HAMPTON — Atlanta Motor Speedway announced Sunday morning a multi-year agreement with Ambetter Health as the title sponsor of the spring race beginning in 2023.
“As a lifelong Georgian and a guy who grew up going to Dixie Speedway on Saturday night and coming to (Atlanta Motor Speedway) twice a year, to be a part of that as president and CEO of Centene Corporation, parent of Ambetter Health, it’s an honor from that standpoint,” said Brent Layton during the press conference.
The speedway also announced that Chase Elliott will partner with AMS and Ambetter to offer a special ticket package for the 2023 race. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Chase Elliott Foundation and Ambetter will match a percentage of ticket sales to the Foundation.
“(I’m) honored to be a part of the group, having a great title sponsor for the spring race next year,” Elliott said. “I appreciate you with what you are doing with matching the proceeds that are going to go to my foundation.”
The Centene Charitable Foundation will also donate $100,000 to Speedway Children’s Charities.
“We’re glad to donate from our foundation to that next year,” Layton said.
Ambetter will also donate 500 tickets to military members and first responders for the Ambetter Health 500.
Tire comes off Christopher Bell’s car on pit road
With 24 laps to go, Christopher Bell was running in sixth place but spun out on his own in turn 4.
He then went for a pit stop but as he was coming out of the pit stall, the left rear tire was not secure and came off.
Bell finished 19th in the race.
About a week ago, Joe Gibbs Racing (which provides pit crews for the 23XI Racing teams of Wallace and Kurt Busch) announced a pit crew swap between Bell and Bubba Wallace
Wallace had some issues with his pit crew in the Nashville race two weeks ago. Wallace finished 14th in Sunday’s race in Atlanta.
Points standings
After his victory Sunday, Elliott continues to be atop the season standings with 684 points.
Ryan Blaney is in second place with 637 and Ross Chastain is third with 634. Rounding out the top five are defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson with 579 and Kyle Busch with 569.
Hendrick Motorsports approaching 300 wins
Chase Elliott’s win Sunday marked the 287th victory Hendrick Motorsports has posted in the NASCAR Cup Series since the team’s first in 1984 (Geoff Bodine at Martinsville).
“That means I’m getting old,” team owner Rick Hendrick joked after the race. He added that the team’s success has been about the people and about teamwork.