The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 10. This will be the second time the drivers have taken on the reconfigured track with the Next Gen cars, but two former NASCAR stars believe that there will be some unexpected issues that play a role in the outcome of the race.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton met with media members ahead of the trip to Nashville Superspeedway to preview the NBC portion of the NASCAR schedule. The two drivers-turned-analysts explained that the Cup Series regulars will have some level of comfort as they return to AMS but that the heat and slick surface will create potential problems.
“When I talk to the drivers and crew chiefs, they feel like Atlanta is going to look the same as it looked in the spring. I question that,” Burton said during the conference call. “It’s going to be really hot, and I know that it’s new asphalt and I know that it’s all those things, but I still question with that extreme heat we will probably see if we don’t end up with some handling issues ultimately at the end of the day.
“The drivers are drinking through a funnel — as far as the information with this new car — and they and the teams are learning like so rapidly. It’s going to be interesting to see going back to racing the second time if the same people have success.”
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Earnhardt Provided Similar Comments During the Session
GettyDale Earnhardt Jr. (right) has detailed the difficulty predicting races in 2022.
Burton explained that the heat will play a role in whether certain teams can achieve success. He also noted that all of the manufacturers have remained inconsistent throughout the season. The Ford drivers will turn in strong performances one week and then struggle the next. The same is true for both Toyota and Chevrolet.
“We have an NBC fantasy group of all of the talent, and I completely dominated them last year,” Earnhardt added during the conference call. “And this year I can’t seem to make any right picks because you can’t — it’s so hard to tell like who’s going to run well each week.”
Earnhardt also explained that the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 in March was the first on the brand new track surface. There wasn’t much loss of grip even with Gen 7 cars that are constantly on the edge of sliding. However, the Hall of Famer said that the crews paved the track with hopes that it would quickly age and advance the loss of grip.
“With Jeff talking about the heat, I think there will be a little less grip in the track itself, and the heat as well is going to take the grip out,” Earnhardt continued. “I just don’t think these guys are going to have the same experience from inside the cockpit in terms of comfort and stability when they go back to Atlanta.”
Handling Issues Played a Minor Role in March’s Race
A hard hit ends the No. 16’s day.
@NoahGragson climbed from the car under his own power.
The first time that the NASCAR drivers took the Next Gen to the reconfigured track, they were still learning how the new cars handled. Adding in a new track and steeper banking only further complicated the race weekend.
The handling issues did have a minor effect on the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, albeit on a much cooler day. One example is Noah Gragson, who had a hard collision with the wall while driving the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro.
Gragson was running 17th overall on Lap 24 when he lost control of the No. 16 on Turn 2. The full-time Xfinity Series driver tried to correct the No. 16 as it started to slide, but the move sent it hard into the outside wall and ended his day.
Along with the handling issues, there were also some cautions caused by tires going down. Ross Chastain spun from the front of the field due to a tire issue, which sent him into the wall. The same thing happened to Tyler Reddick, who caused a sizable pile-up with a spin of his own after his tire went down.
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NASCAR Legends Expect Some Issues in Atlanta Return