NASCAR
Stratta’s Six: Who Can Conquer the High Banks of EchoPark Speedway?
A third straight season will see Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway play second fiddle to Daytona Speedweek. While this weekend will feature drafting racing again, EchoPark Speedway’s tight confines make its product wildly different from Daytona. Who can stand tallest in Atlanta’s victory lane? Here are a few contenders aiming to add their name to the Autotrader 400 trophy.
Joey Logano
One of today’s most decorated drafting drivers, Joey Logano always has a special affinity for Atlanta. When just starting out in racing a lifetime ago, the upstart teenager once lived in a condominium overlooking turn four of EchoPark Speedway. The Team Penske star now has a pair of Atlanta trophies and aspires for a third checkered flag.
Logano’s superspeedway prowess shows no signs of slowing down. Team 22 did leave Daytona Speedweek with a Duel win, and was third in the Daytona 500. Fords have won all but one pole at the redesigned EchoPark Speedway, including two from Logano. Ford speed plus Penske teamwork has been able to control these races with apparent ease in years past. In 2025 alone, Logano led over 50 laps in both Atlanta races. Should two or three of The Captain’s chariots find each other on Sunday, it could be a long 400 miles for the competition.
Joey Logano’s No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang on the grid at Daytona International Speedway before the 68th Running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
William Byron
Despite persisting through multiple incidents, William Byron still momentarily led on the last lap of the Daytona 500. A Great American Race three-peat was not meant to be, however, with the No. 24 coming home 12th. As skilled as Byron’s been at Daytona recently, he’s been arguably stronger at EchoPark Speedway. The Hendrick driver owns two of the eight trophies from the hybrid drafting track. He looks to find a very familiar victory lane again.
“It’s tough having two drafting races back-to-back just for the element of the unknown,” Byron said. “I do have confidence though in that we’ll show up with a good car and have a good shot again as long as we’re there in the end. The difference between Atlanta and Daytona though is that handling plays a bigger factor this weekend than it did last. Qualifying is the only lap you get to try and get a feel for what you have. We have a pretty good notebook for there, so hopefully we unload close and can fine tune for Sunday.”
Byron’s EchoPark Speedway stats are almost the tale of two drivers. While he does have two wins here and laps led in five starts, he only has one other top-15. The Hendrick 24 is the definition of hot or cold in Atlanta with a very up-and-down trend line. Byron’s average running position for Atlanta is an impressive 11th, but his average finish drops off to 20.5. Which 24 car we see in the closing laps Sunday may be a deciding factor in who takes the Autotrader 400.
William Byron’s No. 24 Raptor Chevrolet Camaro on the grid at Daytona International Speedway before the 68th Running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Tyler Reddick
No Daytona 500 champion has gone back-to-back to open a year since Matt Kenseth in 2009. Tyler Reddick will be the latest man to try and end this 16-year streak. Already owning one career-defining drafting victory, the No. 45 has a chance to echo this feat and double up. Reddick owns three Atlanta drafting top-six results, including a high point of fourth from last summer. That night the No. 45 paced the field for 18 laps, far greater than his one lap led last Sunday.
It would be a gamble to put faith in the No. 45 to stay perfect in 2026. Reddick already silenced many doubters, though, by ending his year-long losing drought. All of 23XI Racing now rides into EchoPark Speedway on cloud nine hopeful of a similar outcome.
Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Chumba Casino Toyota Camry on the grid at Daytona International Speedway before winning the 68th Running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Austin Cindric
An unusually-quiet Daytona Speedweek left a lot to be desired for Austin Cindric. The drafting ace only led five laps in The Great American Race and finished several laps down in 34th. The 2022 Daytona winner and last spring’s Talladega victor now eyes a career speedway sweep in Atlanta.
In this race last year alone, the Penske No. 2 led the way for almost 50 laps before being spun late. Cindric boasts time out front in the last seven EchoPark Speedway races, showing his deftness in the draft. Cindric also has a series-best Atlanta average running position of 7.8. He’s only seen three top-10s in this span, however, with a best result of third. As mentioned above with Logano, Penske cars in particular have an uncanny ability to find each other and control many races here. Should similar fortunes fall Sunday, the 2 could be No. 1 after 400 miles.
Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang on the grid at Daytona International Speedway before the 68th Running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Chase Elliott
North Georgia’s native son, Chase Elliott was the ultimate winner celebrating big here in June. An electric last-lap move gave the Hendrick No. 9 his second career win on his home turf, and a very popular victory all around. The Dawsonville native was also passed by Reddick for last week’s Daytona 500 win. Can Elliott replicate this drafting luck and find more hometown success?
“For me, it’s nice to stay close to home, number one,” Elliott said. “But number two, I think it’s the excitement and the energy. I got to experience that firsthand after the race there over the summer (after the win). It was just really cool to see and kind of feel that support. It’s a special place. It’s my home track. I think there’s been a lot of regenerated excitement for the speedway since the change. People have been telling me how much they enjoy going down there again, and that’s always cool too. So, all of that is fun. I’m glad there’s two races too. You get to experience it twice a year instead of once.”
Leaving Daytona with a Duel win and a fourth-place finish, momentum seems to be high in the 9 camp. EchoPark Speedway last summer was Elliott’s breakthrough first win of 2025, a feat he hopes to repeat this year. Engine Engine No. 9 leads the series at drafting Atlanta with a 9.1 average finish. Through seven starts here, Elliott has the two wins, four top-10s, and 166 laps led. Chase aims to inch closer to father Bill Elliott’s record of five Atlanta triumphs. With the wind seemingly at his back, the 9 should be a Sunday front runner again.
Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Napa Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro on the grid at Daytona International Speedway before the 68th Running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Brad Keselowski
Another contender who came up just short in the Daytona 500, Brad Keselowski yearns to break through again in Atlanta. The winningest active drafting driver, BK’s best result on the new Atlanta surface is second, with one of them coming last June. Taking Daytona’s checkers in fifth after what seemed to be a race-winning move, Keselowski’s cunning agility and talent may shine again this week. The RFK Racing driver/owner has laps led in four of his last six starts here, perfectly complimenting his three top-10s.
RFK Racing almost executed this race flawlessly in June, nearly earning three top-10s. Visibly frustrated over last week’s result–and being wrecked out–Keselowski may take no prisoners between himself and Sunday’s checkered flag. The 6 has a few heartbreaking Atlanta finishes in recent memory, the veteran hopes for a brighter outcome this time around.
Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 Castrol Ford Mustang on the grid at Daytona International Speedway before the 68th Running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
For a multitude of reasons, Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway has quickly turned into can’t-miss entertainment and today’s best drafting product. This year’s Autotrader 400 shouldn’t be any different, this track’s surface has only aged another year and is more worn-out. The Georgia green flag will fly Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Trying to follow up a popular Daytona 500 is a daunting task. Atlanta may just leave us all stunned once again.
Written by Peter Stratta
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