Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott have a special incentive to keep Hendrick Motorsports’ winning streak going at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Larson leads NASCAR’s top series with four wins this season. Elliott is the defending Cup champion and is riding high after winning at Road America last week, the team’s seventh win in eight races. He is joined by William Byron and Alex Bowman on the formidable four-car team.
But chasing a victory at Atlanta has proved elusive.
Larson viewed a clip of the race this week in the hopes of avoiding another heartbreaking disappointment.
“I learned a lot in the moment,” Larson said. “I think there’s even more I can learn re-watching it. … You learn from everything, the good races, and you definitely learn from the races you feel like you gave away. So there’s definitely a lot to be learned.”
Elliott, who comes from Dawsonville, Georgia, has never won a race at his home track in six attempts. Because of engine troubles, he finished 38th in the spring race.
Chase Elliott Shirt 2018 Racing Clothes Nascar
Elliott clinched a playoff berth with his
“I don’t know that I feel more pressure, but I certainly want to do good,” Chase Elliott said. “I feel that everybody who has a home track or a place that’s close to them, you always want to do good there, and it’s just been a place I haven’t done all that great at.”
Elliott will start on the pole, beside Kyle Busch. Last week’s finish determined the starting lineup. Larson will take the sixth position in the starting lineup.
AIMING FOR AN ATLANTA SWEEP
Blaney is still hoping to win in 2021 for the second time. He believes his return to Atlanta provides a good measuring stick for his Penske team.
“I think this weekend will be a really good idea to see where we stack up, going back to a place where we won,” Blaney said, adding “I think we’ll be good.”
REPAVING PROJECT ON DECK
After years of lobbying to postpone the inevitable resurfacing project, NASCAR drivers can enjoy the old, battered Atlanta Motor Speedway track for one final Sunday.
This will be the final race before the track’s 24-year-old surface is repaved and renovated. The modifications will result in higher banking and a narrower racing surface.
Drivers who were not contacted before the plans were made.
Officials say the resurfacing was unavoidable, and fans will approve the new look.
NEXT GEN RACING
NASCAR’s Next Gen car was in mind when the proposed track alterations were made, according to track officials. “Old-school racers” regard the conditions given by the patched-up track as “good racing,” according to Rodney Childers, Kevin Harvick’s Stewart-Haas Racing crew chief. He admitted that some followers disagree with him.
“A lot of people thought those races down there became boring because the runs became really long, they get spread out, the cars that were good on long runs would drive away from the field and all those things,” Childers said.
Childers said the Next Gen car, which debuts next season, is designed “to run wide-open all the way around.”
“You’ll be drafting a lot and kind of become a speedway race in a way. The cars will stay tightly packed together, probably more wrecks and all those things it seems people want to see these days,” Childers said.
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