Check back for more updates as the days wind down to events at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February/March 2015. During Race Weekend, look for schedule, practice, and qualifying reports posted here.  

The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend at Atlanta kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 26 for four days of nonstop NASCAR action, capped off with the March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

For more information or to purchase tickets today, call the AMS ticket office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com. 

HARVICK LOSES AN ENGINE IN PRACTICE

News, notes and quotes on the third day of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway

All champs to the back of the line
Kevin Harvick blew an engine after 35 laps in practice Saturday and will join four other former Sprint Cup Series champions at the back of the field in Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 despite putting up the fastest lap of the practice session.

Harvick, the defending champ, was scheduled to start on the outside of the front row for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. The engine failure sends Harvick to the rear with Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, who were all caught in Friday’s qualifying delay kerfuffle.

“It’s just a better show,” Harvick said optimistically.

Asbury Automotive Group Honors the Boy Scouts of America
On Sunday March 1st Preston Chandler, an Eagle Scout, will be celebrating his 16th birthday with his family at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Preston will be featured on the rear deck lid of Joey Logano’s No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford.  If Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford make it to Victory Lane this weekend in the Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500, the Asbury Automotive Group will make a $50,00 donation to the Boy Scouts of America.

Pennzoil Makes Donation to PVA after Joey Logano’s Win in Daytona 500; Raises the Stakes for Vegas
After Joey Logano jump-started his season by winning the Daytona 500 on 2/22 in the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford; Pennzoil commemorated the milestone victory by donating $22,222 to the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA).  Upon learning about the donation Logano announced he would match the $22,222 contribution to his personal charity.  To take the offer to the next level, Pennzoil is incentivizing Logano to bring the No. 22 to Victory Lane again at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 8th.  Should he grab the checkered flag again in the No. 22 Pennzoil Platinum Ford, Pennzoil will add another ‘2’ to the donation figure and donate an additional $222,222 to the PVA.

Brad Keselowski On the Pole for Hyundai Construction Equipment 200

News, notes and quotes on the third day of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Keselowski wins his 20th career XFINITY Series pole
New qualifying rules led to an interesting sight at the Camping World Truck Series Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 qualifying Saturday.

Brad Keselowski ended up with the pole after just getting his car to the line in time for a lap. Keselowski was one of 11 cars lined up on pit road waiting to leave for the final round of qualifying. Of those, just Keselowski got a qualifying lap in and his 177.045 mile-per-hour pace surpassed Ben Kennedy, the only driver to go out right away in the final round.

“I was just surprised nobody went,” Keselowski said. “I knew we were out of time and I guess I just barely skimmed by as time expired. That’s always part of the fun. Qualifying with the trucks there’s always a little bit more gamesmanship than other qualifying because they draft so much. We played it just right.”

Kennedy had a lap of 176.684 miles per hour after running the oval all alone early in the third round of qualifying.

“We went down to the end of pit road and thought we could stop,” Kennedy said. “I guess we had to roll, which actually ended up turning out in our favor. We were the only truck that went out there at the beginning. I saw the replay and it looks like Keselowski just made it to the line in time.

“I’ll be honest, that’s wide open. That’s as much as that thing has without drafting partner out there so I think we’re got a really good truck for tonight.”

The rest of the lineup was set using drivers’ times from previous rounds.

Erik Jones, Cameron Hayley and Daniel Suarez round out the top five. Georgia native John Wes Townley was sisth, followed by Justin Boston, Joe Nemechek, James Buescher and Spencer Gallager.

Tyler Reddick, last week’s winner at Daytona, qualified 11th.

“They changed it up to where you can’t stop on pit road, but you can stop to the left at the end of pit road and wait your turn,” Reddick said. “Then everyone decided to go and someone had a bobble or slowed down a little bit. We were trying to get it down to the wire there and we just ran out of time.”

Doubleheader Day, Logano Wins Another Pole, Top Sprint Cup Series Drivers Have Work Cut Out For Them

News, notes and quotes on the third day of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Race day arrives
Race day has arrived at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as a full day of on-track activity kicked off with NASCAR XFINITY Series qualifying. The Camping World Truck Series qualifying immediately followed, and a rare same-day NASCAR doubleheader, the first since 2009, will take to the track in the afternoon, as the XFINITY Series Hisense 250 and the Camping World Truck Series Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 will run back-to-back races.

Logano rolling at Atlanta Motor Speedway 
Joey Logano claimed his second pole in as many days Saturday morning with the fastest car in qualifying for the XFINITY Series Hisense 250 with a top lap speed of 184.162 miles per hour. He was also fastest around the 1.5-mile oval Friday to claim the pole for Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. This is the 27th time he has sat on the pole for a NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

“Hopefully we can just keep rolling,” said Logano, the winner of the season opener at Daytona last week. “We’ve had a couple fast race cars. Hopefully they’ve got some long runs in them. They’ve definitely got short-run speed — we showed that in qualifying. Hopefully they last throughout the race.”

Brian Scott was second with a top lap of 182.988 mph, sorting out some issues from Friday’s practice session.

“Our Shore Lodge Chevrolet is a lot better than it was in practice,” Scott said. “We found a carburetor issue and once we got that fixed, our speed really picked up. I didn’t feel like our lap was good enough for the pole so I’m happy with second. I just didn’t have the rear grip that I need.

“I mean, nothing seems to get in the way of Logano right now. He’s on a hot streak. So we’ll just have to go get him in the race.”

Regan Smith, Kyle Larson and Matt Kenseth round out the top five for Saturday afternoon’s race. Brenden Gaughan was sixth, Ryan Seig was seventh and Kevin Harvick was eighth.

Dawsonville’s Chase Elliott qualified ninth in the NAPA Auto Parts Chevy and Sam Hornish Jr. made the top 10.

Starting at the back
Several top drivers in the Sprint Cup Series missed yesterday’s qualifying during yesterday’s Drive Sober Georgia Qualifying Day and will have to fight from the back of the field in tomorrow’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Among them, past champions Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth and their teams have their work cut out for them in the 500 mile race.

“Its unfortunate that we didn’t make it through tech in time to put a lap on the board and will have to start 39th,” said Johnson. But the Lowe’s Chevy is fast and we will have to work our way through the field. Not the way we wanted to start out the weekend for sure.”

New race sponsor
Hisense, a multibillion dollar global conglomerate which makes its U.S. home in Suwanee, Ga., announced an expanded NASCAR presence Saturday.

On the heels of its first sponsorship foray with the XFINITY Series Hisense 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the brand is partnering with Joe Gibbs Racing and Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hisense will be the primary sponsor for Denny Hamlin in two XFINITY Series races this season and for the May XFINITY race in Charlotte.

“I don’t venture into the XFINITY Series too often so when I do it’s usually a situation like this where you want to represent a great company coming into NASCAR,” Hamlin said. “Hisense did a great job integrating what their brand is about into NASCAR.

“I’m excited about it. Obviously with the new rules in the Cup Series with the horsepower reduction, those cars are going to drive more and more like the XFINITY cars. I believe driving this Hisense car for a couple races will reap benefits for us in the long run.”

JOEY LOGANO WINS THE POLE,
13 CARS NEVER TURN QUALIFYING LAPS

Just a week removed from winning the Daytona 500, Joey Logano, who ran Legends and Bandolero cars at Atlanta Motor Speedway in his formative racing years, won the pole position for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 in the Drive Sober Georgia Qualifying Day on Friday. He posted the fastest lap, clocking in at 194.683 miles per hour.

“It’s been an amazing few weeks,” said Logano. “Coming down here to Atlanta and starting first is special, especially for me here for at his race track. Hopefully we’ll finish where we start.

“There’s a lot of memories here. Anything to be in victory lane here is a very special place for me.”

Logano has plenty of experience at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He finished second at Atlanta in 2013, but he did not always have that much success there.

“You’re going so fast around here and if you hit a bump just the right way, it’ll jerk you car up a lane,” Logano said. “It’s a fast, technical race track, which is a big challenge because I remember the first time I came here, I qualified 42nd and was completely confused on what to do.”

Inspection delay
A delay caused in inspections following the Camping World Truck Series’ practice Friday evening kept 13 Sprint Cup Series drivers from qualifying.

Some big names didn’t get out for the first round of Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 qualifying, including former series champions Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth.

“It’s a big letdown for me and for our series,” Gordon said. 

The 34 drivers who did make a qualifying run will be lined up accordingly for Sunday’s race.

“We drew 47th, which is where you go through tech for qualifying and where you end up on pit road, so we only went through (inspection) once,” said Logano. “Without that 20-minute delay, we would have been late getting on there. If we didn’t make it though tech on the first round, we wouldn’t have qualified.

“I think you’ve got to be able to have the opportunity to go through there twice. It is scary a lot of times when you roll though that laser platform. Especially looking at it now, seeing if you didn’t make it through, you wouldn’t have even qualified.”

Kevin Harvick on the outside front row
Kevin Harvick, lasts year’s Atlanta pole winner and the 2014 Sprint Cup Series champion will start outside of Joey Logano on the front row.

“This is one of those places where Lap 10 is going to be really where you see if your car is going to shine or not,” Harvick said. “Lap 10 to Lap 50 is really where you’re going to make your money. You’ve got to have that car handling well and keep the falloff as minimal as possible. I’m really happy I’m racing (Saturday in the XFINITY series) because the cars are driving very similarly.

“It’s definitely a rhythm-type race track. The way you drive it is really aggressive and this place doesn’t lean itself toward the tires lasting very long if you’re really aggressive like we were in qualifying.
 
“This is one of the greatest race tracks that we race on. It produces some of the best racing, and this race track needs to say on our schedule because it’s a great place to race. As a race fan, it’s gotta be a fun place to watch a race. I love coming here.”

Cat vs. squirrel
In last year’s Atlanta race, Kevin Harvick nearly collided with what many have argued was either a cat or a squirrel. Harvick seemed to close the book on the argument.

“Let’s get something straight,” said Harvick, “the Atlanta Motor Speedway worker that works in Turn 3 corralled the gray cat that ran out in front of me. He was the first one to come to my garage stall and come talk to me about the cat. The gray cat lives in the shed out there, and it was a cat. That squirrel that was running around was not what ran in front of me.”

Rounding it out
Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five in qualifying. Atlanta’s defending champ Kasey Kahne was 10th, and David Ragan, who is subbing for the injured Kyle Busch with Joe Gibbs Racing, will share the ninth row with Danica Patrick.

“David and I grew up racing together so when I heard he was in the 18 car, I was pretty excited about it actually,” Logano said. “I sent him a text congratulating him because that’s an amazing opportunity. That’s a second chance right there. And to see him in practice today — he was third on the board for a while — I was like, ‘Wow.’ He was in front of me for a little bit and I was like, ‘Holy cow.’
 
“There’s a lot of learning curve ahead of him with a new team, but it was cool to see him up there and running fast in that car. I’m rooting him on. I mean, I don’t want him to beat me, but I’m rooting him on out there.”

In or out?
Gordon, Stewart, Johnson and Kenseth all ended up making the field despite not turning any qualifying laps, but will start from the back of the pack.

Four teams — Reed Sorenson’s (No. 29), Michael Annett (No. 46), Mike Wallace (No. 66) and Matt DiBenedetto (No. 83) — won’t be on track Sunday due to the inspection issues.

A GIFT FOR GORDON, CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES PRACTICE AND LIVE MUSIC

News, notes and quotes on the second day of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Atlanta Motor Speedway holds a special place in Jeff Gordon’s heart

• Gordon won his first race here as a Busch Series driver and made his Cup debut the next season in 1992.
• He is a five-time winner at the 1.5-mile oval and aiming to make it a half dozen in his Atlanta finale.
• Gordon announced 2015 would be his final season of racing, and the staff at AMS wanted to honor the respected future  Hall of Famer.

“Jeff you’re going to be receiving quite a few things this year, I’m sure, as people pay tribute to you,” track president and general manager Ed Clark said. “Atlanta has a special bond with Jeff Gordon. He started here and some of the most memorable moments in Atlanta Motor Speedway have involved Jeff. He’s had five wins and celebrated four championships here.

“He’s a real ambassador for the sport and someone we’re all real proud to have been able to work with. You’re not going anywhere, so this isn’t a goodbye, but we have two things we want to present to you.”

The first was a framed replica of this year’s souvenir program featuring Gordon signed by the entire full-time track staff.

The big unveiling, literally, was a maroon and yellow bandolero for Gordon’s kids, Ella and Leo.

“Leo is going to want to sleep in this,” Gordon said on inspection. “I have a feeling this might end up in his bedroom for a year or two before he can drive it. But that’s awesome.

“I was watching practice for XFINITY earlier and I saw the ‘Thanks 24’ out there in the grass. It put a big smile on my face. You’re right, it’s a very special place to me.”

Gordon said he’d never forget his first race — or his first driver’s meeting at Atlanta. His first race was Richard Petty’s last and the King gave all the drivers a money clip with their starting position on it. Which Gordon still has.

“I wasn’t that proud of (my starting position) at the moment,” Gordon said with a chuckle. “I think we started 21st. But I’ll remember that forever.”

Truckin’
Brad Keselowski put down the fastest lap in the three-hour Camping World Truck Series practice with 178.695 mph. Erik Jones was second, just 0.003 off the pace, while Georgian John Wes Townley made it into the top five.

Live music at “The Gathering Place”
Country music artist Josh Black will play a full, live set at “The Gathering Place” this evening, beginning at 7:30 p.m., as Speedway Motorsports, Inc. CEO Marcus Smith and Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark will be on hand for the grand opening of the all-new music and social venue inside the Legends Campground. The show is free, and all fans camping at AMS are invited to attend.

XFINITY SERIES PRACTICE, DANICA PATRICK TALKS ATLANTA

News, notes and quotes on the second day of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Friday’s on-track schedule
With the Camping World Truck Series and XFINITY Series racing slated for a Saturday doubleheader, Friday track time was primarily reserved for practices. The morning XFINITY Series practices ran from 10-10:55 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. Sprint Cup practice from 1-2:25 p.m. leads up Drive Sober Georgia Qualifying Day at 5:45 p.m. The trucks get a final practice from 2:30-5:25 p.m. All practices and the Sprint Cup qualifying are being broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

Patrick pleased with early returns at Atlanta
Danica Patrick cut to the chase in assessing her past track performances at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“It went good last time,” Patrick said. “It probably sucked before that.

“And that’s just the way racing is — sometimes you’re good, sometimes you’re not.”

Patrick was sixth here in 2014, her best finish of the season, and is looking to use the 1.5-mile oval as a springboard into a successful 2015.

“I was definitely hopeful yesterday (Thursday) working with (crew chief) Daniel (Knost) for the first time here at this track and I think we had a pretty good first day,” Patrick said. “It was a good steady day. We found a couple of things that were good and a couple of things that weren’t as good.

“I’ve said plenty of times that, in a race weekend, if you can find just one or two good changes to your race car, that you have a shot at a decent weekend.”

The early lineup of tracks include several where Patrick has fared well and she’s looking to lay a good foundation.

“It’s always nice to start well because it seems like you spend the whole year catching up if you don’t,” Patrick said. “There are a lot of little reasons why it would be really nice to start off where we can have a decent point-standing position — for logistical reasons and confidence.”

Each weekend, cars are arranged in the garage according to the standings.

“It affects you a little bit emotionally,” Patrick said. “It’s a constant reminder of where you’re standing in points.”

It also effects when cars roll off pit lane for the first practice.

“Those are the fastest laps on the track and generally the first cars out at the fastest cars out,” Patrick said. “They’re there because they’re fast, but those are the best track conditions, too.

“I’ve definitely spent plenty of my Cup career waiting for a hole on pit lane for the first 20-something cars to get a run in because the track is full.”

Patrick is excited about the unrealized potential of her team with Knost as the new crew chief.

“So far so good,” Patrick said. “It’s my fourth year in stock car and my third in Cup. It’s Daniel’s sixth year in NASCAR and second year as a crew chief. So we don’t have a ton of experience. You would think there is only up to go. The potential of where we could end up is encouraging.”

Double dip
The Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano is among 10 drivers entered in both the Hisense 250 XFINITY Series race on Saturday and the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday.

Logano, who was 14th at last Labor Day’s Sprint Cup race in Atlanta, has a top-five and a top-10 finish in eight starts at the storied oval. Statistically, Atlanta is one of the tracks were Logano has fared the worst, but he’ll have two chances to make a mark this weekend. And Logano picked up two of his five wins last season at 1.5-mile tracks (Texas and Kansas).

He had the fastest car in Friday’s early XFINITY practice session at 182.807 mph.

Also tackling the both races is defending Cup champ Kevin Harvick, who has one win, five top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 24 Sprint starts here. Harvick led a race-high 195 laps last season before a late wreck left him in 19th place.

Harvick dialed it in quickly during Friday’s early practice with the third fastest time (182.591 mph).
Joining Logano and Harvick in the double-dip are Sam Hornish Jr., who didn’t race here last season and was 12th in 2012, Matt Kenseth, J.J. Yeley, Paul Menard, Mike Bliss, Landon Cassill, Regan Smith, Kyle Larson and Brendan Gaughan.

Three drivers — Daniel Suarez, Georgian John Wes Townley and Ryan Siegwill — will pull a true doubleheader in Saturday’s Hisense 250 and Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 Camping World Truck Series races. Those drivers are:

One driver, Ty Dillon, is entered in all three races this weekend and was second fastest (182.639 mph) in the morning XFINITY practice.

KAHNE GOEST FOR TWO STRAIGHT AT AMS, ELLIOTT FINDS A GROOVE IN PRACTICE

News, notes and quotes on the second day of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Kahne relishes return to Atlanta
Kasey Kahne favors Atlanta Motor Speedway and not just because it was the site of a sensational clutch win last Labor Day.

Kahne needed a victory in order to qualify for The Chase for the Sprint Cup and got it by grabbing the lead with two laps left. He was 14th with 60 laps to go after bouncing from front to back several times.

“It was a really interesting race for us,” Kahne said. “We had speed at times and then we would lose it real bad. Then the final two restarts were really key for us.

“We were just able to get good restarts, good drive up through the gears and get by (Matt) Kenseth getting into Turn 3. We hit it right at the end when it counted.”

It was Kahne’s third win at the 1.5-mile oval. He also has two poles, seven top-five and nine top-10 finishes here.

“I really enjoy racing at this place, just with the surface and the speeds,” Kahne said. “The track is tough and you can move top to bottom.

“I feel like a lot of the drivers really enjoy Atlanta. I don’t see how they couldn’t. It’s definitely one of my favorites, if not my favorite, since I came to the Cup Series.”

Thursday’s practice was a good learning day for the No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevy SS and new crew chief Keith Rodden.

“Working with Keith has been great,” Kahne said. “I think it can only get better as we go, but it started off basically where it ended when he was my engineer. We started working, I think the first time he was my engineer was 2004 in the XFINITY Series and we have kind of been on and off together ever since then.

“It felt really good at Daytona, the test and now this weekend.”

Good practice
Dawsonville’s Chase Elliott shook his car down in Friday’s first XFINITY practice session and put up the 12th fastest effort (179.813 mph) in a short two laps. In the final practice Friday, Elliott ran hard and ended up with the session’s fifth fastest mark (180.375).

Elliott, who has raced at Atlanta Motor Speedway just once, found when he ran the line encouraged by crew chief Ernie Cope and hit his marks in all four turns, things were on point. But if he missed even one of the marks, it affected the rest of the lap.

“I learned a lot from (JRM teammate Kevin) Harvick during last year’s race,” Elliott said. “He runs such a solid line all the way around there. It’s a fast, fast place and the track is worn a bit, so it certainly puts on a show for the fans.”

Fast again
Joey Logano had the fastest XFINITY early practice Friday (182.807) and the Dayton 500 winner followed that up with the top speed in the final session (182.105).

Brendan Gaughan was second in the final practice (180.857) and Paul Menard was third (180.463).

Get inked
Kids 17 and under can get passes for autograph session with Sprint Cup Series drivers Clint Bowyer, Alex Bowman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the Fan Zone. Wrist bands for the session will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the fan stage.

The session is at 10:30 a.m. in the Tara Ballroom at the AMS condominium building.
Another autograph session, available to all fans, with Camping World Truck Series drivers will be in the same location at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500

WEEKEND NEWS AND NOTES – THURSDAY, FEB. 26

News, notes and storylines for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway Feb. 26-March 1

On-track events begin this afternoon
The first on-track events at Atlanta Motor Speedway begin at 1 p.m. this afternoon with the first open team test of the 2015 season. Each team entered into Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Sprint Cup Series race is eligible to take part in today’s open test. The test session is open to the public, and general admission is free for those with a ticket to Sunday’s race and $10 for anyone without a Sunday ticket.

Richard Petty Speedway Lane Hall of Fame induction ceremony tonight
Following today’s test session, NASCAR legend Richard Petty will be inducted into the City of Hampton’s Speedway Lane Hall of Fame in a ceremony beginning at 6 p.m. at Depot Park in Downtown Hampton. Established in 2013, the Speedway Lane Hall of Fame honors influential drivers with strong ties to Georgia and Atlanta Motor Speedway. Its current members include Fayetteville, Georgia’s Rex White and Dawsonville, Georgia’s Bill Elliott, both 2014 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees. The late Captain Herb Emory, longtime local Atlanta traffic reporter, impassioned civic activist and icon in the motorsports press community, will also be recognized.

“It’s always great to be recognized, no matter where you’re at,” said Petty. “Atlanta’s been there since 1960, and we’ve been going there since then. It’s good to see the local (community) get involved in what they’ve had all these years.”

Guest speakers will include Petty, Hampton mayor Steve Hutchison and Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark.

XFINITY Series Hauler parade follows Speedway Lane ceremony
Immediately following the Speedway Lane Hall of Fame induction ceremony, NASCAR XFINITY Series haulers will parade through Hampton before entering the Atlanta Motor Speedway infield in the 3rd annual Hauler Parade. The parade is set to begin at 6:30 p.m., and Petty will serve as the parade’s grand marshal.

Danica Patrick looks to build off Atlanta success
Danica Patrick had her best finish ever in a Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway last year with a sixth place finish after running as high as fourth. Patrick will have an early opportunity to build off that success, returning to Atlanta for the second stop on the 2015 NASCAR schedule.

“I think as time goes on and I keep getting better and doing a better a job and communicating better and being able to help out with the car more, I then start looking forward to other races more,” said Patrick. “I had some better races at tracks – Atlanta comes to mind. It’s one of the toughest tracks and so to come down to the line for just about fifth place was a good race. Those are the ones I start to look forward to more and more all the time because of improvements and growing as a driver.”

FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500 WEEKEND NEWS AND NOTES – WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25

News, notes and storylines for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway Feb. 26-March 1

First open team test of 2015 Thursday
After an off-season testing ban was imposed, Atlanta Motor Speedway will be the site of the season’s first open team test Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. With a new rules package affecting both downforce and horsepower, Thursday’s test session will be a critical opportunity for teams to get a feel for the new aero package.

Here’s what drivers, crew chiefs and NASCAR officials had to say about Thursday’s test:

“I don’t think we know what to expect until we get there. It’ll be the first time we’ve really had the opportunity to get those cars in that configuration. I think the crew chiefs probably have a better idea than the drivers do at this point, but they’ll be prepared and ready to go.”

– Tony Stewart

“Our focus is going to be taking our primary car, taking the additional track time and just really trying to fine tune for that weekend. It’s not like we’re not going to be testing through the season, but at least the open day in Atlanta, I’m glad they did that to let us get adjusted to the horsepower change and aerodynamic change.”

– Trent Owens, crew chief for Aric Almirola

“Well, we don’t know. There’s a lot of questions that we’ll be answering in Atlanta.”

– Michael Waltrip

“Whenever we begin a season, if there has been a significant rule change, for the first race, we’re going to allow a testing session so they can get familiar with the car. In this particular case, in Atlanta, that’s our first intermedia track (of the 2015 season). We’ve got some rule changes coming, so it will be very, very important. We want to give everybody an opportunity.”

– Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR Senior VP, Competition and Racing Development

$24-off Jeff Gordon ticket special available
Jeff Gordon began his Sprint Cup Series career at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1992. To commemorate Gordon and his career history at AMS, fans can save $24 off tickets in the Upper Winners Grandstand, Upper Champions Grandstand or Upper Earnhardt Grandstand for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Also, fans who renew 2016 event tickets this weekend will be invited to attend a special event with Gordon during next year’s race weekend.

7 Georgia drivers racing at Atlanta this weekend
Seven drivers who hail from Georgia will drive in at least one of this weekend’s three NASCAR races. Those include Chase Elliott (Dawsonville), John Wes Townley (Watkinsville), Garrett Smithley (Peachtree City), Reed Sorenson (Peachtree City), David Ragan (Unadilla), Chris Cockrum (Conyers) and Ryan Sieg (Tucker). While not originally from Georgia, last week’s Daytona 500 winner, Joey Logano, moved with his family to the Atlanta area from Connecticut when he was 10 years old to pursue a professional racing career. Logano spent six of his formative years racing Legends and Bandolero cars at Atlanta Motor Speedway’s “Thunder Ring” and has many close Georgia ties.

Ride of a Lifetime with Jeff Gordon
Bidding is open for a lucky fan to have one last chance to ride in the pre-race parade lap with Jeff Gordon at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where it all started for the legendary NASCAR champion. The winner will join Jeff as he embarks on his mission for a 6th career win at Atlanta and a 5th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Bidding is available now atwww.SCCauctions.com.

Past Atlanta winners look to repeat

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. is looking for his second Sprint Cup Series win at AMS after winning in 2004.
• Carl Edwards has three Sprint Cup Series wins at AMS, including both races in 2005, and two XFINITY Series wins for good measure.
• Jeff Gordon is a five-time Sprint Cup Series race winner at AMS and a one-time XFINITY Series race winner.
• Kevin Harvick won his first-career Sprint Cup Series victory at AMS in 2001 in a photo finish and has added three XFINITY Series wins, including the past two in 2013 and 2014.
• Jimmie Johnson has three Sprint Cup Series wins at AMS, including a sweep of both 2007 races.
• Kasey Kahne is a three-time Sprint Cup Series race winner at AMS and is the defending 2014 race winner.
• Tony Stewart has won Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta in 2002, 2006 and 2010.

Atlanta Motor Speedway app now available
Smartphone and tablet users with an Apple or Android device can now download the all-new Atlanta Motor Speedway app for free. The app provides event schedules, maps and other important race weekend information. App users will receive a 10 percent discount at the AMS gift shop between Feb. 27 and March 2. A limited-time 15 percent discount will be available for app users on Saturday, Feb. 28 between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon.

SPEEDWAY CHILDREN’S CHARITIES EVENTS FILL NASCAR WEEKEND IN ATLANTA

Speedway Children’s Charities’ Atlanta chapter has several events planned as NASCAR returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway Feb. 26-March 1.

The weekend’s events kick off with a bang Friday, Feb. 27 at 9 a.m., as Sprint Cup Series driver David Ragan, a Unadilla, Georgia native, hosts the annual NRA David Ragan Shootout at the Cherokee Rose Sporting Resort in Griffin, Georgia, just minutes from Atlanta Motor Speedway. The cost per entry is $150, and all proceeds benefit Atlanta area youth. Registration is open to the public and available now at speedwaycharities.org/events.

During Saturday’s Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 Camping World Truck Series race and the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 on Sunday, the charity’s Red Bucket Brigade will be back in action. After each race’s first yellow caution flag, volunteers will visit the grandstand seats, collecting donations in the familiar red buckets. This year, donations will also help benefit children of fallen and injured soldiers through partner and race sponsor Folds of Honor.

Also taking place Saturday is the SCC Auction House. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. fans can stop by the Speedway Children’s Charities trailer in Bruton Smith Park to view autographed items and other racing memorabilia up for bid. There will also be an online auction happening at the same time, hosted at www.SCCauctions.com for fans planning to be inside the track.

On Sunday, the ever-popular Track Trek returns to the AMS pre-race festivities, as donors will have the opportunity to complete the first lap of race day on the famed 1.5-mile oval. For just $10, participants have the opportunity to walk on the actual AMS asphalt just hours before the green flag flies. Track Trek begins promptly at 10 a.m., and registration is available at Gate 15 beginning at 9:15 a.m. Proceeds benefit children in need throughout Georgia.

“Race weekend is a great opportunity for Speedway Children’s Charities to engage with our fans and offer them some amazing experiences and opportunities,” said Scott Fillmore, executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities, Atlanta. “The best part is that if you are a winning bidder, not only can you get the chance to ride in the parade lap with Jeff Gordon, but you are also at the same time helping kids in need throughout Georgia with your donation.”

FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500 WEEKEND NEWS AND NOTES – TUESDAY, FEB. 24

News, notes and storylines for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway Feb. 26-March 1

Major Dan Rooney will serve as grand marshal
Major Dan Rooney, the founder and CEO of Folds of Honor, will serve as the grand marshal of Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, March 1. Rooney, an F-16 fighter pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, founded Folds of Honor in 2007 after returning home from his second tour of duty in Iraq. The charity is dedicated to providing educational, opportunities to family members of those who have been killed or disabled while on active duty.

Several drivers pulling double or triple duty
Ten drivers are currently entered to drive in both the Hisense 250 XFINITY Series race on Saturday and the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday. Those include:

• Kevin Harvick
• Sam Hornish, Jr.
• Matt Kenseth
• Joey Logano
• J.J. Yeley
• Paul Menard
• Mike Bliss
• Landon Cassill
• Regan Smith
• Kyle Larson
• Brendan Gaughan

Three drivers will pull double-duty in Saturday’s Hisense 250 and Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 Camping World Truck Series doubleheader. Those drivers are:

• Daniel Suarez
• John Wes Townley
• Ryan Sieg

Ty Dillon is the lone driver currently entered to pull triple-duty in all three of this weekend’s races.

Final Atlanta start for Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon, who began his Sprint Cup Series career at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1992, will return to race one last time as a full-time driver in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Gordon has five Sprint Cup Series wins at AMS.

Chase Elliott at home in Georgia
Chase Elliott, a Dawsonville, Georgia native, returns to race at his “home” track for the first time since winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship last season. He became the youngest champion ever and the first rookie to win a national NASCAR series championship.

SEVERAL LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCES SLATED for
FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500 WEEKEND

Georgia native and Grammy-nominated country music recording artist and songwriter Cole Swindell will highlight a music-filled Folds of  Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway Feb. 27-March 1.

From the AMS Fan Stage to Sunday’s Fast Cars and Guitars pre-race concert on the start/finish line, each day of race weekend will supply can’t-miss live performances, as NASCAR racing returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second stop on the 2015 schedule.

Here’s a full rundown of all the musical guests and where to see them next weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Friday, Feb. 27
Country music artist Josh Black will play a full set at “The Gathering Place” following the day’s on-track activities, as Speedway Motorsports, Inc. CEO Marcus Smith and Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark will be on hand for the grand opening of the all-new music and social venue inside the Legends Campground. The party begins at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 28
Mackenzie Morris, a rising Nashville country music star, will kick off the live music Saturday on the Atlanta Motor Speedway Fan Stage at 9:35 a.m.

At 12:05 p.m., one of Philadelphia’s most popular new bands, Rivers Monroe, will turn up the volume on the Fan Stage, ahead of the scheduled 2 p.m. start time the Hisense 250.

Catch rocker Christian O’Connor between races on the Fan Stage at 3:45 p.m. before the Hyundai Construction Equipment 200, the second half of the day’s NASCAR doubleheader, takes to the track.

Bill Turpin and the Shoulderbone Creek Orchestra will cap off a full day of NASCAR action with an acoustic set at “The Gathering Place” at 7:30 p.m. 

Sunday, March. 1
Mackenzi Morris will be back on the Fan Zone stage at 9 a.m. to get the party started on Sunday morning.

Rivers Monroe follows Mackenzi Morris on the Fan Stage at 11 a.m., and Christian O’Connor will also return at noon for a back-to-back Sunday matinee to wrap up the weekend’s Fan Stage performances.

Cole Swindell, whose single “Chillin’ It” climbed to No. 1 on the country music radio charts, will headline the Fast Cars and Guitars pre-race concert on the front stretch ahead of Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The party gets started at 11 a.m. and immediately precedes the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver introductions.

Rounding out the musical guests is Gavin DeGraw. While not performing a live set during the weekend, DeGraw will serve as the honorary pace car driver at the beginning of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 to lead Sprint Cup Series drivers to the green flag.

All musical performances in the Fan Zone and “The Gathering Place” are free of charge and open to all fans attending the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend. Stage-front access to the Fast Cars and Guitars pre-race concert on the AMS front stretch is free with the purchase of a pre-race pit pass. All performance schedules are subject to change.

GAVIN DEGRAW TO SERVE AS HONORARY PACE CAR DRIVER
AT FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500

Grammy Award nominee and multi-platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw will serve as the honorary pace car driver at the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 1. The 38-year-old singer/songwriter will be behind the wheel for the initial pace laps prior to the green flag as NASCAR’s top drivers speed into the second race of the 2015 season.

“I always enjoy coming to the track and seeing a lot of familiar faces and meeting new ones,” said DeGraw. “I can’t wait to get to Atlanta and inside of the pace car. I’m going to try and set a new speedway record for the fastest pace in track history!”

Best known for his singles “I Don’t Want to Be” and “Not Over You,” DeGraw got his musical start at just 8 years old and later released his debut album, “Chariot,” in 2003. “Chariot” went on to earn platinum certification, selling over a million copies after “I Don’t Want to Be” became the theme song for teen TV drama “One Tree Hill.” DeGraw has since released five additional albums, and his music has been featured in several popular movies and TV shows. In 2013, DeGraw earned a Grammy nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media for “We Both Know,” written for the film “Safe Haven.”

The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will begin with three pace laps, driven by DeGraw, before the field takes the green flag to start the 325-lap event.

RICHARD PETTY TO BE INDUCTED INTO CITY OF HAMPTON’S SPEEDWAY LANE HALL OF FAME, SERVE AS HAULER PARADE GRAND MARSHAL

Richard Petty, a seven-time NASCAR champion, winner of over 200 career races and a 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, continues to collect numerous accolades for a legendary career behind the wheel of a stock car that began nearly 60 years ago. Petty will be inducted into the City of Hampton, Georgia’s Speedway Lane Hall of Fame in a ceremony at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26 at  Downtown Hampton’s Depot Park, as the home city of Atlanta Motor Speedway honors the racing legend to kick off its four-day 2015 NASCAR weekend.

Established in 2013, Hampton’s Speedway Lane Hall of Fame honors influential drivers with strong ties to Georgia and Atlanta Motor Speedway. Its current members include Fayetteville, Georgia’s Rex White and Dawsonville, Georgia’s Bill Elliott, both 2014 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees.

“It’s always great to be recognized, no matter where you’re at,” said Petty. “Atlanta’s been there since 1960, and we’ve been going there since then. It’s good to see the local (community) get involved in what they’ve had all these years. It’s going to help the whole situation by having the community behind you. They’re going to step forward, and that’s a big plus.”

Petty, whose storied career spanned more than three decades, is statistically the most accomplished driver in the history of NASCAR. His 200 victories and 123 poles in NASCAR’s top division are the most of any driver, and his seven NASCAR championships is matched only by NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt. Petty’s last career start behind the wheel was on Nov. 15, 1992 in the Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, in what many consider one of the greatest NASCAR races of all time.

Special guest speakers at the induction ceremony will include Petty, Hampton mayor Steve Hutchison and Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark. Additionally, a special tribute will honor the late Captain Herb Emory, longtime local Atlanta traffic reporter, impassioned civic activist and icon in the motorsports press community.

Following the ceremony, Petty will serve as the grand marshal of the 3rd Annual Hauler Parade, as NASCAR XFINITY Series transporters cruise through Downtown Hampton prior to entering Atlanta Motor Speedway’s main infield tunnel. The parade will kick off at 6:30 p.m., beginning near Depot Park and proceed down Main Street.

Fans of all ages are invited to attend the parade and experience the charm of Downtown Hampton, as the thrill of NASCAR arrives for its annual stop at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hampton, approximately 25 miles south of Atlanta, is easily accessible from Interstate-75 via Highway 19/41 by taking Exit 235 or via Highway 20 by taking Exit 218.

ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY TO HONOR JEFF GORDON WITH RACE WEEKEND TRIBUTE

In 1992, few could have predicted that when Jeff Gordon strapped into the No. 24 car for Hendrick Motorsports at Atlanta Motor Speedway for his first Sprint Cup Series start on Nov. 15 of that year that he was embarking on a career more than two decades long to become one of the sport’s foremost icons. Twenty-three years and four Sprint Cup Series championships later, Gordon will return March 1 to Atlanta, still driving the No. 24 for Hendrick Motorsports, to compete for his sixth career victory there, as his final full-time season behind the wheel begins in earnest.

Through the years, both Gordon and his fans have made countless memories, many of which are rooted in his Atlanta success and the four championships he has celebrated at the storied track.

“The first thing that really comes to my mind is that I just love Atlanta. It’s a great track for us – one track that I always feel competitive at with a shot to win,” said Gordon. “I hope there’s one more memory left to come coming up in a few weeks.”

As part of the weekend tribute to Gordon, Atlanta Motor Speedway has established a commemorative ticket package for his final race in Atlanta as a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver.

Fans who take advantage of the extremely limited Jeff Gordon ticket package will receive $24 off individual tickets in the Upper Winners Grandstand, Upper Champions Grandstand or Upper Earnhardt Grandstand for the March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

Additionally, fans who renew their tickets for 2016 will be invited to special event with Gordon in attendance during next year’s race weekend, as well as an automatic entry into the Atlanta Motor Speedway Insider’s Club.

Fans attending the March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 are encouraged to use the #IWasThereJG hashtag and mention @AMSupdates on Twitter to share their own special moments and memories from Gordon’s NASCAR career. From videos of past races to photos while meeting Jeff, each fan can be a part of history as the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion competes in his final full-time season.

Since his first ever Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1992, Gordon has gone on to win at Atlanta five separate times, including a very special 85th career win in 2011. A win on March 1 would tie Gordon with Bobby Labonte and Richard Petty for third-most career Sprint Cup Series wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway with six.

NEW VENUE, CAMPING PACKAGE GIVEAWAY HIGHLIGHT CAMPING OPPORTUNITIES AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY’S 2015 NASCAR WEEKEND

A new entertainment venue and an ultimate camping experience giveaway highlight the camping opportunities for fans attending Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend Feb. 26-March 1.

The Gathering Place pavilion, adjacent to the Legends Campground, will be a center of nighttime activity, featuring a large patio, a fire pit, picnic tables and a stage that will host free live music on Friday and Saturday nights after on-track activity concludes.

“The Gathering Place will serve as a center for fan entertainment and interaction,” said Ed Clark, Atlanta Motor Speedway president. “With live music and other activities in a casual, outdoor setting, we’re sure it will be a hit with fans and campers of all ages attending the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend.”

Atlanta Motor Speedway is also teaming up with Honda to give away the ultimate camping experience during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend. The package includes one infield camping space for race weekend, four infield passes, four weekend pre-race pit passes, one $250 Camping World merchandise certificate and a Honda EU2000i generator. There is no purchase necessary to enter, and fans can register by logging on to www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/honda.

Reserved camping areas at Atlanta Motor Speedway start at just $100, and options include tent and pop-up camping, coveted infield RV locations, lakeside spaces and even exclusive trackside locations complete with full amenities, views overlooking the AMS oval and both grandstand and pre-race pit passes. Handicap camping spaces are also available. Fans are encouraged to secure their camping plans early, as a limited number of reserved spaces are available.

Camping areas outside the track and all unreserved areas will open on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 8 a.m. Trackside camping areas open Monday, Feb. 23 at noon, while the infield opens to campers on Thursday, Feb. 26 at noon.

FAN SUITES AND CLUB ONE TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR NASCAR WEEKEND AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Fans wishing to elevate their race day experience at Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend have several suite-level options that provide unmatched amenities from high above all the high-speed action.

The Champions Suites, located above the Champions Grandstand near the start/finish line, offer fans of all ages individually purchased theater-style seating in an indoor, climate-controlled atmosphere. Tickets include pre-race pit and stage-front access to the pre-race party, expansive buffet and beverage service, a souvenir race program, lanyard, private bathrooms and closed-circuit video. Additionally, the Champions Suites will allow for one complimentary Champions parking space for every four tickets purchased. Champions Suite tickets start at just $295 for Sunday only and $395 for both Saturday and Sunday.

Club One, Atlanta Motor Speedway’s most deluxe individual suite option, offers an all-inclusive experience with some of the most desirable sightlines available. A Club One ticket includes individual theater-style seating in an upscale, indoor environment, reserved parking and a pre-race pit pass with stage-front party access. Other amenities include high-end décor, an expansive complimentary buffet with beverage service, a souvenir race program, lanyard, a courtesy golf cart shuttle to and from the parking lot, driver and celebrity question-and-answer sessions, raffle prizes and closed-circuit video on more than 60 flat screens.

Each Club One ticket also includes access to the Sight and Sound observation deck on the roof of Club One. With a view of the track at a vantage point between the exit of pit road and the entrance of turn one, the deck is located less than 100 yards from where each driver’s spotter stands during the race. Access to the observation deck is available exclusively to Club One ticket holders. Club One seating is available for just $675 for Saturday and Sunday access or $545 for Sunday only.

NASCAR racing returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend Feb. 26 through March 1. For a full list of amenities in each suite option or to purchase tickets today, call the AMS ticket office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX or visit http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/events/suites/.

MAJORITY OF NASCAR WEEKEND TICKET SPECIALS EXPIRE FEB. 2

Fans have a very limited amount of time to take advantage of many of the ticket specials for Atlanta  Motor Speedway’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR weekend Feb. 26 through March 1. A majority of the limited-time offers will expire Monday, Feb. 2 at 5 p.m., and fans are encouraged to take advantage of these value-priced offers while they are still available.

There are several money-saving ticket specials available for each day of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend for single tickets, groups or families for every budget. The ticket specials expiring Feb. 2 include:

• $159 Start Finish Package: The two-day $159 Upper Champions Grandstand package comes with seats for the Hisense 250 and Atlanta 200 XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 28 and an Upper Champions Grandstand ticket to the March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Sprint Cup Series race, plus a Sunday pre-race pit pass!
• $159 FANtastic 4 Pack: This ticket option comes with four tickets in the first six rows of the Lower Petty Grandstand to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 and vouchers for four hot dogs and four Coca-Cola products from a designated concession stand at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
• Two-for-$99 Sunday tickets: For just $99, purchase two tickets in the Lower Petty Grandstand (rows 7-15) or the first 12 rows of the Winners Grandstand to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500!
• $45 Weekend Upgrade: Upgrade any current ticket to the March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 to include general admission seats for Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series  and  Camping World Truck Series race doubleheader and the Drive Sober Georgia Qualifying Day on Friday, Feb. 27!

ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY ANNOUNCES CHASE ELLIOTT TICKET PACKAGE SPECIAL

Atlanta Motor Speedway has created a ticket package special for Chase Elliott fans for the Saturday, Feb. 28 Hisense 250 NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

By purchasing a regularly-priced $40 general admission ticket to the Hisense 250 XFINITY Series and Atlanta 200 Camping World Truck Series race doubleheader in the Chase’s Crew section near the start/finish line, purchasers will receive a Chase’s Elliott foam finger. As an added bonus, the first 200 to purchase a Chase Elliott ticket package will have an opportunity to participate in an autograph session with Chase on race day at the JR Motorsports souvenir hauler in the AMS Fan Zone.

Chase Elliott ticket packages are extremely limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis beginning today.

Elliott won the pole starting position for last year’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and went on to win the XFINITY Series championship as a rookie and the youngest national NASCAR series champion ever.

For more information and to become part of Chase’s Crew, call the AMS ticket office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX or visit this link today.

SCHEDULE SHAKEUP STRESSES EARLY SUCCESS 

For the past three years, Atlanta Motor Speedway’s sole race on the NASCAR schedule was the second-to-last stop before the official beginning of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. And while each race weighs heavy as an opportunity to rack points in the standings and a berth in the Chase, there is heightened anticipation entering Atlanta in 2015, one of the most competitive 1.5-mile tracks on the NASCAR circuit.

This year, Atlanta has been shifted to the second race on the season’s schedule. It’s the week after the Daytona 500 and the first race with the new rules package on a track not requiring speed-limiting restrictor plates. Many are eyeing the March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway as a measuring stick for the reduced horsepower and downforce mandated in the new rules and a vital preview for what teams and drivers can expect in the new season.

“Atlanta will give us our first taste of what and who will be the biggest challenges throughout the course of the season,” said Brad Keselowski, the fifth place finisher in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series standings in 2014. “Because mile-and-a-halves are the predominant track throughout the NASCAR season, so that will be a good telltale early in the season.”

Add to that the revamped format of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup and the pressure to win early, and Atlanta becomes a whole different animal than a late-summer pit stop before NASCAR’s championship format begins in earnest.

“You want to run good that first month or two at all those different race tracks,” said Matt Kenseth, the 2003 champion of NASCAR’s top series. “If you start off the year decent, it certainly should apply to the rest of the intermediate tracks.”

While the new Chase format wasn’t an immediate winner amongst many within the sport, the payoff seems evident to its drivers.

“The Chase was changed to add excitement and to engage our fans on a whole other level and help grow the sport,” said Keselowski. “I think every team, every driver, every person who is a member of NASCAR auto racing would be willing to tell you that that’s what comes first.”

According to Kenseth, the excitement in the grandstands can translate into burden on the drivers inside the cars when winning doesn’t come early.

“I think there was more pressure,” he said of last year’s first season of the newest Chase format. “(When there are) only three races to make it and you have one bad race and you’re one of the best cars all year, certainly I think that pressure probably builds.”

Throw in a new rules package, and the 2015 season applies pressure before the first green flag is even waved.

FAN-FRIENDLY HOTEL DEALS AND TRAVEL PACKAGES AVAILABLE FOR RACE FANS ATTENDING NASCAR WEEKEND AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Fans attending the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway Feb. 26 through March 1 have numerous affordable options for lodging and travel in the immediate Atlanta area through local partnerships.

Marriott Hotels, the official hotel partner of Atlanta Motor Speedway, as well as several other local Atlanta area hotels have partnered with Atlanta Motor Speedway to offer fans lodging options with affordable rates while they are visiting the speedway during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend. Each of these hotels will offer fans affordable nightly rates while not requiring multiple-night stays. A complete listing of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s fan-friendly hotels is available by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/fanzone/hotels/.

“We’re once again pleased to be able to provide fans with budget-friendly lodging options in the Atlanta area while they join us for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend,” said Ed Clark, Atlanta Motor Speedway president. “We appreciate the effort of each of our hotel partners to help reduce the strain on the wallets of race fans visiting from out of town for our race weekend.”

Additionally, PrimeSport, the leader in providing direct access to the biggest sporting events and the official travel package provider for Atlanta Motor Speedway, is offering fans exclusive travel packages for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend. Travel packages through PrimeSport include two or three-night hotel accommodations, pre-race pit passes, round-trip transfers to the race and airport, premium race tickets and several other race weekend benefits. Each package is customizable and can be fit to each fan’s specific needs. Details on travel packages provided by PrimeSport are available here.

EARLY-SEASON TESTING ANSWERS QUESTIONS, POSES OTHERS

Last season, NASCAR flipped the script on its testing rules, imposing a ban on private tests in 2015. Considering this year’s brand new rules package that – among other performance-affecting tweaks – reduces both horsepower and downforce, the natural result is an inflated value on the limited number of scheduled tests early in the new season for teams to settle into potential new race car behavior.

A Goodyear tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Monday helped shed some light for a handful of teams, but with no other scheduled tests before the first points race of 2015 in Daytona next month, some questions are still up in the air.

“Any track time you get is really important with the new testing rules and banning all offseason testing,” said Matt Kenseth, the 2003 champion of NASCAR’s top series. “You’ve really got to take advantage of the tests when you get them and try to gather as much information as you can – and hopefully useful information you can use down the road.”

While Daytona is NASCAR’S season-opening points race, the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway just one week later represents the first stop on the schedule with the new rules package on a track without the speed-decaying restrictor plates required at Daytona.

Brad Keselowski, the fifth-place finisher in last year’s Sprint Cup standings, sees Atlanta Motor Speedway as a critical test early in the season.

“Atlanta will give us our first taste of what and who will be the biggest challenges throughout the course of the season, because mile-and-a-halves are the predominant track throughout the NASCAR season,” he said. “So that will be a good telltale early in the season.”

Atlanta Motor Speedway will host NASCAR’s first open team test of the 2015 season on Thursday, Feb. 26, giving every Sprint Cup Series team an opportunity to scrub the tires on the new performance qualities of their race cars. For most teams, it will be their first taste of a 1.5-mile track.

“We’re just trying to get it sorted out and get a new baseline and try to hopefully find something that drives good,” said Kenseth. “There’s some extra practice at Atlanta, so we’re all looking forward to that as well.”

Still, the true effect of the new rules looms unknown.

Said Keselowski, “It’s too early for me to tell. I think we’ll know when we get to Atlanta and the race is over. At this point, I could offer a lot of speculation but nothing I would really feel good about.”

What does remain true in 2015 is the importance of early success in a format that rewards both consistency and winning.

“You want to run good that first month or two at all those different tracks,” said Kenseth. “If you start off the year decent, it should apply to the rest of the intermediate tracks.

Adding to the element of intrigue at Atlanta is the ultra-competitive environment created on its aged pavement. A favorite among many drivers, the 1.5-mile oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track that has produced some of the closest finishes in NASCAR’s history.

“The fact that the cars drive so sideways and require so much driver input, you feel like as a driver, that you’re making a difference there,” said Keselowski. “And that’s really all you can ask for.”

AMS TICKET OFFICE HOURS EXTENDED THROUGH MARCH 1

To better serve customers purchasing event tickets and camping spaces for the Feb. 26-March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Weekend, Atlanta Motor Speedway has extended its ticket office hours through Sunday, March 1.

Beginning this Saturday, the ticket office will be open on weekends, including Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Additionally, the ticket office will extend its weekday hours an additional three hours and will be open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. beginning Monday, Feb. 9.

Great ticket options still available

Several money-saving tickets options are still available for each day of the upcoming Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend including:

• Two for $99: Purchase two tickets in the Lower Petty Grandstand (rows 7-15) or the first 12 rows of the Winners Grandstand to the March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 for just $99.
• $159 Start/Finish Line Package: Three races from the Upper Champions Grandstand and a Sunday pre-race pit pass, all for a savings of more than $100.
• $159 FANtastic Four Pack: Includes four tickets in the first six rows of the Lower Petty Grandstand and vouchers for four hot dogs and four Coca-Cola products from designated concession stands.
• $45 Weekend Upgrade: Upgrade any ticket to the March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 to include general admission seats for Saturday’s Hisense 250 NASCAR XFINITY Series race and Atlanta 500 Camping World Truck Series race doubleheader, plus NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying on Feb. 27.
• Discounted Children and Student Sunday Tickets: Children 17 and under and students with a valid student ID can enjoy the March 1 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 in the first 12 rows of the Winners Grandstand for just $19 or $29 in rows 13-26. Children and students are half off the regular price in the Petty, Earnhardt and Champions Grandstands.

Georgia Govenor’s Office of Highway Safety to Sponsor NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying Day at Atlanta Motor Speedway Feb. 27

The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) will serve as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying day at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, Feb. 27. The event will be named the Drive Sober Georgia Qualifying Day.

GOHS’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is a safe driving program that targets impaired drivers through concentrated patrols and sobriety checkpoints. The zero tolerance campaign reminds motorists that if they get caught driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, they will be arrested and go to jail.

“NASCAR and Atlanta Motor Speedway are such an important part of Georgia,” said GOHS director Harris Blackwood. “We want everyone at the race and everyone watching at home to remember that Georgia is a zero tolerance state. Drunk driving is a serious offense that can cost you the loss of your license, your job or even your life.”

The Drive Sober Georgia Qualifying Day will feature a full day of high-speed NASCAR action on the Atlanta Motor Speedway oval. NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series, XFINITY Series and Sprint Cup Series teams will each take part in practice sessions during the day before Sprint Cup Series qualifying begins at 5:45 p.m. to determine the pole winner and the starting order for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

Georgia Native Cole Swindell to Headline ‘FAST CARS AND GUITARS’ Pre-Race  Party at Fold’s of Honor QuikTrip 500 March 1

Country music songwriter and recording artist Cole Swindell will headline the “Fast Cars and Guitars” pre-race party prior to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 1.

The Bronwood, Georgia native and CMA Awards’ “New Artist of the Year” nominee, who has two consecutive No. 1 gold-certified hits with “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight” and “Chillin’ It,” will perform a full-length concert at 11 a.m. on the AMS front stretch as part of the pre-race festivities.

“I grew up watching NASCAR with my brothers, and I still keep up with the races when I’m on tour,” said Swindell. “I’ve actually never been to the Atlanta race, but what better way could there be to experience it for the first time? This is definitely gonna be a fun trip home to Georgia.”

The Georgia Southern University alumnus’ self-titled Warner Bros. Record debut, which has sold over 310,000 copies and claimed the title of highest-selling country debut since 2011 upon release, also features his current single “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey,” which is rapidly nearing the Top 20. Named Music Row’s Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year for 2014 and one of Billboard’s Top New Country Artists, Swindell’s celebrated songwriting credits also include hit songs “This is How We Roll” for Florida Georgia Line, “Get Me Some of That,” the No. 1 single for Thomas Rhett, and several songs with Luke Bryan, including his latest No. 1 “Roller Coaster,” among others. As the only debut artist with a No. 1 country radio single in 2014, his debut hit “Chillin’ It” racked over 1.3 million sales of Swindell’s 2.4 million total tracks sold.

“Cole Swindell is sure to bring great energy to the ‘Fast Cars and Guitars’ pre-race party,” said Ed Clark, Atlanta Motor Speedway president. “Cole’s music will be an exciting highlight for both music and racing fans leading to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 green flag.”

Pre-race pit passes will provide stage-front access to the Fast Cars and Guitars pre-race party, along with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver introductions. In addition, pre-race pit pass holders will have the chance to view and photograph the 43-car Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 starting field, parked along pit road.

A limited number of Sunday-only pre-race pit passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis for $100, and a three-day weekend pre-race pit pass is just $125. A grandstand or infield ticket is required for each pre-race pit pass holder.

Atlanta Motor Speedway Announces HISENSE as Title Sponsor of February 28 NASCAR XFINITY Series Race

Multinational electronics manufacturer Hisense has been named the title sponsor of the Feb. 28, 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The event will be named the Hisense 250 and will be the first race of a rare NASCAR XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series doubleheader.

“NASCAR is one of the country’s largest sports with brand-loyal fans,” said Dr. Lan Lin, EVP of Hisense Group and GM of Hisense International Co., Ltd. “We are very excited about this important step towards establishing the Hisense brand in the U.S.”

Based in Qingdao, China, Hisense began in 1969 as a small radio factory and has since grown into a multibillion-dollar global conglomerate with a workforce of over 75,000 worldwide. The company is a world leader of flat-panel TVs, household appliances and mobile communication devices.

Hisense USA, a subsidiary of Hisense Company Ltd. was established in 2001 and operates a Georgia-based R&D center to bring a more market-centric approach to product development and technological innovations. Today, Hisense USA sells into retailers across North America such as hhgregg, Best Buy, Walmart, Costco.com, Canadian Tire and many others. Hisense products are exported to over 130 countries and regions around the world.

“We are beyond delighted to welcome Hisense as the title sponsor for the XFINITY Series race in Atlanta on Feb. 28, as it continues its global development in the U.S.,” said Ed Clark, Atlanta Motor Speedway president and GM. “Hisense provides a full range of quality electronic products to a worldwide market, and we look forward to a partnership that will continue to fuel its expanding reach across U.S. and provide a quality event for fans attending the Hisense 250.”

The Hisense 250 will kick off a unique NASCAR racing doubleheader at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 28, followed closely by a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. The weekend begins with Sprint Cup Series open team testing on Thursday, Feb. 26 before Sprint Cup Series qualifying on Friday, Feb. 27. The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will round out Atlanta’s NASCAR weekend on Sunday, March 1. The weekend will mark just the second stop of the 2015 NASCAR season.