Though Fords dominated Sunday’s Ambetter Well being 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, it was Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell escaping the carnage all through the race to select up his first profession win on a superspeedway-style monitor and Toyota’s first on the monitor since 2013.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from the Ambetter Well being 400 at Atlanta:
Bell solely leads final lap, spoils Ford’s dominance
After putting outdoors the highest 20 in each levels, Bell was scored simply in entrance of Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson when the warning flag flew on the ultimate lap to get his tenth profession Cup Collection win.
Whereas Bell led solely the ultimate lap, he managed to work his approach towards the entrance and keep out of hurt’s approach. After getting caught up within the Lap 186 “Large One” at Daytona whereas operating up entrance, Bell steered away from the mess within the closing laps on Sunday to reverse course from one week earlier.
Historical past-making day for Atlanta
Sunday marked the seventh Cup Collection race on the reconfigured Atlanta floor whereas the collection has raced on the monitor since 1960. With the frequent slingshot strikes and daring three-wide passes drivers pulled off, Sunday’s race featured a monitor file of fifty lead adjustments.
Daytona and Talladega have lengthy been the 2 tracks on the Cup Collection schedule with fixed lead adjustments and jockeying for place. After one other entertaining race on the reconfigured Atlanta floor, the monitor continues to placed on a fantastic present and create thrilling racing for the lead and all through the sphere.
Larson practically ends superspeedway drought
Coming into Sunday, all of the discuss was centered round Larson’s struggles in the case of one of these racing. In any case, he was 0-of-48 at superspeedways coming into the race and usually finally ends up on the wrecker after crashing out.
With a third-place end on Sunday and in place to win his first superspeedway race, Larson fell quick. Maybe his possibilities of profitable the race would have been higher had the warning not come out. Nonetheless, Larson grabbed a Stage 2 win — his first stage win on a superspeedway in his profession — and at the very least proved that he can end these races when the whole lot aligns.
Fords unable to capitalize on velocity as soon as once more
For the second straight week, the Blue Ovals had dominant velocity and gave the impression to be in place to avenge final week’s Daytona 500 disappointment. Though Josh Berry received Stage 1 and led 56 laps, he was collected within the closing lap crash and had nothing to indicate for it with a Twenty fifth-place end.
Whereas Ryan Blaney received the pole and Joey Logano led 83 laps, it was Austin Cindric as soon as once more in place to win till he and Daytona 500 winner William Byron obtained collectively off Flip 2 and spun into the within wall.
Cindric ran out of room and was compelled into the skin wall after Larson crowded him up the monitor, leaving the driving force of the No. 2 Ford — chief of 47 laps — to retire in twenty eighth. Very similar to Daytona, the Fords, particularly Cindric, are left annoyed and empty-handed after showcasing dominant velocity.
Hocevar turns in career-best end regardless of not making any mates
It was a profession day for Hocevar at Atlanta, however in the event you regarded on the drivers coming over to speak with him afterward, you’ll suppose in any other case. Ross Chastain and Blaney every approached the second-year Cup Collection driver after the race following some aggressive on-track strikes.
Hocevar obtained into the again bumper of Blaney coming into Flip 1 and left the 2023 Cup Collection champion annoyed on the radio.
Tracks like Atlanta are inclined to reward aggression due to the large runs which are generated within the pack. Nonetheless, as Hocevar tries to show himself and earn respect after some questionable selections final season and in his Truck Collection profession, he’s going to be checked out in a different way than most drivers.
If he retains placing himself towards the entrance, although, a win might not be too far off for Hocevar.
