The 2024 Focused Health 250 was the 24th stock car race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 4th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, September 7, 2024, in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a permanent quad-oval shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 163 laps to complete. Austin Hill, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would take advantage of a late-race restart, and held off Parker Kligerman to earn his 9th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, his fourth of the season, and sweeping Atlanta, with a win in the spring. A. J. Allmendinger dominated most of the race, leading a race-high 40 laps. To fill out the podium, Kilgerman, driving for Big Machine Racing, and Allmendinger, driving for Kaulig Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Report Background Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track in Hampton, Georgia, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It is a 1.54-mile (2.48 km) quad-oval track with a seating capacity of 111,000. It opened in 1960 as a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two 1.5-mile (2.4 km) ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval. The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMake00Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord1Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet2Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet5Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet07C. J. McLaughlinSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet8Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet11Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet14David StarrSS-Green Light RacingFord15Lawless Alan (i)AM RacingFord16A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet18Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord29Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord31Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Mason Maggio (i)Joey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet38Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord42Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Garrett SmithleyAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53Morgen BairdJoey Gase MotorsportsFord74Dawson Cram (i)Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet81Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota91Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet92Nick LeitzDGM RacingChevrolet97Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, September 7, at 11:00 AM EST. Since Atlanta Motor Speedway is an intermediate racetrack with superspeedway rules, the qualifying system used is a single-car, single-lap system with two rounds. In the first round, drivers have one lap to set a time. The fastest ten drivers from the first round move on to the second round. Whoever sets the fastest time in Round 2 wins the pole.
Jesse Love, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would score the pole for the race with a time of 31.927, and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 12Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet32.028 31.927219Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota32.09431.956300Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord32.101 31.966421Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32.19832.045518Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota32.20432.048916A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet32.11832.057620Ryan Truex (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota32.15032.065781Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota32.20732.086898Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord32.13332.098107Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet32.19432.108111Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet32.259 —1297Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet32.289—1311Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet32.301—1439Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord32.309—155Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet32.334—1648Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet32.348 —1731Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet32.386—189Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet32.407—198Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet32.448—2027Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet32.515—2126Corey HeimSam Hunt RacingToyota32.532—2215Lawless Alan (i)AM RacingFord32.583—2307C. J. McLaughlinSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet32.610—2429Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord32.634—2592Nick LeitzDGM RacingChevrolet32.678—2644Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet32.748—2735Mason Maggio (i)Joey Gase MotorsportsFord32.826—2828Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord32.830—2938Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord32.971—3045Garrett SmithleyAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet33.088—3174Dawson Cram (i)Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet33.097—3253Morgen BairdJoey Gase MotorsportsToyota33.194—3314David StarrSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet33.218—Qualified by owner's points3443Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet33.300—3542Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet33.372—3651Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet33.385—3791Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet0—Official starting lineup
Race results
Stage 1 Laps: 40 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet10221Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet 9398Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord8418Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota752Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet661Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet579Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet4800Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord3981Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21019Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0 Stage 2 Laps: 40 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts116A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet1028Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet9300Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord8498Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord757Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet662Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet51019Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0881Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3997Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet21021Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet 1 Stage 3 Laps: 89 Pos.St.#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1421Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet16312Running5021648Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet1630Running353616A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet16340Running444881Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota16328Running3852126Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota1630Running0612Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet 16323Running427198Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet1630Running3981311Josh WilliamsKaulig Racing Chevrolet1630Running299189Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet1630Running3210720Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1630Running27113729Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet1630Running26121731Parker RetzlaffJorden Anderson RacingChevrolet1630Running25132215Lawless Alan (i)AM RacingFord1630Running014155Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet1630Running23152644Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1630Running22162828Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord1630Running21173542Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet1631Running20182735Mason Maggio (i)Joey Gase MotorsportsFord1630Running0192429Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord1630Running18202592Nick LeitzDGM RacingChevrolet1630Running17213443Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1630Running16223314David StarrSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1630Running15233045Garrett SmithleyAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1630Running14242027Jeb BurtonJorden Anderson RacingChevrolet1620Running1325518Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1601Running1926998Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord1580Running26271297Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1570Running1228219Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota15412Suspension0293651Jermey ClementsJermey Clements RacingChevrolet1490Suspension830107Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet14619Accident2331300Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord1440Accident17321439Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord1440Accident5333253Morgan BairdJoey Gase MotorsportsFord1420Running4342307C. J. McLaughlinSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1120Engine3352838Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord800Oil Line236111Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet770Accident6373174Dawson Cram (i)Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet180Mechanical0
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Justin Allgaier 866 2 Cole Custer 832 (-34) 3 Chandler Smith 799 (–67) 4 Austin Hill 795 (–71) 1 5 A. J. Allmendinger 744 (–122) 1 6 Sheldon Creed 723 (–143) 7 Riley Herbst 693 (–173) 8 Jesse Love 683 (–173) 9 Parker Kligerman 674 (–193) 10 Sammy Smith 644 (–222) 11 Ryan Sieg 600 (–266) 12 Shane van Gisbergen 574 (–292)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 892 2 Toyota 856 (-36) 3 Ford 767 (–125) Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References