Richard Childress Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway… In 165 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins and four pole awards, including Kevin Harvick’s emotional victory in 2001. Dale Earnhardt won eight times at the Georgia track under the RCR banner (1984-fall, 1986-fall, 1988-spring, 1989-fall, 1990-spring, 1995-fall, 1996-spring, 2000-spring). The Welcome, North Carolina team has 31 top-five and 63 top-10 finishes at Atlanta and has led a total of 3,032 laps at the 1.54-mile oval.
RCR has recorded seven NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at Atlanta, led by Austin Hill (2022, 2023, 2024) and Jeff Burton (2006 and 2007). Harvick (2013) also has a victory at Atlanta with RCR. RCR as an organization has racked up 18 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes over a span of 64 starts at the Peachtree State track.
Pole Positions… RCR’s Xfinity Series program has secured the pole for six of the last seven races on drafting tracks with qualifying. Jesse Love won the pole for both races at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2024.
Did You Know? In the Xfinity Series, RCR has won at least one drafting track race and captured the victory in nine of 18 drafting track events in the last four seasons.
Catch the Action… The Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, February 22 beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
The Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, February 23 beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on FOX. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet at Atlanta Motor Speedway… In 16 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Austin Dillon earned a best finish of sixth in March 2021. Dillon has completed 90% of laps run in the Cup Series at Atlanta. In four NASCAR Xfinity Series and four NASCAR Truck Series races at the Hampton, Georgia track, Dillon has posted seven top-10 results and never finished worse than the 11th position.
Delivering Performance on the Track and For the Planet… Dillon will race the Get Bioethanol Chevrolet this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway showcasing the benefits of racing with earth-kind and engine-smart bioethanol blended fuel, Sunoco Green E15. Whether it’s delivering cleaner and cooler high-octane on the track or on your drive to the grocery store, plant-based bioethanol makes a positive impact on our planet and for future generations. NASCAR drivers have now officially raced 25 million NASCAR miles on Sunoco E15, a notable milestone since NASCAR introduced the fuel in 2011. Learn more about what fueling up with bioethanol means for you here.
Coca-Cola and RCR Roots… Atlanta Motor Speedway is Coca-Cola’s home track. RCR and Coca-Cola have been long-time partners for over two and a half decades. When the Coca-Cola Racing Family was formed in 1998, Dale Earnhardt was a founding member. Dillon then joined the Coca-Cola Racing Family when the third-generation driver made his Cup Series debut in 2014.
Meet Dillon… Before the green flag on Sunday, February 23, fans will have the opportunity to meet Dillon in the Fan Midway at Atlanta Motor Speedway. At 11:00 a.m. ET, the veteran racer is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What is your plan for tackling Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend?
“I enjoy racing at Atlanta. It’s interesting with the drafting style racing there now. Coming up with a game plan is going to be key. You’ve got to be committed to strategy and stick to that strategy. When you don’t have a game plan that you can fully commit to, you can get stuck in the middle and that usually doesn’t turn out well. The track itself is still changing. I think the track with another winter on it could be slicker. We’re going to be there when it’s cold and we’ll have plenty of grip. RCR and ECR Engines always bring fast superspeedway cars with a lot of power though, so we need to capitalize on the weekend overall in our No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet at Atlanta Motor Speedway… Sunday’s 260-lap race at Atlanta will mark Kyle Busch’s 31st career NASCAR Cup Series start at the 1.54-mile oval. To date, Busch has one pole, two wins, 10 top-fives and 15 top-10s in the premier series at the quad-oval speedway. Additionally, the 39-year-old has led 610 laps, has an average starting position of 11.5, an average finish of 13, and has completed 95.2% (8,887 of 9,333) of the laps competed.
This Time Last Year… The Las Vegas, Nevada native scored a third-place result, finishing .007 seconds behind race winner Daniel Suarez in a thrilling three-wide photo finish.
“So Damn Close: Atlanta ’24”… FOX Sports goes under the hood of NASCAR’s closest three-wide finish as Suarez, Ryan Blaney and Busch tell the story of that electrifying, razor-thin, mind-blowing moment. The show premiered following the Duels at Daytona last week and will replay throughout the year. Check your local listing for airtimes.
Did You Know? Busch is the youngest winner in Cup Series history at Atlanta Motor Speedway, claiming the checkered flag in the 2008 spring event at 22 years, 10 months, and 7 days of age.
Success Not Limited to the Cup Series… In addition to his premier series success at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the veteran racer also has three NASCAR Xfinity Series and seven NASCAR Truck Series wins at the Hampton, Georgia facility.
Double Duty… In addition to his driving duties in Sunday’s Cup Series race, Busch will pilot the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports in Saturday’s Truck Series race.
About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the homestyle casual dining restaurant where guests always Get a lot. For not a lot™. The restaurant offers a variety of homemade meals and generous portions served up in a warm, welcoming atmosphere – all at an unbelievable price. After being welcomed with a signature Honey Butter Croissant on the house, guests can enjoy signature entrées like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 28 states. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Meet Busch… Fans will have two opportunities to meet Busch at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, February 23. Busch is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session at the zone Display in the Fan Midway at 12:25 p.m. ET, and again at the AMS Fan Stage in the EchoPark Automotive Experience, located outside of Gate 13, at 12:45 p.m. ET.
KYLE BUSCH QUOTE:
Describe the current racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
“Atlanta is kind of a crapshoot race in general with it now being a superspeedway race. It takes a lot of speed, but also a car that handles well to be successful there. You have to pick the right line at the right time to get yourself where you can log some laps, especially in the middle stage of the race, and not get caught up in a crash when cars start to handle differently, and mistakes are made. With the superspeedway style of racing, there are so many things that can change any given lap, let alone that whole race. Races at Atlanta have become ones to remember.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Atlanta Motor Speedway… Jesse Love has made two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, both coming behind the wheel of the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in 2024. The 20-year-old qualified on the pole position for each of the races, en route to earning 12th-place and sixth-place results, respectively. One year ago in the February 2024 event, Love delivered a dominating performance, leading 157 of 169 total laps before running out of fuel in the closing laps.
Daytona Winner… After starting from the ninth position (based on 2024 owner point standings), Love methodically stayed in contention, led 30 laps, and captured the checkered flag in the season-opening Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway. This marked the Menlo Park, California native’s first victory at the World Center of Racing and locked himself into the Playoffs for the second time in as many years.
Did You Know? Love has led a total of 180 laps in two Xfinity Series events at the Hampton, Georgia facility.
Laps Leader… Love’s 300 laps led on drafting tracks is the most all-time through seven Xfinity Series starts, ahead of teammate Hill who ranks second with 208.
About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.
JESSE LOVE QUOTES:
Describe winning your first race at Daytona International Speedway and now being locked into the Xfinity Series Playoffs in week one.
“It’s a huge morale boost for everyone on the No. 2 Whelen team. Getting them a win – what they deserve – is the number one goal each week. I’m very proud to be a part of a winning organization. Winning at Daytona was probably the most surreal moment of my life and probably will be for a little bit. Last season when I won my first race at Talladega, I was so elated that maybe I took the next few months off per se and got complacent with thinking it was easier than it was. We struggled after that win last year and I feel like I know now even after what is the biggest win of my career, that is still just as hard to win the next one. Danny Stockman (crew chief) gave me some advice before we left the racetrack on Saturday night. He told me to ‘go soak it up these next few days and celebrate, but you still have to work just as hard to keep up the intensity level.’ I appreciate that advice to stay in the game, stay in the hunt if you will.”
Looking forward to Atlanta Motor Speedway where you had success last season, what is the outlook heading into the weekend?
“While Atlanta is a drafting track, it’s so different than Daytona or Talladega. They’re not the same beast and you have a much different style at each place. Even the package we bring is somewhat different. I’ve been studying film and watching races from last season to see what I could do better. Atlanta is a huge plus for our No. 2 team, because Danny (Stockman) has found a way to make our car even better than everyone else. Last year was probably the most dominant car I’ve ever had in my career. It drove really well and did all the things right. Hopefully, we will get to qualify on Friday, start up front, control the race, and save more fuel than I did last year. We put in a lot of effort this offseason to figure out how I can save fuel efficiently and not do it as sporadically. At some point during the race, we are going to lose track position and will have to make it up. We have been looking at stuff to think outside the box of how to pass cars and not go the cookie cutter slide job route. Eventually people are going to catch on to it, so I’m working on a notebook of different passes that I can get through the field with if needed.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Atlanta Motor Speedway… Austin Hill has six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, earning four wins and a second-place finish while piloting the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet. Hill has led at least one lap in each of his six starts, totaling 218 laps pacing the field. In addition, Hill has six NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Hampton, Georgia facility, posting one pole (2019), two top-five (2020, 2021) and three top-10 results (2019-2021).
Defending Race Winner… Hill enters Atlanta Motor Speedway as the defending race winner, with the racer sweeping both Xfinity Series events last season. Hill’s four wins through his first six starts at Atlanta is tied for second-most through six races at a track all-time – only behind Sam Ard who had five wins through six starts at Martinsville Speedway.
Record Chasing… Hill can tie Kevin Harvick for the most wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway with a victory this weekend.
Did You Know? Hill’s seven Xfinity Series wins on drafting tracks is tied for third all-time with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and behind only Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart (eight each).
Bennett 250 Loading… Located a short 15 minutes from Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bennett Transportation & Logistics’ headquarters are based in McDonough, Georgia. Serving as the entitlement partner of Saturday’s race, Bennett Family of Companies will have over 500 guests on site to watch Hill compete in the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250. The No. 21 Chevrolet features an exclusive blue-and-white design to commemorate the special event.
Georgia Boy Returns Home… Hill is a native of Winston, Georgia, sited 60 miles from Atlanta Motor Speedway. The 30-year-old started his motorsports career racing bandolero and legends cars on the frontstretch quarter-mile oval at Atlanta. Hill’s family continues to live in the Peachtree State and will be in attendance for Saturday’s race.
About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies provides industry-leading logistics solutions that help businesses thrive. Whether you need specialized trucking, warehousing, 3PL, exporting, importing, or crane services, Bennett has the expertise to handle your most complex and time-sensitive freight. From LTL to over-dimensional truckloads, Bennett ensures safe, reliable, and on-time deliveries around the world. With a legacy of excellence since 1974, their family and woman-owned company is dedicated to providing personalized, flexible solutions that meet your unique business needs. Trust Bennett to deliver when it matters most – discover how we can help your business grow at www.bennettig.com. Together we can move anything.
Meet Hill… On Saturday, February 22 at 1:45 p.m. ET, Hill is scheduled to make an appearance at the Bennett Family of Companies Display in the Fan Zone at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Stop by to meet and get an autograph from the defending race winner.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:
What do you expect from this race in particular, as you search for your fifth win at Atlanta Motor Speedway?
“Atlanta is a different style of drafting. The technique is different than what you need at Daytona or Talladega. I’ve noticed that over each race on the surface, the track is changing and progressing. It’s losing grip and handling is becoming more of an issue. We still want to be fully trimmed out to have the speed, but the car also needs to handle. It’s difficult on drivers to balance the want for the car to drive well and the want for the car to have speed. Last year in the first race at Atlanta, my car didn’t handle well, but it had really good speed. There seems to be a lot more single file racing, and all drivers are fighting for the top lane. It’s hard to make lap time work on the bottom because you will get bogged down or the car doesn’t handle well enough to draft down there.”
Bennett Transportation & Logistics is celebrating a special weekend, serving as the entitlement partner for the race. Talk about what it means to represent Bennett at their home track.
“Every time we come to Atlanta, it’s special not only for me, but for everyone at Bennett. We’ve been very fortunate the last few years to get our Bennett Chevrolet to Victory Lane and we are going to do our best once again this weekend. There is a lot of pressure to perform well for them, but I expect us to run up front, lead laps and be in contention at the end of the race. Bennett has been a huge supporter of my Xfinity Series career and it’s an honor to represent them on a weekly basis. To have a huge crowd of over 500 Bennett truck drivers, employees, and family members on site – at both of our home tracks – is an honor. Our No. 21 team would really like to take home that Bennett race trophy on Saturday night.”
