Motorsport-Magazin.com – The sixth race of the season after the Corona break was also the tenth race of the regular season. After 325 laps, Kevin Harvick won the 1.54-mile quad oval in Hampton for the third time. The second win of the season with 151 laps in the lead was also the 51st career win for the Stewart Haas driver. Defending champion Kyle Busch was second at the Atlanta Motor Speedway ahead of his Gibbs-Toyota team-mate Martin Truex Junior, who had previously won both stages.
Chase Elliott won the starting grid raffle and is in pole position
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Before the start: a lucky draw for Elliott
For the tenth race of the season, 40 drivers were registered by the teams for the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This means that for the sixth time this year there is a complete starting field with 40 drivers. The four open teams are all eligible to start. Driver changes are now punished in some races with a penalty transfer to the end of the starting grid. For the Atlanta race there were a total of four changes to the teams with starting numbers # 107, # 127, # 53 and # 77.
The top 40 on the grid was drawn from three pots for the race. The subdivision was made according to the placements in the owner points rating. Starting places one to twelve, 13 to 24 and 25 to 36 were determined separately. The four open teams form the end with starting positions 37 to 40. Chase Elliott won the raffle and is on pole position for the second time this season after the Pole Award in Phoenix. Again Aric Almirola starts from second place. In row two are Joey Logano and defending champion Kyle Busch. Clint Bowyer and last year’s winner Brad Keselowski will start the race over 325 laps from the third row. Atlanta record winner Jimmie Johnson is in 15th position. JJ Yeley will start his 300th Anniversary Cup race from 30th place.
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Minute before the start
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Start / Stage 1: Five drivers were transferred as a penalty
Kurt Busch, Corey LaJoie, Garrett Smithley, Timmy Hill and rookie Cole Custer lost their starting position and had to start from behind. Pole setter Elliott defended his position and led the field in the first few laps. Logano had taken second place ahead of Almirola and Kyle Busch. After 25 laps there was the usual competition caution. In the pit lane, Logano took the lead from Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Elliott. On lap 31, William Byron touched the wall and had to visit his crew under green. Logano and Harvick then sat down a bit. Gibbs teammates Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Junior followed in the next places.
Then Harvick took the lead and shortly afterwards had the fast Truex in the rearview mirror. On lap 37, Harvick had completed his 10,000 lap for Stewart-Haas Racing. At half time on the stage, third Kyle Busch was already five seconds behind the two leaders. Harvick was clearly in control of the race at this point. From the 65th lap, Harvick opened the first pit stops under green. Keselowski received a speeding penalty. Since Truex didn’t come to service until three laps later, Harvick’s lead had increased to four seconds. Bowyer was now third, ten seconds behind. Truex slowly but surely shortened the back beach to the leader.
Stage 1: Truex defeats Harvick after 105 laps
After 87 laps, Truex was able to overtake Harvick. Truex was racing through the field at the pace of hell. As a result, on lap 95 there were only 16 drivers on the lead lap. Then rookie John Hunter Nemechek turned off the track and triggered the second caution. There were pit stops. Truex won the race in the pit lane by a wafer ahead of Harvick. There were now six laps left. Truex won the restart ahead of Kyle Busch. After 105 laps, Truex won its first stage in 2020. Kyle Busch came in second, ahead of Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Harvick, Elliott, Ricky Stenhouse Junior, Erik Jones, Johnson and Ryan Blaney, who got the last bonus point.
Stage 2: Gibbs trio long ahead, Truex wins after 210 laps
In the first Conclusion Caution between the stages, all drivers came to the service again. Bowyer was the first driver to come back on track. Three Gibbs drivers followed with Truex, Kyle Busch and Hamlin. Bowyer and Truex fought for the lead after the restart. Behind them, Hamlin was third, ahead of Elliott. Then Bowyer was able to break free and Elliott took third place. After heavy tire wear, Leader Bowyer started the second lap of the pit stops under green on lap 147. Now the three Gibbs drivers were leading ahead of Harvick and Elliott. Ten laps later, the next drivers came in for service.
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Martin Truex Junior on the way to the second stage win
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Truex didn’t stop until lap 161. As a result, the three Penske drivers led the field for a short time. On lap 164 Bowyer had taken the lead again. Truex was 7.5 seconds behind. With their fresher tires, the three Gibbs drivers shortened the gap to Bowyer relatively quickly. Then Bowyer had to give up the lead on lap 185. Kyle Busch followed, 0.5 seconds behind. With ‘Clean Air’, Truex immediately flew away. Michael McDowell spun ten laps before the end of the stage, creating new tension before the bonus classification.
There were more pit stops before the final of the second stage. Kyle Busch was the first driver to come back on track before Truex. Hamlin had to brake at the pit exit and this caused Harvick, Blaney and Keselowski to pass. Four more laps to the finish. Truex passed Kyle Busch on the top line. Blaney was suddenly second ahead of Hamlin. Jones slowed down after a puncture. Truex pulled away and also won the second stage after 210 laps. Blaney finished second, ahead of Kyle Busch, Hamlin, Elliott, Harvick, Matt DiBenedetto, Keselowski, Bowyer and tenth Johnson.
Stage 3: Harvick dominates
After the pit stops in the second Conclusion Caution, Kyle Busch was ahead. Truex was second ahead of Harvick, Elliott and Keselowski. Hamlin was only ninth. Kyle Busch won the restart to the last stage over 115 laps. One lap later, Harvick was in front and Truex followed in second. After 236 laps, Harvick was 1.3 seconds ahead of Truex. Then Truex caught up again. Last year’s winner Keselowski took fourth place from Elliott. After 250 laps, Harvick was able to increase the gap again.
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Kevin Harvick führt vor Martin Truex Junior
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The next pit stops under green began on lap 262. Truex came to service on lap 268 and Harvick one lap later. Then Harvick continued to lead, but now had the three Gibbs drivers on his neck again. Harvick seemed to have the race under control, because 40 laps before the end of the race, the Stewart-Haas driver was 2.3 seconds ahead of Truex. Whenever Truex got closer, Harvick picked up again. 20 laps before the end of the race, the lead was 2.5 seconds. Now only a yellow phase could prevent his victory.
Stage 3 / Goal: Harvick wins ahead of Kyle Busch
Harvick controlled the race on the final laps without any problems. After 315 laps, Harvick was also able to win the tenth race of the season after the fifth. After trying to catch up, Kyle Busch was second, 3.6 seconds behind Truex. Blaney crossed the finish line by a large margin in fourth ahead of Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Johnson, Elliott, Keselowski and tenth Logano. All other drivers outside the top 10 were at least one lap behind.
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Kevin Harvick celebrates third win in Atlanta
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Official results come on Monday / Tuesday and / or Thursday / Friday
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