William Byron recovers from an early spin for his fourth win of the year to take the lead in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings
For the second week in a row, poor weather has forced a NASCAR Cup Series race to end early. Shane van Gisbergen became a first-time winner last week in Chicago. This week it was William Byron who found himself in the lead when rain started to fall in Atlanta. After a penalty on pit road forced him to the back of the field, Byron was sent spinning by Corey Lajoie on lap 80.
Damage to his car kept Byron from contending until the impending rain split the strategy of the race. Several teams chose not to pit at the end of stage two hoping to hang on until the rain arrived. Byron took the lead after the restart and stayed there until a caution flew and the skies opened up, forcing the Quaker State 400 to end after 185 of 260 laps.
Sunday night’s race continues a breakout year for William Byron. His fourth win doubles the amount he had coming into this season and gives him the lead in the points standings. Byron has been quietly putting together an outstanding season. He leads all drivers in wins, stage wins, and laps led. Despite receiving a 60-point penalty in April, Byron now leads the NASCAR Cup Series standings by 21 points.
Playoff Cutline Battle
The race for the final places in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs grew even closer following Sunday. Michael McDowell and Daniel Suarez now share the 16th-place cutoff position. After getting caught in the final crash of the night, Bubba Wallace fell out of a playoff spot by only three points. Although Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman have cars fast enough to win and lock themselves into the playoffs, they find themselves well below the cutline.
Teams will have to make the decision every week of going for the win or maximizing points. Every single position will make a difference for those just trying to make it in. Taking a chance on strategy and winning a race, however, will lock them into the playoffs.
Best Atlanta Race Since Repave
Since repaving the track in 2021, the racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway has received mixed reviews. The track drivers once loved for its worn-out surface now had fresh asphalt with lots of grip which produced pack racing.
This time around the track surface was slightly more worn out than before, allowing drivers to use different lines in the corners and make passes. The added threat of rain falling at any moment created an urgency throughout the field. The circumstances were perfect for a nail-biting race. Every driver in the field fought hard for track position as the race neared halfway and became official. As the track surface ages, Atlanta Motor Speedway could become a favorite once again.
Was Atlanta a good race? 87% of you said Yes. That's the new No. 1 Atlanta race in the poll (out of 10). The Atlanta spring race earlier this year got 52.3%.
Third straight week for NASCAR to have a race over 80% Yes in the poll (Nashville 81.7%, Chicago 84.5%).
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) July 11, 2023
