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Auto Racing Glance

[March 02, 2017] The Sports Xchange

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES: FOLDS OF HONOR QUIK TRIP 500 (325 laps, 500.5 miles), Atlanta Motor Speedway; Hampton, Georgia.

TV: Sunday, March 5, 2:30 p.m. ET -- FOX (Radio: Performance Racing Network/SiriusXM Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: This will be the 102nd 500-mile Cup race at Atlanta, the most of any races at that length at any track on the circuit. ... Defending Atlanta race winner: Jimmie Johnson. ... Johnson is seeking to become the first driver to win three consecutive races at AMS, having won in 2015 and 2016. Johnson is also the winningest active driver at AMS (5 wins); the late Dale Earnhardt holds the overall record (9 wins) there. ... Sunday's race will set a significant milestone: it will be the 2,500th race in NASCAR Cup history. ... Last week's Daytona 500 race winner was Kurt Busch. It was Busch's first career Daytona 500 win, and was also the first win in the Great American Race as a crew chief for Daytona Beach native Tony Gibson. ... 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope returns to NASCAR Cup competition for the first time since 2011 this weekend. He has spent most of the time since then racing in the Xfinity Series. ... Following Sunday's race, preparation work will begin for a complete repaving of AMS, the first since 1997.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES: RINNAI 250 (163 laps, 251.2 miles), Atlanta Motor Speedway; Hampton, Ga.

TV: Saturday, March 4, 2 p.m. ET -- Fox Sports 1 (Radio: Performance Racing Network/SiriusXM Channel 90).

THIS WEEK: Defending Atlanta race winner: Kyle Busch. Before that, Kevin Harvick won the three previous Xfinity races there from 2013-2015. ... Last week's winner at Daytona was Ryan Reed, who earned his second career Xfinity Series victory. Both wins came in the season opening race at Daytona (2015, 2017). ... 44 cars are entered for Saturday's race. Only 40 cars will start the race, however.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES: ACTIVE PEST CONTROL 200 (130 laps, 200.2 miles), Atlanta Motor Speedway; Hampton, Ga.

TV: Saturday, March 4, 4:30 p.m. ET -- Fox Sports 1 (Radio: Motor Racing Network/SiriusXM Channel 90).

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THIS WEEK: This will be a rarity, with the Truck Series and Xfinity Series racing on the same day. Typically, the Trucks race on Friday's on a three-day race weekend. ... Defending Atlanta race winner: John Hunter Nemechek. ... Kaz Grala won his first career Truck Series race in last Friday's season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway. It was a great way for Grala to also kick off his bid for Truck Series rookie of the year along with other candidates Noah Gragson, Cody Coughlin, Chase Briscoe and Grant Enfinger.

VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES: 2017 series begins next weekend with the Firestone Grand Prix, March 12 in St. Petersburg, Florida.

UPCOMING: Defending 2016 season champion: Simon Pagenaud. ... Defending St. Petersburg winner: Juan Pablo Montoya (also won 2015 race). Montoya will not be at St. Pete to defend his last two wins, as he has been replaced on Team Penske by Josef Newgarden. Montoya is only scheduled to race in the Indianapolis 500 this season. However, he's reportedly in line to drive in the IMSA Series for Team Penske at some point this year.

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION, MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES: Next race is the Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals, March 16-19, in Gainesville, Florida.

THIS WEEK: There is no race this weekend. ... Winners last weekend at Phoenix in the second race of the season: Leah Pritchett (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock). ... Pritchett and Hagan have both won the first two races thus far this season, while Anderson joined teammate Jason Line, who won the season opener at Pomona, California three weeks ago. ... Points leaders: Top Fuel -- Pritchett (245 points); Tony Schumacher (153), Brittany Force (151); Funny Car -- Hagan (240), Ron Capps (178), Courtney Force (140); Pro Stock -- Anderson (225), Line (195), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (132).

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