After a crash-filled Daytona 500, NASCAR proceeds to Atlanta’s weathered 1.54-mile asphalt trail.
As the surface permits for side-by-side racing in numerous grooves the track is favored by most NASCAR drivers. Tires wear out putting a greater significance.
This past year, Kevin Harvick won the first two phases at Atlanta, but Brad Keselowski was allowed by a punishment in for the checkered flag. Keselowski handed Kyle Larson for the lead with six rebounds to go for his first win of 2017.
All eyes will be on Georgia native Chase Elliott this weekend has he seems to capture his first Cup Series win. Back at the No. 9 car, a number made famous by his Hall of Fame father Bill, Chase has a fair chance to win based on last season’s numbers.
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Elliott recorded two second-place finishes, seven top fives, and nine top-10s at 1.5-mile tracks in 2017. The Dawsonville, Ga., native also averaged the third-best average finish of Cup drivers (9.82) on 1.5-mile tracks this past year.
Ahead of Keselowski’s win Elliott’s teammate Jimmie Johnson was victorious in two Atlanta races that are straight. Johnson, who owns a Cup Series record 28 wins on 1.5-mile tracks in his profession, has five wins, 14 top fives along with a series-best driver evaluation of 105.4 at Atlanta.
While Johnson has become the older king of 1.5-mile monitors, our pick to win Sunday is reigning champion Martin Truex Jr., who has been nearly unbeatable at intermediate ovals.
Truex won seven of the 11 1.5-mile speedway races last season with nine top fives for an average finish of 2.5. He’s still searching for his first win in Atlanta but we expect him to get the job done Sunday (if the rain holds off) despite starting out from the back of the area.
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