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Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia, going into the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 on March 21 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Atlanta Motor Speedway Data
Season Race #: 6 of 36 (03-21-21)
Track Size: 1.54-miles
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  2,332 feet
Backstretch Length:  1,800 feet
Race Length: 325 laps / 500.5 miles
Stage 1 & 2: 105 Laps (each)
Final Stage: 115 Laps

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Atlanta
Kevin Harvick……………………… 102.2
Brad Keselowski……………………. 96.9
Martin Truex Jr……………………… 96.9
Kurt Busch…………………………… 96.7
Denny Hamlin……………………….. 94.7
Kyle Busch…………………………… 94.0
Chase Elliott…………………………. 93.1
Kyle Larson………………………….. 90.2
Joey Logano………………………… 83.6
Ryan Blaney…………………………. 83.6
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (22 total) among active drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2020 pole winner:

None – Due to Pandemic Restrictions

Starting Lineup set by Metric Qualifying;

Chase Elliott started in first.

2020 race winner:

Kevin Harvick, Ford

142.966 mph, (03:30:03), 06-07-20

Track qualifying record:

Geoffrey Bodine, Ford

197.478 mph, 28.074 secs. 11-15-97

Track race record:

Bobby Labonte, Pontiac

159.904 mph, (03:07:48), 11-16-97

Atlanta Motor Speedway Cup Pole Winners

Rank Pole Winners (53) Poles
1 Buddy Baker 7
2 Ryan Newman 7
3 Cale Yarborough 6
4 Bill Elliott 5
5 Fireball Roberts 5
6 Dale Earnhardt 4
7 Richard Petty 4
8 Alan Kulwicki 3
9 Fred Lorenzen 3
10 Geoff Bodine 3
11 Harry Gant 3
12 Marvin Panch 3
13 Rusty Wallace 3
14 Bobby Allison 2
15 Bobby Labonte 2
16 Dale Earnhardt Jr 2
17 Dale Jarrett 2
18 Dave Marcis 2
19 David Pearson 2
20 Jeff Gordon 2
21 Junior Johnson 2
22 Kasey Kahne 2
23 Kevin Harvick 2
24 Mark Martin 2
25 A.J. Foyt 1
26 Aric Almirola 1
27 Banjo Matthews 1
28 Charlie Glotzbach 1
29 Curtis Turner 1
30 Darel Dieringer 1
31 Darrell Waltrip 1
32 Denny Hamlin 1
33 Greg Biffle 1
34 Greg Sacks 1
35 Joey Logano 1
36 John Andretti 1
37 Johnny Benson 1
38 Kenny Irwin Jr 1
39 Kevin Lepage 1
40 Kurt Busch 1
41 Kyle Busch 1
42 LeeRoy Yarbrough 1
43 Loy Allen Jr 1
44 Martin Truex Jr 1
45 Morgan Shepherd 1
46 Neil Bonnett 1
47 Rick Mast 1
48 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 1
49 Robby Gordon 1
50 Sam Sommers 1
51 Terry Labonte 1
52 Tim Richmond 1
53 Tony Stewart 1

Atlanta Motor Speedway Race Winners

Rank Race Winners (44) Wins
1 Dale Earnhardt 9
2 Cale Yarborough 7
3 Bobby Labonte 6
4 Richard Petty 6
5 Bill Elliott 5
6 Bobby Allison 5
7 Jeff Gordon 5
8 Jimmie Johnson 5
9 David Pearson 4
10 Fred Lorenzen 4
11 Carl Edwards 3
12 Darrell Waltrip 3
13 Kasey Kahne 3
14 Kurt Busch 3
15 Kevin Harvick 3
16 Morgan Shepherd 3
17 Neil Bonnett 3
18 Tony Stewart 3
19 Brad Keselowski 2
20 Buddy Baker 2
21 Kyle Busch 2
22 LeeRoy Yarbrough 2
23 Mark Martin 2
24 Marvin Panch 2
25 Rusty Wallace 2
26 A.J. Foyt 1
27 Benny Parsons 1
28 Bob Burdick 1
29 Bobby Johns 1
30 Dale Earnhardt Jr 1
31 Dale Jarrett 1
32 Dave Marcis 1
33 Denny Hamlin 1
34 Dick Hutcherson 1
35 Donnie Allison 1
36 Ernie Irvan 1
37 Fireball Roberts 1
38 Jerry Nadeau 1
39 Jim Hurtubise 1
40 Junior Johnson 1
41 Ken Schrader 1
42 Ned Jarrett 1
43 Rex White 1
44 Ricky Rudd 1

The NASCAR Cup Series 2021 Top 16 in Driver Standings at Atlanta

Rk. Driver Races Poles Wins Top Fives Top 10s DNFs Average Finish Driver Rating
1 Denny Hamlin 21 1 1 5 8 3 17.3 94.7
2 Brad Keselowski 12 0 2 4 8 3 14.6 96.9
3 Joey Logano 14 1 0 2 5 0 16.6 83.6
4 Martin Truex Jr 22 1 0 5 10 4 16.3 96.9
5 Kyle Larson 6 0 0 1 3 0 13.8 90.2
6 Chase Elliott 5 0 0 1 4 0 10.0 93.1
7 Kevin Harvick 30 2 3 9 15 4 15.8 102.2
8 Christopher Bell 1 0 0 0 0 0 18.0 71.6
9 William Byron 3 0 0 0 0 0 22.7 52.2
10 Kurt Busch 29 1 3 7 15 3 14.6 96.7
11 Michael McDowell 10 0 0 0 0 4 33.8 37.9
12 Austin Dillon 8 0 0 0 0 0 21.4 66.6
13 Ryan Blaney 5 0 0 1 1 0 16.2 83.6
14 Ryan Preece 2 0 0 0 0 1 30.5 55.1
15 Kyle Busch 22 1 2 6 9 1 13.9 94.0
16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 8 1 0 0 1 1 17.8 77.0

* – Based on Loop Data from the last 22 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2005 – 2020).

Atlanta Motor Speedway:

HISTORY

  • Originally called Atlanta International Raceway, the track was then a 1.5-mile paved speedway.
  • The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, won by Fireball Roberts from the pole position.
  • The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the spring of 1970.
  • It was renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1990.
  • The track layout was reversed, and the track was re-configured to 1.54 miles between the two races in 1997.
  • From 1960 – 2010, Atlanta Motor Speedway hosted multiple NASCAR Cup Series races during each season; starting in 2011 the series began only visiting Atlanta once a year (2011-2020). This season marks the first time since 2010, the series will visit the facility more than once a season.
  • From 1987 to 2000 Atlanta Motor Speedway held the final championship race of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
  • In total, there have been 113 NASCAR Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since the first race there in 1960.

STARTS

  • A total of 582 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway; 393 have competed in more than one at Atlanta.
  • Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway with 65; followed by Bill Elliott (62) and Dave Marcis (59).
  • Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers in NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta with 30 starts; followed by Kurt Busch with 29 and Ryan Newman with 28.
  • A total of 67 NASCAR Cup Series drivers have made their series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
  • Two active NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted their first career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Martin Truex Jr. (10/31/2004) and Cody Ware (3/5/2017).
NASCAR Cup Series
First-Time Starters at Atlanta since 1990
Drivers First Start Date
Harrison Rhodes February 25, 2018
Cody Ware March 5, 2017
Jeb Burton March 1, 2015
Ty Dillon August 31, 2014
Erik Darnell September 6, 2009
Bill Lester March 19, 2006
Reed Sorenson October 30, 2005
Mike Garvey March 20, 2005
Martin Truex Jr October 31, 2004
Scott Wimmer November 20, 2000
Buckshot Jones November 16, 1997
Gary Bradberry November 13, 1994
Jeff Gordon November 15, 1992
Wally Dallenbach Jr March 18, 1991
Steve Grissom November 18, 1990
  • The best finish by a driver making their NASCAR Cup Series career debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway was runner-up by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace on March 16, 1980.
  • Fred Lorenzen leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Atlanta Motor Speedway with a 4.105 in 19 starts.
  • Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Atlanta with a 7.429 in 28 starts.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Atlanta (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Avg Start Races Rank Active Drivers Avg Start Races
1 Fred Lorenzen 4.105 19 1 Ryan Newman 7.429 28
2 Fireball Roberts 4.500 10 2 Kyle Larson 8.667 11
3 Cotton Owens 5.000 2 3 Ricky Stenhouse Jr 10.750 13
4 Earl Balmer 5.500 4 4 Kyle Busch 11.091 27
5 Dick Hutcherson 5.800 5 5 Denny Hamlin 11.762 26
6 Banjo Matthews 6.500 6 6 Brad Keselowski 15.000 17
7 Joe Weatherly 7.000 9 7 Kurt Busch 15.069 35
8 Ryan Newman 7.429 28 8 Martin Truex Jr 15.409 27
9 Nelson Stacy 7.500 6 9 Erik Jones 15.500 9
10 Junior Johnson 8.385 13 10 Kevin Harvick 16.067 35

POLES

  • A total of 53 different drivers have won at least one Busch Pole Award at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, 24 have posted more than one, nine are active this weekend.
NASCAR Cup Series
Active Busch Pole Winners at Atlanta
Active Pole Winners (9) Poles
Ryan Newman 7
Kevin Harvick 2
Aric Almirola 1
Denny Hamlin 1
Joey Logano 1
Kurt Busch 1
Kyle Busch 1
Martin Truex Jr 1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr 1
  • Buddy Baker and Ryan Newman are tied for the NASCAR Cup Series most poles at Atlanta with seven each.
  • Fireball Roberts won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Award at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1960 with a speed of 133.870 mph in a Pontiac.
  • Youngest Atlanta pole winner: Terry Labonte (03/15/1981 – 24 years, 3 months, 27 days).
  • Oldest Atlanta pole winner: Harry Gant (11/14/1993 – 53 years, 10 months, 4 days).
  • Winning consecutive poles has happened 10 times at Atlanta in the NASCAR Cup Series, among six different drivers:
    • Fireball Roberts (1960 sweep, 1961 second & third race),
    • Cale Yarborough (1969, 1970, 1978 sweep),
    • Dave Marcis (1975, 1976),
    • Buddy Baker (1979 sweep, 1980),
    • Alan Kulwicki (1989 sweep),
    • Ryan Newman (2003 sweep, 2004 sweep, 2005 sweep).
  • Ryan Newman holds the record for most consecutive poles at Atlanta with six; from the spring of 2003 through 2005.
  • A total of nine drivers have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series pole at Atlanta.
Drivers Date
Ricky Stenhouse Jr Sunday, September 1, 2013
Kevin Lepage Sunday, November 21, 1999
Kenny Irwin Jr Sunday, November 8, 1998
Robby Gordon Sunday, March 9, 1997
Johnny Benson Sunday, March 10, 1996
Rick Mast Sunday, November 15, 1992
Terry Labonte Sunday, March 15, 1981
Sam Sommers Sunday, November 6, 1977
Cale Yarborough Sunday, April 2, 1967

WINS

  • A total of 44 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Atlanta Motor Speedway, 25 have won more than one, and five former Atlanta winners are active this weekend.
Active Atlanta Winners Wins
Kevin Harvick 3
Kurt Busch 3
Brad Keselowski 2
Kyle Busch 2
Denny Hamlin 1
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway with nine victories (1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2000).
  • Kevin Harvick (2001, 2018, 2020) and Kurt Busch (2002, 2009, 2010) lead all active series winners at Atlanta with three victories each.
  • Youngest Cup Series Atlanta winner: Kyle Busch (03/09/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 7 days).
  • Oldest Cup Series Atlanta winner: Morgan Shepherd (03/20/1993 – 51 years, 5 months, 8 days).
  • A total of seven different drivers, including one active NASCAR Cup Series driver, have posted their first career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
Cup Series First-Time Winners at Atlanta Season
Carl Edwards 2005
Kevin Harvick 2001
Jerry Nadeau 2000
Jim Hurtubise 1966
Bob Burdick 1961
Bobby Johns 1960
  • Four of the five active NASCAR Cup Series winners at Atlanta Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick is the only active driver to win at Atlanta in his first appearance (2001).
  • Denny Hamlin competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway 12 times before winning in the spring of 2012; the longest span of any of the five active NASCAR Cup Series winners.
  • Among the five active NASCAR Cup Series Atlanta winners Denny Hamlin (12) is the only driver to have made 10 or more attempts before his first win.
  • Ryan Newman leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta without visiting Victory Lane at 28; followed by Martin Truex Jr. at 22.
  • No driver has swept the triple header weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway across all three NASCAR national series. Two drivers have won in multiple NASCAR national series races in the same weekend at Atlanta: Carl Edwards (2005, NCS/NXS); (Fall 2008, NCS/NXS),Kyle Busch (Spring 2008, NCS/NCWTS)
  • 11 drivers have won consecutive races at Atlanta in the NASCAR Cup Series:
Drivers Seasons
1 Marvin Panch 1965 Sweep
2 Bobby Allison 1972 Sweep
3 David Pearson 1973 Sweep
4 Richard Petty 1974 Fall 1975 Spring
5 Cale Yarborough 1980 Fall 1981 Spring
6 Bill Elliott 1985 Sweep 1992 Sweep
7 Dale Earnhardt 1989 Fall 1990 Spring 1995 Fall 1996 Spring
8 Bobby Labonte 1997 Fall 1998 Spring
9 Jeff Gordon 1998 Fall 1999 Spring
10 Carl Edwards 2005 Sweep
11 Jimmie Johnson 2007 Sweep 2015, 2016
  • The most proficient starting position in the field at Atlanta Motor Speedway is the fifth starting position – it has produced more wins (16) than any other starting position.
  • A total of 13 of the 113 NASCAR Cup Series races (11.5%) have been won from the Busch Pole.
  • 12 different drivers accomplished the feat of winning at Atlanta from the pole, NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty is the only driver to do it twice (1975, 1977).
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt is the only driver to start from the first position due to qualifying being cancelled and win in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway (1990).

Wins by Starting Positions at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Starting Position Wins Winning % Starting Position Wins Winning %
1 14 12.39% 14 2 1.77%
2 12 10.62% 15 1 0.88%
3 10 8.85% 17 2 1.77%
4 10 8.85% 18 1 0.88%
5 16 14.16% 19 3 2.65%
6 4 3.54% 20 2 1.77%
7 6 5.31% 21 2 1.77%
8 6 5.31% 22 1 0.88%
9 8 7.08% 31 1 0.88%
10 2 1.77% 35 1 0.88%
11 4 3.54% 37 2 1.77%
12 1 0.88% 39 1 0.88%
13 1 0.88%
Stats Winning % Wins
Winning from the Pole: 12.39% 14
Winning from the Front Row: 23.01% 26
Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position: 54.87% 62
Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position: 77.88% 88
Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20: 7.08% 8
  • The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Atlanta is 39th, by Bobby Labonte in the fall of 2001.
  • The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at Atlanta is 37th, by Jimmie Johnson in 2015.
  • In total 41 different owners have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway; eight Atlanta winning organizations are active this weekend.
Active Organization Winners Wins
Hendrick Motorsports 14
Wood Brothers Racing 12
Joe Gibbs Racing 11
Richard Childress Racing 9
Roush Fenway Racing 6
Team Penske 5
Stewart-Haas Racing 3
Richard Petty Motorsports 2
  • The Hendrick Motorsports organization has the most wins at Atlanta in the NASCAR Cup Series with 14 victories: Darrell Waltrip (1989), Ken Schrader (1991), Jeff Gordon (1995, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2011), Jerry Nadeau (2000), Jimmie Johnson (2004, 2007 sweep, 2015, 2016) and Kasey Kahne (2014).
  • Nine different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta; led by Chevrolet with 40 victories; followed by Ford (33), Pontiac (11), Dodge (nine), Mercury (eight), Buick (four), Plymouth (four), Toyota (three) and Oldsmobile (one).
  • The longest consecutive wins streak by a manufacturer in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway is four victories and both Ford and Chevrolet have accomplished the feat three times.
    • Ford – (1964 sweep-1965 sweep), (Nov. 1991, 1992 sweep, Mar. 1993), (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020).
    • Chevrolet – (1983 sweep-1984 sweep), (1995 sweep-1996 sweep), (2003 sweep-2004 sweep),
  • Ford has the opportunity this weekend to become the first manufacturer to win five straight at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes

  • A total of 54 different drivers have finished runner-up in the NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway; 28 of the 54 have posted multiple runner-up finishes.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and David Pearson lead the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway with seven each.
  • Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with two runner-up finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2009, 2015).

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Atlanta (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Runner-Ups Rank Active Drivers Runner-Ups
1 Dale Earnhardt 7 1 Kevin Harvick 2
2 David Pearson 7 2 Brad Keselowski 1
3 Richard Petty 6 Joey Logano 1
4 Dale Jarrett 5 Kyle Busch 1
Jeff Gordon 5 Kyle Larson 1
Martin Truex Jr 1

Top-Five Finishes

  • A total of 112 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished inside the top-five at Atlanta Motor Speedway; 74 of the 112 Cup drivers with top fives at Atlanta have multiple top-five finishes on the 1.54-mile track.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway with 26; followed by fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough with 23.
  • Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top-five finishes at Atlanta with nine.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Atlanta (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Top Fives Rank Active Drivers Top Fives
1 Dale Earnhardt 26 1 Kevin Harvick 9
2 Cale Yarborough 23 2 Kurt Busch 7
3 Richard Petty 22 3 Kyle Busch 6
4 Darrell Waltrip 18 4 Denny Hamlin 5
5 Bobby Allison 17 5 Martin Truex Jr 5
Buddy Baker 17
David Pearson 17

Top-10 Finishes

  • A total of 202 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished inside the top-10 at Atlanta Motor Speedway; 126 of the 202 have multiple top fives at Atlanta in the series.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Atlanta with 33.
  • Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with 15 top-10 finishes at Atlanta each.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Atlanta (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Top Fives Rank Active Drivers Top Fives
1 Richard Petty 33 1 Kevin Harvick 15
2 Dale Earnhardt 30 2 Kurt Busch 15
3 Cale Yarborough 29 3 Martin Truex Jr 10
4 Darrell Waltrip 28 4 Kyle Busch 9
5 Bobby Allison 27 5 Ryan Newman 9
Buddy Baker 27

Average Finishing Position

  • Dick Hutcherson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Atlanta Motor Speedway with a 3.6 in five starts.
  • Chase Elliott leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Atlanta Motor Speedway with a 10.0 in five starts.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Atlanta (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Avg Finish Races Rank Active Drivers Avg Finish Races
1 Dick Hutcherson 3.600 5 1 Chase Elliott 10.000 5
2 Lee Petty 7.000 2 2 Kyle Larson 13.833 6
3 Troy Ruttman 7.000 2 3 Kyle Busch 13.864 22
4 Speedy Thompson 8.000 2 4 Brad Keselowski 14.583 12
5 Dale Earnhardt 9.543 46 5 Kurt Busch 14.586 29
6 Chase Elliott 10.000 5 6 Erik Jones 15.000 4
7 Billy Wade 10.250 4 7 Kevin Harvick 15.767 30
8 Bob Welborn 10.286 7 8 Ryan Blaney 16.200 5
9 Rex White 10.455 11 9 Martin Truex Jr 16.273 22
10 Ernie Irvan 11.850 20 10 Joey Logano 16.642 14

LAP LEADERS

  • A total of 167 different drivers have led at least one lap in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Atlanta Motor Speedway with 3,283 laps led in 47 starts. He is one of just seven drivers all-time to lead more than 3,000 laps at a single track, and the only one to do it on a 1.5-mile speedway.
  • Kevin Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led at Atlanta with 1,197 in 29 starts.
  • The most laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Atlanta Motor Speedway was 308 laps led of the scheduled 334 (92.2%) by NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough on March 30, 1969; he started from fifth.
  • The most laps led by a NASCAR Cup Series river that did not win the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway was 292 laps led of the scheduled 325 (89.8%) by Kevin Harvick on March 5, 2017; he started from the pole.
  • The fewest laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Atlanta Motor Speedway was one lap – the final lap – of the scheduled 267 by NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson on September 17, 1961; he started the race fifth.

Top 10 NASCAR Cup Series Lap Leaders at Atlanta (All-Time & Active)

Rank All-Time Drivers Led Completed % Led
1 Cale Yarborough 3,283 12,891 25.5%
2 Dale Earnhardt 2,655 13,834 19.2%
3 Richard Petty 1,827 17,513 10.4%
4 David Pearson 1,482 9,444 15.7%
5 Kevin Harvick 1,348 9,542 14.1%
6 Jeff Gordon 1,297 12,590 10.3%
7 Bobby Allison 1,166 12,672 9.2%
8 Bill Elliott 1,017 17,429 5.8%
9 Tony Stewart 974 8,690 11.2%
10 Bobby Labonte 959 11,016 8.7%
Rank Active Drivers Led Completed % Led
1 Kevin Harvick 1,348 9,542 14.1%
2 Kurt Busch 803 8,761 9.2%
3 Kyle Busch 439 6,900 6.4%
4 Denny Hamlin 391 6,398 6.1%
5 Martin Truex Jr 351 6,945 5.1%
6 Joey Logano 195 4,560 4.3%
7 Ryan Newman 195 8,903 2.2%
8 Kyle Larson 149 1,957 7.6%
9 Brad Keselowski 135 3,856 3.5%
10 Ryan Blaney 43 1,626 2.6%

TRACK / EVENT SPECIFIC STATS

  • Since the advent of electronic scoring (1993), the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway is the March 11, 2001 race won by Kevin Harvick over Jeff Gordon with a margin of victory of 0.006 second – which is the fifth closest finish in series history.
  • Atlanta Motor Speedway holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for the two closest finishes on 1.5-mile tracks:
    • 0.006 second – March 30, 2001 – Kevin Harvick beats Jeff Gordon to the finish.
    • 0.010 second – March 12, 2000 – Dale Earnhardt beats Bobby Labonte to the finish.
  • Since the advent of electronic scoring (1993), Atlanta Motor Speedway has seen 17 NASCAR Cup Series races conclude with a margin of victory of less than a second; including seven of the last 12 races.

Top 10 NASCAR Cup Series Closest Margins of Victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Margin of Victory (Secs.) Winner Runner-Up Date
0.006 Kevin Harvick Jeff Gordon Sunday, March 11, 2001
0.010 Dale Earnhardt Bobby Labonte Sunday, March 12, 2000
0.028 Carl Edwards Jimmie Johnson Sunday, March 20, 2005
0.190 Jeff Gordon Bobby Labonte Sunday, March 12, 1995
0.218 Brad Keselowski Martin Truex Jr Sunday, February 24, 2019
0.293 Jimmie Johnson Mark Martin Sunday, October 31, 2004
0.332 Kurt Busch Jeff Gordon Sunday, March 8, 2009
0.350 Ernie Irvan Morgan Shepherd Sunday, March 13, 1994
0.376 Tony Stewart Dale Earnhardt Jr Sunday, March 10, 2002
0.378 Denny Hamlin Jeff Gordon Sunday, September 2, 2012
  • There have been six NASCAR Cup Series races resulting in a NASCAR Overtime finish at Atlanta:
Date Winner Runner-Up Scheduled Laps Actual Laps NASCAR Overtime Laps
2/28/2016 Jimmie Johnson Dale Earnhardt Jr 325 330 5
8/31/2014 Kasey Kahne Matt Kenseth 325 335 10
9/2/2012 Denny Hamlin Jeff Gordon 325 327 2
3/7/2010 Kurt Busch Matt Kenseth 325 341 16
3/8/2009 Kurt Busch Jeff Gordon 325 330 5
10/28/2007 Jimmie Johnson Carl Edwards 325 329 4
  • Five times the NASCAR Cup Series Atlanta race was shortened due to weather:
Date Winner Runner-Up Scheduled Laps Actual Laps Number of Fewer Laps
10/27/2002 Kurt Busch Joe Nemechek 325 248 -77
11/8/1998 Jeff Gordon Dale Jarrett 325 221 -104
3/21/1982 Darrell Waltrip Richard Petty 328 287 -41
11/6/1977 Darrell Waltrip David Pearson 328 268 -60
6/10/1962 Fred Lorenzen Banjo Matthews 334 219 -115
  • Three-times the NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway has been postponed to another day:
    • Race Scheduled Date: Sept. 4, 2011 – Delayed due to weather – Actual Start Date: Sept. 6, 2011 (Jeff Gordon won)
    • Race Start Date: March 17, 1991 – First 47 laps were run then the event was postponed due to weather – Race Finish Date: March 18, 1991 (remaining 281 laps were run; Ken Schrader won the race)
    • Race Scheduled Date: March 15, 2020 – Delayed due COVID-19 pandemic – Actual Start Date: June 7, 2020.
  • Qualifying has been cancelled in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway six times:
    • Due to weather conditions five times: Spring 1973, Spring 1990, Fall 2002, Fall 2006 and Fall 2008.
    • Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions twice: June 7, 2020 and March 21, 2021

FEMALE COMPETITOR STATS

  • Three female drivers have competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick.
Driver Starting Position Finishing Position Date
Danica Patrick 24 17 3/5/2017
Danica Patrick 25 20 2/28/2016
Danica Patrick 18 16 3/1/2015
Danica Patrick 27 6 8/31/2014
Danica Patrick 21 21 9/1/2013
Danica Patrick 23 29 9/2/2012
Average 23.0 18.2
Shawna Robinson 31 34 3/10/2002
Janet Guthrie 23 10 3/19/1978
Janet Guthrie 19 16 11/6/1977
Janet Guthrie 34 30 3/20/1977
Average 25.3 18.7

NASCAR IN GEORGIA

  • There has been a total of 230 NASCAR national series races among 14 different tracks in the state of Georgia dating all the way back to 1951.
Tracks in Georgia
Track Name City Cup Xfinity Truck Total Races Years
Atlanta Motor Speedway Hampton 113 29 19 161 1960
Augusta International Speedway Augusta 12 0 0 12 1962
Lakewood Speedway Atlanta 11 0 0 11 1951
Savannah Speedway Savannah 10 0 0 10 1962
Middle Georgia Raceway Macon 9 0 0 9 1966
Central City Speedway Macon 7 0 0 7 1951
Jeffco Speedway Jefferson 2 3 0 5 1968
Lanier Speedway Gainesville 0 5 0 5 1988
Valdosta 75 Speedway Valdosta 3 0 0 3 1962
Oglethorpe Speedway Savannah 2 0 0 2 1954
Road Atlanta Speedway Atlanta 0 2 0 2 1986
Augusta International Raceway Augusta 1 0 0 1 1964
Columbus Speedway Columbus 1 0 0 1 1951
Hayloft Speedway Augusta 1 0 0 1 1952
Totals 172 39 19 230

GEORGIA IN NASCAR

  • A total of 187 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Georgia.
  • 17 of 187 have won at least once in one of NASCAR’s national series; 11 of the 187 have posted at least one victory in the NASCAR Cup Series.
NASCAR Winners from Georgia
Driver Cup Xfinity Truck Combined
1 Bill Elliott 44 1 0 45
2 Jack Smith 21 0 0 21
3 Fonty Flock 19 0 0 19
4 Chase Elliott 11 5 3 19
5 Bob Flock 4 0 0 4
6 Frank Mundy 3 0 0 3
7 David Ragan 2 2 0 4
8 Gober Sosebee 2 0 0 2
9 Harold Kite 1 0 0 1
10 Sam McQuagg 1 0 0 1
11 Jody Ridley 1 0 0 1
12 Brandon Jones 0 4 1 5
13 Reed Sorenson 0 4 0 4
14 Buckshot Jones 0 2 0 2
15 Ronald Cooper 0 1 0 1
16 Austin Hill 0 0 6 6
17 John Wes Townley 0 0 1 1
Totals 109 19 11 139

— NASCAR —