HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — EchoPark Speedway may be the perfect setting for Tyler Reddick to reclaim his momentum in the NASCAR Cup Series points race.
Reddick won five of the first nine stops on this year's Cup Series schedule, including at EchoPark Speedway on Feb. 22, one week after winning the Daytona 500, to take a dominant lead in the points race.
Reddick’s points lead has disappeared in recent weeks. Denny Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI Racing with Michael
Jordan, enters Sunday night’s race leading Reddick by 44 points.
Overall, Reddick has two wins in three starts on drafting tracks this season in his 23XI Racing Toyota, giving him reason for optimism. Reddick said Saturday he is “extremely” confident he can enjoy more success in his return to the track formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway.
“In my opinion, we’re stronger when we come back here in the summer race,” Reddick said. “We’re still plenty good in the spring, but what we do well at EchoPark Speedway really shows up in the summer. ... Our strength typically is handling and I feel like the more that’s in play the better I do with these kind of races.”
Hamlin was third while Reddick finished 36th in last week's race at Chicagoland Speedway won by Chase Briscoe. Reddick has finished 25th or worse in four of the last five Cup Series races.
“For us to still be second in points ... all things considered I think most people with a race car would do anything to have that,” Reddick said.
Kyle Larson is trying to end a 43-race winless streak and also claim his first Cup Series win at the 1.54-mile oval track in Atlanta. He finished third in February 2025.
The winless stretch is his longest since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021. His last win came at Kansas in May 2025. Larson, who won Cup Series championships in 2021 and 2025, finished 34th after qualifying second last week in Chicago. He was in the top five before losing several laps following a spin in Stage 2.
Larson said he feels his Hendrick Motorsports team has been making gains each week.
“I feel like we’ve noticed each week, I feel like Hendrick as a whole has gotten just a little bit better and closed the gap a little,” Larson said. “I think it feels like a large chunk still left to get, but I feel like in this sport ... you’re probably closer than it really feels out on the track.”
Chase Elliott, Larson’s teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, won last summer’s race at EchoPark Speedway to end a 44-race winless streak.
Despite his streak, Larson is sixth in the points race, only one point behind Elliott.
The second year of NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge continues with the third round. The winner of the five-race, bracket-style tournament will earn $1 million. A compelling matchup is Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Hamlin and Christopher Bell.
“I guess probably we'll be the underdog against Christopher,” Hamlin said before adding “whoever doesn't wreck” has the advantage.
Elliott is matched against Briscoe, another Joe Gibbs Racing driver. The other matchups are William Byron against Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland against Alex Bowman.
Four drivers will advance to next week's race in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina and the championship round is scheduled for July 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Bell will again wear a cast on his left wrist that was broken during a hit at Michigan International Speedway on June 7. He had only a wrap on the wrist Saturday but said he'll add the cast for the race “just in case something happens." He said he hopes this will be the last race with the cast.
“I'm close if not 100% right there,” Bell said.
Ryan Preece worked with EchoPark Speedway to purchase billboards to promote the race.
Preece put his RFK Racing teammate Chris Buescher on each billboard. One billboard on Interstate 75 near the track promotes Buescher's hometown by proclaiming “Visit Prosper, Texas. 843 miles” with an image of Buescher in his racing uniform. Another billboard says “Come see me race this weekend” with an image of Buescher wearing a red wig.
Preece promoted the prank on his Facebook account.
Buescher smiled Saturday when he said “So Ryan’s back to shenanigans” and added he was planning to return the favor.
“It is fine, because I’m currently in the process as well, and I look forward to unveiling that before too terribly long,” Buescher said.
Added Buescher: “Ironically I did have that same haircut as a kid. It just wasn’t that red.”
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