News, notes and photos courtesy of NASCAR

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Next Race: Folds of Honor QuikTrip500

The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway

The Date: Sunday, Feb. 25

The Time: 2 p.m. ET

TV: FOX, 1:30 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 500.5 miles (325 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 85),

Stage 2 (Ends on lap 170), Final Stage (Ends on lap 325)

Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 DOW Chevrolet, poses with the winner’s decal in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 60th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Dillon Wins 60th Running Of DAYTONA 500, Parks No. 3 In Victory Lane 20 Years After Earnhardt’s Single Triumph In The Great American Race

Austin Dillon passed Aric Almirola on the backstretch of the final lap in NASCAR overtime to win the 60th running of the Daytona 500. Dillon returned the No. 3 Chevrolet to Victory Lane in The Great American Race 20 years to the weekend the man who made the No. 3 car famous – Dale Earnhardt – won his lone Daytona 500.

Dillon’s triumph marked the first for Chevrolet’s new Camaro ZL1 race car. It was the second win for the 27-year-old North Carolina native, who earned his first victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway last May.

He’ll try to become the first driver since Matt Kenseth in 2009 to open a season with consecutive wins in Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2 p.m. ET on FOX). His best finish at Atlanta was an 11th-place showing in 2016.

With the Daytona 500 win, Dillon earned a berth in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Darrell Wallace Jr.
(Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

Bubba’s Banner Day: Darrell Wallace Finishes Runner-Up In His First Daytona 500

Darrell Wallace started his first full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season with flare – placing runner-up in the Daytona 500. The showing was the best by an African-American driver in the Daytona 500. It also marked the top Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series performance by an African-American driver since Wendell Scott’s lone victory in the 1963 Jacksonville 200.

Wallace’s historical weekend at the Daytona 500 was chronicled in the final two episodes of a new Facebook Watch docu-series titled “Behind the Wall: Bubba Wallace,” with the final two episodes set to premiere tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 22) at noon ET on the platform.

The driver of the No. 43 NASCAR Racing Experience Chevrolet for Richard Petty Motorsports placed sixth at Atlanta in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race last year.

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #98 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford, poses in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Rinnai 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 24, 2018 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)

Happy In Hotlanta: Harvick Readies For Top Track

He only has one win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but recent track performance shows that Kevin Harvick will be the driver to beat in Georgia’s capital. Harvick has led more than 100 laps in four of his last five races at the 1.54-mile quad-oval. Last season, he dominated the race, leading 292 laps before succumbing the lead late in the race due to a pit road speeding penalty.

In 27 career Atlanta starts, Harvick claims one win, six top fives and 12 tops 10s. He has produced 10 of those top 10s in his last 13 appearances.

Harvick’s 97.0 Atlanta driver rating ranks third among active competitors.

Harvick’s lone Atlanta win came on March 3, 2001 in his third career start. He drove the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to Victory Lane after replacing Dale Earnhardt, who passed away three weeks earlier following an accident at Daytona.

Brad Keselowski.
(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Keselowski Tries For Atlanta Repeat

Brad Keselowski took advantage of Kevin Harvick’s late pit road speeding penalty by passing Kyle Larson with six laps left to win last year’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He’ll try to repeat on Sunday, one week after wrecking out of the Daytona 500.

In nine starts at the 1.54-mile track, Keselowski owns, one win, two top fives, five top 10s and an 18.1 average finish. His 11.28 average running position at Atlanta ranks second in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Peak Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Blaney Leads Standings; Readies For Atlanta Following Daytona Heartbreak

Ryan Blaney dazzled fans last week by leading a race-high 118 laps in the Daytona 500.

Although he believed he had the best car, Blaney’s shot at winning ended on Lap 198 when he got together with Kurt Busch’s No. 41 Ford, starting off a 12-car wreck. He finished the race seventh.

Still, Blaney won Stage 2 and leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings entering Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. He holds an eight-point advantage over second-place Joey Logano and an 11-point edge on third-place Austin Dillon.

Blaney hopes for better luck at Atlanta where he’s finished 25th (2016) and 18th (2017) in two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts.

Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 23, 2018 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)

Hometown Hero: Elliott Eyes First Victory In Backyard

Seventy-eight races into his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career, Chase Elliott is still trying to break through with his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win.

Would there be a better place to do it than his home track – Atlanta Motor Speedway?

In two career starts at Atlanta, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has finished eighth (2016) and fifth (2017). He placed 33rd in the Daytona 500 last week after an accident forced him out of the race after 101 laps.

Elliott has finished runner-up seven times in his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career.

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway on February 10, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

Johnson Strong At Atlanta

Atlanta Motor Speedway has treated Jimmie Johnson well over the years.

Johnson leads active drivers with five wins and a 105.4 driver rating in 26 starts at the 1.54-mile track. He also has 14 top fives, 16 top 10s and an 11.0 average finish.

The No. 48 driver won at Atlanta in consecutive seasons from 2015-16 before Brad Keselowski ended his streak last year.

A checkered flag at Atlanta would tie him with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for fourth all-time with 84 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Etc.

Keenan Thompson To Serve As Grand Marshal: Atlanta native and comedy sketch actor Kenan Thompson of “Saturday Night Live” fame will return to his home city of Atlanta to serve as the grand marshal for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.