Hello again, race fans! This is Atlanta Motor Speedway President and GM Ed Clark with the latest installment of the Inside Line, the exclusive newsletter for you, the members of the Atlanta Motor Speedway Insiders Club!

Let's talk some racing!

As of now, it looks like we have a pretty nice preview of NASCAR's championship battle shaping up. Throughout this season, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth have enjoyed more success than anyone else, each winning three point-earning races.

Both have shown an ability to win in multiple ways, either by dominating the field, such as Johnson did on Sunday, or by improving their cars during the race to move into position for the win.

While Johnson clearly had the car to beat in his wins at Martinsville and Pocono, he stayed in contention before seizing the top spot late to pick up the win at Daytona.

As for Kenseth, he overpowered the field to win at Las Vegas and Kansas. At Darlington, on the other hand, he led just 17 laps. And of those laps led, 13 of them came during the race's final 13 circuits.

So both drivers have shown an strong ability this season already to win in multiple ways. A very fun summer of racing is coming up, that's for sure!

Ask The GM

What's Going On At The Track On Friday Of Race Weekend?

We're definitely excited about everything going on during Labor Day Weekend, and that includes all of Friday's activities!

Earlier in the day, cars from both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series will be on track for practice before Sprint Cup qualifying. Then, we'll set things up for the Q&A with Brad Keselowski and others on the frontstretch! And after that, get ready for some speed with the Sprint Car Shootout with cars from the USCS Sprint Car Series going around the quarter-mile "Thunder Ring" at lightning-fast speeds!

The best part about all of this? Your grandstand ticket for Friday gets you in to see it all!

We look forward to seeing you at the track!

Have a question about Atlanta Motor Speedway?

E-mail it to insiders@atlantamotorspeedway.com and you will have a chance to have your question answered in a future Inside Line newsletter!

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on Labor Day Weekend!

One of the perks to being a member of the AMS Insiders Club? A chance to win once in a lifetime experiences during NASCAR race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway!

Congrats to our winners so far! We will update this list as winners are selected with each Inside Line Newsletter!

• March 4: Brian Phillips (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 4: Robert Bosarge (Saturday pace car ride).
• March 5: Robert Buchanan (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 5:  Edward Webster (Wave the green flag during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying).
• March 6: Stephen Ingram (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session.
• March 6: David B. Justin (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 7: Jim Griswold (Cold garage passes).
• March 7: Rick Wolf (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 8: Dennis Hartenberger (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 8: John Cashman (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 11: Edward Hull (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 11: Mark Weling (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 12: Mike Lauret (Saturday pace car ride)
• March 12: Michael J. Seymour (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 13: Katherine Noll (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 13: David Wesley (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 14: David Bryant (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 14: Don Culbreth (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 15: Howard Ray (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 15: Nancy Franks (Sunday pace car ride)
• March 18: Lynn Smith (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 18: Ron Nance (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 19: Fred Aleschus (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session). 
• March 19: Brenda Stone (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 20: Connie Ferrell (Wave the green flag during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying).
• March 20: Karen Pannell (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• March 21: Jennifer White (Saturday pace car ride)
• March 21: Cary Norwood (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• March 22: Larry Spell (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• March 22: Donald Davenport (Cold garage passes).
• March 25: William Knapp (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).  
• March 25: Jeff D. Lloyd (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 26: Carl Beck (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).  
• March 26: Lee & Judi Page (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 27: Dale Rainbolt (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).  
• March 27: Cathy Arrington (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 28: Kevin Pelfrey (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).  
• March 28: Mark Kyle (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 29: Jerry Barrows (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• March 29: Rhonda McKinney (Cold garage passes).
• April 1: Brent Bivens (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• April 1: Steve Green (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 2: Danny Wilkerson (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• April 2: Bobbie Smallwood (Victory lane access following the Advocare 500).
• April 3: Gordon Winchester (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 3: Jody Miller (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 4: Dianne Roberts (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• April 4: Jim Brewer   (Cold garage passes).
• April 5: Al Timmerman (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• April 5: Ricky Hayes (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 8: Jimmy Harris (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• April 8: Mark Townsend (Saturday pace car ride).
• April 9: David Anders  (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• April 9: Derrick Warren (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• April 10: Michael Littleton (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• April 10: Joni Norman (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 11: Jason Colombo (Victory lane access following the Advocare 500).
• April 11: Deke Smith (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• April 12: Pam Brooks (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 12: Robert Hasinbiller (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).    
• April 15: Debra Belifore: (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 15: Jerry Shipman (Saturday Pace Car Ride).
• April 16: Jeffrey Gilley (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 16: Joe Sledge (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 17: Terri Norton (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 17: Billy Crump (Wave the green flag during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying).
• April 18: Kelly Patton (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 18: Chad Henderson (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 19: Natalie Beck (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 19: David Kalmbach (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 22: Ronald Gross (Cold garage passes).
• April 22: Ray Sikes (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 23: Barbara Harper: (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 23: Sean Lewis (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 24: Don Vance (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 24: Christina McGinley (Saturday Pace Car Ride).
• April 25: Karl Haase (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 25: Joe Crowley (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 26: Tina Morningstar (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 26: Brad Hertzing (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 29: Ronald Mahan (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• April 29: Tim Pugh (Sunday Pace Car Ride).
• April 30: Ronald Parks (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• April 30: David Castile Jr. (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 1: Shaun Presley (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 1: Rocky Stuckey (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 2: Cheryl Linski (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 2: Pam Hendrickson (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 3: Harold Eichholtz (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 3: Leslie Brock (Two cold garage passes)
• May 6: Janet Coleman (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 6: David Peppers (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 7: Russell and Tracy Tully (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 7: Carl Norris (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 8: Ralph Livingston (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 8: Charles Cook (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 9: Steven Meggs (Saturday Pace Car Ride)
• May 9: Walter Jackson (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 10: Clint Musselwhite (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 10: Robbie McBride (Victory Lane access following the AdvoCare 500)
• May 13: Timothy Moss (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 13: John Evans III  (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 14: Charles Carlan (Access to Victory Lane following the NASCAR Nationwide Series race).
• May 14: Theodore Reitano (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 15: Randy Taft (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 15: Robin Woodall (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• May 16: James Burns (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 16: Kenny Smart (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).   
• May 17: Chris Collins (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).   
• May 17: Justin Castelberry (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).   
• May 20: Stacy Jones (Two cold garage passes)
• May 20: John Savage (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).   
• May 21: Jeff Lydon (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 21: Nina Story (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).   
• May 22: Emmett Miller (Saturday Pace Car Ride)
• May 22: David Davis (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).   
• May 23: Steve Shaver (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 23: David Keske (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).   
• May 24: Michael Peterson (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 24: Nelda Edwards (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• May 27: Cindy Johannigman (Saturday Pace Car Ride)
• May 27: Kim Bruner (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• May 28: Debbie Medert (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• May 28: James Scott (Victory Lane access following the NASCAR Nationwide Series night race on Aug. 31).
• May 29: Tim Lusk (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• May 29: Paula Smith (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 30: Tommy Cummings (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• May 30: Lisa Riddle (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• May 31: Alan Pennington (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• May 31: Scott Carter (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• June 3: Michael Banks (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• June 3: Ken Webb  (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• June 4: Jamie C. Morgan (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• June 4: Lori Martin (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• June 5: Steve Winstead (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• June 5: Justin Spencer (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• June 6: Ricky Moore (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• June 6: Beth Veit (Two cold garage passes)
• June 7: John L. Davis (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• June 7: Jimmy Brooks  (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• June 10: Renee Rodgers (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• June 10: Matthew Tompkins Victory Lane access following the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Aug. 31).
• June 11: Jerry Hurt (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• June 11: Brooke Vanormer (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).

Hello again, race fans! This is Atlanta Motor Speedway President and GM Ed Clark with the latest installment of the Inside Line, the exclusive newsletter for you, the members of the Atlanta Motor Speedway Insiders Club!

Let's talk some racing!

One of the biggest changes within the NASCAR season during the last ten years has been "silly season," a phrase used to describe the decisions of drivers, crew chiefs and sponsors moving to a new team for the next season.

It used to be the case that this sort of news would be at the forefront within the last month or so of a season. Within the last few years, "Silly Season" kicked into high gear by the end of May. For Kevin Harvick, it started earlier.

With news out before this season even began that this would Harvick's final year at Richard Childress Racing before leaving RCR to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing, it was understandable to hear some speculate that Harvick and the No. 29 team would have a drop-off in results as a result of Harvick being a lame duck.

Now, you may be wondering: What is a lame duck, anyway? Well, according to historical records, the term was initially used in the London Stock Market in the 1700s to describe investors unable to pay their debts. Over time, the phrase was applied to politicians who are in their final term with those around them already looking forward to their eventual replacements. 

But back to Harvick and Richard Childress Racing!

With his win on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Harvick has won twice in the past four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points events. He has three top-five finishes during that same stretch, the only blemish being a DNF after being caught up in an accident at Talladega.

The bottom line is this - don't count out Kevin Harvick as the season goes on. He is setting himself up to be a major factor in claiming something that Richard Childress Racing has not had since 1994 - a championship in NASCAR's top division.  

Ask The GM

Can I Bring a Cooler Into The Grandstands On Race Weekend!

You absolutely can! We are very happy to allow fans to bring a cooler into the stands on race weekend. The only two things we ask is that they are no larger than 14x14x14 and that they contain no glass objects.

We look forward to seeing you at the track!

Have a question about Atlanta Motor Speedway?

E-mail it to insiders@atlantamotorspeedway.com and you will have a chance to have your question answered in a future Inside Line newsletter!

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on Labor Day Weekend!

Hello again, race fans! This is Atlanta Motor Speedway President and GM Ed Clark with the latest installment of the Inside Line, the exclusive newsletter for you, the members of the Atlanta Motor Speedway Insiders Club!

Let's talk some racing!

Sometimes, a driver moving to a new team can pay off. Other times, it can backfire. Matt Kenseth is a prime example of the former.

Kenseth is already setting a torrid pace with three wins so far this season while also running well enough to win earlier this year at Daytona and Richmond. His win at Darlington came with a substitute crew chief, something speaking volumes about the strength of both Kenseth and the No. 20 team at Joe Gibbs Racing.

There's a strong argument that Kenseth may be on the way to one of the best seasons of his career.  Kenseth has won more than three races just twice in his career, in 2002 and 2005.

The burning question as we go throughout the season, however, will be if Kenseth can do what no driver at Joe Gibbs Racing has done since 2005 - win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

If what we've seen so far this year says anything, it's that the championship race will be very fun to watch!

Ask The GM

I've already bought my tickets but am thinking about moving to the suites. Can I do that!

You certainly can! If you have already purchased your tickets for Labor Day Weekend, you can upgrade them at any time! Just call our ticket office at 877-926-7849 and they can assist you in either moving your seats to a different section or upgrading you to a seat in the Elliott Suites, Champions Suites or Club One!

We look forward to seeing you at the track!

Have a question about Atlanta Motor Speedway?

E-mail it to insiders@atlantamotorspeedway.com and you will have a chance to have your question answered in a future Inside Line newsletter!

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on Labor Day Weekend!

Hello again, race fans! This is Atlanta Motor Speedway President and GM Ed Clark with the latest installment of the Inside Line, the exclusive newsletter for you, the members of the Atlanta Motor Speedway Insiders Club!

Let’s talk some racing!

This week would have been the 62^nd birthday of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. I was fortunate to get to know Dale during the late 1970s and early 1980s when Earnhardt’s NASCAR career was on a quick upward progression and I was working at Charlotte Motor Speedway. I even stayed at Earnhardt’s house for a short time when I first moved to Charlotte! We were both really good friends back then and did a lot of stuff together.

I’ll never forget, though, what happened after the 2000 season. This was when the NASCAR awards banquet was held in New York City. Earnhardt finished second in the points standings that year to Bobby Labonte, but unlike some of the past season-ending banquets, he actually stuck around after the banquet. We went to the after-party and low and behold, there's Dale and (his wife) Teresa there.

Not long after that, Dale told me and my wife, Teresa, to join he and his wife off to the side. We must have been there for about 45 minutes. This was a different Dale Earnhardt. He was talking about what's really important and taking care of your employees and the people that work for you and they all take care of you...things that just weren't the old driven Dale Earnhardt kind of guy.

It kind of struck me. You got the feeling that he had made it, and now his thing was to elevate other people and help them out, with the drivers he was hiring at DEI and things like that. Even my wife was like ' that's not the Dale we've seen all those years but isn't it refreshing to see him that way?'

There's never been a tougher competitor on the track who is more determined to do it.

Ask The GM

I have always wanted to camp at the track on race weekend. What kind of options do you have available?

Camping is one of the many things that you just have to experience in person at the racetrack. It’s something that you cannot do when you’re not there for yourself!

We have various camping options available to fit whatever your camping preference may be. We have spaces available for tent and pop-up units in addition to RVs! So whatever you are camping in, we have a campsite for you, both in reserved and unreserved campgrounds both in the campgrounds outside the track or in one of the infield campgrounds of which there are only a few spaces remaining!

One of the neatest things on the week leading up to Labor Day Weekend is seeing how the facility here at Atlanta Motor Speedway slowly fills up, and that definitely includes looking out from our offices over the campgrounds!

If you’d like additional camping information, you can call 877-926-7849 or visit http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/events/camping/.

We look forward to seeing you at the track!

Have a question about Atlanta Motor Speedway?

E-mail it to insiders@atlantamotorspeedway.com and you will have a chance to have your question answered in a future Inside Line newsletter!

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on Labor Day Weekend!

Hello again, race fans! This is Atlanta Motor Speedway President and GM Ed Clark with the latest installment of the Inside Line, the exclusive newsletter for you, the members of the Atlanta Motor Speedway Insiders Club!

Let’s talk some racing!

During the offseason, one thing I expected to happen once the season began was for Kyle Busch to bounce back from not making the Chase last year. It hasn’t taken him long to do that, that’s for sure!

Through seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, he has twice. That’s the most number of wins for Busch this early in a season since 2009, when he won a pair of races within the first five events in the NASCAR’s top division.

If you’re a fan who loves to cheer against Kyle Busch, things are pretty interesting right now. Here’s a driver coming off what could be termed a down season last year.

Now that Busch is getting back into victory lane more than he did last year, it gives fans someone to root against, even if their favorite driver isn’t running well during a particular race.

Any time a driver is winning that is liked and disliked by a large number of fans, it makes this sport a lot of fun for everyone!

Ask The GM

I’m psyched to hear about Billy Currington playing the pre-race concert! I’ve already bought my Cup tickets in the Elliott Grandstand, but want to see the concert. What’s the best way to see it?

We’re excited too! The good news is that no matter where your seats are in the grandstand, you can upgrade your seats for the Fast Cars & Guitars Pre-Race Concert featuring Billy Currington with a pre-race party pass!

This gets you stagefront for the concert, which will be on the frontstretch for not only the concert, but for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver introductions as well! It’ll probably be a good idea to have a camera of some type, as you’ll probably be able to take some great pictures of Billy Currington and some of your favorite drivers!

You can add a pre-race party pass to your tickets by calling our ticket office at 877-9-AMS-TIX, and they will be very happy to assist you! You can also get information at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com!

We look forward to seeing you at the track!

Have a question about Atlanta Motor Speedway?

E-mail it to insiders@atlantamotorspeedway.com and you will have a chance to have your question answered in a future Inside Line newsletter!

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on Labor Day Weekend!

Hello again, race fans! This is Atlanta Motor Speedway President and GM Ed Clark with the latest installment of the Inside Line, the exclusive newsletter for you, the members of the Atlanta Motor Speedway Insiders Club!Things are getting pretty ramped up here at the Speedway as the start of Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine as well as Thursday Thunder gets closer. Of course, the AdvoCare 500 is also drawing nearer each day. It’ll be here before we know it!

We’ve also recently announced an inaugural event that is coming up Aug. 10 – Global Rallycross Atlanta! I had a chance to ride along in a Global Rallycross car with Tanner Foust when we announced the event, and boy, what a rush! It’s going to be incredible seeing those cars here in August.

Now, let’s talk some NASCAR!

The race for a championship has taken a pretty major turn within the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. With Denny Hamlin’s back injury expecting to cause him to miss about six weeks, which would account for about five races, his hopes of winning a championship would appear bleak.

But don’t count Hamlin out, as his best friend may be the wild card in the Chase for the Championship qualifying format. Don’t forget, the final two spots in the Chase are filled out by drivers ranked in positions 11 through 20 in the points standings who have the most race victories. If Hamlin can finish in the top 20 and win a handful of races, he may be able to sneak into the Chase.

You want to talk about something compelling to watch? You’re setting it up for a driver coming off an injury eager to prove a point. It has all the makings of must-see racing, and you’ll have an in-person view of it here on Labor Day Weekend!

Ask The GM

I’m coming to the race for the first time at Atlanta this Labor Day Weekend and am looking for a hotel to stay at that’s budget-friendly. Any suggestions?

First of all, we’re excited you’ll be joining us for the first time! We’re glad to hear that you’ll be joining us on Labor Day Weekend.

As far as hotels go, we’re pleased to have built up a list of fan-friendly hotels for our fans to utilize during race weekend. These hotels agree to offer fans reasonable rates during NASCAR race weekend here at AMS and not require a multiple-night stay.

Our fan-friendly hotels are listed on our Web site, and as Labor Day Weekend gets closer, hotels will be added on to the list as they partner with us. You can find it at http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/fanzone/hotels/.

We look forward to seeing you at the track!

Have a question about Atlanta Motor Speedway?

E-mail it to insiders@atlantamotorspeedway.com and you will have a chance to have your question answered in a future Inside Line newsletter!

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on Labor Day Weekend!

Hello, race fans! This is Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark! Welcome to the Inside Line, the exclusive newsletter for you, the members of the Atlanta Motor Speedway Insiders Club!

Here, you can expect, twice a month, exclusive insight into Atlanta Motor Speedway and racing that you won’t get anywhere else. Plus, you’ll also find who the winners of race weekend prizes set aside just for you are! Remember – you can only win these prizes by being an AMS Insider, a select group of which you are part of!

Let’s talk some racing!

While it’s still early in the season, one thing that’s already pretty clear is that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is stacked with drivers eager to prove a point.

Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch both missed the Chase for the Championship last year. So before the season even began, there was plenty of pressure on both drivers, not to mention their respective teams.

So far, both have shown that they’re rebounding and doing so quite well. Carl Edwards snapped his winless drought in Phoenix and Busch had a strong car at Las Vegas, finishing the top five and was a factor for much of the race.

And then there are last year’s leading championship contenders, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski. Sometimes, a hard fight can drain a race team entering the next season. You saw that especially in the case of Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards.

Last year, coming off after a nailbiting race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, both saw a drop-off in their results. Stewart won a combined three races, but was winless in the second half of the season, posting four top-five finishes after his July win at Daytona.

Edwards was winless in 2012 and failed to qualify for the Chase.

As for Johnson and Keselowski, neither has missed a beat. Johnson finished first and second in the season’s first two races, was sixth a week ago and most recently had a strong finish undone at Bristol due to a cut tire late in the race.  

Keselowski has finished no worse than fourth through four races and currently leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings. Keselowski's string of four top-five finishes in a row matches the longest stretch in his career within the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. 

Both drivers are wasting little time showing that the road to a championship likely runs through beating them on the track.

Ask The GM

What’s the best way to get a driver autograph during race weekend?

One thing that separates NASCAR from other major sporting events is the chance to interact with some of its biggest stars.

The best way to get a driver’s autograph is to attend an appearance by a driver during race weekend. Appearances are set up by each driver’s race team either at a driver’s souvenir hauler in the AMS Fan Zone or at other nearby locations.

Close to race weekend, the Atlanta Motor Speedway Web site, www.atlantamotorspeedway.com, will post a compiled list of driver appearances during race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Have a question about Atlanta Motor Speedway?

E-mail it to insiders@atlantamotorspeedway.com and you will have a chance to have your question answered in a future Inside Line newsletter!

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on Labor Day Weekend!

One of the perks to being a member of the AMS Insiders Club? A chance to win once in a lifetime experiences during NASCAR race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway!

Congrats to our winners so far! We will update this list as winners are selected with each Inside Line Newsletter!

• March 4: Brian Phillips (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 4: Robert Bosarge (Saturday pace car ride).
• March 5: Robert Buchanan (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 5:  Edward Webster (Wave the green flag during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying).
• March 6: Stephen Ingram (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session.
• March 6: David B. Justin (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 7: Jim Griswold (Cold garage passes).
• March 7: Rick Wolf (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 8: Dennis Hartenberger (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 8: John Cashman (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 11: Edward Hull (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 11: Mark Weling (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 12: Mike Lauret (Saturday pace car ride)
• March 12: Michael J. Seymour (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 13: Katherine Noll (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 13: David Wesley (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 14: David Bryant (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 14: Don Culbreth (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 15: Howard Ray (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 15: Nancy Franks (Sunday pace car ride)
• March 18: Lynn Smith (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 18: Ron Nance (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 19: Fred Aleschus (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session). 
• March 19: Brenda Stone (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).
• March 20: Connie Ferrell (Wave the green flag during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying).
• March 20: Karen Pannell (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• March 21: Jennifer White (Saturday pace car ride)
• March 21: Cary Norwood (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• March 22: Larry Spell (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• March 22: Donald Davenport (Cold garage passes).
• March 25: William Knapp (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).  
• March 25: Jeff D. Lloyd (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 26: Carl Beck (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).  
• March 26: Lee & Judi Page (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 27: Dale Rainbolt (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).  
• March 27: Cathy Arrington (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 28: Kevin Pelfrey (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith).  
• March 28: Mark Kyle (Access to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver autograph session).
• March 29: Jerry Barrows (Saturday Q&A with Ed Clark and Bruton Smith). 
• March 29: Rhonda McKinney (Cold garage passes).