2019 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500: Preview NASCAR at Atlanta

What should NASCAR fans watch for in the 2019 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500? Preview Sunday’s NASCAR race from Atlanta Motor Speedway.

When NASCAR comes to Atlanta Motor Speedway this Sunday, there will be many questions about teams and drivers still unanswered. The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 should answer at least some of them.

After most of the drivers saw their 2019 NASCAR season start off with damage after a wreck-filled Daytona 500, this race will be where many teams will be looking to pick up the pieces and start building something. Can the drivers who surprised last weekend prove that their great performances weren’t isolated incidents? Will the big names who got knocked out of contention claw their way back in?

This is only the second race of the year, but given how much went wrong in the first one, it’s a good litmus test to see how organizations bounce back and which drivers continue to stand out in a crowded NASCAR paddock.

What should race fans look for this weekend? Let’s break the race down in our Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 preview.

ONE THING TO KNOW:

• Last year’s race was dominated by Fords. Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Clint Bowyer powered three Fords (two from Stewart-Haas Racing) to the top spots in the 2018 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. After Toyota swept the podium last weekend, will Ford continue their own domination at Atlanta and make up for how they were frozen out at Daytona? It’s a possibility, since the front row for Sunday’s race is completely Fords (Aric Almirola and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.)

THREE DRIVERS TO WATCH:

• Kyle Busch: The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing driver was understandably frustrated at Daytona, after letting his teammate Denny Hamlin in affected his chances at his first career victory in NASCAR’s biggest race. Busch qualified sixth for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, which isn’t stellar but it’s still decent. And he finished seventh in last year’s race, so he’s a good choice to make an impact in Atlanta—an impact he needs to erase the sting of last weekend.
• Kevin Harvick: Harvick is the defending race winner, and a former NASCAR champion. He was also running very well in the Daytona 500 until being caught up in one of the many big crashes that took place. There’s a big hurdle for him to overcome, though: he had a power steering problem while qualifying Friday and will start 18th. That’s a lot of cars to pass, but if he can get toward the front, he could snag his first official win of the 2019 NASCAR season (after winning one of the Gander RV Duels earlier this month).
• Denny Hamlin: After snagging his second Daytona 500 win in four years, Hamlin qualified for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 in the same place he finished in 2018—fourth. Will he carry over any of that momentum into Atlanta? How will teammate Kyle Busch drive around him this week, especially if it once again comes down to the two of them fighting for a win? Keep your eye on the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and see if it still has enough speed on Sunday.

The 2019 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 takes place Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET. For complete coverage of this weekend’s race and the 2019 NASCAR season, follow the NASCAR category at FanSided.