After two consecutive weeks of running out west in the desert, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the east coast this week for the sixth race of the season. The Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500 marks the first of two times this year that NASCAR will race on the rough and rugged surface of Atlanta Motor Speedway.
This article contains all of the vital information necessary to get you ready for the fourth race of the NASCAR Cup Series season. Read on for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 starting lineup, start time, fast facts and statistics.
Check out our NASCAR Cup Series stats article for updated driver stats through the first five races of the season!
NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway
63rd Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500
Date: Sunday, March 21, 2021
Start Time: 3 p.m. EST
Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway — Hampton, GA
Coverage: FOX
Pole Sitter: Denny Hamlin
Defending Champion: Kevin Harvick
Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Race Details
Distance: 500.5 miles
Laps: 325
Lap Length: 1.54 miles
Stages: Three (Laps 1-105; Laps 106-210; Laps 211-325)
Surface: Asphalt
Turns: 4
Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Starting Grid
See below for a breakdown of qualifying.
| Starting Position | Driver | Car Number | Team | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cole Custer | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 2 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 3 | Tyler Reddick | 8 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 5 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Ty Dillon | 42 | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 11 | Kyle Busch | 18 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 13 | Kurt Busch | 45 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 14 | Erik Jones | 43 | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 15 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | Ford |
| 16 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 18 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | Ford |
| 19 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 20 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 21 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 22 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 23 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 24 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 25 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 26 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 27 | Justin Allgaier | 77 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 28 | Noah Gragson | 16 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 29 | J.J. Yeley | 15 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 30 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 31 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 32 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 33 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 35 | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 36 | Josh Williams | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford |
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying Overview
Following the virus-caused interruption to racing last season, NASCAR did away with practice and qualifying runs at the majority of races. A combination of grouped draws and a performance-metrics formula were used to determine starting lineups. That same formula remains in place for the majority of races on the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, including this weekend’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.
So, what exactly is involved in the performance-metrics formula? Well, it draws on a number of factors including individual race performances and seaosn-long results. The following breakdown illustrates the weighted grades associated with each component of NASCAR’s metrics formula:
NASCAR Cup Series Metrics Formula Breakdown
- 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
- 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
- 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
- 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race
Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Stats and NASCAR Betting Facts
- From 1987-2001, the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 was run in November as the final race of the NASCAR Cup Series season.
- For the first time since 2010, the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will be one of two races NASCAR runs at Atlanta Motor Speedway this season.
- Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson and Bobby Labonte are all tied for the most career wins in this race with four apiece.
- Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick are tied for the most wins in this race among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with two. The pair have combined to win the race in each of the last four years.
- Hendrick Motorsports leads all race teams with nine wins in this race.
- Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 23 victories in this race.
- The Ford manufacturer has had the winning car in each of the last four editions of the race.
- It has been 25 years since Atlanta Motor Speedway was last repaved.
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