Who won? SUAREZ!

Photo: John Bazemore/AP

Atlanta Recap:

"Blaney! No...wait...Suarez!! WOW!" That was my immediate reaction after the checkered flag Sunday evening at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Daniel Suarez nipped Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch at the line taking the win by .003 seconds. While I had picked Blaney and him winning would have made me 3/3 on the weekend, I could not be upset after watching an iconic three-wide finish and a Suarez win. It was shades of "Cars" and immediate NASCAR Classics race that had launched NASCAR into immediate water cooler talk the next morning as replays of the finish played all over pretty much every sports show and most news outlets. Not a bad rebound for NASCAR after the cluster that was the finish of the Daytona 500.

Yet, it wasn't just the finish that was spectacular. It was the whole race. And after Saturday's races, I think we all had plenty to be worried about Sunday's Ambetter Health 400 being another single line snooze fest. Thankfully, it wasn't and I was on edge all race after the lap 2 crash triggered by Gilliland stacking up the outside row. Instantly I knew the race was going to go one of two ways with that: that crash would calm every down and it would be another "NAPCAR" day or we would be thoroughly entertained. Thankfully, we were thoroughly entertained. The race had it all: passing, drivers able to make moves, impact of horsepower and aerodynamics, the skill of drafting, wrecks, and good ole fashioned hard racing. I do not know how you can look at that race and be disappointed in the event. And while yes, I do miss the old Atlanta, Marcus Smith and SMI have proven this concept works and can deliver routinely year over year. Now, I don't want this done to anymore SMI tracks. One is sufficient; let's do something else with Texas.

But what was everyone talking about at the end of the day? Rest of the race be damned all the talk (as it should be) was the finish. What looked like for the last several laps a Blaney win after exceptionally driving and defending both lanes, shifted to what was surely a side by side finish and possible Kyle Busch win rapidly went to a "OMG we are three wide to line!" iconic moment in NASCAR history. We can undoubtedly add this to the NASCAR Classics channel and a top-10, maybe top-5 all time NASCAR finish. And we have seen plenty of that talk all over the NASCAR world this week. But more importantly, to me, with the finish is the positive buzz and energy the sport is carrying as we head into Vegas.

The other constant story line, albeit unfortunately buried in the excitement of the finish is that Daniel Suarez actually won the race! And it took courage and determination to not be swayed by the fact they were three wide to the line. Suarez, Busch, and Blaney all did a great job of holding down the loud pedal and not turning into a wreck fest at that line. But more importantly for Suarez is he won. He's essentially locked into the playoffs and his preseason hot seat should be a little cooler now. Thus shifting the pressure of what to do with the 99 car squarely on Justin Marks. Sure, Daniel has to keep pace and stay in contention the rest of the year, but a win this early and an essential playoff birth after two races is a huge bump in the Daniel Suarez stock. Whatever happens: Daniel is a proven winner and deserves to stay in winning equipment at the Cup level. After all: he did exceptional on the last lap to beat two Cup champions to the line.

After the checkered flag, I was excited. I knew the race I watched would be all the buzz and that we had, after all the dust settles, watched a race that will be replayed for decades. It could very well be this generation's Darlington 2003. I was happy for Trackhouse and Daniel,; happy to see most drivers saying they had fun (even if they don't want to do that style of racing every week), and that NASCAR had a great 2nd race of the season to build off the Daytona 500. Onto Vegas!

Vegas Weekend Picks:

Trucks - Corey Heim

Xfinity - Riley Herbst

Cup - Chase Elliott