Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, GA
| Type | Speedway |
| Configuration | Quad-Oval |
| Length | 1.54 Mile |
| Characteristics | Turns Banked 24° (All) Frontstretch Length 1415’ Banked 5° Backstretch Length 1415’ Banked 5° Width 55-60' |
| Max Field | 43 |
| Track Record | Geoffrey Bodine 197.478 mph, (Nov. 15, 1997) |
| Capacity | 124,000 |
| NR2K3 Track Author | Papyrus original |
Alternate Versions
Version: Atlanta 2006-Night
| Track Record(s) | Cup - Geoffrey Bodine 29.074 |
| Track Author(s) | Rioux |
| Author Website | NA |
| Screenshot Album | Atlanta 2006 Night |
Version: Atlanta_SF
| Track Record(s) | Cup - Geoffrey Bodine 29.074 |
| Track Author(s) | Steve Flinn |
| Characteristics | 2-groove version |
Version: Atlanta 1997
| Track Record(s) (GS) | Cup - Robby Gordon 29.378 GNS - Tim Bender 30.468 |
| Track Author(s) | Brian Zager |
| Characteristics | Retro - Old oval configuration |
Version: Atlanta 1970
| Track Record(s) | NA |
| Track Author(s) | Omodified and Riviera71 of ASTG |
| Characteristics | Retro - Created for the GN 70's Mod |
Version: Atlanta_BR
| Track Record(s) | Cup - Geoffrey Bodine 29.074 |
| Track Author(s) | Brian Ring |
| Characteristics | BR tracks noted for extra "high" line and grip |
Hot 'Lanta
One of the fastest tracks on the circuit after the restrictor plate tracks at Daytona and Talledega. Some say Texas Motor Speedway is third fastest. If you look at the last seven years the average pole speed at Atlanta has been 193.148 while at Texas it has been 192.595. Five-tenths of a mph. I don't see much of a difference. On paper the tracks are twins--even the banking is the same.
Which Version To Race?
For my money (or lack of it) I like the 2006 Night version. I like the graphics and I like the grip. I'm generally content to stick with the original Papyrus version of the cup tracks but there's a lot to be said for moving on. When comparing tracks I will generally run 10 laps using a stock "fast" setup and basically try to follow the cheater line. I figure after all this time using the game, if I can't run some decent laps with that configuration then either there's little hope for me as a driver or the author just didn't prioritize setups. Some versions are merely graphics updates, some are retro, and some go further and try to improve racing by adding multiple race lines or changing the grip. If it keeps the racing close to the real experience I'm for it. Likewise if it improves the ability to race 2 or 3 wide. But some places you just aren't supposed to run that way. It's a judgement call--there's a place for all of them I guess. It's kind of fun to go back and see the old track (or the author's interpretation of the old track) even if you're not doing the mods. 1970 doesn't seem like that long ago (to us coots) but the changes during that period are really remarkable. One thing that never seems to change is that one tree in turn two. In the Papy version I always imagined the tree to be blowing in the wind; actually it was disappearing beneath the horizon as I navigated the corner.
Radt 'Lanta
I know LK is dying to say something about the new breed of Nascar and the cookie-cutter racetracks. Not this track, the 'other' ones, the imitators. I like Atlanta. I win here.