​HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — Pole winner Ryan Blaney was leading when a severe weather threat forced a delay in the NASCAR Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway on Sunday night. Officials ordered cars off the track and urged fans in the grandstands to begin exiting as rain loomed within eight miles of the 1.54-mile oval near Atlanta, and rain began shortly after the delay was issued.
The race was halted at lap 108 in Stage 2. The event is scheduled for 260 laps, and at least 130 laps must be completed for the race to be official.
Blaney started from the pole, with his Team Penske teammate Joey Logano lining up on the front row beside him. A third Penske driver, Austin Cindric, climbed to third place early in the race, providing an encouraging early display for the Fords. Bubba Wallace was in second and Tyler Reddick was third when the red flag or weather delay arrived. Christopher Bell, another Toyota driver, stood in fourth, while Chase Elliott—who captured last summer’s race in Atlanta—sat in fifth. Denny Hamlin, the Cup Series points leader who qualified 28th, moved up to 15th as the race paused.
Reddick, who had won at EchoPark Speedway in February as part of a stretch of five victories in the season’s first nine races, qualified only 31st on Saturday. By the 35th lap, he had already surged to fourth, signaling once again that he would be a major factor at Atlanta.
When action resumes, the Cup Series will head to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, for the next race weekend. Earlier, in the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 18, 2025 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Christopher Bell narrowly edged out Joey Logano for the victory.