Atlanta Motor Speedway, once known as Atlanta International Raceway, has been a staple of southeastern motorsports for decades. Born and raised from controversy, lawsuits and tax disputes, the speedway never failed to attract tens of thousands of fans every NASCAR event, garnering attention for its fast style of close racing that produced photo finishes for years.

The same sentiment about ATL’s resident speedway rings true today, but in a very different fashion. Gone are the days of pulling a car seemingly back toward you lap after lap, slowly inching towards your opponents bumper.

Welcome our superspeedway overlords. Since its repave in 2022, AMS has become essentially a mini Daytona. Higher banking has created pack racing much akin to the two known superspeedways on the schedule.

Whether it races like an intermediate or a superspeedway, Atlanta is known as “Hotlanta” for a reason, here we’d like to go over some of the best finishes in Atlanta history.

The Three Wide Finish (2024)

When Atlanta got a facelift from 24 degree banking to 28 degrees in 2021, it received some criticism from drivers, but nonetheless was slated for a debut in the 2022 season.

“I wish they would kind of talk to everybody about it. I think a lot of us drivers were kind of caught off-guard,” 2021 series champion Kyle Larson told CBS reporters in 2022. “We’re gonna put on a good show no matter how the track is. But we have more experience than the fans I guess would be the argument that I would have”

The track’s first race after the repave saw Georgia native Chase Elliott sweeping the entire race, but with 12 lead changes. The track’s new configuration seemed to work as advertised, although Jeff Gluck’s “Was this a good race” poll showed fan dissatisfaction with the race.

In the 2023 spring race, Joey Logano and Austin Cindric won the first two stages before Logano would win the race in the third stage. The race would go on to receive a 52% “yes” rating on Jeff Gluck’s poll, showing massive disdain from the fans (the summer race saw an 86% vote for yes, however).

While the first two races were different in terms of lead changes, the superspeedway pack racing was very apparent & far removed from the spread out 1.5 mile racing we’re used to seeing from a place like Kansas.

Going into 2024, Atlanta’s new identity was set in stone and fans knew what to expect, but what the Ambetter Health 400 would provide for fans was something nobody could have guessed.

After a grueling race with 10 total cautions, Ryan Blaney and Daniel Suarez led the field with five to go. Jockeying back and forth, Blaney and Suarez would leave room and time for Kyle Busch to take the outside lane and make it three wide out of turns three and four.

By the time the three cars made it to the line, not even the naked eye could determine who crossed it first. Straight out of the Dinoco 400, Suarez edged the competition by 0.003 seconds, the fourth closest finish in NASCAR history.

Harvick does it for #3

Before Atlanta became a superspeedway, it was like any intermediate quad oval on the schedule. Fast speeds, cars separating out and ground being made up lap after lap by hitting your marks. If things lined up perfectly, Atlanta could still produce a heartstopping finish, but on March 11, 2001, that’s hardly what was on fans’ minds.

Three weeks prior, seven time champion and NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt would lose his life after an accident on the final turn of the final lap in the Daytona 500. The incident shook up not only NASCAR, but the entire sports world. Due to the sudden death of the RCR driver, Richard Childress would thrust Kevin Harvick into the limelight, having him take over the #3 chassis while changing to the number 29 and converting to an all white look.

Coming to Atlanta, it would be Happy Harvick’s third cup series start ever. He started the day off great, nabbing a fifth place qualifying run and setting the #29 Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo for success. From there, Harvick stayed within striking distance and battled Jeff Gordon’s Rainbow Warrior while Dave Blaney paced the field and was set on his first Cup Series win.

However, Dave Blaney’s day of dominance ended after his wheel flew off during the race, the field was open. With the race winding down, Harvick would slowly reel in and pass Jerry Nadaeu along with Dale Jarrett for the lead.

Contender Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a tire go down with three laps to go, giving a hard charging Gordon enough time to hopefully catch Harvick.

The longest three laps in NASCAR history ensued, as Gordon used the bottom lane of the racetrack to cut Harvick’s lead down. With the two drivers taking the white flag, Harvick continued to stay true to the top while Gordon made his move to strike on the bottom, which proved correct.

Coming down turn 4, Gordon was forced to maneuver around a lap car and got loose, coming right next to Harvick as the two darted across the line. Harvick would be declared the winner by a margin of 0.006 seconds.

For Harvick, it was his first ever Cup Series win in his third ever start; Symbolic in every way. He proceeded to do a burnout down the backstretch as he made a number 3 with his hand and held it out the window, three weeks after the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr.

“I don’t know how you could script it any different,” said an emotional Harvick “I’m sure this is gonna be pretty difficult for all of us. None of us expected this so soon. All I gotta say is this is for Dale.”