Cover story: Atlanta Motor Speedway will be kicking off its 50th anniversary year in style with its first NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season, the Kobalt Tools 500. Take a look at where the track started, what it’s been through the years, and what it’s developed into today with our in-depth story, which also includes a race preview.
In this issue: Should we expand the NCAA Tournament field to include 96 teams? In this week’s Spin Cycle, Foster Lander says a resounding “no.” … I.J. Rosenberg offers his take on the situation with Georgia Tech basketball in his Sitting in the Cheap Seats column. … The Hawks have won three straight games after a few stumbles; find out what the team has next in our Hawks notebook. … In our Score More section, Jennifer Sugarman takes a look at the Thrashers’ return to the ice after the Olympic break. … And speaking of the Olympics, media columnist Fletcher Proctor comments on NBC’s good fortune to have one of the most watched Olympic events in history with last Sunday’s hockey final.