William Byron won the rain-shortened NASCAR race at Atlanta on Sunday night for his series-leading fourth victory of the season. It was the second win in Atlanta in the last two years for Byron, who took the NASCAR points lead.
The threat of rain affected strategy as drivers fought to move toward the front of the field before weather delayed or ended the race.
On lap 185, with 75 laps to go, NASCAR ordered cars to pit road due to rain and the possibility of lightning. Cars were covered while officials waited to see if the rain ended.
Only six minutes later, fans were warned of severe weather within eight miles of the track and were encouraged to leave the stadium immediately, and NASCAR called the race soon after that announcement.
Daniel Suarez, looking for his first win of 2023, was second. AJ Allmendinger was third, followed by Michael McDowell.
The race became official after 130 laps. After that, the weather watch factored heavily into race strategy.
Kevin Harvick, a three-time Atlanta winner, had a spin with 89 laps remaining. Harvick was able to drive to pit road without a caution, but the spin all but ended his hopes of a win in his final Atlanta race.
The increased threat of rain placed an increased emphasis on drivers to compete for top spots in the second stage, perhaps contributing to two wrecks that knocked out Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson and Austin Hill.
Denny Hamlin and Alex Bowman were involved in another crash late in the second stage, leaving Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney at the front of the field. The stage ended under caution.
Despite the stage win, Keselowski was left with a big decision as he talked with his crew about the threat of rain and the possibility of staying on the track. He chose to pit for fuel, saying he had no real choice.
A collision between Bubba Wallace and Ryan Preece caused another caution early in the final stage, leaving Byron in the lead, ahead of Suarez.
Chase Elliott, still looking for his first win of the season, finished 13th. Elliott won for the first time at his Atlanta home track in the 2022 summer race.
The NASCAR Cup Series moves to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon next Sunday.
