Quaker State 400 Preview: Atlanta - The Sequel

With the multi-line, wild restart action of Pocono Raceway now well in our rearview mirror, we head this week to a much different venue for the second time this season. NASCAR pulls into Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second visit of 2025. This event was a new addition to the Cup Series schedule three seasons ago. For much of the last decade, the sanctioning body only scheduled one event per year at Atlanta, but that changed with the addition of the Quaker State 400 to the 36-race schedule. This season's twist is that Atlanta has been moved from the playoff schedule and into the regular season schedule. Last year Atlanta kicked off the 10-race playoff but will now reside in the final weekend of June and is now a lead up race to the NASCAR playoffs. Atlanta Motor Speedway (newly renamed to EchoPark Speedway since our spring visit) will hold the Quaker State 400 this Saturday night and under the lights at Atlanta.

The lightning-fast quad oval will host this 400-mile battle Sunday evening. EchoPark Speedway is similar to the many intermediate ovals we've already raced in the 2025 campaign, with the twist of the recent track reconfiguration of four years ago. We'll need to pay very close attention to who is currently surging in the Cup Series and also who performed well the last few times we raced in Atlanta. To a lesser degree, the historical statistics of Atlanta will also play a part for identifying those teams that will make the transition back to intermediate oval racing the best. EchoPark Speedway has a good group of drivers that dominate each time we visit central Georgia, and the table below illustrates this group well. 

Atlanta's recent overhaul increased the banking to a whopping 28 degrees and narrowed the racing groove to just 40 feet. The racing is pretty unique now and almost resembles the action we normally see on superspeedways like Daytona or Talladega. We need to take a quick look at the standard stats from the last seven Atlanta races to get a good feel for who is having success and who is struggling with the new configuration. Here are the standard stats from the last seven EchoPark Speedway events, sorted by average finish.

Given what has happened at EchoPark Speedway in February's Ambetter Health 400, it's almost certain that it will be another multi-driver, multi-manufacturer brawl this weekend. The first seven Cup Series events on the newly reconfigured Atlanta oval have offered up lots of lead changes, lots of different leaders and tons of excitement. The amazing statistics we've seen show just how transformed EchoPark Speedway is now after the banking and surface changes. Even though Joey Logano dominated most of that event, there were still 15 different leaders and a good bit of shuffling at the front. That radically different racing was all too apparent to the casual observer. No lead was safe and any driver could make a push to the front, much like a typical superspeedway race. We're sure to see similar action again this Saturday evening.

Christopher Bell won the race in February at Atlanta, and the last lap would be the only lap he'd lead on the day, thanks to NASCAR overtime. Bell would pass Kyle Larson and hold off Carson Hocevar as the race would finish under caution due to a last-lap crash. We had 11caution periods for accidents mostly of the multi-car type, so the racing action was periodically interrupted with a lot of restarts. Due to those multi-car wrecks, we also have to acknowledge the luck and staying out of trouble component that has been introduced to the Atlanta race. We had nine cars DNF in that February event, so staying out of trouble and keeping the fenders on your car are another factor to consider. We'll give you a run down of the drivers you need this weekend at EchoPark Speedway, and a few who could surprise in the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta.

The Contenders – Drivers in the hunt for the win

Ryan Blaney – Blaney has been one of the top performers on the new Atlanta layout as evidenced by his 107 laps led, four Top-5 and six Top-10 finishes to power a strong 6.7 average finish across the seven-race span. That dovetails nicely with his history in superspeedway racing. Blaney is a three-time winner at Talladega and understands the momentum swings of drafting and superspeedway racing. The Penske Racing star sat on the pole and battled among the leaders all afternoon earlier this season at EchoPark Speedway before finishing a brilliant fourth-place. Many will consider him the driver to beat this Saturday evening in Atlanta.

William Byron – Byron has had a strong season and he won the season-opening Daytona 500 and captured a strong third-place finish on the superspeedway in Talladega. That bodes well for his chances at EchoPark Speedway. The Hendrick Motorsports star is only one of two drivers to have racked up two victories already on the new Atlanta configuration. Byron wasn't every successful on the old track layout but the new one has been very much to his liking. The driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet has two wins, 179 laps led and cracks the Top 10 at EchoPark Speedway at a respectable 43-percent rate. That's pretty good given the volatile and risky nature of this style of racing.

Joey Logano – Logano's superspeedway prowess paid off big in the spring race of 2023 at EchoPark Speedway. The Penske Racing star won the pole and led 140 laps in a dominating performance to pick up the victory. His combined 282 laps led through the last seven events on the "new" Atlanta lead all drivers. Logano has qualified extremely well in all but one of the last seven races at this facility. He owns one pole position and an eye-popping 5.4 average start across the span. In this event one year ago, the driver of the No. 22 Ford outfoxed the competition and picked up his second Atlanta win since the track makeover. We expect Logano to be on his superspeedway racing "A" game in Saturday's Quaker State 400.

Christopher Bell – In the race earlier this season Bell came from the back of the pack to steal a big win and breakthrough for his first victory on the newly configured Atlanta. The Joe Gibbs Racing star has three Top 5's since the track layout changed for a strong 43-percent Top-5 rate. Bell has never won at Daytona nor Talladega, but this revamped EchoPark Speedway seems to really appeal to the driver of the No. 20 Toyota. With 23 total laps led and a respectable 15.3 average finish across the most recent seven Atlanta events, Bell would seem to make a reasonable bet to defend his race win of earlier this season. He finished a strong fourth-place in this event on year ago.   

Solid Plays – Near locks for a Top 10 with an outside shot to win

Kyle Busch – The driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet has had a tough couple seasons but Atlanta has not been a part of those recent struggles. The Richard Childress Racing star has a five-race Atlanta Top-10 streak in tow and that includes his 13 laps led and strong seventh-place finish at EchoPark Speedway in February. Busch is a two-time winner at Atlanta on the old configuration and his 52-percent Top-10 rate at the oval is reasonably successful. The veteran driver sat on the outside pole at Talladega this spring and led a few laps, but didn't get the finish he deserved in that race. Busch should be a Top-5 threat Saturday evening in the Quaker State 400.

Ross Chastain – Chastain nearly won the first two events at the Atlanta oval since the track reconfiguration. He led 42 laps in the spring 2022 race and finished runner-up to William Byron. Chastain also led 32 laps and finished runner-up in this event three years ago to Chase Elliott. The Trackhouse Racing veteran was a steady eighth-place finisher in February's Ambetter Health 400. The average finish across all seven Atlanta starts is a healthy 11.4. Chastain may not qualify the best here, but he seems to have little trouble navigating the field and racing among the leaders in the final laps at EchoPark Speedway. Pre-reconfiguration, this driver had very little success at Atlanta, but Chastain has benefited from the change since 2022.

Chase Elliott – Elliott won this event three seasons ago in a strong performance, and he's led 125 laps in his six starts at Atlanta since the track change. When NASCAR debuted the new configuration of EchoPark Speedway in the spring of 2022, Elliott piloted the No. 9 Chevrolet to 29 laps led and an impressive sixth-place finish in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. The 125 laps led combined at Atlanta since the reconfiguration ranks fourth among all drivers. Elliott has posted a stellar 10.5 average finish across his starts on the new Atlanta and that shows he battles among the leaders here each visit. He's been strong on superspeedways this season as his recent fifth-place finish at Talladega illustrates.

Austin Cindric – With strong Cup Series performances on superspeedways, it was no surprise to see Cindric embrace and succeed on the new EchoPark Speedway. Cindric has logged two Top-5 and five Top-15 finishes on the track since the banks were raised and the racing groove was narrowed. The 193 laps led and 14.3 average finish speak for themselves for the driver of the No. 2 Penske Racing Ford. Cindric has been a strong superspeedway performer in 2025. He grabbed an outside pole and eighth-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 and the driver of the No. 2 Ford won in an impressive performance this spring at Talladega. Cindric will be ready for this 400-mile battle at Atlanta.

Sleepers – Drivers with good history at Atlanta & solid upside

Chase Briscoe – Coming off the big win at Pocono this past Sunday, his first victory since moving to the Joe Gibbs Racing team, Briscoe will now set his sights on EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta. The No. 19 Toyota has been fast this season on superspeedway ovals with Briscoe picking up the pole position in the Daytona 500 and finishing fourth in the Great American Race. He has also led 24 combined laps between Daytona and Talladega. Briscoe has not been overly impressive in his last seven starts on the new Atlanta configuration. However, he qualifies well here (10.0 average start) and that's a good key to success. Coming to Atlanta this weekend with a lot of momentum, we bet Briscoe will visit the Top 10 in the Quaker State 400.        

Daniel Suarez – Despite his crash and DNF in the Atlanta event earlier this season, we're still recommending Suarez for sleeper worthy consideration this weekend. What he's achieved on the Atlanta oval since the track's revamp is nothing short of impressive. The driver of the No. 99 Chevrolet has piled up four Top-5 and five Top-10 finishes in the seven events since 2022. That average finish stands at a strong 11.0 and the 71-percent Top-10 rate is pretty dazzling. Something about the new configuration really appeals to Suarez and his Trackhouse Racing team. Qualifying has not been that great (21.9 average start) but Suarez has repeatedly shown the ability to drive up through the field here and fetch strong finishes.     

Alex Bowman – Bowman's Atlanta record since the track's reconfiguration isn't that great, but he did achieve a strong fifth-place finish in this event one year ago. It was his second Top 10 on the track since it's redo. Bowman and the No. 48 Chevrolet team have been strong this season on the superspeedways. He's one of only three drivers to net Top 10's in both the Daytona and Talladega events. The veteran driver led 11 laps before finishing a strong sixth-place in the Daytona 500. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has a nose for this style of racing and it shows in the results. If Bowman can stay out of trouble this weekend, he should be pointed towards the Top 10 at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta.   

Michael McDowell – The veteran Spire Motorsports driver has won two of the last three pole positions at EchoPark Speedway, although they came with his former team at Front Row Motorsports. Still, the skill and expertise has to be respected. McDowell has grabbed one Top-5, two Top-10 and four Top-15 finishes in his seven starts on the newly configured Atlanta oval. The average finish is checking in around 15.3 which is not bad at all. This veteran driver has shown his skill in superspeedway racing in the recent past with his 2021 Daytona 500 victory and his pair of 11th-place finishes this season on the ovals of Daytona and Talladega. He'll have the speed to lead laps and threaten to crack the Top 10 in this 400-mile speedway battle.  

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Despite DNF's in his first two starts on the new Atlanta configuration, Stenhouse has rebounded nicely in his last five starts at the revamped oval. The HYAK Motorsports driver has one Top-5 and three Top-10 finishes in his last five Atlanta attempts. The Top 5 came in February's Ambetter Health 400 and was Stenhouse's last look at EchoPark Speedway. The veteran driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet has three-combined victories between Daytona and Talladega so he's always had a knack for pack racing in the draft. It has really translated well to the new Atlanta. We expect Stenhouse to challenge the Top 10 Saturday evening in the Quaker State 400.   

Corey Lajoie – Nearly all of Lajoie's 11-career Top-10 finishes have come on superspeedway ovals. In fact, nine of them have occurred at Atlanta, Daytona or Talladega. This style of racing really seems to play well to this driver and team as Lajoie is often seen battling among the leaders late in these style races. He has two Top-10 and four Top-15 finishes in his seven starts on the newly configured EchoPark Speedway. He is making a spot start this weekend for Rick Ware Racing in the No. 01 Ford. Lajoie led 10 laps in the season-opening Daytona 500 in this car and showed good speed but would finish 22nd-place in the Great American Race. Lajoie has major upside for this event at EchoPark Speedway.   

Slow Down – Drivers to avoid this week

Noah Gragson – Despite some sporadic success that the Front Row Motorsports youngster has had in superspeedway racing, we are recommending the fade for Gragson this weekend. His seven starts on the new Atlanta have met with nothing more that trouble and heartbreak. Gragson has crashed out of five of those seven starts, including this February's race and has just one Top-15 in those efforts at EchoPark Speedway. The average finish stands at a disappointing 31.4 for the driver of the No. 4 Ford. Gragson earned a surprising Top 5 at Talladega earlier this spring but he was also a disappointing 28th-place in the Daytona 500. That inconsistency and bad luck at Atlanta make him a driver to avoid.  

Kyle Larson – Simply put, this style of racing just isn't Larson's cup of tea. He did grab a third-place finish earlier this season in Atlanta. However, that's his only good finish in seven tries on this new configuration. Larson has crashed out of five of the other six starts and his average finish at EchoPark Speedway over that span stands at 26.0. That mirrors the Hendrick Motorsports star's experience on the other superspeedway ovals. Larson has never won in 43 combined attempts between Daytona and Talladega and his Top-10 rate at those tracks is a disappointing 23-percent. We believe the Top 5 Atlanta finish in February is just an outlier. He's simply too risky to roll at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Chris Buescher – He's had some sporadic success since the reconfiguration of the Atlanta oval. Buescher nabbed two Top 10's in the seven events but he's also had more than his fair share of bad luck. The Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing driver has crashed out of three Atlanta events since 2022 and finished outside the Top 30 in four. That is weighing his average finish down at this oval to a disappointing 23.6. Although Buescher qualified well here in the spring (eighth-place) he would find trouble and receive crash damage, finishing a distant 30th-place in the Ambetter Health 400. He's now failed to crack the Top 10 in his last two Atlanta starts. The driver of the No. 17 Ford has been a bit of a mixed bag on the superspeedway ovals of Daytona and Talladega this season.   

Denny Hamlin – The Joe Gibbs Racing star has always been a top performer on superspeedway ovals. Hamlin's three Daytona 500 victories and two Talladega wins are a real testament to his abilities. However, the driver of the No. 11 Toyota has never seemed to catch on to the secret to the new Atlanta. Since the reconfiguration, Hamlin has just two Top 10's in seven starts vs. four finishes outside the Top 20. All that despite leading 32 combined laps. It's no secret that Hamlin's superspeedway charm has faded since the launch of the new generation stock car. His 24th- and 21st-place finishes at Daytona and Talladega this season are illustrative of that point.