NASCAR’s last summer trip to Atlanta sent first – Sports News
Last yr’s trip to EchoPark Speedway resulted in a large 22-car crash (Image: Getty)
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to EchoPark Speedway exterior of Atlanta, Georgia, for a second time within the 2026 season.
With seven races remaining on the common season schedule earlier than the Cup Series’ 16-driver lineup for The Chase is set, strain is mounting for these on or across the cut-off line forward of Sunday’s Quaker State 400.
As the Cup Series gears up for one more important weekend, a NASCAR Truck Series driver was hospitalized after his vehicle caught fire during a race.
The trip to Atlanta additionally marks the third of 5 races within the second annual In-Season Challenge, which started two weeks in the past and has seen a area of 32 drivers, all seeded into a single-elimination bracket forward of the race at Sonoma, whittled down to eight.
Last yr, the Challenge started in Atlanta, so all 32 drivers had been nonetheless in rivalry for the $1 million prize when the inexperienced flag was waved at EchoPark Speedway. As one may think, the elevated stakes led to chaos and a large crash that concerned more than half of the 40-car area.
Hamlin is the best seed remaining within the In-Season Challenge (Image: Getty)
Following a Lap 69 restart, Denny Hamlin received turned sideways from the highest lane and sent into Noah Gragson, inflicting him to go sliding in entrance of the oncoming pack.
The No. 11 subsequently blocked the monitor getting into flip 3 and brought about a large buildup that included more than 20 vehicles. A complete of 11 drivers, together with Hamlin, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron, had been too broken to proceed.
The chaos even brought about a site visitors jam within the storage space as a number of vehicles had been towed off the monitor. The unlucky crash meant Hamlin, the top-seed within the Challenge bracket, was eradicated within the opening spherical. No. 6 seed Ty Gibbs finally gained the $1 million prize within the last over No. 32 seed Ty Dillion.
Entering this weekend’s race, there are solely eight drivers remaining, six of whom started the Challenge seeded within the top-12. That group doesn’t embody No. 1 seed Tyler Reddick, who was eradicated within the first spherical by Alex Bowman at Sonoma, persevering with his slide after making a scorching-hot begin to the marketing campaign.
Sunday’s race will see Hamlin, the No. 2 seed, go in opposition to No. 10 Christopher Bell. There may even be a battle of the Chase’s – Briscoe and Elliott – in addition to a high-profile matchup between Byron and Blaney.
The fourth and last last eight matchup is between Bowman, the bottom seed at No. 32, going in opposition to No. 25 seed Todd Gilliland.
Blaney, who gained at EchoPark in March 2021, will begin in pole place, forward of Logano and Kyle Larson. The No. 12 Ford ranks third within the Cup Series factors standings getting into Atlanta, 113 factors behind chief Hamlin.
The No. 11 Toyota will start in twenty eighth, nonetheless forward of Reddick, second-place within the standings and 44 factors off Hamlin, in thirty first.
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