Atlanta Fantasy NASCAR Front Runner Rankings

Corey LaJoie
Atlanta Bottom Line – At Atlanta superspeedway, look for Corey LaJoie to lay it all out on the line and potentially be a factor. There’s “Horses for courses”, and this is LaJoie’s best track. At Atlanta on the new surface, LaJoie’s been a top five contender in three of them, and then in the other he spun while running just short of a the top ten which led to a misleading result, so he’s never lacked when it comes to performance. Look for LaJoie to approach this race with a “Checkers or wreckers” mentality and go all out for the win.
Atlanta Track History – At Atlanta on the new surface, Corey LaJoie has performed at a high-level and is 3 for 4 at being a top five contender. Last summer under the lights, LaJoie was a top ten contender but on lap 123 while running just short of the top ten, LaJoie spun and got quite a bit of damage which led to him finishing a misleading 31st. For about 20-laps just prior to his demise, LaJoie hovered right around 10th in the running order. In spring 2023, LaJoie ran a great race and finished 4th. When it was “Closing time”, he was at his best and raced his way to the front. In summer 2022, LaJoie finished 10th in Stage #2, led 19 laps, was contending for the win late but then on the final lap while making a move on Chase Elliott for the win, LaJoie got into the wall from a block from the #9 which led to his asterisk mark 21st. In spring 2022, LaJoie finished 5th after racing his way to the front in the closing laps.

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Bubba Wallace
Atlanta Bottom Line – Bubba Wallace is one of the best superspeedway racers in NASCAR, and I wouldn’t overlook him at Atlanta. Wallace’s resume isn’t good on paper with him not even having a single top ten, but his prowess at pack racing is on par with the best. Wallace looked solid last summer (top ten contender, misleading result) and he came close to victory lane in spring 2022 but had problems on the last lap, so he hasn’t been lacking when it comes to performance. On Sunday, I wouldn’t have too high of expectations, but I would look for Wallace to be a top ten contender.
Atlanta Track History – Bubba Wallace doesn’t have a track record that’s too inspiring at Atlanta. In 2023, Wallace was sporty in the summer but a dud in the spring. To show for it, his average finish was 26th. Last summer, Wallace finished an asterisk mark 25th. In the race, Wallace finished 6th at the end of Stage #2, and that Stage caution is where the field was flipped by pit strategy. In the closing laps right before the early conclusion, Wallace spun on lap 179 while running around 10th, and the race then never went back green following that due to rain. For the afternoon, Wallace’s average running position was 16.6. Last spring, Wallace’s afternoon tanked early. On lap 10 while running in 19th, Bubba Wallace spun and hit the inside wall which dropped him two laps down which is what ultimately doomed him to a 27th. In summer 2022, Wallace struggled. On lap 53, Wallace was way back in 31st and radioed his team that he thought something broke in the rear of his car. Later in the race early in the final Stage around lap 170, Wallace was involved in a “Big One”, but he kept on motoring along. With 18 to go Wallace was running in 20th, but thanks to all the attrition and the wild ending, Wallace escaped with a 14th. In spring 2022, Wallace had a great car and over the final Stage, he consistently ran in the top five. In the race, Wallace finished 8th in Stage #2, led 3 laps, had a 10.6 average running position but finished an asterisk mark 13th. At the start of the final lap, Wallace was running in 2nd but then he got loose which caused him to slip up the track and lose a handful of positions, and then coming to the finish line he wrecked.

Ty Gibbs
Atlanta Bottom Line – At Atlanta, don’t overlook Ty Gibbs. Gibbs finished 9th last spring and was a top ten contender in the summer so in year #2, I don’t see why he won’t be a top ten contender once again in a fast #54.
Atlanta Track History – Ty Gibbs has been pretty sporty at Atlanta, and in 2022 in the Xfinity series he raced his way to victory lane here with a last lap pass. Last summer, Gibbs showed potential but finished an asterisk mark 34th. In the race, Gibbs finished around 11th in Stage #1, was in 14th on lap 120 but then on lap 123, Corey LaJoie spun and then Gibbs was damaged in a wreck which led to the end of his race. In spring 2023, Gibbs had a solid showing and finished 9th. To close out the race, the #54 had speed and from the late caution (around lap 210) until the conclusion, he basically ran in the top ten.

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