Atlanta to resurface track as part of makeover

Published

4 years ago

July 6, 2021

admin

3:42 PM ET

Associated Press

HAMPTON, Ga. — After 24 years, Speedway Motorsports officials could no longer allow drivers to have the final word in delaying the inevitable repaving of Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Sunday’s NASCAR race will be the final event for the battered and heavily patched track surface. Construction will begin immediately on the makeover, which will include a reprofile, with 28-degree banking on the turns replacing the 24-degree banking. The project was announced Tuesday.

The decision comes in the year Atlanta Motor Speedway is hosting two NASCAR events for the first time since 2010. The move reflects a commitment to again have two events in 2022.

Atlanta Motor Speedway president Brandon Hutchinson said the resurfacing was overdue, no matter the schedule.

“We’ve known for a while a repave had to take place,” Hutchinson said. “Asphalt can only last so long. A repave has been inevitable for some time.”

In fact, the repaving discussion has been a hot topic with drivers in Atlanta for at least five years. The drivers consistently lobbied to keep the old track.

The plans to finally change the surface were announced following 10 months of research, including computer simulations from iRacing. The changes were designed to accommodate the 2022 introduction of NASCAR’s Next Gen car.

Officials did not seek input from NASCAR drivers.

“We try to make sure, and I say this I kind of jest, when a driver is happy about our race track, usually the fans aren’t,” Speedway Motorsports senior vice-president for operations and development Stephen Swift said.

“We want to make sure what we’re creating is what the fans want to see.”

Kyle Larson, who lost to Ryan Blaney in the March race in Atlanta, tweeted that he wished drivers had been consulted.

“I wish they would talk to everybody about it,” Larson posted on his Twitter account. “We have more experience than the fans, you know, I’ve raced hundreds of different racetracks. I feel like we have a better understanding of what really makes good racing.”

Swift said “every kind of stickum” has been used to patch the track.

“We’ve been holding it together, glued together, literally,” Swift said. “It’s just gotten to the point it’s worn out. We’ve just been buying time and that time is now.”

Georgia home-state favorite Chase Elliott, who won last week’s race at Road America in Wisconsin, has joined others drivers in the past in pushing to delay resurfacing as long as possible – but he has changed his mind.

Elliott, who has never won at his home track, said he now supports plans to repave the surface.

“My opinion has kind of changed on it, really,” Elliott said. “I certainly had been in the boat of wanting to leave it alone and not repave it. It’s a place that rewards precision, rewards a driver for really doing a good job behind the wheel in all aspects.”

Elliott said his opinion was swayed by talking with friends who attend races in Atlanta.

“I think it’s time for it,” he said of the decision to repave the track. “I have a lot of friends and folks who go down there, and listening to their comments and my own thoughts as time has gone on, I just feel like it’s time. … I’m good with the change down there and I hope it’s for the better. I think it will be.”

In addition to higher banks, the repaving project also will decrease the width of the 1.54-mile track from 55 feet to 52 on the front stretch, 42 on the back stretch and 40 on the turns.

Larson said that will make for tight turns.

“That’s more than two car widths narrower, so that’s a lot,” Larson said.

Swift said the narrower track will push the cars “in groups together. That creates better entertainment. Atlanta will be first mile and a half to have this kind of racing.”

That change caught Elliott’s attention.

“Narrowing the track is probably the biggest headline I think in all of that I read, and kind of the unknown with that,” he said.

“It sounds like Atlanta has put a lot of thought into it. I think that’s all you can ask for. I think it’s time and I think they’re going about it the right way.”

Sports

Phils’ Turner, NL hits leader, injures hamstring

Published

17 mins ago

September 7, 2025

admin

Phils' Turner, NL hits leader, injures hamstring

Associated Press

Sep 7, 2025, 04:10 PM ET

MIAMI — Philadelphia Phillies star shortstop Trea Turner left the team’s game against the Miami Marlins in the seventh inning Sunday because of a right hamstring strain.

Turner hit a solo homer in the sixth to narrow Philadelphia’s deficit to 4-2. When his turn came again in the seventh, Turner legged out a grounder and reached on a throwing error by Miami Otto Lopez.

Edmundo Sosa replaced Turner as the baserunner and at shortstop.

The 32-year-old Turner leads the NL in batting average at .305 and also has a league-leading 179 hits this season.

Sports

Bichette out for Yanks finale after plate collision

Published

17 mins ago

September 7, 2025

admin

Bichette out for Yanks finale after plate collision

Associated Press

Sep 7, 2025, 12:38 PM ET

NEW YORK — Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette was not in the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Yankees a day after colliding with Austin Wells on a play at the plate.

Bichette was thrown out in the sixth inning of Saturday’s 3-1 loss by Cody Bellinger‘s 95.3 mph one-hop throw from right field when he attempted to score on a single by Nathan Lukes.

He hobbled off the field with the assistance of a trainer after colliding with Wells’ shin guard. The game was delayed by rain for nearly two hours, and during the delay, X-rays came back negative. Bichette struck out in his final at-bat Saturday.

“It didn’t look great, but we’re at the point where if you can play, you can play,” manager John Schneider said Saturday. “Bo understands that, and everyone understands that. I don’t think it needed stitches or anything, but there was a lot going on.”

Bichette is third in the major leagues with a .311 average. He has 18 homers and leads Toronto with 93 RBIs in 139 games this season.

He also leads the majors with 181 hits and 44 doubles and is hitting .418 (33-for-79) during a 20-game on-base streak.

Ernie Clement started at shortstop for the Blue Jays, who began Sunday with a three-game lead over the Yankees in the American League East.

Sports

AP Week 2 poll reaction: What’s next for each Top 25 team

Published

37 mins ago

September 7, 2025

admin

AP Week 2 poll reaction: What's next for each Top 25 team

Sep 7, 2025, 02:26 PM ET

The latest AP poll is out. After a dramatic first week of action, not much changed at the top of the rankings with most teams pulling out wins, but there was still quite a bit of movement throughout.

And we did see some upsets and impressive wins with four ranked teams (the Arizona State Sun Devils, Florida Gators, Michigan Wolverines and SMU Mustangs) all losing — Florida, SMU and ASU are no longer ranked as a result.

The top seven schools in the rankings, on the other hand, outscored their opponents by a combined 307-26. In all, four AP-ranked teams scored 70 or more points, the second time that has happened in the AP poll era (since 1936).

Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.

All times Eastern

Previous ranking: 1

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Grambling 70-0

Stat to know: Julian Sayin completed his first 16 passes to start the game. It’s the longest streak to begin a game in school history.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Ohio, 7 p.m., Peacock

Previous ranking: 2

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated FIU 34-0

Stat to know: This was Penn State’s 13th shutout since 2014, the second most in that span behind Alabama’s 15.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Villanova, 3:30 p.m., FS1

Previous ranking: 3

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Louisiana Tech 23-7

Stat to know: LSU has not lost a home game to an in-state opponent since 1982.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 6

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Oklahoma State 69-3

Stat to know: The 66-point win is Oregon’s largest win against an FBS opponent since 2019 against Nevada (won by 71 points).

What’s next: Saturday at Northwestern, noon, Fox

Previous ranking: 5

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Bethune-Cookman 45-3

Stat to know: Carson Beck completed his first 15 passes in Week 2. He passed Vinny Testaverde (1986, against Oklahoma) for the most consecutive completions within a game in Miami history.

What’s next: Saturday vs. South Florida, 4:30 p.m., CW Network

Previous ranking: 4

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Austin Peay 28-6

Stat to know: The 22-point win is the narrowest margin of victory by a top-five SEC team against a non-FBS opponent since 2012.

What’s next: Saturday at Tennessee, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 7

2025 record: 1-1

Week 2 result: Defeated San Jose State 38-7

Stat to know: Arch Manning joined Vince Young, Colt McCoy and David Ash by throwing multiple touchdown passes of more than 20 yards and having a TD run over 20 yards in multiple games.

What’s next: Saturday vs. UTEP, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network

Previous ranking: 9

2025 record: 0-1

Week 2 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m., NBC

Previous ranking: 11

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Duke 45-19

Stat to know: After scoring 52 points against Western Illinois last week, the Illini have scored 45 points in consecutive games for the first time in the past 20 seasons.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Western Michigan, 7 p.m., FS1

Previous ranking: 14

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated East Texas A&M 77-3

Stat to know: FSU had 729 total yards, the most by the Seminoles since Nov. 4, 2000.

What’s next: Sept. 20 vs. Kent State

Previous ranking: 10

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated South Carolina State 38-10

Stat to know: Vicari Swain recorded two punt returns for touchdowns against South Carolina State, making that three for the season (and he has done it in just six quarters).

What’s next: Saturday vs. Vanderbilt, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network

Previous ranking: 8

2025 record: 1-1

Week 2 result: Defeated Troy 27-16

Stat to know: Clemson trailed 16-0 before scoring the final 27 points of the game. That is the largest comeback win for Clemson since 2020 against Boston College.

What’s next: Saturday at Georgia Tech, noon, ESPN

Previous ranking: 18

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Michigan 24-13

Stat to know: OU has not allowed a point in the first half of consecutive games for the first time since 2009.

What’s next: Saturday at Temple, noon, ESPN2

Previous ranking: 16

2025 record: 3-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Iowa 16-13

Stat to know: Iowa State won at home in this series for the first time since 2011.

What’s next: Saturday at Arkansas State, 4 p.m., ESPN2

Previous ranking: 22

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated East Tennessee State 72-17

Stat to know: The 72 points are the Volunteers’ most points scored in a game in the AP poll era (1936).

What’s next: Saturday vs. Georgia, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 19

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Utah State 44-22

Stat to know: Marcel Reed has thrown three touchdown passes in three consecutive games. It’s the second-longest streak at A&M since 2004.

What’s next: Saturday at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., NBC

Previous ranking: 20

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Kentucky 30-23

Stat to know: This was Ole Miss’ fourth win when trailing by 10 or more points in the Lane Kiffin era.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m., ESPN

Previous ranking: NR

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Florida 18-16

Stat to know: USF is the fourth team in the AP poll era (since 1936) to win its first two games of a season against AP-ranked opponents while being unranked in each win, joining 2012 Oregon State, 2008 East Carolina and 1976 North Carolina.

What’s next: Saturday at Miami, 4:30 p.m., CW

Previous ranking: 21

2025 record: 1-1

Week 2 result: Defeated UL Monroe 73-0

Stat to know: Ty Simpson finished 17-of-17, the most completions without an incompletion in a game in SEC history. It is also the most consecutive completions within a game in Alabama history.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Wisconsin, noon, ABC

Previous ranking: 25

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Cal Poly 63-9

Stat to know: After Jackson Bennee returned an interception 46 yards for a score, it extended Utah’s streak of returning at least one interception for a touchdown to 22 straight seasons.

What’s next: Saturday at Wyoming, 8 p.m., CBSSN

Previous ranking: 24

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Kent State 62-14

Stat to know: Texas Tech has outscored its opponents by 108 points this season, its second most through the first two games of a season in the AP poll era (since 1936).

What’s next: Saturday vs. Oregon State, 3:30 p.m., Fox

Previous ranking: 23

2025 record: 2-0

Week 2 result: Defeated Kennesaw State 56-9

Stat to know: Indiana improves to 11-0 against Conference USA teams all-time, the fourth-most wins without a loss against the conference.

What’s next: Friday vs. Indiana State, 6:30 p.m., BTN

Previous ranking: 15

2025 record: 1-1

Week 2 result: Lost to Oklahoma 24-13

Stat to know: Justice Haynes‘ four rushing scores this season are the most by a Michigan player in his first two games with the school in the past 30 seasons.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Central Michigan, noon, BTN