More Atlanta Motor Speedway News

Disappointed at Daytona, Ryan Blaney Could Spoil Chase Elliott’s Atlanta Homecoming

Chase Elliott has lots to prove this year and the Atlanta Motor Speedway is a good place to win but Ryan Blaney has his redemption arc going.
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, Mar 20, 2022; Hampton, Georgia, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase

Jesse Love Refuses to Take Credit After a Record-Breaking Qualifying Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway

RCR's rising star driver, Jesse Love, spoke about the importance of his team effort after his Atlanta Xfinity Series qualifying race.
Jesse Love

“You Will Crash or You Won’t”- Shane van Gisbergen Remains Awestruck After His Daytona Outing

Kaulig Racing star Shane van Gisbergen opens up about the crazy experience at the Daytona that got him overwhelmed last weekend.
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Practice & Qualifying Aug 12, 2023; Speedway, Indiana, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane V

Rick Hendrick’s Superstar Remains Tight-lipped On The One Track He Would Burn Down: “That’s The One I Talk Sh*t About”

Like every driver, even HMS racer Alex Bowman has a track on his naughty list but he is not keen to reveal the name so soon!
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 – Qualifying

Double Trouble for Tony Stewart at Atlanta as NASCAR Penalises Cup Series Prodigy

After a rather decent Daytona venture, bad luck has yet again rocked Tony Stewart and SHR as NASCAR confiscates parts of its two cars.
Motorsport, Herren, USA, Dragster Drag Race Gatornationals Mar 12, 2023; Gainesville, FL, USA; NHRA team owner Tony Stew

NASCAR NEWS: Daniel Dye Wins Pole for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing At Atlanta

With the Atlanta race weekend already here, 20-year-old NASCAR Truck Series driver of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing has managed to get pole.
daniel dye

NASCAR’s Weather Woes Seem to Be Coming Under Control as Atlanta Is in the Clear for the Weekend

At last, NASCAR fans can rejoice as the weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway will not face Mother Nature's wrath like the last two races.
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 19: The field takes the green flag during the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Ambe

Fans Can Now Meet their Favorite Drivers Courtesy of a New Initiative By NASCAR’s SMI Counterpart

Score selfies & autographs with NASCAR stars! SMI's new initiative lets you meet your racing heroes at all Speedway-owned tracks this season.
NASCAR: Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

Kaulig Racing’s Flamboyant New Signing Hoping to Change His Atlanta History After Unreal Theatrics Last Season

Josh Williams raked up quite a fan following after Atlanta stunt in 2023, and hopes to fly into 2024 with that vibrant attitude.
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Xfinity Series Nalley Cars 250, Mar 19, 2022; Hampton, Georgia, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series drive

Former Cup Series Spotter Calls Out NASCAR for Risking the Safety of Drivers Heading to Atlanta

Ahead of the Atlanta Motor Speedway weekend, NASCAR is under fire for cutting down practice sessions and thereby driver's safety.
NASCAR: Quaker State 400

Daytona 500 Winner William Byron One of the Safest Drivers to Bet on Heading to Atlanta

Daytona champ William Byron storms into Atlanta! Can he repeat his 2022 win? Experts weigh in on Byron & Hendrick Motorsports' chances.
NASCAR: Daytona 500

Hometown Hero Chase Elliott Is All Praise for Nascar’s Decision to Have Two Atlanta Races in the Calendar

Hendrick Motorsports' star driver, Chase Elliot will be looking to break his winless streak during this weekend's Atlanta race.
NASCAR: Busch Light Clash

About Atlanta Motor Speedway

USA Today via Reuters

Atlanta Motor Speedway- 2021 Latest News, Winners, Qualifying, Track

Atlanta Motor Speedway (in the past Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.5-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has hosted NASCAR Cup Series stock vehicle races since its initiation in 1960.

The initial scenes of the 1980 film Smokey and the Bandit II were shot at the track, as were scenes of the 1983 film Stroker Ace; a 40th commemoration stunt show to recognize the 1977 shooting of the first Smokey and the Bandit in close by Jonesboro, Georgia, was held at AMS in 2017 and went to by Burt Reynolds.

The track was highlighted in the 1982 Kenny Rogers film Six Pack. Previous U.S. President Jimmy Carter once filled in as a ticket taker at the track and went to a few races there as Georgia's lead representative and as U.S. president.

History

The setting was purchased by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 townhouses were worked over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to normalize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two middle ovals, the whole track was totally remade.

The frontstretch and backstretch were traded, and the design of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with another authority length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the quickest on the NASCAR circuit. It has a seating limit of 71,000 - 125.000 relying upon design.

The track facilitated a NASCAR Cup Series race end of the week yearly on Labor Day weekend from 2009 to 2014. The 2009 move from an October race date to Labor Day weekend was likewise joined by an adjustment in start time, denoting the main NASCAR Cup Series under the lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the arrival of Labor Day weekend NASCAR dashing toward the Southern United States.

Different features of the facility are a quarter-mile track between the pit street and the fundamental track for Legends racing and a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) FIA-endorsed street course. In 1996, the speedway facilitated the Countryfest show, pulling in more than 200,000 fans.

For the vast majority of the 1990s and 2000s, the track flaunted the most elevated velocities on the NASCAR circuit, with a common passing lap speed of around 193 mph (311 km/h), first posted by driver Breton Roussel on June 22, 1990, and a record lap speed of more than 197 mph (317 km/h).

In 2004 and 2005, the likewise planned Texas Motor Speedway saw marginally quicker qualifying times, and as the tracks' individual racing surfaces have worn, qualifying speeds at Texas have gotten reliably quicker than at Atlanta.

2021 Race

Ryan Blaney won the race, driving a Ford. Kyle Larson led for 269 laps, but Blaney overtook him eight laps from the end because Larson's tires were wearing out.

With Blaney’s win, NASCAR had its sixth different champion in its first six races of 2021.

Quick Facts

LocationHenry County, Georgia, at 1500 Tara Place Hampton, GA, 30228
OperatorSpeedway Motorsports, Inc.
Major EventsNASCAR Cup Series

Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

Quaker State 400

NASCAR Xfinity Series

EchoPark 250

TBA

NASCAR Camping World Truck

Series Fr8Auctions 200

Atlanta Track Club

Atlanta Marathon

Length1.54 mi (2.48 km)
Most WinsDale Earnhardt (9)
Most StartsRichard Petty (65)
PolesBuddy Baker, Ryan Newman (7)