The QuikTrip 500 ended with Jimmie Johnson returning to victory lane.
Kurt Busch began the race on the pole but it was Matt Kenseth who dominated much of the early part of the race until a pit road penalty involving the gas man. Kenseth would fail to respond to a black flag and subsequently lost laps on the track.
Jimmie Johnson, winner of the 2015 race, assumed the lead late thanks in part to a faster pitstop than Kevin Harvick. While race announcers played up a battle at the end, Johnson actually pulled away from Harvick upping his lead to seven seconds with 10 to go. Harvick closed the gap slightly as Johnson put it on cruise control but with three go to the car of Ryan Newman hit the wall bringing out a caution.
Kyle Busch made a run at Johnson on the ensuing restart but a wreck in the back of the field led to the end of the race. With the win Johnson ties Dale Earnhardt with 76 career wins in the Cup Series. Chase Elliott finished eighth.
QuikTrip 500 Results from Atlanta
- Jimmie Johnson
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Kyle Busch
- Kurt Busch
- Carl Edwards
- Kevin Harvick
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Chase Elliott
- Brad Keselowski
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Austin Dillon
- Joey Logano
- Greg Biffle
- Casey Mears
- Aric Almirola
- Denny Hamlin
- Ty Dillon
- Paul Menard
- Matt Kenseth
- Danica Patrick
- Jamie McMurray
- Trevor Bayne
- Kasey Kahne
- Ryan Newman
- Ryan Blaney
- Kyle Larson
- AJ Allmendinger
- Chris Buescher
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Michael Annett
- Brian Scott
- David Ragan
- Michael McDowell
- Regan Smith
- Clint Bowyer
- Landon Cassill
- Cole Whitt
- Jeffrey Earnhardt
- Josh Wise