NASCAR Atlanta Live Updates: Key Moments and Results from the Playoff Race
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs kick off today at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In this first race towards the 2024 championship, 16 playoff drivers compete with the rest of the field for a chance to secure an automatic place in the second round by taking home the victory.
Atlanta offers a great chance for any driver to clinch a win, as racing on the 1.5-mile track often mirrors the thrilling pack racing found at Daytona and Talladega. A notable instance from February’s race saw Daniel Suarez capture his second career Cup Series win in a close finish, securing him an early playoff spot.
Will this Sunday deliver another exhilarating finish? Stay tuned for all the updates, action, and highlights from the first of ten playoff races:
Ryan Blaney Claims Stage 1 Victory at Atlanta, Caution Flag Flies
Following a major crash involving Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe on Lap 57, the opening stage of the Quaker State 400 ended under caution. Ryan Blaney led the stage, followed closely by his Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, and Joey Logano from Penske. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. came in fifth, with Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, William Byron, Martin Truex Jr., and Ty Gibbs rounding out the top ten.
Notably, Stenhouse and Chastain did not qualify for the 2024 playoffs.
Kyle Larson Involved in Major Crash Near Stage 1 Finish
Kyle Larson experienced a severe crash on Lap 57 when he hit the Turn 2 wall hard. As he was battling in the Top 3 and momentarily lost control, he struck the wall with the front of his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, then slid back onto the track where he was hit from behind by Chase Briscoe of Stewart-Haas Racing.
Both drivers exited their damaged vehicles safely, concluding their race prematurely. Briscoe had secured his playoff spot by winning at Darlington in the last regular-season race.
Blaney Takes Command in NASCAR Playoff Race at Atlanta
After Michael McDowell led the first 28 laps of the Quaker State 400, Ryan Blaney, the current series champion, made his move to take the lead on Lap 29, diving low into Turn 1 to pass McDowell. The top six positions were dominated by Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports, featuring Blaney, Cindric, and Logano from Penske, along with Larson, Bowman, and Byron from Hendrick.
McDowell Dominates Early Laps of NASCAR Playoff Race
Even though Michael McDowell is not a playoff contender, he is still keen on claiming victory. He secured the pole position during Saturday’s qualifying and has led every lap thus far in the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The Green Flag Drops for the NASCAR Playoff Race at Atlanta
The first NASCAR Cup Series playoff race of the 2024 season has officially begun, with pole winner Michael McDowell and reigning champion Ryan Blaney taking the front row for the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
What Time Does the NASCAR Playoff Race at Atlanta Start?
The Quaker State 400 began at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.
What TV Channel is the NASCAR Playoff Race at Atlanta On?
The race is being aired on USA Network, with a pre-race show commencing at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Is There a Live Stream of the NASCAR Playoff Race at Atlanta?
The Quaker State 400 is available for live streaming on the NBC Sports website and app, as well as through Fubo.
What is the Weather Forecast for the NASCAR Race at Atlanta?
Ideal racing conditions are anticipated! According to AccuWeather, the forecast indicates sunny to partly cloudy skies with temperatures expected to reach the high 70s or low 80s by race time.
How Many Laps is the NASCAR Playoff Race at Atlanta?
The Quaker State 400 consists of 260 laps around the 1.54-mile circuit, covering a total distance of 400.4 miles. The race is broken down into three stages: Stage 1 with 60 laps, Stage 2 with 100 laps, and Stage 3, also with 100 laps.
Three JGR Drivers Set to Start from the Back in Atlanta Playoff Race
Three drivers from Joe Gibbs Racing—Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., and Ty Gibbs—will start at the back of the field for Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at Atlanta due to plug wire changes. Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota faced a plug wire issue during Saturday’s practice, which affected his qualifying performance. Problems with the No. 19 of Truex and the No. 54 of Gibbs were discovered after qualifying. All three drivers are playoff contenders, along with Christopher Bell, who is starting with no issues.
Who is Starting on the Pole in the NASCAR Playoff Race at Atlanta?
Michael McDowell is the pole sitter for the race.
On Sunday, after achieving the top position in Saturday’s qualifying, reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney will start alongside on the front row. Ford drivers dominated the qualifying session by securing the top five spots and six out of the top seven positions.
What does the lineup look like for the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta?
Car number in parentheses; (P) indicates a playoff driver
- 1. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford
- 2. (12) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford
- 3. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford
- 4. (4) Josh Berry, Ford
- 5. (2) Austin Cindric (P), Ford
- 6. (5) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet
- 7. (22) Joey Logano (P), Ford
- 8. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
- 9. (24) William Byron (P), Chevrolet
- 10. (14) Chase Briscoe (P), Ford
- 11. (48) Alex Bowman (P), Chevrolet
- 12. (21) Harrison Burton (P), Ford
- 13. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford
- 14. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet
- 15. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
- 16. (9) Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet
- 17. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford
- 18. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
- 19. (6) Brad Keselowski (P), Ford
- 20. (54) Ty Gibbs (P), Toyota
- 21. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford
- 22. (19) Martin Truex Jr. (P), Toyota
- 23. (45) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota
- 24. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
- 25. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet
- 26. (20) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota
- 27. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
- 28. (16) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
- 29. (51) Justin Haley, Ford
- 30. (99) Daniel Suarez (P), Chevrolet
- 31. (15) Cody Ware, Ford
- 32. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
- 33. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota
- 34. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet
- 35. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
- 36. (78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet
- 37. (44) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet
- 38. (11) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota
Who claimed victory in the latest NASCAR Cup races at Atlanta?
Daniel Suarez led for nine laps and outpaced Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch in a nail-biting finish to win the race on February 25, 2024.
During the previous year’s Quaker State 400, William Byron maintained the lead for the last 19 laps until the event was stopped due to rain after 185 laps on July 9, 2023.
What are the current driver standings ahead of the NASCAR playoff race at Atlanta?
- Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports 2040
- Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing 2032
- Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing 2028
- William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports 2022
- Ryan Blaney, Team Penske 2018
- Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing 2015
- Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports 2014
- Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing 2008
- Joey Logano, Team Penske 2007
- Austin Cindric, Team Penske 2007
- Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing 2006
- Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports 2005
- Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing 2005
- Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing 2005
- Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing 2004
- Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing 2004
How do the playoffs work in the NASCAR Cup Series?
A total of sixteen drivers qualified for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs; fourteen earned their spots through regular season victories, while two others made it based on points without winning a race.
The playoffs consist of ten races, including the championship finale at Phoenix Raceway on November 10. They are structured in three rounds, with three races in each round before the concluding race. After the third, sixth, and ninth races, the four drivers with the lowest points totals will be eliminated, which will leave four finalists competing for the championship.
If a playoff driver wins in one of the rounds, they automatically progress to the next round. If a non-playoff driver wins, playoff drivers will advance based on their accumulated points from the races in that round.
What does the complete schedule for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs look like?
Here’s the complete lineup with dates, venues, times, and television coverage for each of the ten races in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs (All times are in Eastern)
- Sunday, Sept. 8: Atlanta Motor Speedway, USA, 3 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 15: Watkins Glen International, USA, 3 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 21: Bristol Motor Speedway, USA, 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 29: Kansas Speedway, USA, 3 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 6: Talladega Superspeedway, NBC, 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 13: Charlotte Roval, NBC, 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 20: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, NBC, 2:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 27: Homestead-Miami Speedway, NBC, 2:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 3: Martinsville Speedway, NBC, 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 10: Phoenix Raceway, NBC, 3 p.m.
