Kyle Busch Warns Entire Grid of Detrimental Consequences of Nascar’s Atlanta Revamp

Kyle Busch has a strong message ahead of the Ambetter The NASCAR Cup Series now has not two but three drafting tracks, ever since the Atlanta Motor Speedway was reconfigured in 2021. One of the major changes the track underwent was in terms of the re-profile banking on the turns. From the 2022 season, the track would have 28 degrees of banking and was also narrowed from 17 meters to 12 meters.

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Despite being significantly shorter than the Daytona International Speedway and Talladega, the venue would use the superspeedway rules and packages. In theory, it should have been an exciting prospect for the drivers to race on a newly paved track. But in reality, the drivers are not too keen on racing at this venue. Highlighting why the new configuration does not fare well for the driver, Kyle Busch went on to explain key differences between the old setting and the new one.

Kyle Busch not a fan of restrictor plate or pack-style racingADVERTISEMENT

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Racing on the Superspeedway is now turning out to be a game of chess rather than racing. Teams and drivers are forced to churn out tactics in search of better results. Why so? Because, NASCAR mandates the team to have superspeedway packages on drafting tracks, which nerfs the speed of the racecar, leaving the driver with no option but to go drafting and race in packs, rather than going all-out racing.

So adding another banking track to the Cup Series schedule was somewhat questionable. Ponting out the key difference and how Atlanta Motor Speedway could have done without the banking revamp, Busch explained, “I would say as much as the surface deteriorated, there comes a point where something has to be done and they went through it. I just don’t understand and appreciate why we added the banking and stuff that they did here in the reconfiguration.”

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“I would have much rather seen them repave what we had probably because then at least when it deteriorates some and it can get back to old Atlanta ways. If this deteriorates here, I mean it’s going to be fast, it’s going to be damn fast sliding around like 10 miles an hour. Faster through the corner sliding around than what the old track would have been, comparatively equal time frame on asphalt.”

Despite his dislike for draft racing, he did feature at the racetrack during yesterday’s Truck Series event with Spire Motorsports.

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Kyle Busch did not have much choice in picking his races for the Truck SeriesThere were a few eyebrows raised after Kyle Busch announced his plan to race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Truck Series. The 38-year-old drove the No. 7 Spire Motorsports truck at the race and continued his dominance in the series yesterday with a win. However, he was not in control of picking his venues for the five-race features with Spire, and given a choice or option, he would have snubbed to race at the venue.

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“Wasn’t my first choice, definitely wouldn’t have been at all my choice. But thankfully the opportunity that Spire and group 101 gave to me to be able to run the five Truck Races that I’m allowed to do. This was the fifth one that was available on the list… So my pick of the litter was literally eight or nine races that I could do, so it gets small.”

Although Busch has his reservations about racing on drafting tracks, he will be hoping for positive results in the Cup Series race after his triumph in the Truck Series event yesterday.