Who … should you be talking about after the race?
Since the reconfiguration of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the races have become anyone’s game. Much like Daytona International Speedway or Talladega Superspeedway, drivers can move through the pack (or get left out of it) in the draft. And because the cars are fairly equal, there’s a chance for talented drivers to shine.
Joey Logano can be hot and cold on this type of track. His aggressive style means he’ll be a contender, but it can also backfire. This time, Logano timed his move perfectly, using a push from Christopher Bell and jumping to the outside of leader Brad Keselowski quickly enough that Keselowski didn’t have room to block him.
Once he was able to clear Keselowski, Logano was able to hold off any charges from behind to take the Ambetter 400, his first win of 2023, his first at Atlanta and the 32nd of his Cup career.
And don’t forget Erik Jones. Jones struggled early on, running somewhere in the 20s and not looking like he’d be a factor. The No. 43 team continued to work on his car, though, and Jones made himself a factor with a late charge to score his first top 10 of 2023, finishing eighth. His run through the field looked more like an act of sheer determination.
What … is the big question leaving this race in the rearview?
The question that’s been on everyone’s minds this week actually stems from the race a week before, as everyone keeps an eye out for the appeals from Hendrick Motorsports, Kaulig Racing and Denny Hamlin following penalties at Phoenix Raceway.
Hendrick’s four cars (along with the No. 31 of Justin Haley) were found to have possibly modified hood louvers before practice last week; the teams claim the only alterations were to make flawed parts from the single-source manufacturer fit the cars. Whether that can be proven remains to be seen; the teams think it can.
Hamlin was penalized for intentionally wrecking Ross Chastain, something he openly admitted to afterward. That’s going to be hard to win because NASCAR made it clear last year that intentional wrecking was unacceptable and what the consequences would be, issuing penalties to William Byron and Bubba Wallace as well as the team of Ty Gibbs (who wasn’t eligible for Cup points). Hamlin’s fine and points deduction are in line with those.
But Clint Bowyer brought up an interesting point discussing the matter and it’s what deserves attention going forward….
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