South of Dawsonville and north of the Locust Grove lies Atlanta Motor Speedway. A pole time of 206+ for Zakk Miller and the Danger Zone group, looking for two-in-a-row for the organization. Nobody in 2024 has completed every lap so far, with Craig Lee leading the points by 32 despite finishing a lap down at Homestead and Rockingham. Look for more drivers to stay in contention today.

Race Results

Points Standings

Race Recap

William Perry high-horsed past Zakk Miller and Bink Lucas to lead the first lap, setting a precedent of underdogs showing early speed. Miller would drop back, meandering inside the top-10. Dan Johnston scraped the frontstretch wall towards the back with Mark Heron blowing a right-front tire, becoming the first two cars to drop down a lap. Up front, it was Ryan Heuser and Alan Nesfeder tag-teaming past the #70 for the lead.

The opening run was dominated by Heuser, Nesfeder and Johnny Reed Foley. Perry, Ken Pettit, Matthew Dominique, John Battista and Trae Larkin were able to keep pace by the lap 50 mark, all with a shot to exit the pits as the leader. Rockingham winner Markell Murphy would blow a right front tire, going down two laps with Tony Gunk also in danger.

An immaculate battle-swap by the #138, #78 and #3 set the tone, ending with 57 lead changes. After pit stops, only Trae Larkin and William Perry came out with them, both showing dominant speed despite their lack of resources. The #00 and #70 were on the charge.

Lap 91 saw Trae Larkin take the lead for the third time in 2024. He passed Ryan Heuser, the driver he replaced in 2022 after his injury at Homestead. Larkin drove the #138 in three events that year, finishing 7th at Rockingham, 17th at Atlanta, and 11th at Texas. This prompted the opportunity to go Extravaganza Racing the following year with Fanta, currently working out beautifully despite his struggles in 2023.

Larkin would take the lead again on lap 14 and set the pace through the next green flag stop. He and William Perry came out three-seconds ahead of the rest of the field, both looking for top-5 finishes for the first time in ages. Larkin has never recorded one, with Perry's last coming at Daytona in 2021 for PHR. Perry's last victory came at Martinsville in 2016, hoping to recapture former glory at Extravaganza's fastest speedway.

Mortifying devastation occurred on lap 138. Trae Larkin and William Perry ran up on Chauncey Redmond's battered #64. Redmond came down, sending Larkin into the #70 and spinning violently through the turn-1 apron. Both drivers sandwiched up the banking, catapulting the #70 into the air. Larkin got hit by Alan Nesfeder as he slid down the bank. Perry was t-boned in the rear by Ryan Heuser, sending points leader Craig Lee into the outside wall after the ricochet. Only Lee would continue on. Heuser dropped to 42nd in points after his third straight DNF. Larkin and Perry ended their days in agony after immaculate speed, pulling away from the field in what was deemed "day of the underdog". From here, the Extravaganza Series dominators would race for the win.

After the hearbreak of the millennium was through, the racing continued. David Butterworth threw his horseshoe at the stake and missed, taking two tires to lead three laps and drop towards the rear. Johnny Reed Foley, John Battista, Zakk Miller and Ken Pettit all stayed in touch with the lead group, with Foley earning another Halfway Bacon-Bonus.

The Fenway Frank machine went for a smoke-screen spin in turn-3 after contact with Dalton Lucas. They were battling for 15th. Rockingham dominator Dan Johnston walloped the radiator of the #12, with Ben Geer and David Butterworth slamming into the two spinning cars. All four drivers including Bill Werkheiser would fail to continue, leaving 35 cars still left on the track.

Dave Miller meandered from 7th to 1st in eight laps to steal the lead away from John Battista. Alex Crapser nabbed the advantage just before the 100-to-go mark, with Johnny Reed Foley and the rest of the field high on his heels. Foley would take the spot with 92-to-go with a circus of race cars two-and-three wide behind.

The Scott Jackson fans went wild while the #38 ATEUP Chevrolet kept up with the #39 and #3 by the end of the run. After pit stops, Jackson's crew couldn't get him out quickly enough to compete for the victory, leaving Battista and Foley to battle it out for the final 20-lap stint. The #3 came out just ahead despite pitting one lap later. He never relinquish it.

Johnny Reed Foley crossed the start-finish line atop the heap to end a 42-race win-less drought. 869 laps led between victories should mean more to come, crossing the line first after the 200-lap mark in several events only to come up short. With Doug Spark's victory in the Bonzanza Series, it is a full-fledged weekend sweep for CFM Motorsports. Congratulations to Foley, crew chief Ronnie "Pure Love" Pressley and the entire CFM Motorsports organization for an excellent victory!

2024 Cracker Barrel 500 Video