Adam Alexander previews XFINITY Series Atlanta race on FS1
Adam Alexander, FOX Sports play-by-play announcer for the NASCAR XFINITY SERIES and co-host of NASCAR Race Hub, took a few minutes this week to offer his thoughts on Saturday's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, one of the circuit's most storied tracks and a driver favorite. Alexander calls Saturday's race from Atlanta alongside Michael Waltrip and guest analyst Brad Keselowski, 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, on FOX Sports 1 at 2 p.m. ET.
What storylines are you following as the NASCAR XFINITY SERIES rolls into Atlanta this weekend?
"Heading to Atlanta, it's hard to ignore the success Kevin Harvick has enjoyed there, and Cup regulars have won 11 of the last 12 XFINITY Series races at Atlanta. Ty Dillon is off to a great start this season and has a Truck Series win there. Defending champ and Georgia boy Chase Elliott will be trying to bounce back and dig out of a hole that he never experienced last season on his way to winning the championship."
What advantages does having regular NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES drivers in the XFINITY booth as guest analysts present?
"The addition of Cup Series drivers as analysts for our NASCAR XFINITY Series coverage was a tremendous idea. Kevin Harvick was great at Daytona, and while his insight will be different, I expect Brad Keselowski to be great as well. It's perfect to have drivers fresh off the track the same day in an analyst role."
What is your take on Ryan Reed's win last week at Daytona? Can he get the job done at an intermediate or short track?
"The number one thing I take away from Ryan Reed's remarkable Daytona win is the inspiration he provides for so many given the distraction his diabetes has created over the years. There is no question this team would like to improve on numbers from his rookie season. However, the momentum that a win at Daytona provides can't be measured, and he is the points leader as we arrive in Atlanta."
How much of a measuring stick is Atlanta for teams when it comes to determining how they stack up to the competition for the bulk of the year?
"There is no question you look at Atlanta in a different light than Daytona, where everything is different from what teams run on a weekly basis on intermediate and short tracks. Given the number of mile-and-a-half tracks on the schedule, we should learn a lot more about 2015 favorites on Saturday afternoon."
