Atlanta Motor Speedway Competition Notes
TEAM AND RACE NOTES:
Front Row Motorsports returns to the Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway this weekend.
Michael McDowell showed solid speed at the 1.5-mile speedway when he captured his first-career pole and earned his first Top-10 of the season, an 8th-place finish, back in February.
This weekend the No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will partner with B'laster. Forming its roots in Cleveland, Ohio, the heart of the Rust Belt, B’laster has manufactured penetrants, lubricants, cleaners, solvents, rust removers, greases, and protectants for professionals and DIYers since 1957. Known for PB B’laster, the #1-selling penetrant, B’laster products are formulated to penetrate, lubricate, loosen, overcome, fix, and conquer each job.
For Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 team, Atlanta shows much promise to capture their first win in the NASCAR Cup Series. Gilliland led a race-high 58 laps at the Hampton, Georgia venue in February’s race. Gilliland has proven that he has what it takes to be a trusted drafting partner at tracks like Daytona, Atlanta, and Talladega.
CITGARD will partner with Gilliland for the event and will bring along a valued partner of theirs, Shipton’s Big R. Locally owned and operated farm and ranch retail stores since 1949, Shipton’s Big R brings exceptional customer service, proven and reputable products, and everyday low prices to Montana, Wyoming, and many other states.
Track activity for the NASCAR Cup Series will start with qualifying at 12:30 pm ET on Saturday, September 7th. The 260-lap event is scheduled for Sunday, September 8th at 3:00 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on the USA Network or listen in from the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.
CUP SERIES COMPETITION NOTES:
No. 34 B'laster Ford Mustang Dark Horse:
DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:
"We’re up to speed with what we need for Atlanta. We had a fast Ford Mustang Dark Horse in February, taking the pole and leading laps. We just need to execute everything to run up front and win because handling and drafting are still going to be very important to stay out of trouble.
"Happy to have B'laster on our car this weekend. The scheme looks great and we're ready to run up front and give them a good result."
CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:
"Heading back to Atlanta, our car should have good speed. We've done our homework and made the right adjustments to our setup from what we brought back in February. We had a pole-winning car then and we hope to run up front again."
No. 38 CITGARD Ford Mustang Dark Horse:
DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:
"The result doesn't tell the whole story from our night in Darlington. We had a fast Ford Mustang Dark Horse, and the crew executed. I am proud of the effort we have put in all year, and we still have 10 races left where we can get ourselves a win. I think we can do it at Atlanta if we execute and stay out of trouble.
“It’s cool to see CITGARD return, and with Shipton’s Big R too. Their paint scheme brings a sort of nostalgic look to it. I really like it. They bring so much energy to the track and are really involved with our race program. Hopefully I can make them proud."
CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:
"Missing the playoffs is disappointing, but I am not going to let that write our season's story. We started the season with almost a completely new team, and I am proud of the progress we have made since February. We still have 10 races left to continue to improve and compete for wins. I'm feeling confident heading to Atlanta. Todd (Gilliland) controlled the first race there, and that is the standard for this weekend."
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