Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart Preview and Best Bet
Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart
Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN) at Atlanta Motor Speedway, in Hampton Georgia
Race Info
NASCAR's Cup Series will resume this Sunday with the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart at Atlanta's Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.
For this racing event, competing drivers must complete a total of 260 laps.
As has almost always been the case this season, there are three stages for this event.
Stage 1 consists in 80 laps. Stage 2 requires 80 more laps. Stage 3 finishes with the completion of the 260th lap.
An entry list has been published for this event, just like it has been in the previous weeks.
So far, 37 drivers and teams are listed as competitors. So barring any unforeseen circumstances, we already know who will complete in this event.
This is a course that is very familiar to NASCAR Cup Series competitors. As things stand, the drivers already know Atlanta's motor speedway significantly well.
As a result, there is not going to be any practice or qualifying for this event.
Drivers will rely on their previous history at this track in order to compete. Track history, therefore, will form the basis of my bet today.
Track Info
As old as NASCAR racing at Atlanta's Motor Speedway is, the track itself is also very old.
This track has become so worn down over the years that the track will be repaved after this Sunday's event.
As thing stand, the track is uniquely hard on tires, which are susceptible to the slick conditions of the track's racing surface.
While this description may seem to hint at an element of unpredictability, such an interpretation of what I am saying disguises the valuable role of teams.
Teams can make Sunday's racing experience less unpredictable by preparing their cars for the harsher surface and by developing a plan to manage.
Track rebuilding can alter its dimensions. Right now, the banking is fairly significant.
Atlanta International Speedway's turns are each banked at 24 degrees, the straightaways at five degrees.
Each lap is 1.54 miles long. So in completing 260 laps, drivers will have completed about 400 miles.
Drivers To Avoid
I recommend avoiding any kind of positive investment in Denny Hamlin.
Historically, Hamlin is rather awful at this track.
I realize that he performed well both times last year. But last year was also an anomaly for Hamlin in that he was very strong throughout the year.
So he performed very well in different tracks that he normally wouldn't perform well in.
This year, though, is radically different for Hamlin. Whereas he ranked fourth last year, he currently ranks 12th.
After winning seven races last year, he hasn't won any this year.
His current form doesn't inspire promise. One generous way of phrasing his lack of reliability is by calling him "hit or miss." Lately especially, he is doing a lot more "missing."
Also stay away from Joey Logano at all costs.
Logano's poor history in Atlanta is most transparent in his last races there. He's finished 10th or much worse in all three of his last races there.
His recent form also evinces difficulty in reaching just the top 10. In his last two races, he finished 10th and 14th, respectively.
My Guy
i like Martin Truex Jr. because he has been a model of consistency, finishing top-10 in each of his last seven races at Atlanta.
His strong finishes have constituted notable accomplishments given the poor starting positions that he did not allow to hold him during the race.
While his overall average finishing position in Atlanta is worse than his average starting position, this negative disparity reflects the problems that he had in Atlanta earlier in his career.
But Truex Jr. has figured things out at this track and his recent form is at least sufficiently positive to solidify any optimism towards his chances on Sunday.
Best Bet: Truex Jr. To Win (Odds TBA)
Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart
Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN) at Atlanta Motor Speedway, in Hampton Georgia
Race Info
NASCAR's Cup Series will resume this Sunday with the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart at Atlanta's Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.
For this racing event, competing drivers must complete a total of 260 laps.
As has almost always been the case this season, there are three stages for this event.
Stage 1 consists in 80 laps. Stage 2 requires 80 more laps. Stage 3 finishes with the completion of the 260th lap.
An entry list has been published for this event, just like it has been in the previous weeks.
So far, 37 drivers and teams are listed as competitors. So barring any unforeseen circumstances, we already know who will complete in this event.
This is a course that is very familiar to NASCAR Cup Series competitors. As things stand, the drivers already know Atlanta's motor speedway significantly well.
As a result, there is not going to be any practice or qualifying for this event.
Drivers will rely on their previous history at this track in order to compete. Track history, therefore, will form the basis of my bet today.
Track Info
As old as NASCAR racing at Atlanta's Motor Speedway is, the track itself is also very old.
This track has become so worn down over the years that the track will be repaved after this Sunday's event.
As thing stand, the track is uniquely hard on tires, which are susceptible to the slick conditions of the track's racing surface.
While this description may seem to hint at an element of unpredictability, such an interpretation of what I am saying disguises the valuable role of teams.
Teams can make Sunday's racing experience less unpredictable by preparing their cars for the harsher surface and by developing a plan to manage.
Track rebuilding can alter its dimensions. Right now, the banking is fairly significant.
Atlanta International Speedway's turns are each banked at 24 degrees, the straightaways at five degrees.
Each lap is 1.54 miles long. So in completing 260 laps, drivers will have completed about 400 miles.
Drivers To Avoid
I recommend avoiding any kind of positive investment in Denny Hamlin.
Historically, Hamlin is rather awful at this track.
I realize that he performed well both times last year. But last year was also an anomaly for Hamlin in that he was very strong throughout the year.
So he performed very well in different tracks that he normally wouldn't perform well in.
This year, though, is radically different for Hamlin. Whereas he ranked fourth last year, he currently ranks 12th.
After winning seven races last year, he hasn't won any this year.
His current form doesn't inspire promise. One generous way of phrasing his lack of reliability is by calling him "hit or miss." Lately especially, he is doing a lot more "missing."
Also stay away from Joey Logano at all costs.
Logano's poor history in Atlanta is most transparent in his last races there. He's finished 10th or much worse in all three of his last races there.
His recent form also evinces difficulty in reaching just the top 10. In his last two races, he finished 10th and 14th, respectively.
My Guy
i like Martin Truex Jr. because he has been a model of consistency, finishing top-10 in each of his last seven races at Atlanta.
His strong finishes have constituted notable accomplishments given the poor starting positions that he did not allow to hold him during the race.
While his overall average finishing position in Atlanta is worse than his average starting position, this negative disparity reflects the problems that he had in Atlanta earlier in his career.
But Truex Jr. has figured things out at this track and his recent form is at least sufficiently positive to solidify any optimism towards his chances on Sunday.
Best Bet: Truex Jr. To Win (Odds TBA)
