​HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — EchoPark Speedway could be the ideal stage for Tyler Reddick to regain momentum in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. After sprinting to five wins in the first nine races this season, including the February 22 triumph at EchoPark just a week after his Daytona 500 victory, Reddick enjoyed a commanding lead in the points race. But that advantage has ebbed in recent weeks. Denny Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan, arrives at Sunday night’s event with a 44-point cushion over Reddick.
Despite the recent struggles, Reddick enters the weekend with two victories in three attempts on drafting-truck tracks this year in the 23XI Racing Toyota, giving him reason for optimism. On Saturday, Reddick voiced strong confidence about his ability to build on his momentum during 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,” he 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 kinds of races.”
Last week at Chicagoland Speedway, Chase Briscoe secured the win as Hamlin finished third and Reddick ended up 36th. In four of the last five Cup Series races, Reddick has finished 25th or worse. “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.
Meanwhile, Kyle Larson is chasing his first Cup Series win at the 1.54-mile oval in Atlanta, hoping to snap a 43-race drought. His winless run is the longest of his Hendrick Motorsports tenure since joining the team in 2021. Larson’s last victory came at Kansas in May 2025. After finishing 34th following a second-place qualifying run in Chicago, Larson remains upbeat about his team’s progress, noting that Hendrick has been steadily improving and narrowing the gap. “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 in this sport you’re probably closer than it looks on the track.”
Chase Elliott, Larson’s teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, won last summer’s EchoPark Speedway race, snapping a 44-race winless streak. Despite Larson’s current drought, he sits sixth in the points standings, just one point behind Elliott.
The NASCAR season has moved into the second year of the In-Season Challenge, now in its third round. The five-race, bracket-style tournament offers a $1 million prize to the winner. A notable storyline features a potential top-tier clash between Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell, as the series moves through the midseason stretch.