HAMPTON, Ga. — Daniel Suarez hoped but wasn’t certain he was the winner after the closest finish ever at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Then came the photo evidence: Suarez edged Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch in a three-wide blur at the line to win a crashed-filled NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday.
The second career win in 253 Cup races for Suarez set off a celebration that included a long series of congratulations from other drivers for the popular native of Monterrey, Mexico.
“It was a very special moment,” said Suarez, who entered this contract year with his future seemingly uncertain with Trackhouse Racing.
“I was just hoping. I saw the tower and thought I was first. I thought I had it but then they said there was a review.”
The review confirmed the first win for Suarez since June 2022 at Sonoma. It was his first victory on a speedway, but he said he’s not satisfied after locking up a spot in the playoffs in only the second race of the year.
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GILLILAND’S BEST RACE
Todd Gilliland led 58 laps, the most of his career and especially notable for a third-year driver who had led a combined 11 laps in his first two seasons. He finished 26th.
The 23-year-old Gilliland, a North Carolina native, looked at home on the Atlanta track with a “Georgia Peanuts” logo on the hood of his Front Row Motorsports Ford.
LOGANO, ELLIOTT START AT BACK
After qualifying second Saturday, Joey Logano had to start at the back of the field and serve a pass-through penalty for a safety violation with his gloves. Chase Elliott, who qualified 28th, also was pushed to the back row, one spot ahead of Logano, following unapproved adjustments to the engine sensor on his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Two Ford drivers for Stewart-Haas Racing, Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece, had items from their cars confiscated for inspection Friday. Rulings from NASCAR could come next week.
Elliott, who earned his first win at his Atlanta home track in 2022, started Stage 3 in fourth place. Elliott was eighth when he was tapped from behind by Ross Chastain’s Chevrolet and sent into a spin that ended his hopes of winning.
LAP 2 MELEE
Suarez was part of the 16-car pileup at the start of the second lap. Josh Williams’ Chevrolet was taken to the garage while expected contenders Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell and Elliott also remained in the race with damaged vehicles.
The beneficiary was Logano, who served his pass-through penalty during the caution and emerged in 20th place at the restart. Logano’s dramatic recovery continued as he was 12th at the end of Stage 1, won by McDowell.
Logano’s luck ran out on the final lap of Stage 2 when he drifted into the path of Chris Buescher’s Ford and Hamlin’s Toyota. Cindric won the stage.
