Daniel Suarez beat Ryan Blaney by 0.003 seconds and Kyle Busch by 0.007 seconds in an exhilarating three-wide photograph end. The margin of victory is the third-closest ever and the margin between first and third is the closest ever.
That thrilling final lap was the fruits of a race that featured 48 lead modifications and greater than its fair proportion of twists and turns all through.
With out exaggeration, this was one of many biggest races in NASCAR historical past, and Atlanta is now probably the most thrilling monitor on the circuit.
Superspeedway racing has misplaced a lot of its luster lately as Daytona and Talladega have for probably the most half devolved into lotteries by which luck performs a a lot larger function than ability.
There’s little room for dealing with or maneuverability to return into play, and naturally, the fixed menace of a large accident solely provides to the randomness.
That may’t be mentioned concerning the new Atlanta. The racing floor is wider and the gap is shorter, that means there’s extra room for automobiles to get unfold out and for drivers to keep away from wrecks.
Dealing with additionally begins to play a job deeper into green-flag runs, as drivers cannot run full-throttle by the turns as soon as their tires are extra worn out. The contenders get separated from the pretenders, and the cream rises to the highest.
Sunday illustrated this completely. There have been some
wrecks, however nothing that destroyed the stream of the race. Everybody who was close to the entrance on the finish straight-up earned their means there and the end was a case of three drivers utilizing each little bit of aggression that they had with out crossing the road into recklessness.
It is all the things followers ought to need in a NASCAR race: White-knuckle motion that also maintains a stage of legitimacy. The primary 4 Cup Sequence occasions on the brand new configuration had been stable, however lacked that really memorable second to place them excessive. This one had that.
The drivers
cherished it too. Todd Gilliland, who led a race-high 58 laps, was quoted as saying “It is like a haunted home … it is enjoyable, however I am scared for my life on the identical time.”
Prior to now a number of years, NASCAR has made some unconventional strikes with reference to diversifying its schedule, including a dust race and a road course amongst many different new developments.
Not all of them have been profitable, however you’ll be able to’t fault them for making an attempt — as Wayne Gretzky as soon as famously mentioned, “You miss 100% of the photographs you do not take.”
That is why you’re taking these photographs. NASCAR swung for the fences with the brand new Atlanta configuration and hit an out-of-the-park dwelling run.
