In thirty minutes, you can watch half an episode or more of almost any television show, quick wash a load of laundry, or drive over to Henry County for a weekend of high speeds, cold drinks, and pure entertainment. Here are five reasons why Fayette County residents should make the short drive to Atlanta Motor Speedway.

There is more to do than just watch the races.

On race weekend, Atlanta Motor Speedway is packed full of events. There are concerts to attend, bikes performing tricks to watch, and a ton of new people to meet. AMS makes sure that even when there is not action on the track, there is always something for attendees to do.

“We do activities all weekend long,” Track President Ed Clark said. “Saturday night, we’ve got the Fanfest with a cornhole competition, and we have the Legends race.”

It is much more to NASCAR than cars going in circles.

To someone who does not think they enjoy NASCAR, the entire race may just be cars going in circles. However, the reality is that there is so much more to it than that.  During a race, each driver has a strategy, each team must work together efficiently to get the car ready to run, and everyone faces the danger of traveling at speeds approaching 200 mph.

“There is so much anticipation leading into the race weekend,” Vice President of Marketing and Promotions Dustin Bixby said. “Once you draw the green flag and start racing for the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series race, it really gets the energy flowing.”

The new aero package will bring a new level of competition.

Atlanta Motor Speedway will be the first track to implement a new aero package designed to cause tighter races. The tighter racing is in hopes of creating more packs and allowing people to move from the back of the pack to the front. This newly found competition will bring more excitement, as well as nail-bitingly close races.

“[Tighter racing is] why we worked closely with our teams, our drivers and our manufacturers to deliver a rules package that delivers more side by side racing for our fans,” Competition Director Steve O’Donnell said. “Those fans have asked for it and we’ve been working as an industry to deliver it in 2019 and beyond. We look forward to seeing this rules package in action at Atlanta Motor Speedway and we’re confident that our fans are excited about seeing it in action for the first time, too.”

AMS is a notoriously challenging track.

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s track is made of 20-year-old rough concrete. This causes more stops on pit road to change out the tires since the rubber is burned so much faster. The frequent stops on pit road call for impressive teamwork and fast changes. In addition, it adds a level of planning and strategy not seen at other tracks on the NASCAR circuit.

“The racing surface at Atlanta Motor Speedway is rugged and challenging,” O’Donnell said. “The tire wear it creates makes it even more difficult for the drivers and teams to manage from one lap to the next. Drivers who are fast on the short run may find it more difficult to find speed in the long run and vice versa.”

Fan camaraderie throughout the weekend is unmatched.

Making friends with other fans is a large aspect of what makes a NASCAR race what it is. Especially when camping, fans are around one another from Friday to Sunday, allowing them to truly connect with those they meet. NASCAR, in its essence, is about teamwork, so making new friends is showing the true NASCAR spirit.

“And then there are the fans themselves, who will take newcomers under their wing and explain the action to those who may be visiting a race for the first time,” NASCAR Vice Chairman and former AMS Track President Mike Helton said. “It’s all part of the NASCAR family experience.”

Fans can become members of the AMS family by purchasing tickets for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race weekend.

Saturday tickets can be purchased for as low as $40 and include NASCAR’s only double-header, the Xfinity Series Rinnai 250 followed by the Gander Outdoors Truck Series Atlanta 200. Fans buying Saturday tickets get an added bonus this year as AMS has added Legends racing under the lights.

Pricing for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 begins at $49. Call 877-9-AMS-TIX  or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com to buy tickets or to get more information.