Atlanta Motor Speedway
Track data
Race #: 4 of 36 (3-19-06)
Track Size: 1.54 Miles
Event: Golden Corral 500
Number of Laps: 325
Location: Atlanta, GA
Length of Event: 500.5 Miles
Length of Front Stretch: 2,332 Ft
Length of Back Stretch: 1,800 Ft.
Degree of Banking on Straights: 5 degrees
Degree of Banking in Corners: 24 degrees
Qualifying/Race Data: All records are on the 1.54-mile configuration (since fall 1997)
Last year's pole winner: Ryan Newman 194.690 mph 3-18-05 28.476 seconds
Last year's race winner: Carl Edwards 143.478 mph 3-20-05 3 hrs, 29 min, 18 sec
Track qualifying record: Geoffrey Bodine 197.478 mph 11-15-97 28.074 seconds
Track race record: Bobby Labonte 159.904 mph 11-16-97 3 hr, 07 min, 48 sec
Historical Data:
Previous winners at Atlanta:
Dale Earnhardt (9) Cale Yarborough (7) Bobby Labonte (6) Richard Petty (6) Bobby Allison (5)
Bill Elliott (5) David Pearson (4) Fred Lorenzen (4) Jeff Gordon (4) Darrell Waltrip (3)
Neil Bonnett (3) Morgan Shepherd (3) L. Yarborough (2) Marvin Panch (2) Buddy Baker (2)
Rusty Wallace (2) Mark Martin (2) Carl Edwards (2) Dave Marcis (1) A.J. Foyt (1)
Junior Johnson (1) Rex White (1) Jim Hurtubise (1) Fireball Roberts (1) Ned Jarrett (1)
Dick Hutcherson (1) Bobby Johns (1) Bob Burdick (1) Donnie Allison (1) Benny Parsons (1)
Ricky Rudd (1) Ken Schrader (1) Ernie Irvan (1) Dale Jarrett (1) Jerry Nadeau (1)
Kevin Harvick (1) Tony Stewart (1) Kurt Busch (1) Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1) Jimmie Johnson (1)
Races won from the pole: 13 of 93 events (13%)
Races won from in top 10: 72 of 93 events (77%)
Races won from outside top 10: 21 of 93 events (26%)
Track Milestones
Fireball Roberts won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup pole at Atlanta in July 1960.
Fireball Roberts won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Atlanta, the Dixie 300 on July 31, 1960.
The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the fall of 1970.
The track was re-configured in the fall of 1997 with the front- and back-stretch designations swapped and the
track size increased from 1.522 to 1.54 miles.
Three races have been shortened by rain at Atlanta: 1962 Atlanta 500; 1982 Coca-Cola 500; 1998 Primestar
500.
Two races have been completed on Monday: 1991 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 and 2005 Golden Corral 500.
Qualifying Update
Ryan Newman has scored six straight Bud Poles at Atlanta (March 2003 through October 2005). The
last time a driver scored seven consecutive Bud Poles at a track was by David Pearson at Charlotte (October
1975 through October 1978). Those seven consecutive Bud Poles completed the all-time record of 11 straight at
Charlotte that began in October 1973.
Track Update
There have been seven different race winners in the last eight NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races held at
Atlanta. Carl Edwards, who has won two straight, is the only repeat winner there since 2002. Edwards was just
the sixth driver to sweep both races at Atlanta since the track opened in 1960. Though there have 12 back-to-back
wins at Atlanta, no one has ever won three straight at the Georgia speedway.
The Money
Purse $4,843,7138
NASCAR NEXTEL Leader Bonus $10,000
Track Milestone
Geoffrey Bodine's 197.478 mph qualifying lap at Atlanta in November 1997 (the first on the new
configuration) remains the fastest qualifying lap on a non-restrictor-plate track in NASCAR history.
Manufacturer Update
Dodge has not posted a victory at Atlanta since Richard Petty won there in the spring of 1977. The best
Dodge finish there since their return to NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing in 2001 has been second, which has
occurred twice – most recently by Jeremy Mayfield in March 2004.
Would You Believe?
Atlanta has produced three of the 10 closest finishes since electronic timing was introduced in May 1993. All
three races occurred on the new configuration.
Dale Earnhardt crossed the line just 0.010 second ahead of Bobby Labonte in the fifth closest race (tied
with Rockingham-2004) on March 12, 2000.
Kevin Harvick beat Jeff Gordon by 0.006 second on March 11, 2001, in the third closest finish.
Carl Edwards beat Jimmie Johnson by 0.028 second on March 20, 2005, the ninth closest finish.
Hot-Lanta
Ryan Newman has started on the front row in all seven of his qualifying efforts at Atlanta (second – March
2002 and the last six Bud Poles) and started sixth in October 2002, when qualifying was canceled. He has posted
four top-10 finishes in eight Atlanta races, including consecutive finishes of 10th in each of his first three.
Notebook
There have been 93 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since the first race
was held there in 1960. There have been two races a year except for 1961 which had a third event, the 250-
mile Festival 250. Additionally, one race was a 300-mile event, six were 400 miles and all the others were 500
miles.
Ryan Newman is the defending Bud Pole winner for the Golden Corral 500.
Buddy Baker scored seven Bud Poles at Atlanta, the most of all drivers.
Ryan Newman leads all active drivers with six Bud Poles at Atlanta. All of his Bud Poles have come in the
past six races there.
Fireball Roberts (1960), Cale Yarborough (1978), Buddy Baker (1979), Alan Kulwicki (1989) and Ryan
Newman (2003, 2004 and 2005) are the only drivers to win both poles in the same year at Atlanta. Roberts
also won two poles there in 1961 but one was for a 250-mile race that was one of three Atlanta races that year.
Thirteen races at Atlanta have been won from the Bud Pole. Ten drivers have won from the second-place
starting position, giving 25 percent of the victories posted there to the front-row starting positions.
Fifty-three of 93 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from the first five starting
positions (57 percent). Seven of the last eight races there have been won from a top-10 starting position.
Dale Earnhardt scored nine victories at Atlanta, more than any other driver. Bobby Labonte (six) heads the
list of active drivers with Atlanta victories.
Carl Edwards is the defending race winner for the Golden Corral 500.
Bobby Labonte won the 2001 NAPA 500 from the 39th starting position – the deepest in the field that a
race winner has started at Atlanta.
There have been six sweeps at Atlanta since the track opened in 1960: Marvin Panch (1965), Bobby Allison
(1972), David Pearson (1973), Bill Elliott (1985 and 1992) and Carl Edwards (2005).
The Wood Brothers are the most productive car owners at Atlanta with 12 victories. The Wood Brothers last
won there in the spring of 1993 with Morgan Shepherd as their driver.
Richard Childress and Junior Johnson each have nine victories at Atlanta as car owners.
Bobby Labonte has scored six of his 21 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victories at Atlanta: two in the spring and
four in the fall.
Back-to-Back at Atlanta
Though there have been 12 back-to-back victories posted at Atlanta since 1960, there have been only six
season sweeps:
Marvin Panch Both 1965 Bobby Allison Both 1972
David Pearson Both 1973 Richard Petty Fall 1974 and Spring 1975
Cale Yarborough Fall 1980 and Spring 1981 Bill Elliott Both 1985
Dale Earnhardt Fall 1989 and Spring 1990 Dale Earnhardt Fall 1995 and Spring 1996
Bill Elliott Both 1992 Bobby Labonte Fall 1997 and Spring 1998
Jeff Gordon Fall 1998 and Spring 1999 Carl Edwards Both 2005
Starting Up Front is Important at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Seven of the last eight races at Atlanta Motor Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position. Only
seven of the 93 races at Atlanta have been won from outside a top-20 starting position.
Owner/Winner at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Wood Brothers owned cars have won 12 of the 93 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the most of any car
owner. Despite their success, the last Atlanta victory by the Wood Brothers was scored by Morgan Shepherd in
March 1993, 13 years ago.
Big Winner at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Dale Earnhardt posted nine Atlanta victories the most of any driver at Atlanta. Bobby Labonte (six) has the
most Atlanta victories by an active driver.
Skunked at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Terry Labonte has competed in 53 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway without a victory. Kyle Petty has
competed in 50 races there without a victory.
Leading The Way at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Cale Yarborough led 3,316 laps in 47 races at Atlanta, more than any other driver. Dale Earnhardt followed
with 2,655 laps led in 46 races. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 975 laps led in 27 races at Atlanta.
Would you Believe?
Ryan Newman has won the last six Bud Poles at Atlanta Motor Speedway. That is the longest streak of
consecutive Bud Poles at a track since David Pearson's all-time record of 11 straight at Lowe's between October
1973 and October 1978.
Manufacturers at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Ford swept Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2005, both by Carl Edwards. A Chevrolet won both races there in
2003 and 2004. A Dodge has not won at Atlanta since Richard Petty won the Atlanta 500 in March 1977, 29
years ago.
Atlanta Standouts
Richard Petty competed in 65 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, more than any other driver.
Buddy Baker won seven Bud Poles at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the most of any driver. Ryan Newman
follows with six, leading all active drivers.
Bobby Labonte lead all active drivers with six victories at Atlanta.
Mark Martin has scored 20 top-10 finishes in his 40 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the most among all
drivers.
Ryan Newman leads all drivers at Atlanta with a 1.75 starting average in eight races there.
Carl Edwards has an 1.66 average finish in his three races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the best of all active
drivers.
Greg Biffle has scored four straight top-10 finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the longest current streak.
Ryan Newman has posted eight straight top-10 starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the longest current
streak.
Milestones
Mark Martin is expected to make his 585th consecutive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start this week, the
longest current streak.
Season Nuggets
Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears are the only drivers to score top-10 finishes in the first three races this
season.
Jeff Burton (10th) moved into the top-10 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings after Las Vegas
- the first time he has been in the top 10 since Pocono in July 2003, ending a 90-race absence.
Jeff Gordon (ninth) moved into the top-10 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings after Las Vegas
for the first time since Bristol last August, ending a 14-race absence - the longest of his career.
All seven Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year contenders have been running at the finish in all three races in 2006.
Who's Hot
Jimmie Johnson has ranked among the top-10 for 72 straight races, since Atlanta in March 2004. Johnson
finished first, second and first in the first three races in 2006.
Only Casey Mears and Jimmie Johnson have scored top-10 finishes in all three races in 2006.
Mark Martin has scored seven straight top-15 finishes; extending a streak that began at Atlanta last
October.
Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contender Clint Bowyer has scored top-15 finishes in each of the three races
in 2006. He is joined by Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears who also have
scored top-15 finishes in each race this season.
Top 10 in 2005 Points at This Track
First
Jimmie Johnson finished first in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and remained
the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point leader. Johnson has scored top-10 finishes in eight of the 10 races since
Kansas City last October. He is the only driver to start the season with three top-five finishes, marking his best
start to a season since his full time career began in 2002. One year ago he also ranked first in the point standings.
Johnson has ranked among the top-10 for 72 straight races, since Atlanta in March 2004. He has competed in
nine races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, scoring one victory (October 2004) and five top-10 finishes, all top fives.
Johnson finished 16th or worse in his remaining four races at Atlanta. Johnson has a 12.4 average finish at Atlanta
Motor Speedway. Johnson has scored top-five finishes in four of his last five races at Atlanta. His top-five streak
ended with a 16th-place finish there last October. Johnson finished second at Atlanta in this race one year ago.
Second
Matt Kenseth finished second in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway scoring
his second top-10 finish of the season, both top-fives. Kenseth climbed from third to second in the NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup point standings. This is not Kenseth's best start to a season. In 2003, after three races, Kenseth
took over the top spot in the point standings. One year ago Kenseth ranked 28th in the point standings. Kenseth
has posted top-15 finishes in the first three races in 2006. He has scored five top-five finishes in his last seven
races, since Atlanta last October. He has competed in 12 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, scoring six top-10
finishes. Kenseth has three DNFs at Atlanta. He finished 31st in this race one year ago and fifth there last October.
He has a 17.83 finishing average at Atlanta.
Third
Kasey Kahne finished fourth in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and climbed
from fourth to third in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, his career-best points ranking. Kahne
has scored top-15 finishes in the first three races in 2006. One year ago he ranked 38th in the NASCAR NEXTEL
Cup point standings. Kahne has competed in four races at Atlanta scoring top-five finishes in his first three. He
finished 35th at Atlanta last October ending his top-five streak. Kahne has a 12.0 average finish at Atlanta. He
finished fifth in this race one year ago.
Fourth
Casey Mears finished ninth in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway scoring his
third top-10 finish of the season. He dropped from his career-best points ranking of second to fourth in the point
standings. Mears joins Jimmie Johnson as the only drivers to start the season with top-10 finishes in each of the
first three races. One year ago he ranked 15th in the point standings. Mears has scored top-10 finishes in five
of the six races since Texas last November. He finished fourth at Texas, fifth at Homestead, second in the 2006
Daytona 500, seventh at California and ninth at Las Vegas. Mears has competed in six races at Atlanta Motor
Speedway never finishing better than 13th. Mears finished 19th in this race one year ago and 21st there last
October. He has a 23.0 average finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Fifth
Mark Martin finished sixth in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and climbed
from sixth to fifth in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked 10th in the
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Martin has scored seven straight top-15 finishes, since Atlanta last
October. He has had only one DNF (Talladega in October 2005 - Accident) in the 27 races since Dover in June
2005. Martin has competed in 40 races at Atlanta scoring two victories (November 1991 and 1994) and 20 top-10
finishes, the most among active full time drivers there. Martin has scored top-five finishes in his last three races at
Atlanta. He finished fourth in this race one year ago and third there last October. Martin has a 16.05 average finish
at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Sixth
Kyle Busch finished third in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and climbed from
12th to sixth in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked 18th in the NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup point standings. Busch has scored two top-10 finishes in 2006. He has competed in just three races
at Atlanta posting his best finish of 12th in both races there in 2005. Busch has a 22.3. average finish at Atlanta
Motor Speedway.
Seventh
Clint Bowyer finished 15th in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and climbed
from eighth to seventh in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, the highest points position of his
short career. He begins the 2006 season with three top-15 finishes, the best record among the 2006 Rookie-of-the-
Year contenders. Bowyer's first start came at Phoenix last April where he finished 22nd. Bowyer will attempt to
compete in his first race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in just his fourth career start.
Eighth
Elliott Sadler finished 14th in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and climbed
from 10th to eighth in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Sadler ranked 13th in the point
standings after this race one year ago. Sadler has ranked 14th or better in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point
standings since the 2004 Daytona 500, 75 straight races. Sadler has competed in 14 races at Atlanta Motor
Speedway, scoring just three top-10 finishes. He finished 10th in both Atlanta races in 2005. Sadler has a 21.6
average finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Ninth
Jeff Gordon finished fifth in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and climbed
from 15th to ninth in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Gordon makes his first appearance in the
top 10 since Bristol last August, ending a 14-race absence, the longest of his career. Gordon ranked fourth in the
standings at this point one year ago. Gordon has competed in 27 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway scoring four
victories and 16 top10 finishes. He finished 39th in this race one year ago and second there last October. Gordon
has a 13.96 average finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
10th
Jeff Burton finished seventh in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and climbed
from 14th to 10th in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Burton makes his first appearance in the
top 10 since Pocono in July 2003 ending a 90-race absence. Burton ranked 21st in the standings at this point one
year ago. Burton has competed in 23 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway scoring 10 top10 finishes. He finished
15th in this race one year ago and eighth there last October. Burton has a 17.65 average finish at Atlanta Motor
Speedway.
