Atlanta Motor speedway is known for driving. NASCAR Cup Series driver and Daytona 500 Champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. jumped in the Atlanta Motor Speedway Chevrolet Camaro Pace Car and made a couple of laps around the 1.54 mile quad oval in preparation for the Quaker State 400 with PGA Tour Champions golfer Mark Calcavecchia riding shotgun.
“Today was a great day. I've never hit balls off of roof down on to a racetrack before, but it was a lot of fun,” said Calcavecchia. “And then, of course, going around the track with Ricky was very exciting. And I do have an appreciation for what they do that's even better now.”
But that wasn’t the only driving that took place on Tuesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Before the pair made their way around the track, Calcavecchia showed Stenhouse, Jr. how to drive it from the roof of Club One – with a golf club and some balls.
Winner of the British Open Championship in 1989, Calcavecchia used pinpoint accuracy to hit the Atlanta Motor Speedway “greens” with a best drive of 335 yards past the Alsco Uniforms 250 yard flagstick.
With some pointers on his game from Calcavecchia, Stenhouse Jr. had the longest drive of the day as he used the front stretch of Atlanta Motor Speedway to collect some additional roll pushing his drive to an event-long of 455 yards – well past the Quaker State 400 yard pin.
“I've never had a tee box that high off the ground. It was a super cool experience up there. And I'm glad that we had a great weather for it and I am looking forward to the race coming up on July 9th,” said Stenhouse Jr. “The Quaker State 400 will be huge. For me, just getting another win this season and gearing up for the playoffs would be huge momentum and would be a good way to kick off the second half of the regular season.”
Much more will be on the line when Stenhouse Jr. and the full field of drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series will take to the track on Sunday, July 9th for the Quaker State 400. With just eight races to go before the cutoff before the NASCAR playoffs being, Atlanta’s Night race will give driver’s one more opportunity to punch their ticket into the post season.
Atlanta Motor Speedway also invited members of the media in attendance to offer up their best drive from the roof of Club One as well a take a drive around the Speedway before the day was over.
Tickets available online at atlantamotorspeedway.com Tickets for the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart are available now at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com or by calling 877-9-AMS-TIX.
