Atlanta Motor Speedway Preview – AMS Known for Speed and Great Eats!
By Kent Whitaker:
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is heading to Atlanta for races on the lightning fast surface at Atlanta Motor Speedway! The weekend will also include races for both the Camping World Truck Series, the Xfinity Series, and to the concession stands! Wait… what?
Yep – AMS is known for fast racing and great southern eats! So, I decided to preview the race with plenty or race day info as well as where you can find some of the tasty treats they are offering such as the Peanut Butter and Jelly Milk Shake! Here’s your combo viewing and eating guide for the Fold of Honor 500 Race Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Fastest after First Cup Practice:
Ryan Newman started things off fast heading into the race weekend. The driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet topped the leaderboard at 187.875 during the first practice. Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet, was close behind turning a top lap at 187.735 mph.
The next three drivers for the top-five following practice were Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Last week’s winner at Daytona, Kurt Busch, finished in the 14th spot during practice.
Kyle Busch & New Surface:
This race weekend signals the last time NASCAR will race on Atlanta’s old surface before re-paving begins. The surface is a favorite among cup drivers due to its wide-open groove. It’s something Kyle Busch touched on.
“The racetrack has aged really nicely, where it’s probably aged too much, and is probably why they have no choice but to repave it. It’s a place where you can run the bottom all the way from the white line all the way to the wall and anywhere in-between. You have to have a good car there, but it’s a neat racetrack with the way you can race around and move around and not get too comfortable running one lane. Our guys have brought good cars there in the past and I’m hoping we can go for the win with our SNICKERS Crisper Camry.”
Race Times for all Series:
Friday, March 3
10:00 a.m. – NASCAR XFINITY Series practice
11:00 a.m. – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice
Noon – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice
1:30 p.m. – NASCAR XFINITY Series Practice
2:30 p.m. – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice
3:30 p.m. – NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice
4:30 p.m. – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice
Saturday, March 4th
9:15 a.m. – NASCAR XFINITY Series Qualifying
10:40 a.m. – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying
Noon – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice
RACING: 2:00 p.m. Xfinity Series Race – Rinnai 250
RACING: 4:30 p.m. Camping World Series Race – Active Pest Control 200
Sunday, March 5
12:30 p.m. – Pre-Race concert featuring Josh Turner
RACING: 2:30 p.m. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race – Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500
Three Atlanta Motor Speedway Food That You Must Try!
Yes – I am a foodie! I could not pass this post up without posting something about some of my favorite dishes at AMS! Where I live, we have two home tracks – Atlanta and ‘Dega – both have some serious eats when it comes to food. Here’s my top three AMS dishes!
Georgia Peanut Butter & Jelly Milkshake: They make these tasty shakes with real peanut butter and grape jelly. You can find these shakes on the concourse, near Section 138 of the Champions Grandstand.
Brunch Burger: This baby is made a combo of French toast served with a hash brown patty, American cheese, some egg and crispy bacon! Wander on over to the Brunch Barn in the Earnhardt grandstand for this fantastic treat!
A TIE FOR FIRST! Stop by the Taste of Georgia Concession Stand, which is near the Earnhardt Grandstand – section 124, for either the Cherry Coke BBQ Sandwich or the Clark Cluck Chicken Sandwich. The BBQ sandwich is a pulled pork sandwich infused with sauce – with a hint of smoked wood and Cherry Coke flavor! The Clark Cluck a Fried chicken breast topped with Applewood bacon, lettuce, spicy ranch and sweet pickles on a potato roll!
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“Kent Whitaker, often called ‘the Deck Chef’ is a sportswriter, culinary writer, and cookbook author with fourteen titles. He covers NASCAR, racing in general, Football, barbecue, grilling, and tailgating. You can visit him on The Deck Chef .”