big weekend for the Cup Series, kicking off the playoffs at Atlanta Motor Speedway. I’m always excited for this race because Atlanta is a really fun track to watch. It’s fast, there’s a lot of action, and you never know who’s gonna win!
So, let’s get down to the nitty gritty – qualifying. This year, it was Michael McDowell who took home the pole position. It’s a huge accomplishment for him, especially since he’s not even in the playoffs. I’m always happy to see a driver like McDowell get a good run, and it’s always exciting to see who’s gonna be starting up front.
Now, let’s talk about the rest of the qualifying results. It’s always a bit of a crapshoot when it comes to qualifying at Atlanta. The cars are fast, and there’s a lot of room for error.
Here’s what the top 10 looked like for the Quaker State 400:
| Position | Driver |
| 1 | Michael McDowell |
| 2 | Ryan Blaney |
| 3 | Joey Logano |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick |
| 5 | Kyle Larson |
| 6 | Ross Chastain |
| 7 | Martin Truex Jr. |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin |
| 9 | Kyle Busch |
| 10 | Christopher Bell |
It’s a pretty solid lineup of drivers! I’m curious to see if anyone can catch McDowell, or if the drivers behind him can use the qualifying position to their advantage.
One thing that’s always interesting about Atlanta is how it’s not a superspeedway race. What that means is that group qualifying isn’t used. So, there’s only one round of qualifying. It makes things a little simpler but also means that one good lap can make a huge difference.
Now, who’s gonna win the race? It’s hard to say. There are a lot of factors at play. The car setup is critical, but so is driver skill, strategy, and a little bit of luck. I think it’s gonna be a tight race, and I’m already looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds!
What about you? Who do you think is gonna win the Quaker State 400? Let me know what you think in the comments below!
