Odds For Atlanta Motor Speedway
In 143 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins and three pole awards. Both the Xfinity and Truck Series race on Saturday and the Sprint Cup Series debuts its low-downforce package on Sunday.
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- Atlanta Motor Speedway. Quite the same Wikipedia.
Formerly known as the Atlanta International Raceway, the Atlanta Motor Speedway is located in Hampton, just to the south of the city of Atlanta. Atlanta Motor Speedway, is a 2.48 kilometer superspeedway, that has a quad-oval circuit and a spectator seating capacity of approximately 125 000. The track first opened in 1960, but condominiums were erected over the northeastern part of the Atlanta Speedway track in 1994. This construction led to the track being redesigned and practically rebuilt in 1997. The front and backstretches were swapped, and the oval form of the track gave way to quad-oval. Today, the Atlanta Motor Speedway is the fastest NASCAR track on the entire NASCAR circuit. The track also includes a 4 kilometer road course, approved by the FIA, and a Legends racing track, between the main track and the pit road.
This NASCAR circuit was seeing qualifying lap speeds of approximately 311 kilometers an hour, with the fastest recorded lap speed of 317 kilometers an hour, between the 1990s and the 2000s. The Texas Motor Speedway, that was designed very similar to the Atlanta Speedway, did have faster times during 2004 to 2005, but after its surface was worn, the higher speeds returned to Atlanta. Tracks such as Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway did once have faster lap times, averaging about 322 kilometers an hour, but NASCAR mandated restrictor plates for these tracks, making the average speed approximately 306 kilometers an hour. The Atlanta Motor Speedway’s slogan is “Real Racing. Real Fast.” This is not an exaggeration, as NASCAR has not mandated restrictor plates at this track.
Hurricane Cindy hit the Atlanta Motor Speedway on 6 July 2005, with the damage being estimated at approximately 40-50 million US Dollars. Debris was littered across the track, facades were torn off, roofs were damaged, scoreboard towers were knocked down or left leaning and new grandstands had to be built to replace those that were built in 1960. But against all odds, Atlanta Motor Speedway was ready to race by the next big event and has gone on to welcome spectators to witness some of the fastest racing in the United States.
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Odds For Atlanta Motor Speedway Seating Chart
- Atlanta Motor Speedway
- Timeline
- 1997 to date
- 1992-96
- 1960-91
1997 to date
Atlanta Motor Speedway
1.540 miles / 2.478 km
Atlanta Motor Speedway Road Course
2.500 miles / 4.023 km
Atlanta Motor Speedway Legends Oval
0.250 miles / 0.402 km
Circuit Info
Address: Atlanta Motor Speedway, 1500 Tara Place, Hampton, GA 30228, USA
PH: +1 707 9464211
Circuit type: Permanent oval and road courses
Website:http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com
Circuit History
Atlanta Motor Speedway has undergone a complete transformation under the stewardship of Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsport's company, turning what was a meagre facility struggling to survive into one of the premier superspeedways in America.
The circuit has its origins in plans hatched in 1958 by Walker Jackson, Lloyd Smith, Garland Bagley, Ralph Sceiano and Ike Supporter. Construction began but before it could be completed, funds ran dry and all bar Bagley had pulled out. New investors, in the shape of Dr. Warren Gremmel, Bill Boyd, Jack Black and Art Lester, pumped in $1.8million to finish construction in 1959.
By all accounts, while construction had been completed, the circuit was far from ready for racing. Creature comforts for spectators were fairly minimal – the only toilets in the facility were a three-hole outhouse in the infield – and the first row of seating in the grandstand was too low to see over the track wall and mud abounded at every turn.
Still, Atlanta International Raceway (as it was then known) showed promise, having been built in a dip in the ground forming a natural bowl for spectators. Those not in the grandstands or wooden bleachers brought blankets to sit on the earth banks to observe the action. At 1.522 miles it became the seventh superspeedway to host a NASCAR Cup race when it finally made its racing debut on July 31, 1960.
Through the 1960s and '70s it scraped out an existence, struggling to make money and eventually entering Chapter 10 bankruptcy. Several changes of management ensued before settling down with Walt Nix, who served as general manager for much of the next two decades except for a brief period when NASCAR president Mike Helton was in charge.
Indycar came and went from the facility in the mid-60s before returning for a five-year stint in 1978. Rick Mears dominated the victory count during this period with five wins, only interrupted by Gordon Johncock and Johnny Rutherford. NASCAR continued its presence throughout this period and its two races – the Atlanta 500 and the Dixie 500 – became staple parts of the calendar.
In October 1990, the event that would shape Atlanta's rising fortunes occurred, when the facility was purchased by Bruton Smith and was renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway. A year later, the addition of the East Turn Grandstand expanded the seating capacity by 25,000, and the 30 suites that adorned the top gave new meaning to the word 'luxurious'.
The expansion continued in 1994, when the nine-storey Tara Place opened, containing more luxury suites, the speedway offices, a ballroom and 46 luxury condominiums. Alongside it was the Tara Clubhouse and its accompanying swimming pool and tennis courts. A year later, the Earnhardt Grandstand opened.
Odds For Atlanta Motor Speedway Stadium
Smith still had further ambitions to transform the facility and in 1997 the start/finish line was moved from the west to the east side of the track, and two doglegs were added to the frontstretch to form a 1.54-mile quad-oval, which replaced the original oval. The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.
Running alongside the new start/finish section was the new Champions Grandstand which increased the total of luxury suites to 137. New media facilities, garages and countless fan support buildings were added at the same time.
Famous fan
Jimmy Carter worked as a ticket taker at the track in the 1960s, and attended several races there as Georgia governor and as US President.
Nascar Odds Atlanta Motor Speedway
Two weather-related events happened in the mid-2000s. In 2004, the circuit became an impromptu shelter for evacuees from Florida fleeing Hurricane Frances. While there were no indoor facilities available, visitors waited out the extremely slow-moving storm parked in their recreational vehicles, after creeping along for hours in traffic on nearby Interstate 75. The following year, it was the circuit's turn to be at the eye of the storm. On the evening of July 6, 2005, an F2 tornado spawned from the remains of Hurricane Cindy swept through the facility, causing major damage. Roofs and facades were torn off buildings but, remarkably, all had been repaired or rebuilt in time for the autumn NASCAR race.
In October, 2006 Atlanta Motor Speedway added another Grandstand, the Winners Grandstand, offering fans a great view of the frontstretch and pit road. A Trackside Terrace Luxury RV Camping area replaced the aged Weaver Grandstands as well.
Sitting atop the Winners Grandstand is a public suite called Club One. Limited to just 1,000 occupants, the exclusive club offers a climate controlled view of the entire track as well as a rooftop sight and sound observation deck.
Atlanta's expansion under Smith's ownership has not just been in terms of facilities; the number of series visiting the track has also greatly increased while the venue has been host to everything from dog shows to concerts and business conventions.
Getting There
Atlanta Motor Speedway is located approximately 30 miles south of Atlanta in Hampton,Henry County Georgia. The nearest international airport is Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, approximatley 24 miles or a 35 minute drive away to the north of the circuit. Altanta South Regional Airport/Calyton County Airport is immediately adjacent to the Speedway for private charter flights.
If you are driving south towards Atlanta Motor Speedway, there are two exits off I-75 for reaching the track and both are comparable distances. From Exit #235 (11.1 miles south of downtown Atlanta), continue south on Highway 19 & 41 for 15 miles. Alternatively, take Exit #218 while traveling south on I-75 (27.7 miles south of downtown Atlanta). Once on Highway 20, head west for 10 miles and follow signs to the track. Traveling north on 1-75, fans can first take Exit #205 and head west on GA 16 West into Griffin. Then take U.S. Highway 19 & 41 north towards Atlanta Motor Speedway (approximately 10 miles). Alternatively take Exit #212 off I-75 and head west on Hampton-Locust Grove Road to GA 20. Take GA 20 west for approximately two miles to Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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