Jimmie Johnson found himself in Victory Lane at Martinsville with a Subway 500 trophy and a narrower margin between himself and points leader, Jeff Gordon. Not only did Johnson sweep both races at Martinsville in 2007, he won his third consecutive race at the half-mile oval dating back to last season. Gordon finished third and the two have distanced themselves comfortably from the rest of the Chase for the Championship field to make it a two-man race to the 2007 Nextel Cup Championship.
Now the series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway where speeds are among the highest at any track on the circuit. Cars have been known to reach in excess of 200 mph at the quad oval. That’s faster than the much bigger restrictor-plate tracks. Teams will be racing the old car design this weekend, but will soon find themselves having to adjust to the new Car of Tomorrow (COT) for the full 2008 schedule.
Weather could potentially put a major kink in the weekend racing plans. The state of Georgia is currently in the midst of a serious drought - two inches of rainfall in the last two months to be exact. The governor of Georgia has called for a state of emergency, and all outdoor watering has been halted. Teams have been instructed not to wash their big rigs or motor coaches. NASCAR is even considering making this weekend’s race an "impound" race to help cut down on the enormous amounts of water needed by teams to cool their engines throughout practice.
After the full slate of racing action planned for this weekend, no less than 50 Nextel Cup Series teams are scheduled to participate in a two-day test at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in the COT. Barring any last-minute cancellation due to the drought, the test will be closely watched by all interested parties, as it will likely be the first time for some drivers that are slated to switch teams next year to test with their new crews. Many are anticipating seeing Dale Earnhardt, Jr. test with his new #88 Hendrick Motorsports team.
As a treat for the fans, Atlanta Motor Speedway has put together a unique ticket promotion with Fathead, the company known for its over-sized, sports-themed wall graphics. The track is offering a deal to fans to purchase a Winners Grandstand ticket ($100 value) and a NASCAR Fathead wall decal ($100 value) for only $129. Fans can choose from a wall graphic of their favorite driver or their favorite race car, but the offer is for a limited time only.
There will be plenty to watch in Atlanta this weekend. Can Ryan Newman earn a record-setting eighth Bud Pole Award at Atlanta Motor Speedway, surpassing his mentor, Buddy Baker? Can Jimmie Johnson or any other competitors tighten the gap on Jeff Gordon for the 2007 Nextel Cup Championship? How will the COT perform at lightning-fast track? Stay tuned to find out!
Atlanta Motor Speedway Quick Facts
Atlanta Lap Record: Geoffrey Bodine (28.074 seconds and 197.478 mph), Nov. 15, 1997
Atlanta Race Record: Bobby Labonte (3 hrs., 07 min., 48 sec/159.904 mph), Nov. 16 1997
2006 Nextel Cup Winner: Tony Stewart
Total Purse: $6,156,331
