NASCAR
NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart: Qualifying, Michael McDowell‘s Pole Position, Postseason-Opening Lineup At Atlanta Motor Speedway
Michael McDowell on Saturday continued his qualifying prowess on drafting tracks.
The NASCAR Cup Series non-playoff driver captured the pole position for Sunday’s Quaker State 400 available at Walmart, posting a hot lap of 179.261 mph at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
It was the Front Row Motorsports pilot’s fifth pole position this season after opening his career with 466 failed qualifying sessions. The five poles match Kyle Larson’s circuit record.
En route to opening the postseason on the inside of the front row, McDowell earned his fourth consecutive superspeedway pole, matching the mark established by Bill Elliott in 1985-86.
McDowell wasn’t the lone big winner Saturday. With Ryan Blaney (179.267 mph), Todd Gilliland (178.77), Josh Berry (178.453) and Austin Cindric (178.43) rounding out the top qualifying laps, Ford secured the top five starting spots Sunday.
Denny Hamlin endured a mechanical issue and will start No. 38 for the Cup Series’ playoff opener.
.@Mc_Driver will lead the #NASCAR Cup Series to the green flag on Sunday @ATLMotorSpdwy.
Photo by @austinallen6205 pic.twitter.com/AFNLlZ9CTn
— Richard Allen/MotorsportsReport (@RichardAllenMSR) September 7, 2024
NASCAR Pioneer Paul Goldsmith Passes Away
A NASCAR pioneer, Paul Goldsmith, who is known for winning the final event on the Daytona Beach and road course in 1958, died. He was 98.
A prestigious motorcycle racer, Goldsmith claimed the 1953 Daytona 200, one of five American Motorcycle Association (AMA) triumphs. Goldsmith also competed in six Indianapolis 500s and remains a member of numerous motorsports hall of fames.
Goldsmith is credited with nine Cup Series wins and eight poles after being introduced to NASCAR in 1956 by Daytona Beach, Fla.-based Smokey Yunick, the owner of the iconic “Best Damn Garage in Town.” In “Amercian Zoom,” a 1993 book, Yunick said: “Paul Goldsmith had more natural talent than any driver I ever had anything to do with.”
Paul Goldsmith, a nine-time #NASCAR Cup Series race winner, and six-time Indy 500 competitor, passed away on Friday at the age of 98, Indianapolis Motor Speedway has confirmed. Goldsmith was the last NASCAR winner on the Daytona Beach Course: https://t.co/OIlweRvjfX
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) September 6, 2024
Starting Lineup for NASCAR Cup Series’ Quaker State 400
Here is a look at the lineup for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series’ Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
Starting Position, Driver, Car No., Team
- 1, Michael McDowell, 34, Front Row Motorsports
- 2, Ryan Blaney, 12, Team Penske
- 3, Todd Gilliland, 38, Front Row Motorsports
- 4, Josh Berry, 4, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 5, Austin Cindric, 2, Team Penske
- 6, Kyle Larson, 5, Hendrick Motorsports
- 7, Joey Logano, 22, Team Penske
- 8, Austin Dillon, 3, Richard Childress Racing
- 9, William Byron, 24, Hendrick Motorsports
- 10, Chase Briscoe, 14, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 11, Alex Bowman, 48, Hendrick Motorsports
- 12, Harrison Burton, 21, Wood Brothers Racing
- 13, Noah Gragson, 42, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 14, Daniel Hemric, 31, Kaulig Racing
- 15, Kyle Busch, 8, Richard Childress Racing
- 16, Chase Elliott, 9, Hendrick Motorsports
- 17, Chris Buescher, 17, RFK Racing
- 18, Ross Chastain, 1, Trackhouse Racing
- 19, Brad Keselowski, 6, RFK Racing
- 20, Ty Gibbs, 54, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 21, Ryan Preece, 41, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 22, Martin Truex Jr., 19, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 23, Tyler Reddick, 45, 23XI Racing
- 24, Bubba Wallace, 23, 23XI Racing
- 25, Corey LaJoie, 7, Spire Motorsports
- 26, Christopher Bell, 20, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 27, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 47, JTG Daugherty Racing
- 28, Shane van Gisbergen, 16, Kaulig Racing
- 29, Justin Haley, 51, Rick Ware Racing
- 30, Daniel Suarez, 99, Trackhouse Racing
- 31, Cody Ware, 15, Rick Ware Racing
- 32, Carson Hocevar, 77, Spire Motorsports
- 33, Erik Jones, 43, Legacy Motor Club
- 34, Zane Smith, 71, Spire Motorsports
- 35, John Hunter Nemechek, 42, Legacy Motor Club
- 36, BJ McLeod, 78, Live Fast Motorsports
- 37, JJ Yeley, 44, NY Racing Team
- 38, Denny Hamlin, 11, Joe Gibbs Racing
We love a good painted ball field moment 🎨#QS400 | #FocusedHealth250 | #BennettQualifying pic.twitter.com/MFScNp92g9
— Atlanta Motor Speedway (@ATLMotorSpdwy) September 6, 2024