ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Memories 36 years in the making are all coming back to Wes Pritchett this week.

The Georgia boy who played his high school football at Westminster found a home in South Bend, Indiana – and the rest is history.

The leading tackler on the last Notre Dame team to win it all won’t have to go very far to see his Irish play on Monday night.

“It’s something that I think will mean more to me later down the road,” Pritchett said. “I’m in it right now and I’m old enough to realize stars align only so many times in your life.”

Pritchett, Frank Stams and Mike Stonebreaker were the cornerstones on that 1988 team – or as they’re known around South Bend – “the three amigos.”

“We just had a lot of fun and it ends up that we were pretty good football players too,” Pritchett said. “We had players, we played hard, but when we walked out on the field, we knew that we were going to be the toughest team out there and we were going to punch you in the face.”

Nearly 40 years later, it’s that same spirit that makes them pretty big fans of this year’s “amigos.”

“You can feel the passion in the way those guys played,” Pritchett said. “It reminds all of the guys on the 1988 team of how we felt.”

If something could be more special than playing for a national title, for “Pritch,” Monday night will be.

“To have that opportunity in Atlanta, where I live and where I grew up, where my children have been to a million games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and to have the ability to host Coach Holtz and the players I played with, it’s going to be really special,” Pritchett said.

And if it’s anything like 1988, the Irish have a pretty good shot, too.

“I think the Irish will play physical, they’ll keep it close, and it’ll be a lot like the Penn State game,” Pritchett said. “We’ll get a late turnover and win by a field goal. I think Notre Dame wins 27-24.”

Notre Dame and Ohio State face off in the 2025 National Championship on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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Two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Daniel Suárez will headline the slate of fan entertainment and activities at Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Speedway Open House on Saturday, Jan. 25, which is free and open to the public.

Suárez’s most recent NASCAR victory came in last year’s running of the Ambetter Health 400 at AMS, which saw the driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet triumph in a thrilling three-wide photo finish.

Before he hits Atlanta’s high banks to defend his win in next month’s running of the Ambetter Health 400 (Sunday, Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. ET), Suárez will make an appearance at the Jan. 25 Speedway Open House for a Q&A with fans and an autograph session with eligible ticketholders in the speedway’s luxurious Club One suite.

The NASCAR Cup Series star’s fan engagement will be just one part of a day full of activities and entertainment for fans to enjoy during the Speedway Open House.

The Speedway will open its doors to fans from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with live music by singer and songwriter Presley Barker and fan Q&As will special guests all happening in Club One.

Attendees will also enjoy games and activities at the speedway and be welcomed explore the 1.54-mile oval and surrounding facility.

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Following the Speedway Open House at 3 p.m., fans in attendance will also have an opportunity to enjoy grassroots Legends and Bandolero racing on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s ¼ mile Thunder Ring.

The Speedway Open House event is free to attend, however Atlanta Motor Speedway NASCAR event ticketholders will have the exclusive opportunity to participate in the Daniel Suárez autograph session. Fans interested in attending the Speedway Open House should let AMS know at https://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/openhouse/.

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s first major event of 2025 comes just four weeks after the open house when NASCAR visits Georgia for the Ambetter Health 400 weekend Feb. 21-23.

The Speedway Open House will enable guests to scout the best seats for that race weekend as well as the June 27-28 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend and other events like Monster Jam, which comes to AMS April 12 and 13.

Fans can find updates on the Speedway Open House and more information about 2025 events at AMS at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

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About the Ambetter Health 400 weekend:

Atlanta’s spring NASCAR weekend is headlined by the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, with intense, superspeedway pack racing that challenges NASCAR’s best and dazzles fans.

The race weekend also features the 11th year of Atlanta’s same-day NASCAR doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. The thrills of the Fr8 208 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race and the Bennett Transportation and Logistics 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race all happen in one action-packed day.

More information on the Feb. 21-23, 2025, Ambetter Health 400 weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

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Posted January 16, 2025 12:52pm EST