HAMPTON, Georgia (AP) – NASCAR is returning to its roots.
Even as the good old boys try to break away from the ugliest parts of its history – most notably, the Confederacy flag – the sport has taken on a more traditional footprint with its 2021 schedule.
This includes the Atlanta Motor Speedway, which on Sunday hosts the first of the two World Cup races.
NASCAR will return to the track in July – the first time since 2010 that the 1.54-mile tri-oval has staged two events.
The drivers are certainly happy to make a few visits to one of their favorite stops, a treacherous, high-speed layout that produces some of the best races on the World Cup circuit.
“Atlanta has always been a track I liked,” said Martin Truex, coming from a victory in last week’s race in Phoenix. “It’s a really fun track, to be able to run all over the track, just tire wear and all that stuff, are things I like behind the wheel.”
Almost two decades ago, NASCAR began an effort to expand its fan base by organizing more races beyond the seven states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida – that have long dominated programming.
But with the drop in audiences on many tracks and large ratings on TV increasingly fragmented, the governing body decided to shake things up by turning to its past.
The coronavirus pandemic hampered the effort in 2020, but this year’s schedule includes 19 races in these seven traditional states – the largest since 2003.
Atlanta again had two dates for the World Cup. The same happened with the South Carolina Darlington Raceway, which was limited to a 2005-19 race. Nashville is back on schedule for the first time since 1984.
To accommodate the changes, NASCAR abandoned Chicago and Kentucky. Dover gave up on one of his two races. California is on hold until at least 2022 because of COVID-19 restrictions.
The current champion of the Cup, Chase Elliott, is thrilled to have two chances to win in what he considers his track.
“It will always be a special place for me,” he said. “I spent a lot of time competing with Legends cars and things like that over there. I would definitely love to have a good run. ”
If it doesn’t work out this time, he’ll have another chance in July.
Yes, Atlanta is a two-race track again.
“I look forward to running there twice this year,” said Truex.
Some things to note on the QuikTrip 500 of Sunday’s Folds of Honor:
HARVICK’S BIRTHDAY
Atlanta means a lot to Kevin Harvick.
Twenty years ago, he won his first World Cup race on the track just three weeks after Dale Earnhardt’s death.
Harvick replaced Earnhardt in Richard Childress’ team and won the checkered flag in only his third World Cup appearance.
He did not realize the magnitude of the moment at the time. He knows now.
“Knowing now what that meant for the sport, and just that moment in general of being able to continue, was very important,” said Harvick.
After a 16-year drought in Atlanta, he won two of the last three World Cup races on the track, including last year’s delayed pandemic.
WHO IS NEXT?
The first five races of 2021 produced five different winners, including rookies Michael McDowell and Christopher Bell.
The surprising group also includes William Byron, who won only his second career win, and Kyle Larson, returning from a season in which he lost his job and was suspended for making a racial slur in an online race.
“It’s certainly not a bad thing to have different people winning,” said Elliott. “I feel it is a good thing from a fan’s point of view.”
SLIP SLIDIN ‘AWAY
Atlanta has now been 24 years since its last resurfacing, which makes it extremely rough for tires and much more challenging for drivers on long runs between pit stops.
“The drop in pace is huge with every lap,” said Elliott. “With every lap, you are practically wasting time. If you can run two equal laps in the first 10 to 15 laps of a race, you are doing great.
“This is what makes the race track so challenging. You are trying to find some consistency, you are trying to get into the rhythm and not hit the tires. This is a difficult thing to do when you are trying to go very fast and set a good pace at the same time. “
FANS AT THE STANDS
A year ago, Atlanta was the first World Cup race to be interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
NASCAR was shut down for more than two months, finally returning to Atlanta on June 7, after a major schedule reset.
This year’s race will not be entirely normal, but it will include a major change from 2020: fans in the stands.
Atlanta will host about 20,000 spectators, selling out their tickets to the stands, as well as having a socially distant camp in the infield.
OFFAL
Harvick and series leader Denny Hamlin are co-favorites on Sunday at 9-2. Larson is a 5-1 choice, followed by Truex (11-2) and Elliott (13-2). … The weather is always a little complicated when the World Cup series takes place in Atlanta in March, but Sunday’s forecast indicated a partly sunny sky with temperatures rising close to 18 degrees Celsius. … Georgian Jeff Foxworthy will do his comedy act before the race. … Truex was the first active champion of the World Cup to win a race this season. … Harvick and Kurt Busch have the most wins in the Atlanta Cup on the field, with three each. But Busch has not won on the track since 2010.
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