NASCAR: Atlanta Motor Speedway Pit Notes - Sunday, March 8 Page 1

TRUEX AND THE STONE: After suffering from sporadic bouts of intense pain during the final Sprint Cup practice session, Martin Truex Jr. was taken by ambulance to Spalding Regional Medical Center in Griffin Saturday afternoon and diagnosed with kidney stones. He passed the offending stone at about 10 p.m. and is ready to go racing today.

Truex was examined and administered fluids while at Spalding Regional, then released shortly after 5 p.m. He passed the stone a few hours later.

Driver spokesperson Amanda Jones said Truex was doing great Sunday morning and was eager to hit the track.

GROWING TRUCK CROWD: Even in a slumping economy, race fans came out in droves to watch Kyle Busch win Saturday’s American Commercial Lines 200 Camping World Truck race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The infield was sold out and total attendance for Saturday’s race was higher than last spring’s Nationwide event, thanks largely to an enormous walk-up crowd.

With another sunny, mid-70s day on tap, AMS President Ed Clark expects another incredible walk-up crowd today.

“It’s a beautiful spring weekend in Georgia, just about the perfect weather for coming out to watch a race,” Clark said. “And just like the drivers have been saying all weekend, that sun will make for an exciting, slip-sliding race to watch.”

HITCHING A RIDE WITH DAD: Chase Elliott might already be a racer in his own right, but he had never been around Atlanta Motor Speedway’s high banks in a full-size race car … until Saturday.

After filming a TV segment to promote Atlanta’s Labor Day night racing event, Bill Elliott had the opportunity to take son Chase, 13, on a ride around the 1.54-mile quad-oval.

The younger Elliott tried to play it cool as he exited the car, but his beaming grin – and his mother – belied his casual manner.

“He was trying to play it cool, but he was so excited,” Cindy Elliott said.

And being an Elliott, it should come as no surprise that Elliott’s first remarks about the ride centered on the driving line.

“You get back on the gas so fast,” Chase Elliott said. “It’s so big, and the corners are so sweeping.”

Chances are, those won’t be the last laps the younger Elliott turns at AMS.

From Atlanta Motor Speedway