It’s officially April, and I’ve decided to let you in on a little secret. If you’re reading this on the first day of the month then, no, I am not fooling you. If you haven’t heard, there is one track on the schedule this year that you should not and cannot miss. This race is for race fans and non-race fans alike, but if you don’t currently consider yourself a fan and attend this race, I’m positive you’ll leave with a different point of view. So the big secret…

Atlanta. Motor. Speedway. Have you heard? It’s the hottest ticket you can buy this year. I can confirm because I was at the Ambetter Health 400 in February when Christopher Bell claimed the victory by finding himself in the right spot in a three-wide race to the finish against Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson. The race was intense and action-packed from the drop of the green flag with multiple cars wrecking, running three-wide much of the time, with tons of speed variations and maneuverability. 

Many important folks in the sport had something to say about the speedway and, from what I’ve heard, it’s all positive.

The track was last reconfigured in time for the spring race of 2022 and, since then, as Corey LaJoie said on NASCAR’s Stacking Pennies Podcast, “It has aged like a fine wine.” His guest, Kyle Larson, added, “It is so fun.” Larson went on to share that for “pure entertainment value, it is tense” describing the track as a “good size being smaller, good corner radius with gaps and holes to fill and not a lot of grip.” If you combine all those elements, it’s no surprise the racing is top notch entertainment for both the drivers and the fans. 

As AMS continues to add character, car handling becomes vital, putting so much of the race outcome back into the drivers’ hands. Bell’s winning crew chief, Adam Stevens, shared that with AMS being “a full mile smaller than Daytona, it allows things to happen really fast and there’s not a lot of places to hide.” YouTuber Eric Estepp seems to agree, sharing on his channel, Out of the Groove, AMS “balances the car, driver skill and luck perfectly – or as perfectly as any drafting, super-speedway-type track can allow.” It’s a race where you’ll see the best cars and best drivers able to race their way up to the front because there’s less gridlock and dependability on packing up with your teammates. 

And, if those guys’ opinions aren’t enough to get you to purchase your ticket for the summer race, hear it straight from Dale Earnhardt Jr. who said on X, “Man this racetrack has something special. What these drivers are doing is so mentally tough,” later saying, “Fans, get your tickets for later this summer. It’s gonna be warmer and even more incredible. Saturday, June 28th.”

If the anticipation of the actual racing for some reason isn’t enough to lure you to the track in June, then let me tell you about the Fan Zone at AMS. I attended the race with my husband and 18-month-old son and had a blast. Anyone with kids out there knows a toddler needs to be kept busy to avoid meltdowns, and thanks to AMS’s Fan Zone, we conquered the weekend. The Fan Zone is free to all and located just outside of the grandstands. It is jam-packed with attractions and exhibits from partners of AMS. New this year was the Sea Lion Splash sea lion show which was awesome. There aren’t many animals cuter than sea lions in my opinion. Definitely a highlight! Returning favorites to the Fan Zone this year included Canine Stars and the Red Trouser Show, American Axes and a couple of different carnival rides. They have a food court with delicious food options, including Chipotle Mexican Grill’s mobile kitchen. There was an exhibit of historic race cars and even an opportunity to practice your skill racing AMS in a simulator. On top of all of that, there were a handful of driver appearances through Saturday and Sunday, including meet and greets with both Richard Petty and Michael Waltrip. 

Have you bought your ticket yet? Make a weekend of it! Gather your best pals or bring the family. See you this summer at the AMS Quaker State 400 under the lights at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 28th. Don’t miss it!

Full throttle,

Clair