TC Daily Pit Stop: Byron Plays Strategy, Utilizes Mother Nature to Rebound For Fourth Win of 2023; Harvick, Childress Pace Field; Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie Trigger Mini Big One
TC Daily Pit Stop: Byron Plays Strategy, Utilizes Mother Nature to Rebound For Fourth Win of 2023; Harvick, Childress Pace Field; Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie Trigger Mini Big One
TC Daily Pit Stop: Monday, July 10th, 2023
William Byron Rebounds from Early Spin to Win Intense Rain-Shortened Race at Atlanta
On Lap 80, William Byron was spun by Corey LaJoie, and lost a lap in the process. On Lap 93, he got the free pass, and with the weather quickly approaching, his crew chief Rudy Fugle began working on a strategy to get Byron back up front.
The strategy worked as Byron got the lead on Lap 167 and he was in the top spot when the race was red-flagged for weather. The race would not resume, and Byron would be awarded his series-best fourth win of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Daniel Suarez, AJ Allmendinger, Michael McDowell, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, JJ Yeley, Justin Haley, Ryan Blaney, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top-10 finishers.
READ MORE
RACE RESULTS
DRIVER POINTS
OWNER POINTS
INSPECTION REPORT
QUAKER STATE 400 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Video: Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Pace Atlanta Field Before Green Flag
Man, how cool is this? After Richard Childress gave the command for drivers to fire their engines at Atlanta, he drove the No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo that Kevin Harvick scored his first-career win in onto the track to pace the field.
As Childress was pacing the field, Kevin Harvick pulled his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang alongside to share in the special moment. What a cool tribute to the career of Kevin Harvick, who will retire at season’s end.
WATCH VIDEO
Video: Harrison Burton Spins Early at Atlanta; Makes Light Contact with Outside Wall
Harrison Burton can’t catch a break. The driver of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing machine scored his Career-best qualifying run with a fifth-place effort for Sunday’s Quaker State 400. However, it all came undone on Lap 17 as he went spinning down the backstretch.
As Burton collided slightly with the inside wall, he popped multiple tires on his car and got stuck on track. After a toe back to the pits, and receiving service, Burton was four laps off the pace.
WATCH VIDEO
Video: William Byron Goes Spinning After Contact From Corey LaJoie
On Lap 80, William Byron went for a ride as Corey LaJoie misjudged while battling for position around 24th. LaJoie made contact with the rear of Byron’s car and Byron was sent spinning through the fronstretch grass in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Byron would pop a tire in the incident, and would lose a lap limping around the track.
WATCH VIDEO
Video: Kyle Larson Tipped From Mid-Pack; Somehow Avoids Further Contact
While he didn’t suffer much damage in this crash, Kyle Larson was sent spinning on Lap 92 of Sunday’s race in an incident that was triggered by contact from Erik Jones. AJ Allmendinger also got a piece of the crash as did Austin Hill, who would see his day come to an end.
READ MORE
Video: Contact Between Erik Jones and Corey LaJoie Triggers Lap 123 Melee
Corey LaJoie and Erik Jones, who both played a hand in the two cautions prior to the one on Lap 123, triggered a seven-car pileup after they made contact. As LaJoie went spinning as a result of the contact, Ty Gibbs, Ross Chastain, Martin Truex Jr., Tyler Reddick, and Todd Gilliland all piled into the incident.
Chastain actually launched off the ground slightly and saw an end to his race due to the crash.
WATCH VIDEO
Video: Denny Hamlin, Alex Bowman Tangle Late in Second Stage with Rain Looming
Rain was closing in, and as such, the intensity of the Quaker State 400 really picked up. In the frantic action around the 1.54-mile speedway, Alex Bowman made contact with Denny Hamlin, which sent them both spinning.
Bowman would suffer some massive damage in the incident.