Austin Hill stretches fuel mileage to win Xfinity race at Atlanta: Sunoco rookie Jesse Love led almost all the laps, but in the end, it was his Richard Childress Racing teammate, Austin Hill, who had Saturday’s RAPTOR King of Tough 250 fall into his lap.(Read more)(2-24-2024)

For the second straight week, #21-Austin Hill found Victory Lane in the Xfinity Series, as he stretched his fuel mileage to pick up the win at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It’s his third win at his home race track, and he becomes just the fourth driver in series history to win the first two races of the season (Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt and Chad Little).
#81-Chandler Smith made a pit stop late in the race during a caution, ensuring he had enough fuel to make it to the end in overtime. #97-Shane van Gisbergen scored his first top-five finish in the series. #18-Sheldon Creed and #31-Parker Retzlaff round out the top five.
#51-Jeremy Clements took the checkered flag in sixth, with #5-Anthony Alfredo, #26-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #19-Ryan Truex and #8-Sammy Smith completing the top 10.
#2-Jesse Love won both stages from the pole position, leading a race-high 157 laps. Love was among multiple drivers to run out of fuel in overtime, including #48-Parker Kligerman, and #16-AJ Allmendinger.
There were 11 lead changes among five drivers and four cautions for 23 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was: 135.474 mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points Standings, Owner Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Atlanta Paint Schemes

Race Fast Facts – Atlanta:
Austin Hill won the RAPTOR King of Tough 250, his eighth victory in 83 Xfinity Series races.
This is his second victory and second top-10 finish in 2024.
This is his third victory and fourth top-10 finish in five races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Chandler Smith (second) posted his first top-10 finish in three races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It is his second top-10 finish in 2024.
Shane Van Gisbergen # (third) posted his first top-10 finish in his series track debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Shane Van Gisbergen (third) was the highest finishing rookie.
Austin Hill has become the fourth different driver in NASCAR Xfinity Series history to win the first two races of a season; joining Dale Earnhardt (1986), Chad Little (1995) and Tony Stewart (2008).

Xfinity Series Standings after Atlanta (Race 2 of 33):
1)#21-Austin Hill (2 wins) 102 points
2)#18-Sheldon Creed 85, -17
3)Riley Herbst 74, -28
4)#81-Chandler Smith 72, -30
5)#2-Jesse Love 72, -30
6)#31-Parker Retzlaff 66, -36
7)#19-Ryan Truex 64, -38
8)#16-AJ Allmendinger 63, -39
9)#97-Shane van Gisbergen 59, -43
10)#8-Sammy Smith 57, -45
11)#7-Justin Allgaier 56, -46
12)#00-Cole Custer 56, -46
See the Drivers Points Standings and Owners Points Standings.

Race Updates:

Lap 169: #21-Hill stretches his fuel mileage to win at Atlanta. #81-Smith finishes second, with #97-van Gisbergen, #18-Creed and #31-Retzlaff rounding out the top five.

Lap 167: Coming to the green flag, the front row of #2-Love and #48-Kligerman run of fuel. #16-Allmendinger ran out of fuel as well.
Lap 166: #7-Allgaier runs out of fuel coming to the green flag.
Lap 163: #9-Jones leads a host of cars down pit road from fifth position. The only cars to stay out are #2-Creed, #19-Truex, #48-Kligerman, #7-Allgaier and #21-Hill.
Lap 161: Caution is out for #39-Sieg stopped on the track. #15-Deegan is also out of fuel.
Lap 160: #98-Herbst runs out of fuel from second position; #00-Custer runs out of fuel from the top 10 and #39-Sieg is stopped on the track after running out of fuel.
Lap 146: #9-Jones scraped the Turn 2 wall running in sixth position.
Lap 138: 25 laps remain in the race. #2-Love has led 128 laps — continues to lead #98-Herbst, #19-Truex, #48-Kligerman and #21-Hill are the top five and have slightly broken away from the pack.
Lap 116: #16-Allmendinger got loose and shuffled out of line, dropping to 12th.
Lap 99: #32-Anderson pits with a flat left-front tire.
Lap 98: The field is beginning to get single-file around the top. #2-Love leads #16-Allmendinger, #98-Herbst, #19-Truex and #48-Kligerman.
Lap 93: After a handful of laps of side-by-side for the lead, #2-Love clears #16-Allmendinger for the lead with a push from #00-Custer.
Lap 84: #16-Allmendinger takes the lead for needing less fuel. #9-Jones, #97-van Gisbergen all gained a plethora of spots. Teams are right near the fuel window without a caution.
Lap 80: #2-Love has led 78 of the opening 80 laps en route to his third stage victory of the season. #7-Allgaier, #98-Herbst, #19-Truex and #8-Smith are the top five. #81-Smith, #00-Custer, #21-Hill, #16-Allmendinger and #18-Creed also get stage points.
Lap 68: #20-Nemechek has two right-side flat tires after getting into the wall following a stackup
Lap 59: #16-Allmendinger, #1-Mayer, #9-Jones, #15-Deegan and a few others pit to top off with fuel, trying to get advantage for the next pit stop.
Lap 57: #14-Yeley spins entering Turn 1 after contact with #91-Weatherman to bring out the caution.
Lap 48: #48-Kligerman takes the lead, edging ahead of #2-Love at the start/finish line.
Lap 47: The green flag is out for the second stage. #2-Love and #48-Kligerman share the front row. There are 33 laps remaining in the second stage.
Lap 46: #97-van Gisbergen has an issue with the left rear tire under caution.
Lap 40: #2-Love wins the opening stage, leading every lap in Stage 1 for the second straight week. #98-Herbst finished second, with #1-Mayer, #19-Truex, #48-Kligerman, #16-Allmendinger, #7-Allgaier, #18-Creed, #39-Sieg and #8-Smith scoring stage points.
Lap 20: Halfway through the opening stage. The top 16 in the field have broken away from the rest of the field. #2-Love remains the leader.
Lap 3: #11-Williams is off the pace with a flat left-rear tire.
Lap 1: Rookie #2-Love leads the opening lap, side-by-side with his Richard Childress Racing teammate #21-Hill.

Cars to the rear: none report #07-Patrick Emerling, #9-Brandon Jones, #27-Jeb Burton, #31-Parker Retzlaff, #35-Joey Gase, #43-Ryan Ellis (unapproved adjustments).

Pit Stall Selections

For the second consecutive week, #2-Jesse Love won the pole for Saturday’s Raptor King of Tough 250 Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway (173.935 mph). He becomes the first driver in series history to win two poles in as many starts to begin his career.
Daytona winner #21-Austin Hill will take the green flag from second (173.706 mph). #20-John Hunter Nemechek will start third (173.537 mph), with #98-Riley Herbst (173.255 mph) and #48-Parker Kligerman (173.131 mph) rounding out the top five.
#1-Sam Mayer, #16-AJ Allmendinger, #19-Ryan Truex, #7-Justin Allgaier and #18-Sheldon Creed complete the top 10.
#32-Jordan Anderson had a mechanical issue during his run. All 38 cars made the field.
See the complete Atlanta Starting Lineup.

Qualifying Fast Facts — Atlanta
Jesse Love # won the Pole Award for the RAPTOR King of Tough 250 with a lap of 31.874 seconds, 173.935 mph.
This is his second pole in two NASCAR Xfinity Series races. Love has become the first driver in NASCAR Xfinity Series history to win consecutive poles in their first two starts in the series (Daytona, Atlanta, 2024).
This is his second pole and second top-10 start in 2024.
This is his first pole in his series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Love is the 20th different driver to win a NASCAR Xfinity Series pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Austin Hill (second) posted his second top-10 start of 2024 and his fourth in five races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
John Hunter Nemechek(i) (third) posted his fifth top-10 start at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It is his second in two races this season.
Jesse Love (first) was the fastest qualifying rookie.

Qualifying Order

There is no practice at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Crew Rosters

Goodyear Tire Notes

There are 38 drivers/teams on the entry list for the Raptor King of Tough Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. One car will miss the race.
Notables: #6-Garrett Smithley, #07-Patrick Emerling, #14-JJ Yeley, #19-Ryan Truex, #26-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #32-Jordan Anderson, #35-Joey Gase, #38-CJ McLaughlin, #78-BJ McLeod, #92-Nick Leitz. The #53-Joey Gase Motorsports ride withdrew from the event.
See the full entry list on the Atlanta Entry List page.

Atlanta At-Track Schedule