WHOO~HOO ATLANTA!! Well it is back to the fastest track in the circut for this race. The fact that I am going to be there is at times overwelming me! And I am afraid this is just a dream and I will wake up soon! ~LOL~ Having been a race fan for about 9 years now, and this being my first race, oh am I stoked!! I remember how it felt to be a kid before Christmas and that's how it feels to me now. I am opening this thread a little earlier than the others, because I am already finding info for the Atlanta track that I think y'all will like too.
If you would like to talk about this race, please do feel free to do so here. As usual we will be posting the qualifying and final race results here too.
Make sure you keep an eye out on SPEED TV for my signs!
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Last edited by mrsmopar12 : 03-10-2007 at 06:03 AM.
Smaller Fuel Cell Could Mean Even More Exciting Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway, Press Release
HAMPTON, Ga. (March 8, 2007) – When NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams converge at Atlanta Motor Speedway for next week’s Kobalt Tools 500, they will have a different piece of hardware in their 3,400-pound machines. The NEXTEL Cup cars will be outfitted with a smaller fuel cell than the units used in 2006.
“The Cup cars raced approximately a 22.5-gallon fuel cell last year at Atlanta,” said David Hoots, NASCAR managing event director. “The 2007 fuel cell holds approximately 18 gallons, plus the filler neck and vent tube.”
FOX and TNT television analyst and former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup crew chief Larry McReynolds foresees a possible change in the outcome of Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 because of the new cell.
“NEXTEL Cup cars average 4.5 miles-per-gallon,” McReynolds said. “With the 22-gallon cell the teams ran in 2006, they were getting between 64 and 66 laps before having to come to pit road. Now, with the smaller cell, these guys will be running 52-54 laps, about 10 or 12 laps less than last year.”
McReynolds thinks that formula will place an extra emphasis on the crews’ performance during pit stops.
“Atlanta is such a fast track that if the pit crew makes a mistake on pit road forcing the driver to come back and pit again, you are going a lap or two down. That essentially ends your day,” McReynolds said. “Not long ago, Jerry Nadeau ran out of fuel on the last turn of the last lap and handed the win to Bobby Labonte. With the smaller cell, we could see something crazy like that happen this year.”
According to Donnie Wingo, who’s first win as a crew chief came at Atlanta Motor Speedway with driver Morgan Shepherd in 1990, the smaller fuel cell will make things more exciting for fans, teams and drivers.
“The smaller cell is definitely going to play a part in the outcome of the race,” said Wingo, the current crew chief for NEXTEL Cup rookie Juan Pablo Montoya. “When you get 10 or 15 laps into a run, you are about 25 percent out of fuel and tires, so it will affect pit strategy. Some teams might go for two tires or fuel only. The problem with that is it is easy to get off schedule with other guys and before you know it, you are a lap down.”
FOX television race analyst and former championship winning crew chief Jeff Hammond agrees the smaller cell will have an impact as well.
“The smaller fuel cell will change the dynamics of the race for a couple reasons,” Hammond explained. “First of all it means more stops and that means added pressure on the driver, to get on and off of pit road and Atlanta has a tough pit road to get on. It will place added pressure on the pit crews and it will also create more opportunities for crew chiefs to make errors in calculating their fuel mileage.
“The other thing it might do is provide fresher tires at the end of the race. That means guys like Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart, who run really well on worn out tires, aren’t going to have that little advantage they have in the past when the race finished under a long green run.”
Atlanta Motor Speedway boasts three of the eleven closest finishes in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup history since the advent of electronic timing, more than any other track. The new fuel cell could add to the history of close finishes.
“We know Atlanta has a history of door-to-door racing and incredible finishes,” McReynolds said. “Atlanta is a great track and is always a great race.”
This Press Release and any images that are used,
are used with permission. Do not duplicate or
redistribute in any form without permission or credit
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Preliminary Entry List
Atlanta Motor
Kobalt Tools 500
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Mon, March 12, 2007 @ 02:02 PM Eastern
Car Driver Driver's Hometown Team Name Owner
00 David Reutimann Zephyrhills, FL Domino's Toyota Michael Waltrip
01 Mark Martin Batesville, AR U.S. Army Chevrolet Bobby Ginn
1 Martin Truex Jr Mayetta, NJ Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Chevrolet Teresa Earnhardt
2 Kurt Busch Las Vegas, NV Miller Lite Dodge Roger Penske
4 Ward Burton South Boston, VA Lucas Oil Products Chevrolet Larry McClure
5 Kyle Busch Las Vegas, NV Kellogg's-CARQUEST Chevrolet Rick Hendrick
6 David Ragan Kannapolis, NC AAA Ford Georgetta Roush
7 Robby Gordon Cerritos, CA Jim Beam Ford Robby Gordon
07 Clint Bowyer Emporia, KS Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Richard Childress
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr Kannapolis, NC Budweiser Chevrolet Teresa Earnhardt
9 Kasey Kahne Enumclaw, WA Dodge Dealers / UAW Dodge Ray Evernham
10 Scott Riggs Durham, NC Valvoline / Stanley Tools Dodge James Rocco
11 Denny Hamlin Midlothian, VA FeDex Ground Chevrolet J.D. Gibbs
12 Ryan Newman South Bend, IN Alltel Dodge Roger Penske
13 Joe Nemechek Naples, FL CertainTeed Chevrolet Bobby Ginn
14 Sterling Marlin Columbia, TN Panasonic Chevrolet Bobby Ginn
15 Paul Menard Eau Claire, WI Menards Chevrolet Teresa Earnhardt
16 Greg Biffle Vancouver, WA Ameriquest Mortgage Ford Geoff Smith
17 Matt Kenseth Cambridge, WI DeWalt Ford Jack Roush
18 J.J. Yeley Phoenix, AZ Interstate Batteries Chevrolet Joe Gibbs
19 Elliott Sadler Emporia, VA Dodge Dealers / UAW Dodge Ray Evernham
20 Tony Stewart Columbus, IN The Home Depot Chevrolet Joe Gibbs
21 Ken Schrader Fenton, MO Motorcraft Genuine Parts Ford Glen Wood
22 Dave Blaney Hartford, OH Caterpillar Toyota Bill Davis
24 Jeff Gordon Pittsboro, IN DuPont Chevrolet Rick Hendrick
25 Casey Mears Bakersfield, CA GMAC Chevrolet Mary Hendrick
26 Jamie McMurray Joplin, MO Irwin Industrial Tools Ford Georgetta Roush
29 Kevin Harvick Bakersfield, CA Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Richard Childress
31 Jeff Burton South Boston, VA Cingular Wireless Chevrolet Richard Childress
33 Scott Wimmer Wausau, WI Holiday Inn Chevrolet Richard Childress
34 Kevin Lepage Shelburne, VT Makoto Ginger Dressing Chevrolet Bob Jenkins
36 Jeremy Mayfield Owensboro, KY 360 OTC Toyota Bill Davis
37 Bill Elliott Dawsonville, GA TBA Dodge John Carter
38 David Gilliland Riverside, CA M&M's Ford Robert Yates
40 David Stremme South Bend, IN Coors Light Dodge Chip Ganassi
41 Reed Sorenson Peachtree City, GA Target Dodge Chip Ganassi
42 Juan Pablo Montoya Bogota, CO Texaco / Havoline Dodge Floyd Ganassi
43 Bobby Labonte Corpus Christi, TX Cheerios / Betty Crocker Dodge Richard Petty
44 Dale Jarrett Hickory, NC UPS Toyota Michael Waltrip
45 Kyle Petty Randleman, NC National Tire & Battery Dodge Kyle Petty
48 Jimmie Johnson El Cajon, CA Lowe's Chevrolet Jeff Gordon
49 Mike Bliss Milwaukie, OR whatsonline.com Dodge Beth Ann Morgenthau
55 Michael Waltrip Owensboro, KY NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Michael Waltrip
66 Jeff Green Owensboro, KY Best Buy Chevrolet Gene Haas
70 Johnny Sauter Necedah, WI Yellow Transportation Chevrolet Gene Haas
78 Kenny Wallace St. Louis, MO Furniture Row Chevrolet Barney Visser
83 Brian Vickers Thomasville, NC Red Bull Toyota Dany Bahar
84 AJ Allmendinger Los Gatos, CA Red Bull Toyota Dany Bahar
88 Ricky Rudd Chesapeake, VA Snickers Ford Robert Yates
96 Tony Raines LaPorte, IN DLP HDTV Chevrolet Bill Saunders
99 Carl Edwards Columbia, MO Office Depot Ford Jack
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NASCAR team reports as the Nextel Cup tour pays its first visit of the season to Atlanta Motor Speedway for Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500. Kasey Kahne is the defending champion of the 500-mile race:
Mark Martin
No. 01 Chevrolet, Ginn Racing
This week: This is the first time Martin has scored three consecutive top-five finishes since 2002. Before joining Ginn Racing, Martin had never started a season with back-to-back top-fives, and his second-place finish in the Daytona 500 is also a career best in that event. The veteran has 21 top-10 finishes, 13 top-fives and two victories in 43 Cup starts at Atlanta.
Last week: Martin posted his third straight top-five finish with a fifth place at Las Vegas. He leads Jeff Gordon by six points heading to Atlanta.
Etc.: Martin will take a few weeks off after Sunday's race and, despite speculation to the contrary, continues to insist that he's going to run a limited schedule this year.
Jeff Gordon
No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
This week: Gordon has four wins, one pole, 12 top-fives and 18 top-10s in 29 races at Atlanta. In his last 17 starts there, he has finished outside the top 10 only four times. "I love Atlanta," Gordon said.
Last week: Gordon finished in the top eight for the third straight week when he was second at Vegas.
Etc.: Gordon joked about being distracted during the Vegas race. "I think I would have won the race if I didn't have a baby on the way," he said. "I just lost concentration thinking about the baby and what I'm going to name her."
Jeff Burton
No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
This week: Burton, who has five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 25 starts at Atlanta, has moved to the top spot in NASCAR's driver rating statistic, a formula that combines the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes.
Last week: Burton finished 15th at Las Vegas, but his big moment came in the Busch Series race the day before when he passed Kyle Busch on the last lap and went on to win the Sam's Town 300.
Etc: This weekend's Busch race is the third of 18 that Burton is scheduled to drive this year.
Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
This week: Johnson has one win, two second-place finishes and two thirds in 11 Atlanta starts. "I hope they leave that place alone and never touch it and never think about resurfacing it," he said. "I think it puts on a great show."
Last week: Johnson ran away with a decisive victory, the reigning Nextel Cup champion's third straight at Las Vegas and 24th of his career.
Etc: Johnson's victory was the 150th for Hendrick Motorsports. "Before I had a full-time ride at Hendrick and I was running my three races for them, I was on campus to celebrate the 100th win and I thought, 'Man, I hope I can win a race for Mr. Hendrick someday,' " Johnson said.
Matt Kenseth
No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing
This week: Kenseth has two consecutive top-five finishes heading into Atlanta, where he has four top-fives and seven top-10s in 14 races. Since the end of 2002, Kenseth has not qualified better than 23rd in eight attempts at Atlanta. Kenseth did start from the pole last fall, but it was because qualifying was rained out. Despite that pole, Kenseth's average starting position at Atlanta is 23.8.
Last week: Kenseth's fourth place at Las Vegas made it his best track, with a 7.6 average finish in eight starts.
Etc: Sunday's race will mark the fourth and last for interim crew chief Chip Bolin, calling the shots during Robbie Reiser's suspension.
Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
This week: Harvick returns to the site of his first victory — he drove to the win by inches over Jeff Gordon in 2001. It was Harvick's third race of his Cup career after he took over the ride following Dale Earnhardt's death. Last year, he finished 39th in this race and 31st in the fall 500-miler. He will drive chassis No. 163, a car that was completely rebuilt following a ninth-place finish at Pocono last season.
Last week: Harvick finished 27th at Las Vegas on Sunday.
Etc.: This weekend, RCR will be the first team to utilize Chevrolet's new R07 motor when Scott Wimmer hits the track with the No. 33 Chevy on Friday afternoon.
Kyle Busch
No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
This week: In three of Busch's five Cup starts at Atlanta, he has finished 12th. However, he has experienced better luck in NASCAR's other two premier series. Busch scored a Craftsman Truck Series win at Atlanta in October 2005 and won the pole in the Busch Series spring event last season.
Last week: Busch finished ninth in his hometown race.
Etc.: Busch is pleased with the way his season has started. "We've led laps every week so far. That says a lot with how competitive the series is," he said. "It gets harder to win one of these races every week, and I feel like we're right on the verge."
Denny Hamlin
No. 11 Chevrolet, Joe Gibbs Racing
This week: Hamlin's first three races at Atlanta have been all over the map. He started 25th and finished 19th in October 2005, in only his fourth career start. Last spring, led four times for 16 laps before handling problems and a loose wheel relegated him to a 31st-place finish. Last fall, he struggled early but fought back late for an eighth-place result.
Last week: Hamlin was third at Las Vegas, his ninth top-five finish in 46 career Cup starts and his third third-place finish in six races going back to the 2006 season.
Etc: "This is definitely a track where I don't feel completely comfortable yet," Hamlin said of Atlanta.
J.J. Yeley
No. 18 Chevrolet, Joe Gibbs Racing
This week: This will be Yeley's fourth Cup start at Atlanta. He finished 15th and 16th in the two races there last season. He will enter the Atlanta race sitting in the top 10 in points for three consecutive weeks for the first time in his short tenure as a Nextel Cup driver.
Last week: Yeley ran in the top 10 for much of the 267-lap event at Las Vegas before a hung lug nut during the last green flag stop of the day forced him to go a lap down. He finished 18th.
Etc.: Yeley has started the season with three consecutive top-20 finishes.
Elliott Sadler
No. 19 Dodge, Ray Evernham Motorsports
This week: Sadler has just three top-10s in 16 races at Atlanta but hopes chassis No. 129 can lead him closer to the front. Sadler finished 21st at Atlanta last October, his first AMS race for Evernham.
Last week: Sadler's weekend in Vegas resulted in a 14th-place finish. "Today was frustrating," Sadler said. "We had a great qualifying lap and great track position, but we just couldn't get a handle on the car. We were tight all day. The guys did a really good job on the car."
Etc.: Sadler is making his first appearance in the top 10 in standings this season.
David Stremme
No. 40 Dodge, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
This week: Things didn't go well at Atlanta for Stremme in his rookie season, when he finished 33rd and 39th. He knows he needs to run a lot better this weekend if he wants to stay where he is in the point standings. He's only three points back of 10th-place Elliott Sadler but just 31 ahead of Joe Nemechek and Bobby Labonte, who are tied for 20th.
Last week: Stremme finished 20th at Vegas to drop out of the top 10.
Etc.: Stremme said has been surprised early in his career by the way fans put the drivers on a pedestal. "We're not different than anybody else," he said.
David Gilliland
No. 38 Ford, Robert Yates Racing
This week: In his first start at Atlanta last fall, Gilliland finished 15th. For that reason, he is eager to return to the 1.54-mile speedway. "We had a real good run last year, and I think we'll have an even better one this weekend," said Gilliland.
Last week: Gilliland was forced to race his backup car after crashing during qualifying Friday. The accident also meant he had to start at the rear of the field Sunday.
Etc.: Gilliland, who didn't have a full-time ride a year ago at this time, said his life hasn't "changed that much" since landing the ride with Robert Yates Racing. "It's just gotten busier," said Gilliland.
Tony Stewart
No. 20 Chevrolet, Joe Gibbs Racing
This week: Stewart dominated the fall race at Atlanta, leading seven times for a race-high 146 laps in scoring his second win at the track. He will be driving the same car this weekend that he raced last fall. Stewart will be seeking his fourth straight top-10 finish at Atlanta and his 10th in the last 11 races there.
Last week: After expressing his displeasure with both the tire compound and the reconfigured layout at Vegas, Stewart pushed aside those thoughts and raced his way to a seventh-place finish.
Etc.: Stewart's car this weekend is the same one he drove to three wins during last year's final 10 races.
Robby Gordon
No. 7 Ford, Robby Gordon Motorsports
This week: Gordon scored his first top-10 finish at Atlanta last fall. In his first 11 races at the track, his best finish had been 14th.
Last week: Gordon recovered from an early race accident to finish 17th at Vegas. On lap nine, Gordon tried to get underneath Ward Burton, but Gordon got into Burton to trigger a three-car accident. Gordon escaped with only minor damage and was able to notch another top-20 finish.
Etc.: Gordon's life as an owner-driver has gotten a lot tougher in recent weeks with the news that longtime sponsor Harrah's is withdrawing its support. That was why Gordon was driving an all-black race car at Vegas without any sponsor decals.
Ryan Newman
No. 12 Dodge, Penske Racing
This week: Newman has four top-10 finishes and six poles in 10 starts at Atlanta. He will be driving the same car he ran last week at Vegas.
Last week: Newman was all smiles after finishing eighth at Vegas. "We're happy based on what we've been running (in the past year at the intermediate tracks)," said Newman. "It was a good run for us."
Etc.: Newman said his team needs "to take a lot of pictures of the 48 car (driven by Vegas winner Jimmie Johnson). We've definitely got some things (in the downforce area) we need to work on, but we're going to work on them as a team."
Greg Biffle
No. 16 Ford, Roush Racing
This week: Biffle will be seeking his sixth top-10 finish in the last seven races at Atlanta. But Biffle is still looking for his first win at the track despite leading a race-high 128 laps last spring and 151 laps in the 2005 spring race. Last year, he ran out of gas late in the race and finished 16th.
Last week: Biffle overcame a one-lap penalty for pitting outside the box to finish 16th at Vegas, the first car a lap down.
Etc.: Biffle has not finished in the top 10 in the first three races of 2007, but he is only nine points out of the Chase. Less than 100 points separate positions 10 through 28.
Carl Edwards
No. 99 Ford, Roush Racing
This week: Edwards won both races at Atlanta in 2005, including his first win in the Nextel Cup Series. He has three top-five and four top-10 finishes in his five starts at AMS. He has led at least one lap in four of the races.
Last week: Edwards was beaming after his sixth-place finish at Vegas, which moved him up nine spots in the standings, from 26th to 17th.
Etc.: Edwards admits he got frustrated when he went winless in 2006. He said this year he is determined to "remember exactly how fortunate I am to be doing what I'm doing and getting joy out of the process."
Clint Bowyer
No. 07 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
This week: Bowyer has finished 25th and 27th in his two Nextel Cup starts at Atlanta.
Last week: Bowyer seemed headed for a top-15 finish at Vegas when his car suddenly broke loose on lap 226 of the 267-lap event and bounced hard off the second-turn wall. As a result, Bowyer ended up 36th to drop from sixth to 18th in the standings. "This was my favorite car — that's what makes me sicker than anything," Bowyer said.
Etc.: Bowyer said "Atlanta separates the men from the boys, that's for sure. You've got to let it all hang out and go for broke."
David Ragan
No. 6 Ford, Roush Racing
This week: Ragan, who will be making his first start at Atlanta this weekend, holds a 37-30 lead over Juan Pablo Montoya in the rookie point standings. Ragan hopes to become only the eighth rookie driver to earn a top-five finish in the spring race at Atlanta.
Last week: Ragan crashed on the second lap of the Vegas race to put an end to any hopes he had of staying in the top 10 in the point standings. After the crew made repairs to the badly damaged Ford, Ragan returned to the track and finished 37th.
Etc.: Ragan dropped from fifth to 19th in the points as a result of his bad day at Vegas.
Joe Nemechek
No. 13 Chevrolet, Ginn Racing
This week: In 26 starts at Atlanta, Nemechek has seven top-10 finishes, including a second place on Nov. 27, 2002. He finished ninth last fall.
Last week: Nemechek's hopes for staying in the top 10 ended on lap 17 at Vegas when he was clipped by Clint Bowyer. The contact sent Nemechek into the wall, causing extensive damage to the rear of the car. After repairs, Nemechek returned to the track and finished 38th to drop from seventh to 20th in the standings.
Etc.: Nemechek will drive a new car in this year's race. "We're fired up about this new car after seeing the results from our wind tunnel test last week," said crew chief Peter Sospenzo.
Bobby Labonte
No. 43 Dodge, Petty Enterprises
This week: Labonte has won six times at Atlanta — more than any other active driver. He has 12 top-five finishes in his 28 starts at the track.
Last week: A cut tire during qualifying sent Labonte crashing hard into the wall and forced the team to go to a backup car for the Vegas race, but he still finished 13th.
Etc.: Labonte looks on the race this weekend a "good barometer of upcoming races because we have so many races on tracks that are similar to Atlanta. This will be the first race that we really get a good idea of what we have for the intermediate tracks. Everyone wants to see good results this weekend."
OTHERS
Kurt Busch (No. 2 Dodge, Penske Racing) has one win and three top-10 finishes in 12 Atlanta starts. He will be driving the car he named "Rusty" after winning the spring race at Bristol last year. Busch has run the car only twice — at both Bristol races in 2006. ... Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Ford, Roush Racing) has posted three top-10 finishes in nine starts at Atlanta. He won a Busch Series event at the 1.54-mile track in 2002. McMurray will be driving the same car that he ran last week at Vegas, where he was 10th — his first top-10 finish in 20 races. ... Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Chevrolet, DEI) has three DNFs in his four Nextel Cup starts at Atlanta. He finished 12th at Vegas to jump 11 spots in the standings, from 38th to 27th. ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Chevrolet, DEI) has finished fourth or better in the last three races at Atlanta and has nine top-10 finishes in the last 11 races there, including a win in the 2004 spring race. Earnhardt jumped from 40th to 28th after his 11th-place finish at Vegas.
***
Notes provided by The Sports Xchange
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By the Numbers: Atlanta
By Jarrod Breeze, NASCAR.COM
March 15, 2007
08:16 PM EDT
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Welcome to Hotlanta, home to some of NASCAR's best racing.
The popular connotation of Atlanta's namesake belies the city's scorching climate, but rarely do temperatures reach 100 degrees. Since 1950, only six years have seen recorded temperatures in the triple-digits, with the most recent occurrence in 2000.
But there's been plenty of heat, both in terms of speed and hotly contested races, at the 1.5-mile oval that sits 25 miles south of the Georgia capital in Hampton.
Since May 1993 and the implementation of electronic scoring, Atlanta Motor Speedway has been home to three of the 11 closest finishes in Nextel Cup Series history, with two of those ranking among the top five closest of all-time and all of them happening within the last decade of racing.
• 3-11-01: Kevin Harvick beat Jeff Gordon by .006 seconds, third-closest
• 3-12-00: Dale Earnhardt beat Bobby Labonte by .010 seconds, fifth-closest
• 3-20-05: Carl Edwards beat Jimmie Johnson by .028 seconds, tied for 11th-closest
Geoffrey Bodine's qualifying lap of 197.478 mph after a reconfiguration in 1997 made AMS the third-fastest track. Kasey Kahne's pole-winning effort of 192.553 in this event last year was the second-fastest qualifying speed in 2006.
Maybe track officials should consider a name change: Fastlanta Motor Speedway. Or perhaps they'll stick to their current slogan: Real Racing. Real Fast.
Interesting Fact
1Career victory for Bob Burdick. Burdick won his only Atlanta start in 1961 during a career that spanned just 15 races. In 1959, Burdick raced at the old Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, finishing 40th after crashing four laps into the event.
Fun Fact
1.4Rate of servings per day, in billions, of Coca-Cola products. The Coca-Cola Co., which encompasses more than 400 brands consisting of more than 2,600 beverage products, is the largest beverage company in the world with consumers in more than 200 countries. Its headquarters are located in Atlanta, where the drink was first invented in 1885.
All the Facts
0Lead-lap finishes by Kenny Wallace in 20 AMS races.
2Current drivers to post his first career victory at Atlanta: Kevin Harvick (2001) in just his third Cup start; Carl Edwards (2005) in his second career AMS start.
3Consecutive top-fives by Dale Earnhardt Jr. at AMS. He has nine top-10s in the past 11 races there.
6Times the Atlanta races have been swept in the same season: March Panch (1965), Bobby Allison (1972), David Pearson (1973), Bill Elliott (1985, 1992), Carl Edwards (2005).
6Atlanta poles for Ryan Newman, which came consecutively from 2003-05. His average start in 10 races in 3.3.
6.192Average running position for Greg Biffle in the past four races at Atlanta, best of any driver. He has three top-10 finishes during that span and a career 12.0 average finish in eight Atlanta starts.
7Place of finish in the first Atlanta race last year for Paul Menard, his only top-10 in 11 career starts.
8Wins from a top-10 starting position in the past 10 races at Atlanta. Tony Stewart started 11th in his victory this past October.
9Wins at Atlanta by Dale Earnhardt, more than any other driver.
10Top-10s by Tony Stewart in the past 11 Atlanta races. He finished 17th in the first 2005 race.
10.4Average finish for Carl Edwards in five AMS races, best of any active driver with more than one start.
14Times an Atlanta race has been won from the pole, last accomplished by Kasey Kahne in the spring of 2006.
20Years between Dale Earnhardt's first Atlanta victory in 1980 and his last in 2000.
57Career starts at Atlanta by Bill Elliott, more than any other driver entered in this week's event. In honor of the Dawsonville, Ga., native, the East Turn Grandstand was renamed Elliott Grandstand this past October. Elliott has six wins at his designated home track and has led 1,024 laps, more than any active driver.
95Cup races held at Atlanta International Raceway/Atlanta Motor Speedway. Only five other tracks have held more: Daytona (120), Martinsville (116), Darlington (103), Richmond (101), Charlotte (96).
116.0Driver rating for Greg Biffle in the past four races at Atlanta, highest of any driver. Biffle led a race-high 128 in this event last year but ran out of gas and finished 16th.
308 Laps led by Cale Yarborough in the spring race of 1969, most by any Atlanta winner
1982Year the movie "Six Pack" was released. Actual footage from the 1982 Coca-Cola 500, won by Darrell Waltrip, was used in the film.
__________________ Auto racing, bull fighting and mountain climbing are the only real sports... the rest are just games........ Earnest Hemmingway
NASCAR Starting Grid
Status: Upcoming Last Updated: Saturday, Mar 17, 2007 2:30 am EDT
Kobalt Tools 500
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Preview | Qualifying | Leaderboard | Results
Order Driver (No.) Car Qualifying Speed
1 Ryan Newman (12) Dodge 193.124 mph
2 Elliott Sadler (19) Dodge 191.894 mph
3 Jimmie Johnson (48) Chevrolet 191.787 mph
4 Mark Martin (01) Chevrolet 191.774 mph
5 Jeff Gordon (24) Chevrolet 191.714 mph
6 Bobby Labonte (43) Dodge 191.648 mph
7 David Stremme (40) Dodge 191.509 mph
8 Kyle Busch (5) Chevrolet 191.503 mph
9 Mike Bliss (49) Dodge 191.100 mph
10 Scott Riggs (10) Dodge 190.916 mph
11 Reed Sorenson (41) Dodge 190.837 mph
12 Kasey Kahne (9) Dodge 190.686 mph
13 Tony Stewart (20) Chevrolet 190.594 mph
14 Carl Edwards (99) Ford 190.398 mph
15 Clint Bowyer (07) Chevrolet 190.372 mph
16 Juan Pablo Montoya (42) Dodge 190.293 mph
17 Kurt Busch (2) Dodge 190.189 mph
18 Martin Truex Jr. (1) Chevrolet 190.176 mph
19 Joe Nemechek (13) Chevrolet 189.954 mph
20 J.J. Yeley (18) Chevrolet 189.850 mph
21 Matt Kenseth (17) Ford 189.837 mph
22 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8) Chevrolet 189.837 mph
23 Paul Menard (15) Chevrolet 189.818 mph
24 David Reutimann (00) Toyota 189.701 mph
25 Greg Biffle (16) Ford 189.564 mph
26 Johnny Sauter (70) Chevrolet 189.467 mph
27 David Gilliland (38) Ford 189.383 mph
28 Sterling Marlin (14) Chevrolet 189.105 mph
29 Ken Schrader (21) Ford 189.067 mph
30 Denny Hamlin (11) Chevrolet 188.841 mph
31 Brian Vickers (83) Toyota 188.828 mph
32 Jeff Burton (31) Chevrolet 188.494 mph
33 Tony Raines (96) Chevrolet 188.411 mph
34 Casey Mears (25) Chevrolet 188.360 mph
35 Dave Blaney (22) Toyota 188.302 mph
36 Kevin Harvick (29) Chevrolet 187.958 mph
37 Jamie McMurray (26) Ford 187.133 mph
38 David Ragan (6) Ford 185.754 mph
39 Robby Gordon (7) Ford 185.493 mph
40 Kyle Petty (45) Dodge 184.499 mph
41 Jeff Green (66) Chevrolet 184.364 mph
42 Ricky Rudd (88) Ford 183.515 mph
43 Dale Jarrett (44) Toyota 186.660 mph
Did Not Qualify
Driver (No.) Car Qualifying Speed
Scott Wimmer (33) Chevrolet 188.751 mph
Ward Burton (4) Chevrolet 188.623 mph
John Andretti (37) Dodge 188.015 mph
Michael Waltrip (55) Toyota 187.551 mph
Kenny Wallace (78) Chevrolet 187.519 mph
Kevin Lepage (34) Dodge 186.881 mph
Jeremy Mayfield (36) Toyota 185.437 mph
A.J. Allmendinger (84) Toyota --
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2007 Kobalt Tools 500 Presented by DLPHDTV (325 of 325 laps completed - Final)
Pos. Driver Starting Pos. Car No. / Mfg.
1 Jimmie Johnson 3 #48 / Chevrolet
2 Tony Stewart 13 #20 / Chevrolet
3 Matt Kenseth 21 #17 / Ford
4 Jeff Burton 32 #31 / Chevrolet
5 Juan Pablo Montoya 16 #42 / Dodge
6 Clint Bowyer 15 #07 / Chevrolet
7 Carl Edwards 14 #99 / Ford
8 Martin Truex Jr. 18 #1 / Chevrolet
9 Reed Sorenson 11 #41 / Dodge
10 Mark Martin 4 #01 / Chevrolet
11 Kurt Busch 17 #2 / Dodge
12 Jeff Gordon 5 #24 / Chevrolet
13 David Stremme 7 #40 / Dodge
14 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 22 #8 / Chevrolet
15 Jamie McMurray 37 #26 / Ford
16 Bobby Labonte 6 #43 / Dodge
17 Joe Nemechek 19 #13 / Chevrolet
18 Elliott Sadler 2 #19 / Dodge
19 Denny Hamlin 30 #11 / Chevrolet
20 Robby Gordon 39 #7 / Ford
21 Mike Bliss 9 #49 / Dodge
22 J.J. Yeley 20 #18 / Chevrolet
23 Ryan Newman 1 #12 / Dodge
24 Sterling Marlin 28 #14 / Chevrolet
25 Kevin Harvick 36 #29 / Chevrolet
26 Ricky Rudd 42 #88 / Ford
27 Dave Blaney 35 #22 / Toyota
28 Casey Mears 34 #25 / Chevrolet
29 Johnny Sauter 26 #70 / Chevrolet
30 David Gilliland 27 #38 / Ford
31 Paul Menard 23 #15 / Chevrolet
32 Kyle Busch 8 #5 / Chevrolet
33 David Ragan 38 #6 / Ford
34 Kyle Petty 40 #45 / Dodge
35 Jeff Green 41 #66 / Chevrolet
36 Dale Jarrett 43 #44 / Toyota
37 Ken Schrader 29 #21 / Ford
38 Tony Raines 33 #96 / Chevrolet
39 Kasey Kahne 12 #9 / Dodge
40 David Reutimann 24 #00 / Toyota
41 Greg Biffle 25 #16 / Ford
42 Brian Vickers 31 #83 / Toyota
43 Scott Riggs 10 #10 / Dodge
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Atlanta Motorspeedway (3/18/07) Kobalt Tools 500
And I am afraid this is just a dream and I will wake up soon! ~LOL~ Having been a race fan for about 9 years now, and this being my first race, oh am I stoked!! I remember how it felt to be a kid before Christmas and that's how it feels to me now. 
I am opening this thread a little earlier than the others, because I am already finding info for the Atlanta track that I think y'all will like too. 
Smaller Fuel Cell Could Mean Even More Exciting Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Preliminary Entry List
dominate at Atlanta as he did at California.
