...
By Alex Harrington
Sports Contributing Writer
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Ty Dillon ran into several problems during the NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Piloting his No. 10 Sea Best Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Dillon had a solid start in 20th position but soon found himself struggling with handling issues that saw him slip out of the top 30.
Despite the rough day, Dillon praised his team's persistence in getting him back into the race after a number of issues.
This particular event, the Ambetter Health 400, took place on the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway, which has proven to be a challenging track since its transformation into a superspeedway-style arena back in 2021. The change in track has increased the chances of incidents similar to what is seen at iconic tracks like Daytona and Talladega.
Read More on Racing
More News: NASCAR Cup Series Ambetter Health 400 Qualifying Results
The North Carolina driver's struggles began early in the race when he slipped back in the field due to a car that was simply too loose. His team attempted adjustments during the Stage 1 break, yet Dillon's bad luck continued into Stage 2.
...
He ran over debris which caused a tire to blow out, making his car spin at lap 81, which led to right side damage. Fighters on Dillon's crew worked tirelessly to make the necessary repairs, allowing him to rejoin the race at lap 105. However, the damage meant a return to the track in 39th place, 24 laps behind, and eventually finishing in 29th. Dillon reflected on the day via a press release from the team:
"We didn't have the best day in Atlanta with our Sea Best Chevy. We started the race too free and that put us behind a little. We made adjustments during our first pit stop to improve the handling but ran over something that cut the right rear early in the second stage and that caused us to spin and get right side damage.
"I'm proud of the hard work this team put in to make repairs to our Sea Best Chevy. We were able to get back on track, stay out of trouble when others wrecked and gain 10 spots. We aren't going out without a fight, and I think we proved that today. We'll regroup this week and head to COTA for the first road course of the year."
More News: Christopher Bell Takes Atlanta Victory In Dramatic Last-Lap Overtake
While Dillon was dealing with his own struggles, Christopher Bell secured an impressive victory. Bell's win was sealed with a last-lap pass during overtime, snatching a victory after leading just that crucial final lap.
Bell's successful run brought home his tenth career victory since entering full-time competition in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. Driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, Bell admitted to having difficulties with superspeedway-style racing earlier in his career but credited his team's hard work for the successful adjustments.
"I'll tell you what, that right there is what you dream of, to be able to restart on the first or second row in a green-white-checkered on a speedway. You never know how those things are going to play out, but I'll be the first to tell you, I love superspeedway.
"This style of racing has just always been a little bit of a struggle for me, and throughout the beginning of the day, we obviously were just stuck way in the back. (Crew chief) Adam (Stevens) and these boys back here, they did an amazing job getting this thing fixed up to where I could just hold my foot down.
"That's what it's all about. You have to be able to stay in the throttle, and that last half of the race we were at our best."
The race in Atlanta was not without its chaos, including Kyle Larson, whose actions led to a crash involving Austin Cindric. Carson Hocevar also made headlines with a strong second-place finish, followed by Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounding out the top five finishers. This strong finish by Hocevar further cements his status as an emerging talent in the Cup Series.
For the latest NASCAR news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
NASCAR Cup Series: Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway Results
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines