Racing revs up the summer heat at Atlanta Motor Speedway

HAMPTON, Ga. - Why is this weekend such a huge one at Atlanta Motor Speedway?

For starters, the Hampton track will host its first July race in nearly 50 years.  It’s also the first time in a decade that the renowned track is hosting two NASCAR Cup Series races in one year. And then, of course, there’s the fact that AMS officials already announced they’d be opening grandstands back to full capacity for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So, it’s easy to understand why there’s so much excitement around AMS ahead of the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart, happening Sunday at 3:30 p.m. and preceded by the Credit Karma Money 250 on Saturday (which features rising stars of the NASCAR Xfinity Series).     

As AMS executive vice president and general manager Brandon Hutchison told FOX 5 back in the fall, "We always get asked, ‘Are you ever going to get that second race date back in Atlanta?’  So, that alone is exciting.  But for our community, the state of Georgia, for Henry County, it’s exciting stuff."   

The first NASCAR Cup Series race this year, of course, was the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 back in March, in which Ryan Blaney zoomed past Kyle Larson with nine laps to go and ended up scoring a victory. 

For more information on this weekend’s Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart and Credit Karma Money 250 , click over to the Atlanta Motor Speedway website here.  And click the video player to check out our morning at AMS, learning more about what will be available to fans over the weekend.

Tickets to this weekend's races are going fast, but are available online.

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