Following the third closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history on Sunday (Feb. 25), Atlanta Motor Speedway suddenly felt like the track of old once again.
No, they didn’t essentially treat it like a mini-Talladega 20 years ago, but at the same time, if the Cup Series was looking to mimic the swan song of the IROC-era, they produced a reasonable facsimile with the new layout.
While NASCAR does have a history of immediately overdoing something that shows promise, it does beg the question if intermediates (particularly those in the Dallas-Fort Worth area) and other tracks would benefit from making configurations similar to Atlanta. This week Chase Folsom and Wyatt Watson pick things apart in 2-Headed Monster.
Less is More
There is absolutely no doubt that we saw one of the best races in recent memory this past Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, along with a finish that will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest in NASCAR history.
However, the buzz around the NASCAR world now is about the racetrack. As we all know, the reconfiguration of Atlanta to be a 1.54-mile drafting-style track was unlike anything we had ever seen, and it had many skeptical that it would be successful, up until this past Sunday. The problem is, this past Sunday’s race now has many saying we should do this to others, or even all of the intermediate tracks on the schedule, and that simply isn’t what should happen whatsoever.
The new Atlanta is an anomaly, but one that absolutely works, and is great for what it is.
It’s exciting because we’ve never seen anything like it. It’s unique because there are no other tracks like it on the schedule. The anticipation going into these two races will always be high, because it only happens twice a year. Why on earth would we take that away, and wash it out by making more tracks just like it?
Taking Atlanta and doing the ole copy and paste method on Texas Motor Speedway for example, would only take away from what makes Atlanta special by being unique.
Now, I use Texas as an example because it’s no secret that the track does need a makeover, but most certainly do not. The likes of Charlotte Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway — fellow 1.5-mile racetracks — have all produced great racing in their own rights.
NASCAR has always taken pride, especially in recent years, in having a very diverse schedule, and at this point in time, we have a very good balance…
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