HAMPTON, Ga. – William Byron held off the freight train to his rear, taking the checkered flag for his third NASCAR Cup Series career victory while one last crash unfolded behind him in an appropriate finish to Sunday’s thrilling, chaotic race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The reconfigured track – with new pavement and steeper banking on the 1.54-mile tri-oval – fulfilled predictions it would lead to frenzied pack racing at blistering speeds approaching those reached at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, the circuit’s two mega-tracks.
“Pretty wild,” Byron said. “I’m out of breath. It was crazy.”
The result was 47 lead changes among an Atlanta-record 20 drivers, a traffic jam of tightly bunched cars at the front of the field, wrecks taking out several top contenders and a bunch of smashed-up race cars to lug home. It was like a short-track race at a superspeedway.
Bryon’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was leading off the final restart with 13 laps to go. Bubba Wallace briefly grabbed the top spot, only to have Byron pass him right back.