Sprint Cup driver Brian Scott has become quite popular after a year-old YouTube video of his wedding went viral on the Internet.
Scott’s vows to his wife, Whitney, and to her daughter, Brielle, had gotten about 350,000 views earlier in the week, but after a story appeared on the Huffington Post, there were more than 1.5 million and counting by Thursday afternoon.
Scott, at Atlanta Motor Speedway to drive the No. 33 Chevrolet normally sponsored the same Shore Lodge in McCall, Idaho, where the January 2014 wedding took place, said he was stunned by the attention generated by the six-minute video.
“It’s really surprising that a year after the fact it exploded like it did,” Scott said, adding that he hopes the video inspires other men to take marriage as seriously as he does. “I hope my example can be an example to other guys out there.”
Scott also realizes that the attention the video has generated leaves him with a lot to live up to.
“People that see that (video) think I’m a great guy because of it,” he said. “I hope I can live up to those expectations.”
Running fast: Kyle Larson and his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Jamie McMurray bolted to the top of the speed charts after the first round of AMS testing Thursday, in preparation for Sunday's Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.
McMurray ran a best lap of 191.549 mph, and Larson, last year’s Sprint Cup rookie of the year, was second at 190.195 mph.
Larson said some of the Ganassi team’s speed is because they were first on the track, running when it had the most grip. But he also said he was encouraged by the early speed.
“I hope we can carry this speed on throughout the rest of the weekend and rest of the year,” he said.
Larson said he didn’t notice a lot of difference in this year’s cars and last year’s, even though the current one has less horsepower and less downforce.
“I felt like the car really didn’t drive much different here than how it did with the old rules package,” he said. “This track is pretty tough to run on anyway. The characteristics between the way the cars handled were about the same.”
Another thing Larson figures that is about the same as last year is the speed of the No. 4 Chevrolet of Kevin Harvick, who was third fastest in the opening round with a lap at 189.85 mph.
“Harvick is really good here,” Larson said. “He will probably be the one to beat.”
Moving groove: In 2005, Carl Edwards, like many an AMS winner before him, used a late move to the outside lane to seize the lead coming to the checkered flag and edge Jimmie Johnson for his first Cup victory.
But Edwards said Thursday that the outside groove, which paid off for Kevin Harvick and the late Dale Earnhardt and others before him back in the day, may not be the preferred groove at the end of Sunday’s race.
“The groove migrates around,” Edwards explained. “If I’m second driving under the white flag, whichever lane the guy goes in Turn 1, I’m going to go the opposite lane.
“That’s what’s neat about this place is you don’t have to follow a guy. There is no perfect, preferred line. You can make things work anywhere.”
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