Ahead of the second race of the NASCAR Cup regular season, Chase Elliott recently lauded the Atlanta Motor Speedway for its enhanced race quality, a direct result of the updates and reconfigurations executed by NASCAR between 2021 and 2022. And now, his commendations have garnered the approval of Dale Earnhardt Jr. as well.
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Dale Jr. amplified Elliott’s sentiments by reposting the latter’s Frontstretch interview on his official X handle, commenting, “Man, I like what I’m hearing from Chase here. Praising the reconfig. I remember when most drivers were very weary of a reconfig at ATL. ATL has a real chance to be explosive (in a good way) for @NASCAR . The racing I’ve seen there the past few years is some of the best around. Kept me on the edge of my seat.”
While being a 1.5-mile-long track, fans and newcomers would confuse the venue for an intermediate track on paper. However, despite its length, the track exhibits characteristics of a superspeedway race with plenty of drafting action.
Junior also predicted: “As the surface ages over the years and drivers have to really chase the handle on the cars, it’s going to get even more intense.” He further informed, “And there were some plans for additional development around the property that if they materialize will make it one of the most attractive stops of the season for fans.”
Atlanta Motor Speedway underwent a big transformation three years ago. Its banking was enhanced from 24 to 28 degrees in the turns and a narrowed racing surface from 55 to 40 feet. These modifications positioned Atlanta as the third drafting-style track in the circuit, echoing the Superspeedway racing experienced at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.
Elliott recently shared his thoughts on the revamped track, noting that as his home venue, he eagerly anticipates competing there. He also asserted that the recent reconfiguration has been fruitful, driving a surge in fan engagement and excitement.
He quipped, “Selfishly, I think it’s great that they have two races because I don’t have to go as far to go to the track, which is great.” However, pivoting to a more earnest tone, Elliott acknowledged the benefit of hosting two races, noting how it led to some impressive finishes in NASCAR.
For instance, last year’s Ambetter Health 400 witnessed one of the narrowest finishes in NASCAR’s history, with Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Busch finishing within mere fractions of a second of each other. It remains to be seen whether this year’s race will replicate the stimulating competition witnessed last year, just as Dale Earnhardt Jr. seems to predict.
