Sports

Epic Atlanta finish caps all-time NASCAR classic at one of its most-maligned tracks

Published

2 years ago

February 26, 2024

Epic Atlanta finish caps all-time NASCAR classic at one of its most-maligned tracks

HAMPTON, Ga. — The move was hair-raising. Eye-popping. Austin Cindric was going for it, four-wide for the lead through the tri-oval into Turn 1. Surely this would end in disaster.

But Sunday night in this second race of the 2024 NASCAR season, to everyone’s surprise, the brazen move actually worked with Cindric shooting into the lead without incident.

“That was kind of cool, wasn’t it?” Cindric said. “… It’s not easy to do, but I guess that’s why they call us the best in the world.”

At this moment, the much-maligned Atlanta Motor Speedway became the new favorite track for NASCAR fans. And it’s not as if Cindric’s pass was the high-water mark. Things only got better from there, ending with a legit photo finish that saw Daniel Suárez edge Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch by 0.003 seconds, the third-closest margin of victory in Cup Series history.

Can you believe this finish!? 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/zKwqYNRQbG
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 26, 2024
Advertisement

“Holy s—! That was so close,” Blaney said upon seeing a replay of the finish for the first time.

From beginning to end, Atlanta offered a bit of everything. Exactly what you want from a race at NASCAR’s highest level.

All 400 miles featured intense racing, never a moment of tediousness as drivers barely held on — and sometimes lost control — on a track that amplified their skill set. Sometimes races on a drafting track give the appearance that drivers have it easy, the unfair impression that anyone could do this if given the proper chance.

There was none of that Sunday night. Every lap was a grind, with the real potential of committing a serious mistake like when Denny Hamlin drove across the nose of Kyle Busch’s car or when Chris Buescher lost control coming off Turn 4 early in the race, or when Joey Logano drifted high exiting Turn 2 near the end of Stage 2.

Trouble on the final lap of the stage! pic.twitter.com/FXNmRF1IZ2
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 25, 2024
Advertisement

This was NASCAR’s best pushed to their limits. And sometimes beyond.

“A bit of a surprise party every corner,” Martin Truex Jr. told Fox Sports’ Kevin Harvick during a red-flag stoppage. “As crazy as it is, it’s been kind of fun, too.”

Said Todd Gilliland, who led a race-high 58 laps: “It’s like going to a haunted house, you know? It’s fun, but I’m scared for my life at the same time.”

If anyone didn’t enjoy Sunday’s race, it may have been those behind the wheel. Drivers were in the uncomfortable position of having to compete on a track that combined elements of racing on a superspeedway — running in a tight pack with little escape should trouble occur, and managing the draft — with elements you’d see on a traditional intermediate track — tire wear, cars sliding around, and navigating traffic.

Races on unchallenging tracks often lead to forgettable events, while the best races often transpire on tracks that push drivers outside their comfort zone. Even if drivers didn’t enjoy themselves Sunday, the race was an instant classic, exactly the kind fans will talk about for years to come.

And the majority of drivers did seem to embrace the moment and enjoy how the race unfolded.

“It was a super cool race,” said sixth-place finisher Ricky Stenhouse Jr. “I think the fans got their money’s worth.”

Even Kyle Larson, who crashed out of the race and has never been a fan of superspeedways, was complimentary.

“I actually had a lot of fun today,” he said. “It was super intense and it’s been a great race.”

Drivers speaking favorably about Atlanta is quite the about-face considering the vitriol directed toward the track since it was converted from a traditional intermediate track into its current form in 2022. Many within NASCAR questioned why track owner Speedway Motorsports was taking a bulldozer to a beloved oval in favor of a redesigned configuration that diminished their ability.

To them, it felt sacrilegious. This was not what NASCAR was supposed to represent. The enmity only hardened with the announcement last fall that Atlanta’s second date would shift into the playoffs, beginning NASCAR’s championship run.

Sunday’s win was also a needed victory for Trackhouse’s Daniel Suárez, his second career Cup Series win in 254 races. (Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)

If anything, drivers have come to almost loathe Atlanta. Both for what it demanded of them and what it represented in the ever-shifting balance between entertainment versus sport, with the former seemingly being deemed more important to NASCAR’s growth. No wonder then when The Athletic conducted an anonymous survey last week asking those in the garage the race they were least looking forward to, Atlanta’s two races topped the poll.

One cannot help but wonder how those surveyed would now respond. Surely Atlanta wouldn’t be ranked as the worst track. Heck, it may not even garner a single vote.

“I don’t know if you could want anything more out of a NASCAR race than we saw tonight,” said Justin Marks, Suárez’s team owner at Trackhouse Racing. “I was a complete race fan tonight. I was just hanging on to every lap. Then you have the three-wide finish, and just from an entertainment value, it was an incredible race.

“This is one of the most compelling races I think that you could want for a sport.”

High praise, but also deserving. Because while Atlanta may have been detested before Sunday, it’s now the track that hosted one of the all-time races in NASCAR history.

GO DEEPER

Anonymous NASCAR garage poll: Who wins the Cup crown? Biggest disappointment?

(Photo of the tight finish to Sunday’s race, with Daniel Suárez’s car edging out Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney: David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Related Topics:Featured motorsports NASCAR

Click to comment

Sports

2026 World Cup Odds: How Far Can Mexico Go After Winning Group A?

Published

2 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

2026 World Cup Odds: How Far Can Mexico Go After Winning Group A?

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

After its massive 1-0 win over South Korea on Thursday night, Mexico has won Group A and officially clinched a spot in the knockout round.

El Tri will play its Round of 32 game in Mexico City, and will face the third-place finisher in either Group C/E/F/H/I.

This is the fourth time that Mexico has topped the group stage of a World Cup, with the other three coming in 1986, 1994 and 2002.

With the win, Mexico remains unbeaten in World Cup group games at home, going a combined 6-2-0 (W-D-L), with two wins and a draw in 1970 and 1986, and now two wins in 2026.

Before the tournament began, Mexico was listed at +6500 to win the World Cup. Now, after winning its first two games of the tournament, Mexico has surged up the oddsboard to +5000.

Can Mexico build off its first two matches and make a deep run in this tournament? Let’s check out the updated odds for El Tri as of June 19.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Team Mexico — Stage of Elimination

Last 32: +125 (bet $10 to win $22.50 total)
Last 16: +135 (bet $10 to win $23.50 total)
Quarterfinals: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Semifinals: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Runner-up: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Outright winner: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)

Mexico is currently +5000 to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup after winning Group A (Getty Images).

Mexico’s Past World Cup Results:

1930: Group stage
1934: Did not qualify
1938: Withdrew
1950: Group stage
1954: Group stage
1958: Group stage
1962: Group stage
1966: Group stage
1970: Quarterfinals
1974: Did not qualify
1978: Group stage
1982: Did not qualify
1986: Quarterfinals
1990: Banned
1994: Round of 16
1998: Round of 16
2002: Round of 16
2006: Round of 16
2010: Round of 16
2014: Round of 16
2018: Round of 16
2022: Group stage
2026: TBD

What to know: Mexico has made a habit of being in the running, but never really being in the running. Make sense? Consider this: El Tri made it out of the group stage in seven consecutive World Cups (1994-2018), but never made it past the Round of 16 in any of those years. In 2022, Mexico failed to make it out of the group stage, and it will look to get back to its winning ways in 2026 after a great start to the tournament. With its win Thursday night, Mexico has now advanced to the knockout stage in eight of the last nine World Cups. It is important to note, however, that Mexico has never made it past the quarterfinals at a FIFA men’s World Cup.

Sports

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel’s elite play and South Korea’s mistake help Mexico advance

Published

2 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel’s elite play and South Korea’s mistake help Mexico advance

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Three and a half years after its biggest failure on the World Cup stage in half a century, the Mexican national team needed only two games to advance to the knockout round of this year’s tournament as winner of Group A.

Mexico’s defense held off a spirited final push by South Korea, earning a 1-0 win on Thursday night at Guadalajara Stadium in front of a fiery announced sellout crowd of 45,522.

“It was a very tough game,” Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said.

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake in the 50th minute, failing to stop what appeared to be a simple cross and bobbling the ball. That allowed Mexico’s Luis Romo to easily tap the ball into the net and claim a 1-0 lead.

“In the end, a mistake was going to tip the scales,” Aguirre said.

Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel blocks a shot from South Korea’s Son Heung-min during their World Cup match at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Ap Photo/natacha Pisarenko)

“You always want to be there; I felt it, and I got the chance,” said Romo, who started the game after starting the opener on the bench — a strategic change by the Mexican coach that paid off.

South Korea put pressure on the Mexican team throughout the game. Late in the scoreless first half, Jae-sung Lee came close to giving South Korea the lead. Aguirre hoped his team would shake off nerves following the emotional opener at Azteca Stadium and show more bite in its second game against South Korea, but his team didn’t have much power behind its attack during the game’s first 45 minutes.

The crowd in Guadalajara grew frustrated and began booing the Mexican national team’s performance at the end of the first half.

Mexico, however, won back their cheers when it capitalized on South Korea’s costly mistake and converted it into a goal.

Obed Vargas replaced Romo in the 71st minute and was close to scoring a spectacular goal if not for Seung-gyu’s save.

El Tri earned a win without any other goals thanks, in part, to a great night by goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, who stopped a header by Cho Gue-sung in the 87th minute. Captain Edson Álvarez helped turn away South Korea’s attack late, holding up relatively well despite having left ankle surgery during the past year.

“It was just a reflex,” said Rangel, whose club team Chivas plays at at Guadalajara Stadium. “I was very focused and stepped up when the team needed me, and I’m happy about that.”

LAFC star and South Korea captain Son Heung-min fired one shot over Mexico’s goalkeeper in the first half, but Álvarez cleared it off the line before the referee ruled Son was offsides.

South Korea finished controlling possession 58% of the time, but it only earned two shots on target.

“It wasn’t a good game because they didn’t let us do much,” Aguirre said.

Mexico was coming off a comfortable 2-0 victory over South Africa, while the South Koreans had defeated the Czech Republic 2-1, marking their first World Cup opening-match win since 2010.

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Mexico was eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 1978, breaking a streak of seven consecutive appearances in the knockout rounds. However, playing on home soil, the team’s goal is to emulate El Tri’s achievements in 1970 and 1986, when they reached the quarterfinals — the country’s best World Cup finish.

Due to the new 48-team format, Mexico would need to win two knockout-round matches and reach a sixth game to realize its goals.

“We’re taking it one step at a time; first, there’s the third game,” Romo said.

Mexico's Luis Romo celebrates with his teammates after scoring during a match against South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium

After the win over South Korea, Mexico will close out group play against Czechia at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Wednesday. El Tri will get to play the first two games of the knockout round — should it win the first one — at Azteca Stadium, a venue where it has never lost a World Cup game.

South Korea has four points and will be favored when it plays South Africa Wednesday in Monterrey. If South Korea wins the match, it would be the Group A runner-up and advance to play the Group B runner-up on June 28 at SoFi Stadium.

“We want all nine points,” Vargas said of Mexico’s goal entering its next game against Czechia.

Sports

2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race Tracker: Lionel Messi Is Alone At The Top

Published

12 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race Tracker: Lionel Messi Is Alone At The Top

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Who’ll win the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? The race is on for who’ll score the most goals at the tournament, and it is set to be one of the tournament’s most closely watched storylines.

Several of the world’s top forwards will be aiming to finish as the competition’s leading goalscorer. Kylian Mbappé enters the tournament after winning the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Mikel Oyarzabal are among the other players expected to challenge for the award.

And check out our list of all the 2026 World Cup goals, ranked!

Favorites To Win The Golden Boot

Harry Kane: +310 (bet $10 to win $41 total)
Lionel Messi: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)
Kylian Mbappé: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)
Erling Haaland: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Kai Havertz: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Vinícius Júnior: +3300 (bet $10 to win $340 total)
Folarin Balogun: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Mikel Oyarzabal: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Lamine Yamal: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Raphinha: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Michael Olise: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Romelu Lukaku: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Viktor Gyökeres: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Cody Gakpo: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Cristiano Ronaldo: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)

3 Goals

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

2 Goals

Johan Manzambi (Switzerland)
Harry Kane (England)
Erling Haaland (Norway)
Kylian Mbappé (France)
Harry Kane (England)
Elijah Just (New Zealand)
Yasin Ayari (Sweden)
Kai Havertz (Germany)
Folarin Balogun (USA)

1 Goal

Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)
Rubén Vargas (Switzerland)
Ermin Mahmic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Michal Sadilek (Czechia)
Teboho Mokoena (South Africa)
Jáminton Campaz (Colombia)
Luis Díaz (Colombia)
Daniel Muñoz (Colombia)
Abbosbek Fayzullaev (Uzbekistan)
Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana)
Jude Bellingham (England)
Marcus Rashford (England)
Martin Baturina (Croatia)
Petar Musa (Croatia)
Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)
João Neves (Portugal)
Marko Arnautović (Austria)
Jude Bellingham (England)
Marcus Rashford (England)
Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)
João Neves (Portugal)
Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana)
Ali Olwan (Jordan)
Romano Schmid (Austria)
Leo Østigard (Norway)
Ayman Hussein (Iraq)
Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal)
Bradley Barcola (France)
Ramin Rezaeian (Iran)
Mohammad Mohebbi (Iran)
Maxi Araújo (Uruguay)
Abdulelah Al-Amri (Saudi Arabia)
Emam Ashour (Egypt)
Alexander Isak (Sweden)
Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden)
Mattias Svanberg (Sweden)
Omar Rekik (Tunisia)
Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast)
Keito Nakamura (Japan)
Daichi Kamada (Japan)
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)
Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands)
Felix Nmecha (Germany)
Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany)
Jamal Musiala (Germany)
Nathaniel Brown (Germany)
Deniz Undav (Germany)
Connor Metcalfe (Australia)
Nestory Irankunda (Australia)
John McGinn (Scotland)
Ismael Saibari (Morocco)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil)
Breel Embolo (Switzerland)
Gio Reyna (USA)
Mauricio (Paraguay)
Cyle Larin (Canada)
Jovo Lukić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Ladislav Krejcí (Czechia)
Julián Quiñones (Mexico)
Raúl Jimenez (Mexico)
Hwang In-Beom (South Korea)
Oh Hyeon-Gyu (South Korea)