NASCAR’s Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway has delivered once again. With 50 lead changes among 15 drivers, 11 cautions, and an overtime finish, the event was a thriller. NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of the fans who was excited about the racing, and he expressed the same on his X handle.
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He praised the tires that Goodyear brought to the track for laying down a lot of rubber. He noted that the balance of the cars was a challenge for drivers and teams because of them. Carson Hocevar was at the center of all the chaos on Sunday. Dale Jr. then had an idea to keep the entire event engaging.
He wrote, “Just leave a camera on @CarsonHocevar, and we will all be entertained today. Man, the racing in the middle of the pack is wild. The onboard roof cameras are great for races like today also.” The Spire Motorsports youngster found himself at odds with the likes of Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Larson.
Finally, he summed up his emotions, “Man this racetrack has something special. I’m tensed up! What these drivers are doing is so mentally tough. Feels like everything is on edge.” Bell ultimately won the race despite not running inside the top 10 until only 30 laps remained. His escapade is a good example of why Dale Jr. felt the way he did.
Man this racetrack has something special. I'm tensed up! What these drivers are doing is so mentally tough. Feels like everything is on edge.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 23, 2025
Fans largely viewed the race in the same lens as he did. One wrote, “It’s hard to say that any track is ‘the best’ on the circuit, but, I can’t think of a track that’s been better than ATL the last few years. Great action!” Who could forget the narrow three-wide finish at Atlanta last year? It was one of the most iconic moments in recent racing history.
Another fan said, “Just like it used to be, almost every week. This has been a great race, as was yesterday. Championship weekend contender?” Phoenix Raceway currently hosts the Championship Weekend. Atlanta could get a lot of supporters behind it for the position as things stand.
One more comment followed, “Racing is really good today. Good tire, competetive, passing at the front. Cars being able to get good runs on the leaders. Love it.” A fan relayed what went on in everyone’s mind, writing, “If only we could have this type of racing every week.” The Craftsman Truck Series race on Saturday was a mind-bending affair as well.
Kyle Busch secured a narrow win over Stewart Friesen. Dale Jr. had already predicted that the race quality in Atlanta would be top-notch. He reposted a video of Chase Elliott claiming the same in an interview with Fronstretch and backed the idea.
With how things have been for the Next Gen car over its course in the sport, exciting reactions from the fraternity are finally starting to roll in for the package, only if it is one track for now.