CONCORD, N.C. - For the first time since 1998, the NASCAR Cup Series season will feature back-to-back main events at drafting tracks. After the season-opening DAYTONA 500, Atlanta Motor Speedway will play host to the second race of the 2024 campaign.
Ahead of the 2022 season, Atlanta was repaved and reconfigured to fit the drafting aero package used at both Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. To do this, the banking in the corners was changed from 24 degrees to 28 degrees and the width of the track reduced from 55 feet to 40 feet. The result? A pack-racing style that resembles a smaller version of the superspeedways that have been a part of the Cup Series for decades.
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Hendrick Motorsports' first Atlanta win came in 1989 with Darrell Waltrip and was followed by Ken Schrader's victory in 1991. Vice chairman Jeff Gordon won five times in Georgia between 1995 and 2011 while Jerry Nadeau claimed his lone victory for Rick Hendrick's team in 2000. Jimmie Johnson is the only other driver from Hendrick Motorsports to record five Atlanta wins, claiming these victories between 2004 and 2016. Kasey Kahne (2014), William Byron (2022 and 2023) as well as Chase Elliott (2022) have all found victory on the 1.54-mile track.
Looking back at last year, the spring Atlanta race was not kind to Hendrick Motorsports in the finishing order. With 71 circuits remaining, three drivers from the team were running inside the top 10 when they received significant damage after Kevin Harvick was spun out from the lead of the race. Josh Berry (driving the No. 9 entry for the injured Elliott), Kyle Larson and William Byron each had no room to maneuver around the incident. Of the group, Larson recovered and found himself in second place on lap 209. However, when race leader Aric Almirola cut a tire, Larson would be collected in the accident and the damage would end the No. 5 entry's day early. Of the four entries, Alex Bowman was able to keep his nose clean during the race as he finished third in the second stage before crossing the line in 14th to end the event.
RELATED: Bowman proud of No. 48 team after runner-up finish at Daytona
KEY NUMBERS TO KNOW FOR DAYTONA
Data provided by Racing Insights
Larson, No. 5 team
Kyle Larson and crew chief Cliff Daniels have combined for 16 victories in the Cup Series. This makes the duo the third-winningest active combination on the grid. Larson will aim to win his first career race on a drafting-style track this Sunday.
Elliott, No. 9 team
The driver of the No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet is one of two Georgia natives (his father Bill Elliott being the other) to win a Cup Series race at Atlanta. Elliott's win came in dominating fashion as he swept both stages en route to victory. He is one of two drivers, along with teammate William Byron, to win multiple drafting-style races in the Next Gen era.
Byron, No. 24 team
Byron has quite the record at Atlanta since the track's reconfiguration. Since 2022, he's won two of the four events held on the new surface. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has led the field for 171 circuits on the new layout, the most of any driver at the sport's top level. On top of that, he has the most wins on drafting-style tracks (three) in the Next Gen era.
Bowman, No. 48 team
While Bowman has yet to break through on a drafting track, his statistics suggest that the victory may be looming. He's finished as a runner-up on these types of tracks twice in his career and nearly bested Byron to win the DAYTONA 500.
Hendrick Motorsports
With 17 victories, Atlanta is the fifth-winningest track for Rick Hendrick's team. These wins have come with a record eight drivers behind the wheel.
RELATED: See every Hendrick Motorsports win at Atlanta
DID YOU KNOW?
Since the Next Gen race car was introduced in 2022, Hendrick Motorsports has collected the most victories on drafting tracks (five) of any team in the Cup Series.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AND TV COVERAGE
Saturday, Feb. 24
11:30 a.m. ET: Qualifying - FS1
In single-car qualifying, every team participates in the first round with the top 10 moving to the final round. Elliott will go out 28th, Larson will head out 30th, Bowman will be the 34th driver to take time and Byron will be the 36th to log a lap.
Following qualifying, there will be a 10-minute practice for teams to practice pit road entry since Atlanta has two different pit road speeds. There is one speed for the apron in Turn 3 and another when getting to pit road in Turn 4.
Sunday, Feb. 25
3 p.m. ET: Atlanta Race (260 laps/400 miles) - FOX
STAGE LENGTHS
Stage 1: Lap 60
Stage 2: Lap 160
End of Race: Lap 260
WILL THE RACE BE ON THE RADIO?
Yes, listeners can find the event on PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
WHERE CAN I STREAM THE BROADCAST?
Fans can watch all the action with the FOX Sports Live app. For live updates and additional content during the race, head over to X and follow @TeamHendrick for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
HOW CAN I FIND FS1?
The location of this channel may vary depending on location. Enter your zip code and select your television provider at this link for assistance in finding what channel number FS1 is on your provider.