Atlanta Motor Speedway 2017 Results

Atlanta Motor Speedway 2017 Results – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

The last race on the old worn out surface has excited the NASCAR fan base. Pre-sale tickets were up 20%. It’s not a sold out show, but fairly close to full capacity.

Green flag on the 325 lap Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event.

Atlanta Motor Speedway 2017 Results - Folds of Honor 400
Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman lead the field to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Typical for the outside front row at Atlanta Motor Speedway, it stumbles on the start. Ryan Newman, outside pole starter falls outside the top five before turn 1. Kevin Harvick led the field into turn one. Wasting no time, the field went 3 wide immediately.

The pit stop cycle begins at lap 35, green flag stops. Dale Earnhardt Jr is caught speeding, in four different segments.

Kevin Harvick continues to dominate. He dragging the left side to the apron of the racetrack in turns 3-4. His typical line around this 1.5 mile track.

Daniel Suarez pits two laps before the segment ends. One lap before pit lane closes.

Stage 1 Winner – Lap 85: Kevin Harvick wins stage 1. He’s followed by Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson and Jimmie Johnson

Green. Kevin Harvick resumes where he left off. He nearly smacks the wall! He tried the high side for the first time in the race. The car went evil on him and nearly lost it.

Brad Keselowski short pits. He will likely be the leader once Kevin Harvick pits.

43 laps to go in stage two. Kevin Harvick pits from the lead, 10 laps after Keselowski.

Pit stop cycle is complete. Brad Keselowski has a 10 second lead on Kevin Harvick! One of the other Hendrick cars is in trouble. Jimmie Johnson, too fast on pit road.

29 laps to go in stage 2. Kevin Harvick is already cruising by Brad Keselowski to take the lead.

Atlanta Motor Speedway 2017 Results - Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Stewart-Haas Ford, leads at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Stage 2 Winner – Lap 170: Kevin Harvick collects the second stage win as well. He’s followed by Chase Elliott, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Erik Jones, Clint Bowyer and Trevor Bayne.

The field hits pitlane. Denny Hamlin has made a hard left turn to the garage area. It’s a mechanical issue. He will be allowed to return to the race.

Jimmie Johnson gets caught again. Too fast on pit road. At this point, 9 pit road speeding penalties have placed a crimp on driver’s efforts. Up nearly 1000% from last year.

100 laps remaining in the race. Kevin Harvick continues to put a whipping on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series field. He’s led 90% of the laps in the Stewart-Haas Ford.

The track is in the process of a change. The sun begins to set and the shade of the asphalt has become much darker. Laps of shredding Goodyear tires has placed a fair amount of rubber into the track. An exceptional amount of marbles have also collected, outside the primary groove.

Dirt racers are moving forward. The slick, greasy track sifted the dirt racers toward the front of the field. Kyle Larson has climbed to second, running the Harvick line. Clint Bowyer has taken his new Ford machine to 3rd.

Dale Eanrhardt Jr Returns to NASCAR Racing - Atlanta Motor Speedway
Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)

Bad day for NASCAR’s favorite driver. One problem after another has Dale Earnhardt Jr 5 laps down at lap 90. He started 12th. Kyle Busch is another driver having issues. Yesterday’s winner is two laps down, outside the top 20.

Debris caution. Never saw the ‘debris’. The field pits.

Green. 80 laps remaining at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Kevin Harvick leads the field into turn 1. Bowyer has fallen back to 7th. Larson is in second, not for long. 76 to go, Keselowski slides into 2nd.

73 to go, Kyle Larson is moving in the wrong direction, he’s dropped an anchor. Austin Dillon takes the 3rd spot away.

Brad Keselowski has Kevin Harvick in his sights. However, he can’t figure out exactly how he’s taking that line. Keselowski is on the radio with puzzlement as he watches the 4 car drive away.

Clint Bowyer receives a piece of advice. Word from the crew comes over the radio explaining how teammate Kevin Harvick is running turns 3 and 4. The crew, “His corner entry is shallower than yours.”

63 to go, Gray Gaulding has dropped a grenade out of the back of his Dr Pepper machine. He rolls to the garage, engine smoking. At the same time, Denny Hamlin is returning from the garage.

The rest of the field hits pit road. No changes for Austin Dillon or Kevin Harvick. Brad Keselowski tightens up his chassis setup. Harvick spins his tires for 15 feet exiting his pit stall, Brad Keselowski beats him off pit road. Brad Keselowski has a loose wheel, he has to come back to the pits. Harvick is happy again, resumes the lead.

Green. 57 laps remaining. 14 cars on the lead lap.

Kevin Harvick leads the field at the line. Austin Dillon must have hit the wrong peddle. Spinning his tires, Dillon goes from 2nd to 5th in just two corners. Erik Jones puts Clint Bowyer in the wall off turn 2, slight damage to both cars, they continue.

47 laps to go, Clint Bowyer hard in the wall. Flat left front tire results in a pancaked right side. He’ll be on the 5 minute clock. It’s only been 10 laps but the field pits for another set of fresh tires. Ryan Newman, pit road penalty for crew guys over the wall too soon. Joey Logano is back on the lead lap.

Kevin Harvick Chase Elliott Race for NASCAR win
Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott battle for the lead at Atlanta (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)

Green. 43 to go. Kyle Larson is excited. He thought about making it 3 wide for the lead into turn 1. Harvick leads Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. Elliott is putting pressure on Harvick, more than he’s had all day.

37 laps remaining. Ryan Newman goes behind the wall. No battery power and no backup battery in the pits.

28 to go. Matt Kenseth is in 5th, out of nowhere. So far he’s spent 211 laps riding at least 1 lap down. Now he’s 5th.

17 to go. Austin Dillon is also out of power. Another battery has failed on a Richard Childress Racing machine. He’s stopped on the track. Caution.

The field hits pit road. Kevin Harvick returns the leader. Too fast entering pit road, 4 car. Kevin Harvick is sent to the tail!

Green. 12 to go. Kyle Larson is your leader. Brad Keselowski has rebounded and he wants the lead. Larson high, Keselowski low.

6 to go. Keselowski takes the lead away. Kevin Harvick is 11th.

Kevin Harvick isn’t going to be happy. Brad Keselowski rebounds from a pit stop error involving a loose wheel. The Penske driver beats the 8 to 1 odds against him. The #2 car will win the Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kyle Larson runs 2nd. He’s followed by Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliott. View the full Atlanta Motor Speedway 2017 results from March 5th below.

Author: Shane Walters

 

Atlanta Motor Speedway 2017 Results

Brad Keselowski 2017 Atlanta Motor Speedway Winner
Brad Keselowski wins 2017 Atlanta Motor Speedway race (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Kyle Larson
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Chase Elliott
6. Joey Logano
7. Kurt Busch
8. Martin Truex Jr
9. Kevin Harvick
10. Jamie McMurray
11. Clint Bowyer
12. Trevor Bayne
13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
14. Erik Jones
15. Ty Dillon
16. Kyle Busch
17. Danica Patrick
18. Ryan Blaney
19. Jimmie Johnson
20. Daniel Suarez
21. Cole Whitt
22. Landon Cassill
23. David Ragan
24. Chris Buescher
25. Paul Menard
26. AJ Allmendinger
27. Eric Almirola
28. Matt DiBenedetto
29. Michael McDowell
30. Dale Earnhardt Jr
31. Reed Sorenson
32. Austin Dillon
33. Jeffrey Earnhardt
34. Corey LaJoie
35. Ryan Newman
36. Derrike Cope
37. Gray Gaulding
38. Denny Hamlin
39. Cody Ware

 

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