Track Length: 1.54 Miles (325 laps = 500.5 miles)
Race Length: 500 Miles (1/2)
Grandstand Seating Capacity: 124,000
First Race: July 31, 1960 – Dixie 300
Banking: 24 degrees in corners, 5 degrees on straights
Frontstretch: 2,332 feet
Backstretch: 1,800 feet
The track qualifying record belongs to Geoffrey Bodine on Nov.15, 1997 - Ford, 197.478 mph (28.074 sec.). The race record belongs to Bobby Labonte on Nov. 16, 1997 - Pontiac, 159.904 mph (3:07:48).
After the first 3 races of the (Sprint Cup Series) season, Jeff Gordon is on top of the point standings. It's the first time since Oct. 28, 2007 that Gordon has been the points leader. It's the first time since his championship season of 1997 that he has been the series points leader at this point in the season after the first 3 races. He finished 13th at Daytona; 2nd at Auto Club Speedway and 6th last week at Las Vegas. Gordon has 4 wins; 13 top 5's and 21 top 10's in his 33 career starts at Atlanta; yet he must snap his 44 race winless streak. Jeff Gordon won the pole for this event last year.
In the garage on Friday @ AMS
John Harrelson/Getty Images
To say the least, Kyle Busch was estactic over his win at his hometown track (Las Vegas) last week. As they head home this weekend... a good finish is what Reed Sorenson and David Ragan are wishing for as they are natives of the Peach Tree state. Joey Logano grew up in Atlanta after moving there from Connecticut at a young age. They've all raced at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Legends and Bandolero divisions.
Rewind to this race a year ago, it was the first of eight series wins for Kyle Busch for the '08 season. It marked the first for Toyota in the Cup Series. Kyle will once again race in both, the Camping World Truck & Sprint Cup Series races this weekend. Kyle has won 3 out of his 4 truck races @ AMS.
Some of us might've expected this season to start out with the Jimmie Johnson & Carl Edwards show - much like it was closing out the season last year. Jimmie Johnson is currently 19th in the standings. Carl Edwards has posted just one top 10 finish this season and has led only 3 laps. It could change this weekend. Jimmie Johnson has scored 3 wins and posted 9 top 5's in his 15 starts @ AMS. Carl Edwards won the fall race @ AMS which was also his 3rd win at the track. Edwards is currently 9th in the standings. His first Sprint Cup win was at this track on March 20, 2005.
Dale Earnhardt Jr might be another one to watch this weekend. He's finished 3rd in three of his last 6 races @ AMS. He's scored one win and 10 top 10's at the track.
Signing autographs following Friday's practice session
Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR
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