One of the best things about Atlanta Motor Speedway, according to many, is that drivers are able to race the high and low line all around the racetrack...

In other words, there is more than just one preferred line around Atlanta Motor Speedway's lightning-fast surface !

Clint Bowyer is among those who looks forward to racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the track's surface lends itself to two, three and in some cases, four-wide racing. 

"It's just an awesome racetrack, it's a racer's racetrack. There are a lot of grooves that you can run on - you're running on the bottom, you're running on the rim. There are just so many options that you can run and that you think you have to run," Bowyer said. "You can catch somebody and they're  running on the bottom and they're holding you up, you ain't going to get around them, you've got to go outside and start looking around and a place like Atlanta gives you those options and to be able to do that and make a pass."

Don't miss out on seeing the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series go wide-open at the Kobalt Tools 500 March 7, 2010 at Atlanta Motor Speedway! Tickets start at $39 and are available through 877-9-AMS-TIX or through the AMS Web site.

Also, don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Should the rear wing be removed? That issue was discussed by Carl Edwards and Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Mark Martin, on Tuesday at AMS.

Edwards and Gustafson discussed the Pros and Cons of the rear wing of the current car raced by NASCAR in the Sprint Cup Series.

The comments came during a break in the first day of a Goodyear tire test at Atlanta Motor Speedway. While Gustafson touted some qualities of the rear spoiler, Edwards spoke in favor of anything that will take downforce away from the car. 

Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac Ford:

"I think whatever [NASCAR] can do to take downforce away is great for the sport, great for the racing and good for the fans. Atlanta is one of the last tracks where you can really manhandle a car, drive and slide the car sideways. Taking downforce away will make more tracks like that, which is good."

Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Mark Martin's No. 5 Kellogg's/Carquest Chevrolet:

"Aesthetically, I like the spoiler. I grew up watching cars with a spoiler on there. I think it aesthetically makes sense. But I think we just have to be careful; we have refined these cars now to where they drive good with a good aero balance. We can't throw that away for the aesthetics of the spoiler, so we have to make sure performance wise that the aerodynamic balance of the car is similar or better than what we have now."

At 9:31 a.m., Mark Martin made it official. When he took the track as at the start of a Goodyear Tire Test, it officially started racing in 2010 at AMS.

Although the first of two NASCAR weekends at AMS isn't until March 5-7, stock cars rumbled around the track Jan. 12, the first of two days of tire testing aimed at helping Goodyear come up wit h the right tire compound for races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Martin is one of four drivers testing - the others are Sam Hornish Jr., Martin Truex Jr. and Carl Edwards. 

The test comes at a good time for drivers such as Martin and Edwards, who appeared in high spirits just before the day's activity began - emotions not much unlike the faces of youngsters on Christmas morning.

Thanks to temperatures in the mid-30s, all drivers benefited from stronger grip than they will likely see in March and therefore turned faster laps.

It may be just a testing session. But cars on the race track in January mean one thing - the season is not too far away!

For about the past ten years, the reality TV craze has swept the country. But that reality will make its way to Atlanta Motor Speedway in March.

Sunday Jan. 11 will mark the premiere of "Madhouse" a History Channel reality series centered around modified series racers competing at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC. Video previews about the series, background on the drivers and even more may be found here. 

But here's how this show is different than other reality shows. Unlike other programs, some of the people you will see are live right here in the real world. In fact, some of them will likely be coming to Atlanta Motor Speedway during the Kobalt Tools 500 weekend! On March 5, following Georgia Power Qualifying Night, the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour will race for 150 laps on AMS' quarter-mile Thunder Ring! 

If you want a preview of the drivers, cars, excitement and passion of these modified racers, then tuning in is an absolute must! Think of it - for just $20 you can see qualifying under the lights followed by some heart-pounding modified racing!

Plus - given that it's January, what more to whet your appetite for racing during the offseason than a tv series about racing?

The champagne glasses have been toasted. Many a blackeyed peas have likely been consumed. Yes, the year 2010 has arrived.

And the arrival of a new year means that racing is closer to cranking back up at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

After a holiday break, we're back at work at the AMS offices. It's hard to believe, but in just over two months, NASCAR's biggest names will be in town for the Kobalt Tools 500 weekend March 5-7, a weekend that will hit its climax with the Kobalt Tools 500.

Indeed, we're getting ready for the race weekend here at AMS and look forward to seeing some old and new faces here in March. We can't wait!

But it's not just the approaching race weekend that has things moving ahead. On Jan. 12-13, the rumble of stock car engines will rattle the vacant grandstands and cause the windows at our offices overlooking the track to shake when four drivers will be at AMS for a Goodyear tire test. The tire test is closed to the public.

Scheduled to be here are Martin Truex Jr., Sam Hornish Jr., last year's Sprint Cup Series runner-up Mark Martin and three-time Atlanta Cup winner Carl Edwards.

The test will give each driver, one representing each manufacturer competing in the Cup series, valuable information about how Goodyear's tires react to the quick 1.54-mile racing surface at AMS.

Be sure to keep an eye on Atlantamotorspeedway.com as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates during the tire test and as race weekend gets closer.