NASCAR Cup Series

Richard Childress Racing's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Atlanta Motor Speedway ... In 140 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins and three pole awards, including Kevin Harvick's emotional victory in the Cracker Barrel 500 on March 11, 2001.

CHRIS BUESCHER QUOTES: SPONSOR THIS WEEKEND: “We’re highlighting a long-standing partner at JTG Daugherty Racing with our new team this weekend,” Buescher said.

The good news for Martin Truex Jr. after a roller-coaster Daytona Speedweeks is that the next stop in the NASCAR Cup Series will be at one of his favorite tracks on the circuit.

Kurt Busch: Busch passed Kyle Larson on the final lap and won his first Daytona 500, finally snagging victory after three runner-up finishes

A.J. Allmendinger is riding an upward trajectory into the new season, hoping to dominate the road courses where he performs best and possibly grab a win at another track along the way. His third place finish in the Daytona 500 is proof of his relevance in 2017.

Reflecting Daytona: “Daytona 500 was a crazy race for sure,” Allmendinger said. “We all saw that. I got to experience it and thankfully had a solid finish (third-place). I just went out there and tried to make the right moves at the right time. The way the race played out on fuel strategy, I just tried to be smart and save as much fuel as possible those last 10 or 12 laps and get the best finish possible and it all worked out. We were very fortunate.”

KAHNE AT ATLANTA: Kasey Kahne will drive the No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Enumclaw, Washington, native has captured three NASCAR Cup Series wins at the Hampton, Georgia, track. He earned his most recent Atlanta win in August 2014, which secured his spot in that season’s playoffs. In March 2006, Kahne completed the weekend sweep by winning the pole award and the 500-mile race in just his fifth start at the 1.54-mile speedway.

Trevor Bayne will make his fourth career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) start at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. In three previous starts at the 1.5-Mile oval, Bayne recorded a best finish of 16th in Sept. 2012.

Stenhouse has four career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Atlanta with an average starting position of 13.0 and average finishing position of 20

Ford Performance will be looking to win the first two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races of the season for the first time since 2009 when Atlanta Motor Speedway hosts Sunday’s Folds of Honor/QuikTrip 500. That also marks the last time a Ford driver captured the first two races (Matt Kenseth), and it’s something Kurt Busch will try to duplicate after winning Sunday’s Daytona 500.