The rich history of Atlanta has seen manufacturers, teams, and drivers battle for supremacy on one of NASCAR’s most challenging and storied tracks. From legendary victories to dramatic late-race battles, Atlanta Motor Speedway has long been a proving ground where only the best can conquer its demanding 1.54-mile layout. Nine different manufacturers have secured victories in the Cup Series race at Atlanta, with Chevrolet leading the way at 45 wins. Then, there is Pontiac with 11 wins, Dodge with 9, and Mercury with 8 wins, edging close to the double-digit. But, Chevy is the only team on the list which still competes. Does this mean it would be the 46th for them?

As the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway approaches in less than a week, anticipation is growing over who will emerge victorious. The track’s reconfiguration in 2021 has led to unpredictable, high-intensity racing, making it difficult to determine a clear favorite. Veteran Kevin Harvick, a former Atlanta winner and one of the most experienced drivers in the field, recently shared his insights on which manufacturer he thinks will succeed, outshining the others.

Kevin Harvick backs Ford’s edge at Atlanta despite a poor result at Daytona

Kevin Harvick is confident that Ford holds a crucial advantage at Atlanta Motor Speedway, even after a lackluster showing at Daytona. On a recent episode of the Happy Hour Podcast, Harvick acknowledged Chevrolet’s recent success in Atlanta. Daniel Suárez had won the Ambetter Health 400 in 2024 while Kyle Busch managed to grab the third podium position. But, Harvick remained firm in his belief that Ford’s superior balance, handling, and ability to take strong pushes make them the manufacturer to keep an eye on.

“Hendrick (Motorsports) has won three of the last six races with the new Atlanta-style racing,” Harvick pointed out. “But it is going to be hard for me to pick against those Fords as dominant as I thought they were at times in Daytona.” Despite Harvick’s confidence, Ford struggled to deliver results at the Daytona 500, largely due to Ford driver, Joey Logano. While Chevrolet’s William Byron took the checkered flag, four Toyota drivers—Tyler Reddick, Jimmie Johnson, Chase Briscoe, and John Hunter Nemechek, filled out the top five. The highest-finishing Ford was Ryan Blaney in seventh, far from the dominant performance Kevin Harvick described.

However, Harvick argued that results don’t always reflect control, noting, “I know they ultimately didn’t win the race, but I felt like they controlled a lot of the situations in the race.” Harvick emphasized that Ford’s ability to push through the draft and maintain stability gives them an edge at superspeedway-style tracks like Atlanta. He might have a point here as Logano led 43 laps, even winning the stage one. But, why is Ford such a clear favorite for Happy Harvick?

“Those cars can’t take the pushes like the Fords can. The Toyotas struggle taking really good pushes consistently… even the Chevrolets walk around. That doesn’t really happen with the Fords when they can push each other,” he explained. According to Harvick, this difference in endurance and drafting could prove decisive in Atlanta, where pack racing is more prevalent than at traditional 1.5-mile tracks.

However, Ford’s advantage was negated at Daytona, thanks to Joey Logano’s aggressive move with 14 laps to go. His ill-timed attempt to squeeze past Ricky Stenhouse Jr. triggered a massive wreck that took out key Ford drivers, including Logano himself and Ryan Blaney. The crash effectively wiped out Ford’s best chances for victory, leading to a disappointing overall result. But, with Atlanta’s unique superspeedway characteristics, Harvick believes Ford will be a factor.

“I just think that they have a better package for this type of racing,” Kevin Harvick said summing up. But after their Daytona misstep, can they convert their apparent advantage into actual results?

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Differing picks for Atlanta as Kevin Harvick and general consensus favors Ford

As the anticipation builds for the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, different experts are offering their predictions for who might take the victory. Kevin Harvick has his eyes set on Austin Cindric as his top pick. Harvick noted that Cindric, the mickiest mouse of NASCAR has the potential to thrive in a pack, given his experience and strong skills at such tracks. “I’m going with Austin Cindric. I’m going to pick the #2 this weekend. He’s been up front at all the superspeedway races,” Harvick explained.

Meanwhile, co-host Kaitlyn Vincie expressed her confidence in Joey Logano. She cited his two victories at Atlanta and his strong showing (despite the crash he caused) in the Daytona 500. Logano, who has historically excelled at this track, boasts a winning average of 13.7 and a solid record of consistently finishing in the top 10. His aggressive driving style and knack for positioning himself in the right spot during crucial moments give him an edge, as Vincie pointed out.

On the other hand, Mamba Smith threw his support behind Bubba Wallace, who drives for Toyota. While Wallace has yet to secure a win at Atlanta, he has shown promise in previous races. Despite Smith’s endorsement, the general consensus among the experts leans toward Ford drivers, with two out of the three analysts picking Ford favorites.

Given their past successes and strong performance metrics, it’s clear that the odds are definitely in Ford’s favor heading into the race.