NASCAR Ambetter Health 400: Atlanta Motor Speedway Race Results and Highlights

Image credits: USA Today

The NASCAR Cup Series continued with the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, an event significant for both drivers and fans, offering a look into the competitive nature of the season. The Ambetter Health 400 took place on Sunday, February 23rd, at 3 p.m. ET, and was broadcast live on FOX and the FOX Sports App. For those without a cable subscription, several live-streaming services carried FOX, including YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu+, and fuboTV.

Christopher Bell rallied for an overtime win, capturing the Ambetter Health 400 for his 10th career NASCAR Cup Series victory. Bell had started way back in 32nd place but found himself up front when the race restarted for a green-white-checkered finish. After dueling with Kyle Larson and then Carson Hocevar, who tried to make it three-wide up front, Bell won under caution after a multi-car crash on the final lap. The NASCAR Cup Series race featured 50 lead changes, but Bell was never a part of that until overtime. The win marked a significant comeback for Bell, who had been stuck in the back of the pack for much of the race.

The Top 10 finishers from Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta were:

• Christopher Bell
• Carson Hocevar
• Kyle Larson
• Ryan Blaney
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

The race went to overtime after two of the day’s dominant cars crashed while racing in the Top 3. On lap 258, Austin Cindric got forced into the outside wall by Larson, who was trying to squeeze in front as the two battled for the lead. Cindric bounced off the wall and into Daytona 500 winner William Byron, who was following in third place. Both cars spun down the track and into the inside wall, bringing out a caution and sending the race to overtime. The incident marked a turning point in the race, as it allowed Bell to move to the front and ultimately claim the win.

In other NASCAR news, driver Chase Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing were penalized for modifying a spoiler on the No. 19 Toyota at the season-opening Daytona 500 last weekend. Briscoe lost 100 driver points and 10 playoff points, while JGR was fined $100,000 and docked 100 owner points and 10 playoff points. Crew chief James Small was suspended for four races. JGR released a statement indicating it plans to appeal the penalty. Because of the appeal, Small was allowed to crew chief for Briscoe at Atlanta. The penalty marked a significant setback for Briscoe, who had been performing well in the early stages of the season.

The Ambetter Health 400 was a highly competitive event, with several drivers vying for the top spot. Tyler Reddick, in particular, was a notable long-shot pick, available at 40-1 odds heading into Sunday’s race. Reddick and the entire Toyota organization struggled in qualifying but likely sacrificed one-lap speed for handling, which could have given them an advantage on older tires at Atlanta. Reddick is no slouch on superspeedways, notching a win at Talladega and a sixth-place finish at Atlanta in 2024, as well as a runner-up finish in last weekend’s Daytona 500. Despite the challenges, Reddick remained a contender throughout the race, ultimately finishing in a respectable position.