Atlanta, GA
Long: Atlanta finish left even those who lost smiling after chaotic, exciting race
HAMPTON, Ga. — Only 10 minutes earlier, Ryan Blaney had shouted an expletive on his radio after he lost Sunday night’s Cup race by the third-closest margin since 1993.
But as Blaney discussed the race, he suddenly stood on his toes, widened his eyes and tilted his head to see over the media surrounding him on pit road. He gazed at a video board as it played the three-wide finish with him, Daniel Suarez and Kyle Busch.
“I haven’t seen it,” Blaney said to no one in particular.
The video showed the three cars approaching the finish line frame-by-frame. They were almost perfectly aligned.
“Holy s—-, man,” Blaney said.
Then came the definitive frame. Suarez’s bumper hit the finish line just before Blaney’s car. The margin of victory was three-thousandths of a second.
“That was so close!” Blaney said, his voice rising.
His reaction mirrored that of most of the fans at Atlanta Motor Speedway. While this is only the second race of a season that goes to November, it will take a lot for Sunday’s race not to be the best race of the year.
Sunday night’s race was important because it changed the narrative for the sport. The talk since last week’s Daytona 500 had been about the excessive fuel saving by the field. Only a day before Sunday’s mesmerizing race, Busch said how he felt “disgraceful” about the way everyone raced at Daytona.
After losing by seven-thousandths of a second Sunday night, Busch even managed to smile.
“We could have won,” he said. “But got us a third.”
The fans, though, got a great show.
Two-wide racing was typical. Three-wide racing was prevalent. Austin Cindric even went four-wide to take the lead at one point. He could laugh about the jaw-dropping move afterward.
“I did have enough time to think about if it was a good idea,” Cindric said after his fourth-place finish. “It was a good idea. I’m sure it made for good pictures.”
Yes, it did.
Cars yo-yoed for position throughout the race — unlike last week’s Daytona 500 when drivers were stuck two-wide and felt like they were driving in rush-hour traffic
“I actually had a lot of fun today,” Kyle Larson said even after he was eliminated by a crash. “It was super intense and it’s been a great race. It’s been the opposite from (the Daytona 500) with no fuel saving and guys going at it, so it’s been fun.”
Drivers could make passes and other dramatic moves Sunday because the cars separated from each other in the corners based on their handling. The draft then brought them together on the straightaways, creating the dramatic runs.
The 48 lead changes Sunday were seven more than last week’s Daytona 500 despite being 100 fewer miles.
It made for a great race for fans but not so good for the leader, particularly Blaney.
He tried to keep the field close behind in the final laps but that ploy didn’t work.
“Both lanes just got massive runs,” Blaney said of the cars behind him. “… When you got two lanes (charging at) you, I don’t know where to go. I guess I could have bailed to the top and made (Suarez) hit me in the ass, but it all happens so quick.”
Suarez tried to explain what it was like to race so close for so long.
“I hope that everyone at home and you guys,” Suarez told the media after his second career Cup victory, “were able to see how much movement our cars had. They were not comfortable. … It was not easy, not easy at all.”
He wasn’t complaining. He was relishing the moment. Drivers want to make a difference. They want to be able to do extraordinary things with the cars. Much of last week’s Daytona 500 didn’t look too difficult. Sunday’s race at Atlanta showcased the skills drivers have.
Chase Briscoe didn’t make it to the finish after he was involved in an accident while in a tight pack, but didn’t walk away bitter.
“It was just fun,” Briscoe said, “because you could be aggressive.”
Everyone was Sunday night. While NASCAR had one of its most memorable finishes in years, even those who lost couldn’t leave too disappointed.
“I feel great about how the race went,” Blaney said. “Yeah, just in that moment, you’re like ‘Damn that sucks.’ We just lost by three inches. But then to realize, ‘Hey, it’s a good day. It’s fun racing for the lead like that.’ … I had fun tonight.”
Atlanta, GA
Two Georgia residents monitored after cruise ship hantavirus outbreak, health officials say
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is actively monitoring two Georgia residents who recently returned home after disembarking from the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak that has raised concerns among global health officials.
According to DPH, both individuals are currently in good health and have shown no signs of infection. They are adhering to the latest recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The outbreak, which was first reported earlier this week, has health experts on alert due to the rare nature of hantavirus transmission aboard cruise ships.
According to CBS News reporting, the virus typically spreads through contact with rodent droppings, urine, or saliva, and human-to-human transmission is considered extremely rare. The MV Hondius incident marks an unusual case, prompting heightened surveillance and coordination between public health agencies worldwide.
CBS News further reports that the cruise ship, which had been traveling through polar regions, has been thoroughly sanitized, and all passengers have been advised to monitor their health closely.
The CDC and international health agencies are working to trace possible sources of exposure and ensure that protocols are in place to prevent further spread.
At this time, the Georgia DPH emphasizes that there is no immediate risk to the public.
The two monitored residents continue to remain symptom-free, serving as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and rapid response in managing emerging infectious disease threats.
ATLANTA – Ticket prices for FIFA World Cup matches in Atlanta are climbing into the thousands of dollars as demand grows for games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
What we know:
On FIFA’s website, some premium tickets for group-stage matches were listed starting around $2,200. Prices for Round of 16 matches increased by nearly another $1,000.
One semifinal ticket in Atlanta was listed for more than $14,000.
Atlanta’s first World Cup match is scheduled for June 15, with Spain set to face Cabo Verde.
While ticket prices continue to rise, the outlook for many U.S. hotels is less optimistic. The American Hotel and Lodging Association said bookings in most host cities are below projections.
The group cited several factors, including fewer international travelers, concerns over visa delays and rising costs.
Atlanta, however, is meeting or exceeding hotel booking expectations, according to the industry group.
Atlanta, GA
Habitat for Humanity building a legacy by transforming former Atlanta skate park into neighborhood
At Langston Park in Sylvan Hills, a once-abandoned eight-acre skate park is being transformed into a new community.
Over the course of a single week, over 700 volunteers are working alongside future homeowners to build 24 homes as part of a major Habitat for Humanity effort.
Habitat for Humanity hasn’t constructed a development in Atlanta since 1988.
For Chip Carter, the project carries both personal and global meaning. His parents, former President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter, began their work with Habitat for Humanity in 1984, helping elevate the organization into a worldwide mission. Over the past 50 years, Habitat says it has helped more than 65 million people access new or improved housing.
Homes are sold without interest and built largely through volunteer labor, helping keep costs within reach. That matters in a city like Atlanta, where housing affordability has become increasingly strained. According to JPMorgan Chase, the share of median income needed for a monthly mortgage in the city jumped from 25 percent to 41 percent in just five years.
Habitat homes aren’t giveaways. Applicants go through years of screening, including financial reviews, background checks, and proof of steady employment and income. They also complete more than 250 hours of training to prepare for the responsibilities of homeownership.
“This is a much bigger deal,” Carter said. “To have a place to sleep is a big deal. And not having to pay rent — when you put money into it, you get to build equity.”
For Langston Park’s future homeowners like Lauren Clarke, that path to ownership is anything but automatic. Clarke, a University of Georgia graduate and single mother of twin 5-year-olds, has been living with her parents while searching for stable housing.
As she helped to hammer nails into the wall siding, Clarke professed, “It makes me feel strong. I feel strong today.”
For her, the opportunity represents more than just a roof over her family’s heads.
“When you buy a house, it gives you a sense of pride — in the best way,” she said. “Maybe we can keep that going generation to generation.”
Sixty-eight families are expected to begin moving into the homes by the end of the summer, and there are plans to expand the development in the next few years.
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