The 19th race of NASCAR’s Cup Series 2023 is coming up quickly and DIRECTV Insider has all the information you need to keep up with your favorite drivers.
The Quaker State 400 will be taking place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia and is being sponsored by Walmart. What makes this race especially noteworthy is that it’s a night race, which adds an extra challenge for drivers and excitement for fans.
Find out what to expect out of the race next week and how you can watch it – and every other NASCAR race – with your DIRECTV subscription.
WHAT TO EXPECT FOR THE QUAKER STATE 400
The upcoming race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway is actually the second time racers will be competing on the course in the 2023 season. But as we speed closer to Playoffs in September, the stakes are high for drivers trying to secure a spot in the competitive round of 16.
Another aspect that makes this race different is the time it’s taking place. In fact, this will be the first night race on the track since 2014. The race will take place from 7-10 pm ET on Sunday, July 9.
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY TRACK
This week’s race will be 260 laps around the 1.5-mile-long speedway, with superspeedway rules. The track was reconfigured and repaved before the 2022 race to enhance the course. NASCAR wrote about the project:
“The reprofile will increase the current 24-degree banking in Atlanta’s turns to 28 degrees—higher than any other intermediate track on the current NASCAR circuit. Straightaway banking will remain five degrees. In addition to the new high banks, the racing surface will become narrower with an overall decrease in width from 55 feet to 40 feet. New widths will be 52 feet on the front stretch, 42 feet on the back stretch and 40 feet in the turns.”
As one of the fastest tracks on the NASCAR circuit, these new changes will be something for drivers to keep in mind during the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart. Drivers will have to be careful to adjust their strategies not only to the course, but also to the lighting changes.
But after the first-ever NASCAR street race in Chicago the past weekend, these drivers are ready for whatever twists and turns that come their way.
WHO IS PARTICIPATING IN THE NIGHT RACE?
We won’t know which order the racers will take the track until the qualifiers, which take place Saturday, July 9th, but we do have the entry list for you.
Here are the drivers hoping to win the pole, along with their current ranking for the 2023 Cup Series:
Position | Driver | Driver # |
| 1 | Martin Truex Jr. | No. 19 |
2 | William Byron | No. 24 |
3 | Ross Chastain | No. 1 |
4 | Christopher Bell | No. 20 |
5 | Kyle Busch | No. 8 |
6 | Denny Hamlin | No. 11 |
7 | Kevin Harvick | No. 4 |
8 | Kyle Larson | No. 5 |
9 | Ryan Blaney | No. 12 |
10 | Joey Logano | No. 22 |
11 | Chris Buescher | No. 17 |
12 | Tyler Reddick | No. 45 |
13 | Brad Keselowski | No. 6 |
14 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | No. 47 |
15 | Bubba Wallace | No. 23 |
16 | Ty Gibbs | No. 54 |
17 | Daniel Suàrez | No. 99 |
18 | Michael McDowell | No. 34 |
19 | AJ Allmendinger | No. 16 |
20 | Alex Bowman | No. 48 |
21 | Justin Haley | No. 31 |
22 | Austin Cindric | No. 2 |
23 | Corey LaJoie | No. 7 |
24 | Chase Elliot | No. 9 |
25 | Ryan Preece | No. 41 |
26 | Todd Gilliland | No. 38 |
27 | Aric Almirola | No. 10 |
28 | Austin Dillon | No. 3 |
29 | Harrison Burton | No. 21 |
30 | Erik Jones | No. 43 |
31 | Chase Briscoe | No. 14 |
32 | Noah Gragson | No. 42 |
33 | Ty Dillon | No. 77 |
36 | Shane van Gisbergen | No. 91 |
37 | Jenson Button | No. 15 |
40 | Andy Lally | No. 51 |
PAST WINNERS
Looking back to last season, the winner of the Quaker State 400 was No. 9 Chase Elliot. Atlanta Motor Speedway is his home track, giving him an advantage at least in support and familiarity. But it was his ability to hold other racers back – namely No. 7 Corey LaJoie – while staying in the lead for 97 of 260 laps that pushed him over the finish line to victory.
After hitting the wall trying to pass by Elliot, LaJoie got overtaken and the race finished with Ross Chastain and Austin Cindric in second and third place, respectively.
With Elliot currently ranking 24th, it will be interesting to see if the hometown advantage can put him somewhere near the top finishers next week. Chastain, on the other hand, may be able to take his second-place finish and trade it in for first, as his stellar season has him third in the 2023 standings.
WATCH QUAKER STATE 400 WITH DIRECTV
The Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart is taking place on Sunday, July 9 at 7 p.m. ET. You can watch it live at home, and it’s easy with your DIRECTV subscription. Just tune in to NBC and USA Network and enjoy.
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