NASCAR at Atlanta Motor Speedway 2018: Start time, lineup, TV schedule, more
It’s NASCAR race day at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and we've got everything you need to know to get ready for Sunday's Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.
START TIME: Atlanta native Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live's longest running cast member, will instruct drivers to start their engines at 12:58 p.m. ET followed by the green flag at 1:06 p.m. ET. The race was moved up one hour from its regularly scheduled time because of inclement weather in the forecast.
RACE DISTANCE: The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 is 325 laps around the 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway for a total of 500 miles.
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RACE STAGES: After a successful run last season, NASCAR will once again be dividing races into segments and handing out points. Here are the stages for today's race: Stage 1: 85 laps, Stage 2: 85 laps, Stage 3: 155 laps.
NATIONAL ANTHEM: Ernie Haase & Signature Sound will perform the national anthem at 12:51 p.m. followed by a flyover by four T-38’s from the 325th fighter wing at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, Fla.
TV/RADIO SCHEDULE: Fox will broadcast the race and has a pre-race show beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET. The Performance Racing Network and Sirius/XM NASCAR Radio will call the event on the radio.
WEATHER: Not good. Rain is in the forecast all day, making the race an iffy proposition. The Weather Channel is calling for a high of 69% and 55-85% chance of rain throughout the afternoon and evening.
LAST TIME: Brad Keselowski led the final seven laps and held off Kyle Larson by .564 seconds to score his first Cup Series victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
LINEUP: Kyle Busch topped qualifying with a speed of 184.652 and will start from the Atlanta pole for the first time in his career. Ryan Newman, a seven-time Atlanta pole winner, will also start on the front row. Reigning Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. failed to pass inspection and will start from the rear of the field.
Here is the starting lineup for Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (car number in parentheses):
1. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota
2. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet
3. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford
4. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota
5. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford
6. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford
7. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford
8. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
9. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford
10. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota
11. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford
12. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
13. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet
14. (95) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet
15. (21) Paul Menard, Ford
16. (22) Joey Logano, Ford
17. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford
18. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
19. (43) Darrell Wallace Jr., Chevrolet
20. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford
21. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
22. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
23. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet
24. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet
25. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
26. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
27. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
28. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
29. (38) David Ragan, Ford
30. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford
31. (23) Gray Gaulding Jr., Toyota
32. (72) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet
33. (00) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet
34. (15) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
35. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
36. (51) Harrison Rhodes, Chevrolet
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