HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) 鈥� EchoPark Speedway may be the perfect setting for Tyler Reddick to reclaim his momentum in the NASCAR Cup Series points race.
Reddick won stops on this year’s Cup Series schedule, including on Feb. 22, one week after winning the , to take a dominant lead in the points race.
Reddick鈥檚 points lead has disappeared in recent weeks. Denny Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan, enters Sunday night鈥檚 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 鈥渆xtremely鈥� confident he can enjoy more success in his return to the track formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway.
鈥淚n my opinion, we鈥檙e stronger when we come back here in the summer race,鈥� Reddick said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e 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鈥檚 in play the better I do with these kind of races.鈥�
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.
鈥淔or us to still be second in points … all things considered I think most people with a race car would do anything to have that,鈥� Reddick said.
Larson looking to end 2 droughts
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.
鈥淚 feel like we鈥檝e noticed each week, I feel like Hendrick as a whole has gotten just a little bit better and closed the gap a little,鈥� Larson said. 鈥淚 think it feels like a large chunk still left to get, but I feel like in this sport … you鈥檙e probably closer than it really feels out on the track.鈥�
Larson鈥檚 teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, won last summer鈥檚 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.
In-Season Challenge continues
The second year of NASCAR鈥檚 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.
鈥淚 guess probably we’ll be the underdog against Christopher,鈥� Hamlin said before adding 鈥渨hoever doesn’t wreck鈥� 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 injury update
Bell will again wear a cast on his left wrist that was broken during on June 7. He had only a wrap on the wrist Saturday but said he’ll add the cast for the race 鈥渏ust in case something happens.” He said he hopes this will be the last race with the cast.
鈥淚’m close if not 100% right there,鈥� Bell said.
Billboard fun
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 鈥淰isit Prosper, Texas. 843 miles鈥� with an image of Buescher in his racing uniform. Another billboard says 鈥淐ome see me race this weekend鈥� with an image of Buescher wearing a red wig.
Preece on his Facebook account.
Buescher smiled Saturday when he said 鈥淪o Ryan鈥檚 back to shenanigans鈥� and added he was planning to return the favor.
鈥淚t is fine, because I鈥檓 currently in the process as well, and I look forward to unveiling that before too terribly long,鈥� Buescher said.
Added Buescher: 鈥淚ronically I did have that same haircut as a kid. It just wasn鈥檛 that red.鈥�
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