Last night’s Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway was a race for the ages. The bold moves, track conditions, and impending weather turned the event into must-see-TV, and excited the fans in the stands to no end. Ultimately, William Byron received the win, but the race had to be ended with over 70 laps to go due to a massive rainstorm that finally rolled over the track. But the action we witnessed before the stoppage was unlike anything we've ever seen before.

The recent reconfiguration of Atlanta Motor Speedway turned it from an abrasive, slick track into a fast, narrow drafting circuit. Previously, superspeedway racing had been exclusive to Daytona and Talladega, but now drivers found themselves pack racing at a tight 1.5 mile oval, something they had never done. The first few events held at the new Atlanta closely resembled the racing at Daytona and Talladega, and fans began to expect that that would continue to be the product going forward.

But last night’s race did not look like a usual superspeedway race. Even though the track was just repaved a few years ago, the surface has already developed some bumps, and has rapidly lost grip. This resulted in drivers not being able to run wide open 100% of the time, and handling became a factor. We saw cars getting loose, sliding up the track, and in general just slipping around a lot. This was never more evident than when Tyler Reddick almost lost control heading through the tri-oval midway through stage one, nearly going completely sideways at one point. It took all of the young racer’s talent to keep his Toyota pointed straight, and avoid causing what would have been a massive pile up.

The slick surface also spread cars out more so than they normally are at drafting tracks, making runs easier to generate. Instead of the boring, two-by-two locked bumper racing that the next gen car typically produces at Daytona and Talladega, drivers couldn’t always stay tucked up behind the car in front of them, and could generate momentum much easier. Because of this, talented wheelmen such as Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. could make passes seemingly by themselves, and didn’t have to rely on a ton of help from cars behind to move through the pack. 

The lead swapped hands most of the evening between a group of fords that were dominating the race. Logano, his teammates Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric, as well as the Roush Fenway Keselowski drivers of Chris Buescher and Brad Keslowski were up front almost the whole way, with Blaney winning stage one and Brad taking stage two. The blue ovals put on a show up front, carving in and out of traffic to battle for the top spot, making aggressive moves and daring blocks the whole way. The racing was intense, but most importantly, it was clean. The entire field, for that matter, did a fantastic job of racing hard but fair all night long. There was very little give and take out there, but there was just enough to avoid any massive pile ups that would have ruined many people’s races.

The impending rain also played its part in bringing the entertainment. From the drop of the green flag, crew chiefs were on the radio saying that a massive cell was on its way to Atlanta Motor Speedway, and that the race would likely end prematurely. Because of this, most drivers assumed that they were racing to the halfway mark, lap 130 of 260, as if the rain arrived any time past then, the event would be halted and the results would be made official. Once they reached halfway and the precipitation was yet to come, the field drove every lap like it was the last lap, and the intensity of the race went through the roof. It was breathtaking to watch the country’s best stock car drivers lay it all on the line, not knowing when the checkered flag would fall but wanting to get every last position before it did. If you did not catch the final 50-60 laps of the race, do yourself a favor and watch them; you will be on the edge of your seat the entire way.

Unfortunately, the rain did eventually arrive, and NASCAR quickly ended the Quaker State 400 after pulling the cars down pit road. William Byron was out front at the time, and therefore he received the victory, making this the second time he has won at Atlanta since the reconfiguration. Underdogs Daniel Suarez, AJ Allmendinger, and Michael McDowell finished second, third, and fourth, respectively. While all three of them will be disappointed to have come so close to capturing a win, they each made up valuable points in the race to get into the playoffs, which can be seen as somewhat of a silver lining. Other great surprise finishes include JJ Yeley in seventh (his best Cup Series finish in over a decade!), Justin Haley in eighth, and BJ McLeod in 20th driving for his own underfunded yet dedicated team.

Many fans were disappointed that the race ended early, and rightfully so; nobody ever wants to see an event get shortened due to weather (except the driver who’s leading at the time). So because NASCAR couldn’t get the full distance in, many people will leave this weekend with a sour taste in their mouth. While it is understandable to feel this way, and frustrating that Mother Nature once again reared her ugly head, we cannot let it take away from the amazing racing that we did see on Sunday night. This was by far the best superspeedway racing we’ve seen this year, and probably the best in the era of the next gen car. The action was fast, intense, and unpredictable. The drivers got to showcase their talent and put on a show while not tearing up millions of dollars worth of equipment. And all of a sudden, racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway has become a can’t miss event, will Dale Earnhardt Jr. even calling it the “hottest ticket in NASCAR”!

Yes, the rain ended things early. Yes, the winner was a bit of a letdown, and most of us would have preferred to see an underdog triumph instead of Willaim Byron getting his fourth win of the season. But the product that was out on the track last night was peak NASCAR racing. These are the kind of races that showcase the sport at its best, and turn people into lifelong fans. Everyone should be thrilled with what was on display this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. And we can only hope that the track will continue to produce the same enthralling racing as we continue to return to it year after year.