The NASCAR Cup Series returns Sunday to Atlanta Motor Speedway, trying to one-up one of its best finishes in history.
Winner Daniel Suarez, runner-up Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch were separated by 0.007 seconds after 400 miles on Feb. 25, 2024 for the closest three-way finish ever in the Cup Series and the fourth tightest overall.
The shootout was no outlier at the 1.54-mile oval, which has become a thrill ride in NASCAR’s premier series since being reconfigured into a high-banked drafting track three years ago. Suarez’s second career victory in Cup capped a race with a track-record 48 lead changes.
The winning pass for the lead has occurred during the final two laps in four of the past five races at Atlanta. Joey Logano won last September by leading the final two laps.
Details for Sunday’s Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway
(All times Eastern)
START: The command to start engines will be given by Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top lead singer and guitarist, at 3:08 p.m. … The green flag is scheduled to wave at 3:19 p.m.
PRERACE: The Cup garage opens at noon. … The drivers meeting will begin at 2 p.m. … Driver introductions will be at 2:25 p.m. … The invocation will be given at 3 p.m. … The National Anthem will be performed at 3:01 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 260 laps (400.4 miles) on the 1.54-mile speedway.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 60. Stage 2 ends at Lap 160.
TV/RADIO: Fox will begin its race broadcast at 3 p.m. Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have radio coverage.
FORECAST: Weather Underground — Partly cloudy with an afternoon high of 56 degrees and a 1 percent chance of rain at the start of the Cup race.
LAST YEAR: Ending a Feb. 25, 2024 race that produced a track-record 48 lead changes, Daniel Suarez beat Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch in the closest three-way finish in NASCAR history.
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