[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”5″ gal_title=”Sunday Atlanta”] Story and photos courtesy of NASCAR HAMPTON, Ga. – With wrecks erupting behind him, Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag in overtime under caution in Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway—and then he remembered. Almost lost in the euphoria of Johnson’s second straight victory at the 1.54-mile track was the realization that, with his 76th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory, he had tied the late Dale Earnhardt for seventh on the all-time wins list. But as the No. 48 Chevrolet rolled around the track on its victory lap, heading in a clockwise…
Author: Mike Haag
Mike Haag
Mike Haag has covered motorsports in San Antonio and South Texas for more than 39 years. In addition to covering motorsports for the San Antonio Express-News for nearly 28 years, Mike also has co-hosted TrackSmack with Dawn Murphy for 19 race seasons. In addition to being a writer, Mike taught high school English and Journalism for 30 years before retiring in May, 2020.
Courtesy of IndyCar Series AVONDALE, Ariz. – The Valley of the Sun welcomed the Verizon IndyCar Series back to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend. The teams and drivers responded with a very rapid thank you. Competing en masse for the first time at the historic 1.022-mile oval since 2005, 21 drivers participated in the two-day promoter test that served as a preview for the upcoming Phoenix Grand Prix on April 2 (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN). More than 5,300 laps were completed, with 18 drivers clocking times faster than the official track record set two decades ago by Indy car great…
Courtesy of Atlanta Motor Speedway HAMPTON, Ga. – After finishing second five times in 11 XFINITY Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch put together a dominating race and held off a late charge by Kyle Larson to win the Heads Up Georgia 250 and become just the second driver to win in all three national touring series at Atlanta. Kevin Harvick, the only other driver to win in all three series at Atlanta, was a nonfactor for most of the day after early car trouble put him down as many as two laps. He would never recover and finished…
Courtesy of Atlanta Motor Speedway HAMPTON, Ga. – Matt Crafton and Christopher Bell swapped the lead four times over the first 111 laps in what looked like a two-truck shootout, as Crafton battled to win his second consecutive Camping World Truck Series race at Atlanta. But neither would find themselves in Victory Lane when the checkered flag flew. Crafton had led 76 laps coming to the restart with 20 laps to go after the second caution clock expiration of the race, in what looked like a sure-thing for the dominant 2014 Camping World Truck Series champion. It all changed in a…
Courtesy of the NHRA CHANDLER, Ariz. — Series points leader Ron Capps took the No. 1 qualifying position in Funny Car on Saturday at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Bo Butner (Pro Stock) also will lead their categories into Sunday’s 11 a.m. eliminations as the No. 1 qualifiers at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Wild Horse Pass Motor Sports Park. Still riding the momentum from a victory at the NHRA Winternationals two weeks ago in Pomona, Calif., Capps set a track record with a 3.925 second pass at 320.50 mph…
HAMPTON, Ga. – A day after winning and then losing the Sprint Cup Series pole, Kyle Busch was again the fastest around the track in XFINITY Series qualifying Saturday morning at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Busch, whose Sprint Cup Series car didn’t pass inspection Friday evening, is on the pole for the Heads Up Georgia 250. It’s the fifth time Busch will start first in an XFINITY Series race at AMS, but he’s still looking for his first win. The 30-year-old does have two wins here in the top series, though. “Yesterday is more important than what today is, but overall I couldn’t be…
CHANDLER, Ariz. – Courtney Force raced to the qualifying lead in Funny Car Friday with a track record performance at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals. Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Bo Butner (Pro Stock) also were top qualifiers at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park near Phoenix. Force, who is looking to redeem last season’s finish with a strong early season start, led the Funny Car field with a track record time of 3.930 seconds at 323.97 mph in her Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro. “It’s definitely what we hoped for,” said Force…
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”4″ gal_title=”Friday Atlanta”] Photos courtesy of NASCAR and Chevy Racing
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend for the Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500. Below are a few storylines, news and notes that I am following this weekend. NASCAR to debut lower downforce aero package at Atlanta One thing that is for certain is that NASCAR race fans will experience a different kind of race at Atlanta this weekend. On Sunday at the Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500, NASCAR will debut its much-anticipated lower downforce 2016 aerodynamics package. The package is similar to the ones used at Kentucky and Darlington last year. Lowering the downforce…
Courtesy of Ed Carpenter Racing PHOENIX – To celebrate the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka is releasing two commemorative, limited-edition bottles of vodka. In support of this momentous occasion, Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) will feature a special Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka paint scheme for the No. 21 Chevrolet driven by Josef Newgarden. The special paint scheme depicting the commemorative bottle was unveiled today on social media, prior to Friday and Saturday’s Verizon IndyCar Series test at Phoenix International Raceway. “I’m so excited to be able to represent Fuzzy’s Vodka,” stated Josef Newgarden. “They’re a great…