and sail past the start/finish line just ahead of him.

“We know each other’s moves pretty well, for sure,” Keselowski explained. “But, you know, it’s just a matter of how the cookie crumbles. It kinda came his way there at the end and he made a good move, so, kudos to him. We’re right there, though. Our team just continues to improve and show what we’re made of, so I’m proud of that.”

The No. 6 team’s strong showing Sunday was indicative of the significant upward trend RFK Racing has been on this season. Entering Sunday’s race, both RFK Fords were in the top 10 in points and the valiant runner-up finish for Keselowski at Atlanta only anchored the fact that they are moving in the right direction — although, Chris Buescher was caught up in a major crash that ended his day early.

Sunday’s second-place result was Keselowski’s best since joining the organization as c0-owner before the 2022 Cup Series season. And through the season’s first five races, Keselowski was the only premier-series driver to lead a lap in every race.

KESELOWSKI: 2022 penalty: ‘One of the best things to ever happen’

Even though he was frustrated with second, Keselowski was pleased with how the race turned out and had high praise for the intense racing during the long, green-flag stretch to the finish.

“This is actually one of the best races here that you’re ever gonna see,” said Keselowski. “I was really impressed that we were able to run the last 40 or 50-something laps without everybody just wrecking each other. It was a good mix of drivers up front who just ran smart races and showed that you can run side-by-side. You can do this without wrecking each other. It really is the drivers that make the decision.”

Still, in search of his 36th career Cup Series victory, there was a clear sting from finishing just a single position shy of another trip to Victory Lane. But Keselowski chose to reflect on the high notes.

“You wish it would have paid off with a win, but it paid off for us to have a great day,” Keselowski said. “Good day for our team overall. Just one spot short.”

Cup Series action resumes Sunday at Circuit of The Americas (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix for NASCAR’s first road-course challenge of the season.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

HAMPTON, Ga. — Deftly maneuvering his No. 22 Ford through the final two laps of Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400, Joey Logano finished the NASCAR Cup Series race where he started — at the front of the field.

With a push from Christopher Bell on the backstretch on the final lap, Logano moved to the outside of leader Brad Keselowski with huge momentum and charged past Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford into the lead.

Logano pulled down to the inside lane through the final two corners and crossed the finish line 0.193 seconds ahead of Keselowski and 0.194 seconds ahead of third-place Bell.

RELATED: Official race results | At-track photos

“Yeah, first off so special to win Atlanta for me,” said Logano, a Connecticut native who began to refine his talent racing Legends cars at Atlanta. “So many memories of me and my dad racing right here on the quarter mile. This is the full circle for us. So many memories gritting over there with the Legends car, racing, having a big time.

“Dreaming of going straight at the quarter mile and going onto the big track. That was always the dream to do it. To finally win here means so much to me here personally, but the team.

“The Auto Trader Mustang — this thing was an animal. Very, very fast. Able to lead a ton of laps, race really hard there at the end, get a good push from the 20 (Bell) to clear myself. Huge victory. Nice to get one early in the season. Always feels better, but what a great day for us.”

Logano’s first victory of the season and first at Atlanta was no surprise. On Saturday, the reigning series champion led eight Ford drivers into the top eight starting positions for Sunday’s race.

Logano won the first stage wire-to-wire, leading the first 63 laps. In Stage 2, he finished second to Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric. All told, Logano led 140 of the 260 laps. Keselowski was second with 47 laps led.

The victory was Ford’s first of the season after Chevrolet drivers claimed trophies in the first four events. Logano is the second straight driver to win from the pole at Atlanta, following Chase Elliott last summer.

Disappointed with second place, Keselowski was nevertheless elated with the quality of racing in the closing laps.

“The coolest thing about this race is two veterans showed you can run a race here side-by-side, bump-drafting, and not wreck the field,” Keselowski said. “It can happen if you race respectfully. I thought everybody did a great job.

“We were right there. Proud of my team and the effort. Nothing much we could do there at the end.”

Not that there wasn’t plenty of action before the final laps ended with Logano’s 32nd career victory.

After two relatively placid stages where single-file racing predominated, the intensity increased exponentially as the end of the race approached.

On Lap 190, one lap after Kevin Harvick had taken the lead for the first time, Ross Chastain pulled up close behind Harvick in the draft. Harvick’s No. 4 Ford broke loose and triggered a massive wreck on the backstretch that involved 12 cars.

Harvick was eliminated, along with William Byron, Chris Buescher, Harrison Burton and BJ McLeod. The defending race winner, Byron was seeking his third straight Cup victory of the season.

MORE: Multicar melee collects 12 in Atlanta

“It looked like the No. 1 (Chastain) and the No. 4 just got connected there into Turn 1 and got the No. 4 loose,” Byron said after a mandatory visit to the infield care center. “It’s just part of racing. That’s the way it goes — not really in our control. We were up there running in the top five and doing what we needed to do.”

Harvick’s assessment of the wreck was essentially the same.

“I think he just caught me so quick right there in the middle of the corner, and then he kind of was up on the right rear part of the (car) and he came back down, and when he came back down it just spun the thing out,” Harvick said. “I don’t think he actually even hit me, but it started chattering the rear tires, and then I was just along for the ride.”

Nineteen laps later, a five-car accident off Turn 4 — triggered when one of then-leader Aric Almirola’s tires went flat — knocked Almirola, Kyle Larson and Daniel Suárez out of the race.

“There was nowhere to go,” Larson said. “Nobody had been having tire issues, so I wasn’t even expecting the No. 10 (Almirola) to have a tire issue in front of me. Even if I did, I didn’t have time to react.

“It’s a bummer. Just frustrating.. I was finally up front on this style of race track and still end up with a DNF (did not finish). I don’t know — just frustrating.”

Corey LaJoie finished a career-best fourth, followed by Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones, Ty Gibbs and Kyle Busch. LaJoie also gave Logano a push as the winner worked his way back to the front.

“I hope he gives me a shout-out for pushing him,” LaJoie said. “Gave him a good shot there at the end.”

The NASCAR Cup Series’ next race is scheduled for Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM) at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Chastain is the defending race winner.

Note: Post-race technical inspection was completed in the NASCAR Cup Series garage without issue. Competition officials indicated that two cars will go to the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C., for inspection — the No. 2 Team Penske Ford that Austin Cindric drove to an 11th-place finish and the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet of LaJoie.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Staff Report

A major crash at the front of the pack slowed the final stage of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, thinning the field of several contenders.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Ford broke loose from the lead with Ross Chastain, who radioed his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing team that he did not make contact with the front-running car. Multiple cars stacked up behind those two, including William Byron, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Josh Berry and others. In total, 12 cars were collected in the melee.

Chris Buescher's car gets towed back to the garage
Sean Montgomery | NASCAR Studios

Harvick had just taken the lead on Lap 189 of a scheduled 260 in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400. He drove back to pit road but took his Stewart-Haas Racing entry to the garage, ending his day with a 33rd-place result.

“I think he just caught me so quick right there in the middle of the corner and then he kind of was up on the right rear part of the corner and he came back down and when he came back down it just spun the thing out,” Harvick said, referring to Chastain’s close racing on his rear bumper. “I don’t think he actually even hit me, but it started chattering the rear tires and then I was just along for the ride.”

Byron was attempting to win his third consecutive Cup race after previous victories at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway. He finished just one spot ahead of Harvick after he was unable to continue. Buescher, Harrison Burton and BJ McLeod were also sidelined.

“It’s just part of racing. That’s the way it goes, not really in our control,” Byron said after he was evaluated and released from the infield care center. “We were up there running in the top five and doing what we needed to do.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Which channels have NASCAR programming this week? We answer that and give the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

MORE: How to find USA Network | How to find FS1 | Get FOX Sports App | Watch on USA Network | Get the NBC Sports App | Watch on Peacock | FloRacing | How to watch NASCAR International

Monday, March 20
2 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: 2023 RAPTOR King of Tough 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
4 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series: 2023 Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
9:30 a.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS2
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: 2023 RAPTOR King of Tough 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS2
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: 2023 Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS2
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Tuesday, March 21
Midnight, NASCAR Cup Series: 2023 Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS2
7:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series: 2023 Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS2
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS2
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: 2023 RAPTOR King of Tough 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS2
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, Peacock
8 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: 2023 Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (re-air), FS2

Wednesday, March 22
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, Peacock

Thursday, March 23
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, Peacock
9:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best Features of 2022 (re-air), FS2
10 p.m., NASCAR Presents: Beyond the Wheel (re-air), FS2

Friday, March 24
Noon, NASCAR Pace Lap, MAVTV
3 p.m., NASCAR Pace Lap (re-air), MAVTV
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series practice and qualifying at Circuit of The Americas, FS1
8 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series practice at Circuit of The Americas (tape), FS1
9 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice and qualifying at Circuit of The Americas (tape), FS1

Saturday, March 25
3:30 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series practice and qualifying at Circuit of The Americas (re-air), FS1
5 a.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice and qualifying at Circuit of The Americas (re-air), FS1
6:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive: Trucks (re-air), FS1
7 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series practice at Circuit of The Americas (re-air), FS1
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Circuit of The Americas, FS1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Circuit of The Americas, FS1
1 p.m., IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge: Sebring Race (tape), CNBC
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: 2023 XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas, FS1
4 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: NASCAR Xfinity Series at Circuit of The Americas, FS1
5 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: 2023 Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today at Circuit of The Americas, FS1
11:30 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: 2023 XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas (re-air), FS1

Sunday, March 26
1:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Classic: 1993 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
6 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: 2023 Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today at Circuit of The Americas (re-air), FS1
8 a.m., NASCAR Race Classic: 1998 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
10 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: 2023 Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today at Circuit of The Americas (re-air), FS2
2 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of The Americas, FS1
3 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of The Americas, FOX
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: 2023 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas, FOX, FOX Deportes

Posted on by Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR, The NASCAR Foundation, Speedway Motorsports and Speedway Children’s Charities are teaming up to host a 75-hour event to raise funds for nonprofits across the country, as part of the sport’s 75th anniversary celebrations.

The Giveathon begins Tuesday, May 16 at 5 p.m. ET and goes until 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 19, officially known as “the NASCAR Day Giveathon.” The 75-hour giving period will feature a multitude of bonus grants and matching gift donations for nonprofit organizations as well as commemorative prizes/memorabilia for donors. The goal will be to raise $750,000 in charitable funds. Nonprofits interested in participating are encouraged to register at NASCARdaygiveathon.org before the May 1 deadline.

RELATED: More information on the NASCAR Foundation

The NASCAR Foundation will work with organizations in the weeks approaching the Giveathon to increase awareness of this national movement across the extensive network of passionate NASCAR fans. Additionally, NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports will contribute a combined $100,000 for gifts up to $750 to be matched from these funds.

“The NASCAR industry has a long history of giving back in our racing communities to help others. We’re thrilled to partner with Speedway Motorsports and Speedway Children’s Charities for this amazing event,” said Nichole Krieger, Vice President and Executive Director of The NASCAR Foundation. “The opportunity to raise funds for hundreds of nonprofit organizations, all while connecting with NASCAR fans and people across the industry is what makes the Giveathon so special. We can’t wait to see it all come to fruition on NASCAR Day.”

“As the sport of NASCAR comes together to celebrate its 75th anniversary, this is such a unique opportunity for fans worldwide to come together in support of organizations that benefit our communities,” said Jessica Fickenscher, Managing Director for Speedway Children’s Charities. “The nonprofits that participate as recipients in the Giveathon are worthy charities who need our help. Alongside NASCAR, The NASCAR Foundation and race fans everywhere, we can make a significant impact that will carry far beyond NASCAR Day and the NASCAR All-Star Race weekend.”

Contributions will be accepted online throughout the entire 75-hour window, with donors designating their funds towards their charities of choice from the list of participating organizations. Each nonprofit will have its own online Giveathon page to solicit donations. Select prizes including T-shirts, autographed items and matching gifts from corporate sponsors will be offered as incentives during the Giveathon.

To learn more about the NASCAR Day Giveathon, or to register your nonprofit for the event, please visit NASCARDaygiveathon.org. Nonprofit registration closes Monday, May 1.

Posted on by Nick Giffen

The Action Network specializes in providing sports betting insights/analytics and is a content partner with NASCAR. Check out more NASCAR betting analysis here.

The second drafting race of the year goes green at Atlanta Motor Speedway this afternoon (3 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

With no practice and with just a single qualifying session, we’re mostly reliant on performance at similar tracks, including last year’s two races at Atlanta to handicap the race.

My strategy at drafting tracks is to typically look for drivers with longer odds in situations where odds should be running closer together thanks to the high-variance nature of these tracks.

I do exactly that with these five picks. I’ll break down my two favorites, and then I’ll tell you three more plays I’m on based on the latest NASCAR odds to round out my Ambetter Health 400 betting card.

RELATED: Updated odds for Sunday’s race

NASCAR Odds, Picks for Atlanta

Christopher Bell to Win Group +380

Group C at DraftKings consists of the following drivers:

  • Kyle Larson (+200)
  • William Byron (+230)
  • Kyle Busch (+290)
  • Christopher Bell (+380)

Last year, William Byron led this group with an average running position of 9.97. That beat Bell by just a whisker, as the Joe Gibbs Racing driver had a 10.04 average.

Both were well ahead of Larson (19.78) and Busch (22.23).

While a two-race sample doesn’t tell us a ton, it does show that Bell is absolutely in the ballpark with this group. In fact, Bell would have finished second in this race last year if not for a penalty for advancing his position below the double line.

In the second Atlanta race, Bell ran inside the top 10 in both stages before fading late.

Stewart-Haas Racing to Win +800

Barstool Sportsbook is offering the four-car team of Stewart-Haas Racing at a palatable +800 price tag.

By comparison, the other four-car teams of Hendrick Motorsports and JGR are +335 and +550, respectively.

But one thing that stood out to me during qualifying was the relative instability of the Toyotas. Ty Gibbs got into the wall on his warmup lap, and Christopher Bell spun during his second-round qualifying effort.

FOX broadcaster and former Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer noted how stiff and rigid the Toytoas looked, especially after Bell’s spin.

If that translates at all to the race, it may mean JGR is less likely to win, giving other teams a better shot.

So I really like getting one-ninth of the field with a four-car team. And by virtue of the +800 price tag, we break even by winning this bet one in nine times. Overall, the SHR cars are well above an average car to win in my model.

In fact, if you piece together the best odds on all four drivers by shopping around, the sum of their individual implied odds is 11.5% which is above the 11.1% implied odds we’re getting by taking the whole team at +800.

Other Bets to Make

Based on the latest NASCAR odds, I also like:

  • Ty Gibbs top Toyota (+1800 at BetMGM)
  • Justin Haley top Chevy (+3300 at BetMGM)
  • Kaulig Racing to Win (+3300 at BetMGM)
Posted on by Reid Spencer

HAMPTON, Ga. – In a race that started in chaos and ended in bedlam on the last lap, Austin Hill won his third NASCAR Xfinity Series race of the season, beating Daniel Hemric to the checkered flag in Saturday’s Raptor King of the Tough 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

With his family in attendance, the Winston, Ga., native, led three times for a race-high 103 laps and dominated an event that featured a record 12 cautions for 68 laps.

NASCAR called the final yellow on the last lap, after a multicar wreck erupted as Hill and Hemric approached the finish line.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Parker Kligerman made a race of it until the cars entered the frontstretch dogleg on the last lap. At the end of a two-lap dash to the finish, Kligerman’s Chevrolet turned sideways across the front bumper of Hemric’s car and hit the right rear of Hill’s No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevy.

Hill maintained control and took the checkered flag with Hemric trailing by .085 seconds. Kligerman slid backward across the finish line in fourth, as Ryan Truex edged him for the third spot by .001 seconds.

“They knew we were here,” Kligerman radioed to his Big Machine Racing team.

The defending race winner, Hill came to Atlanta with victories at Daytona and Las Vegas and, understandably, the Xfinity Series lead. The win was Hill’s second at Atlanta and the fifth of his career.

The only thing that shook Hill all night was the contact with the right rear of his car in the final 100 yards.

“I have no idea how I saved it coming to the line,” Hill said, after his young daughter ran out to greet him at the finish line. “What a start to the season. Everybody at Richard Childress Racing, ECR engines — we’ve just had such a fast start with Chevrolet. This has been special, for sure.”

MORE: Full weekend schedule, results from Atlanta

Riley Herbst finished fifth, followed by Brett Moffitt, Josh Berry, John Hunter Nemechek, Sam Mayer and Justin Haley.

Hill won the first stage, and Kligerman gave Big Machine its first-ever stage victory in the second.

Josh Williams’ No. 92 DGM Racing Chevrolet sustained damage in a Lap 27 accident with the No. 02 Chevy of Kyle Weatherman, and when Williams dropped debris on the frontstretch to cause the fourth caution moments after the subsequent Lap 32 restart, NASCAR officials parked him under the Damaged Vehicle Policy.

Instead of driving his car to the garage, however, a frustrated Williams parked it at the start/finish line. NASCAR ordered Williams to the hauler for a discussion of the incident, after he was released from the infield care center. Team owner Mario Gosselin and No. 92 crew chief Bryan Berry were also summoned for consultation.

“A long time ago when I was younger, I had something similar happen to me at a short track,” Williams said after emerging from the Xfinity Series hauler. “I stopped on the frontstretch underneath the flagstand and got out, and there wasn’t one person sitting in their seat. So I didn’t do it to be spiteful or to make a huge scene and cause every one of y’all (reporters) to stand here, I just wanted to voice my opinion. I felt that it wasn’t right, but it’s in the rule book.”

The Xfinity Series’ next race is scheduled next Saturday, March 26 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM) at Circuit of The Americas.

Note: Inspection was completed in the Xfinity Series garage without issue, confirming Hill’s victory.

Contributing: Sean Montgomery in Hampton, Ga., staff reports

Posted on by Sean Montgomery

HAMPTON, Ga. — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rookie Nick Sanchez nearly earned his first national series victory in Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, falling short in the final turn of the final lap of NASCAR Overtime.

Sanchez entered Saturday’s race with eight laps led on the season. He ended the day with 11 — not a huge difference but a noticeable step in the right direction, especially considering his rollercoaster day ended with a chance to fight for the win.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Atlanta 

The No. 2 Rev Racing team’s day nearly turned upside down on Lap 84, when contact with Corey Heim sent Sanchez spinning through the infield grass. Initially, it looked like Heim just jumped the start and rammed into the left rear.

But Sanchez offered his version of events after the race: “I just lost power.”

It didn’t take too long for Sanchez and Co. to bounce back with their speedy truck, despite a bit of damage after the collision. They re-racked with the leaders multiple times through the end of the scheduled race length and a dramatic overtime restart.

Effective team communication was a priority for the young team during the race, and in the end, his inexperience may have cost him on the final lap.

“I feel like I was a little slow to react to my spotter,” Sanchez said. “Just learning, learning where these trucks are. I could have done a better job reacting to the 19 [Christian Eckes] and probably should have blocked top-ish. … I let him get back to my quarter and he dragged me back. It was close. It was really, really close.”

On the white-flag lap, racing back to the finish line through Turn 4, multiple trucks wrecked behind the leaders and ushered out the final caution of the race. Eckes was the leader at the time of caution, narrowly edging Sanchez after a big run through the final corner by 0.078 seconds.

“Our truck was good,” Sanchez said. “It was a little beat up in the back, but the nose was clean, the fenders were intact and we were able to race up front. … To know that I can finally finish a race is nice and to be that close. But it makes me want it that much more.”

Even though he settled for second, it was a long day of learning and a confidence-boosting performance for the 21-year-old driver making his third start after his 2022 ARCA Menards Series championship. And it was something to build on after a 26th-place finish at Daytona International Speedway in the season opener and a crash that ended their day two weeks ago at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“It feels good, but it hurts with how close we were,” said Sanchez. “But it is what it is and that’s racing. I’ve been at the other end of those at Talladega (Superspeedway) in ARCA, so I know how it feels to have it really close and not get it. But I’m just happy with my team, we battled back a lot. We’ve had a really good start to the season in the first two races, but not the best finishes. So to finally get a good finish and go to this next stretch of races with a decent points haul … I can just continue to learn more as a driver and keep pushing for wins.”

MORE: Full Atlanta race recap | Remaining Truck Series schedule

Sanchez’s next chance for a breakthrough win is Saturday, March 25 at Circuit of The Americas (1:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the first road-course event of the season.