Sunday, February 22, 2026

NASCAR Race Weekend Recap (EchoPark)

#NASCAR Race Weekend Recap (EchoPark)

Winners: Tyler Reddick (Cup); Sheldon Creed (O'Reilly); Kyle Busch (Trucks)


NASCAR Cup

Tyler Reddick Rallies from Multicar Wreck, Rolls to Second Win in a Row in Overtime at EchoPark

Tyler Reddick Rallies from Multicar Wreck, Rolls to Second Win in a Row in Overtime at EchoPark

 

Tyler Reddick landed his second consecutive victory to open the NASCAR Cup Series season, rallying from a final-stage crash and emerging from a frenzied second overtime Sunday at EchoPark Speedway. 

 

Reddick pushed the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota to a 0.164-second margin of victory, leading a race-high 53 of the 271 laps in the Autotrader 400. His first win at the 1.54-mile Atlanta-area track was the 10th of his Cup Series career, coming on the heels of his Daytona 500 triumph last weekend. He becomes the first driver since Matt Kenseth in 2009 to win the opening two races of a campaign.

 

"I mean, that's crazy. Ain't it? How about that? EchoPark Speedway," Reddick said after the win. "I mean, this place, over the years man, it just puts on some amazing racing. Handling matters here, but I don't know, I guess determination out-weighs handling."

 






Pole: Tyler Reddick (Qualifying Cancelled - Weather)



Click Here for Race Results 


Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 3:30 pm ET for the ‘DuraMax Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne’ at Circuit of The Americas.



NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series

Creed Wins First Career O’Reilly Auto Parts Race

Creed Wins First Career O’Reilly Auto Parts Race

 

Incredible. That’s how Sheldon Creed described his first career victory in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and that’s likely how anyone who watched the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 would describe the final dramatic run to the checkered flag Saturday evening at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway.

 

While racing hard for the win on the final lap, the Chevrolets of five-time EchoPark race winner Austin Hill and NASCAR Cup Series full-timer Ross Chastain collided while running first and second, clearing the way for the 28-year-old Californian Creed to emerge from his third-place position just behind. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Creed raced his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet cleanly through the incident coming out of the last turn in front to earn his first career trophy in the series after setting a series record 15 runner-up finishes.

 

“Incredible,” a smiling Creed said after accepting his first series checkered flag from the flagman after the race. “It worked out. finally, a winner.

 

“Obviously had a lot of good runs, but never finished it up, never won,” he said after hoisting his trophy in Victory Lane — his voice a little softer after screaming with emotion on the cool-down lap and later after celebrating with his team.

 

“To finally do that, after it looked like another second place for awhile coming off of [Turn] 2, it just all worked out for us tonight.”

 






Pole: Sam Mayer



Click Here for Race Results


Next Race: The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series will return on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 3:00 pm ET for the ‘Focused Health 250’ at Circuit of The Americas..




NASCAR Trucks

Kyle Busch Leads Spire 1-2, Surges to Truck Series Win at EchoPark

Kyle Busch Leads Spire 1-2, Surges to Truck Series Win at EchoPark
Carson Hocevars greets Spire Motorsports teammate Kyle Busch to congratulate
the driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet for winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race


Kyle Busch took his third consecutive and record ninth win of his career in the Fr8 208 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at EchoPark Speedway on Saturday afternoon, capping a dramatic push to the checkered flag to collect his record 68th series victory.

 

In the closing laps, Busch, 40, exchanged the lead with series veteran Stewart Friesen in a flashback from the 2025 race on the 1.54-mile Atlanta high banks when Friesen finished runner-up to him. Ultimately, Busch’s No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet was again able to get the best of the duel, benefiting from a timely push from his teammate, Carson Hocevar, to reclaim the lead for good in the final seven laps.

 

“It got dicey there at the end,” a grinning Busch said after giving his trademark bow to the crowd at the finish line. “Certainly, a great race and it got exciting there at the end.

 

“Had a great teammate [Hocevar] behind me and have to give credit where credit is due. Early on was a little worried he wasn’t helping but there at the end he was right there … definitely made it a whole lot easier.”

 






Pole: Jake Garcia



Click Here for Race Results


Next Race: The Truck Series will return on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET for the ‘OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 at St. Petersburg’ at Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.




ARCA

ARCA Racing Off Week







Next Race: The ARCA West Series will return on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 5 p.m. PT for the ‘Oil Workers 150 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame’ at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway..



 

source: NASCAR Media
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Saturday, February 21, 2026

Garcia and Mayer Win Poles for Today’s Doubleheader Races

Garcia and Mayer Win Poles for Today’s Doubleheader Races

Truck Series Race at 1:30 p.m. / O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race at 5 p.m.,

Day one of NASCAR weekend at EchoPark Speedway wrapped up with Sam Mayer and Georgia native Jake Garcia scoring pole positions.

 

They will lead their respective fields to green during Saturday’s doubleheader, which includes the Fr8 Racing 208 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race (1:30 p.m., FS1 and PRN Radio) and the Bennett Transportation and Logistics 250 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race (5 p.m., The CW and PRN Radio).

 

Sam Mayer #Wins #NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Pole

 

Mayer set the pace in both rounds of O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying and ultimately claimed the top spot with a speed of 174.318 mph in his No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevy.

 

He outran Carson Kvapil for the pole. Kvapil will start second in his No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevy after turning a lap at 173.875 mph.

 

In this race last year, Mayer was swept up in a crash, relegating him to a 36th-place finish. He experienced the same fate in last week’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season opener and looks to rebound this weekend at EchoPark Speedway in the Bennett 250.

 

“I feel like it’s going to be very good,” Sam Mayer said after winning the pole. “It’s my first speedway pole—it feels really good, very rewarding, everyone at Haas Factory Team did a great job. The pushes are a lot different with this [Chevy] nose, and it’s something I had to relearn last week at Daytona and it’s going to be even bigger here.”

 





Jake Garcia #Wins #NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Pole

 

Jake Garcia, a native of Monroe, Ga., is running his fourth season in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, and earned his fourth career pole in his 77th career start.

 

The driver of the ThorSport Racing No. 98 Ford F-150 powered to a 172.980 mph lap in the second round of qualifying to claim the top spot.

 

“It’s huge to start up front here in Atlanta. If you can control a lane, you put yourself in a good position to get stage points,” Garcia said after winning the pole. “It’s really special to start on the pole here. It’s a home track for me. I’m excited to lead the field to green in front of this Georgia crowd.”

 

Garcia’s teammate Ben Rhodes will start second in his No. 99 Ford F-150, completing the front row with a speed of 172.726 mph. Kyle Busch, defending winner of this race making his first Truck Series start of the season in the No. 7 Chevrolet, will roll off third with a lap of 172.662 mph.

 





 

source: EchoPark Speedway Media
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Friday, February 20, 2026

Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Announces 30th Anniversary Ride Route

Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Announces 30th Anniversary Ride Route

The 30th Anniversary Ride will take place from May 1 – May 9, 2026, starting in Sonoma, California, and ending in Charlotte, North Carolina, crossing 11 states in just nine days.

Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Announces 30th Anniversary Ride Route

 

Former NASCAR driver and current racing analyst Kyle Petty officially announced the complete route and overnight stops for the 30th Anniversary Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America (KPCRAA). For the milestone edition, the 30th Anniversary KPCRAA will truly cross the United States, starting in Sonoma, California, on May 1, 2026, and concluding in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 9, 2026.

 

The 30th Anniversary Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America will be book-ended by trips to two iconic Speedway Motorsports (SM) racetracks, Sonoma Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, and will see Petty lead roughly 150 motorcycles over 3,400 miles across 11 states in just nine days to raise funds and awareness for Victory Junction – a camp dedicated to providing life-changing camping experiences for children with serious and chronic medical conditions. Since 1995, more than 9,575 riders have logged 13.3 million cumulative motorcycle miles and raised more than $23 million for Victory Junction and other children’s charities.

 

In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, the 30th Anniversary KPCRAA will ride historic Highway 50, the ‘Loneliest Road in America,’ and parts of the original Route 66, both of which are celebrating their Centennial in 2026. The Ride is working closely with America 250 to highlight iconic stops along the way, and contribute to the “Our American Story,” program in which stories of everyday Americans will be recorded for posterity.

 

The Ride will also make stops at the original Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri; tour Elvis Presley’s home and museum Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee; explore the Coker Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee; ride the famous 318-curve and 11-mile Dragon through the Appalachian Mountains; visit Wheels Through Time Motorcycle Museum in Maggie Valley, North Carolina; capped off with a trip to Victory Junction before heading to Charlotte Motor Speedway.

 

“The reason I am so excited about this year’s Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America is because this is our 30th year,” Petty said. “America 250 – the anniversary of our great country’s independence, the 100th anniversary of Highway 50 – the ‘Loneliest Road in America,’ the 100th anniversary of Route 66 – another iconic highway. There is just so much to celebrate this year. The places we are stopping – Bass Pro Shops, Coker Museum, Graceland, riding the Dragon - just like the kid’s book says, ‘Oh the places you’ll go!’ I feel like a kid and I’m ready to do it.”

 

Rutledge Wood, NASCAR Race Mom and Kyle Petty 2014 Carlsbad KPCR
Rutledge Wood, NASCAR Race Mom and Kyle Petty 2014 Carlsbad KPCR
Spectators and Race fans along the 2026 route will have loads of fun! 

 

Spectators and race fans along the 2026 route are encouraged to attend one of the Ride’s nine overnight stops or daily pit stops to greet Petty and the riders, purchase memorabilia, collect autographs and make donations to Victory Junction.

 





Full 30th Anniversary Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Schedule:

  • Day 1, Friday, May 1 – Sonoma, CA to Ely, NV
  • Day 2, Saturday, May 2 – Ely, NV to Moab, UT
  • Day 3, Sunday, May 3 – Moab, UT to Colorado Springs, CO
  • Day 4, Monday, May 4 – Colorado Springs, CO to Wichita, KS
  • Day 5, Tuesday, May 5 – Wichita, KS to Springfield, MO
  • Day 6, Wednesday, May 6 – Springfield, MO to Memphis, TN
  • Day 7, Thursday, May 7 – Memphis, TN to Chattanooga, TN
  • Day 8, Friday, May 8 – Chattanooga, TN to Asheville, NC
  • Day 9, Saturday, May 9 – Asheville, NC to Charlotte, NC


The start and end points for the 30th Anniversary Ride also replicates the first route taken by Kyle Petty and friends during the initial Ride in 1995. The first Ride kicked off May 8, 1995, following the NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway, and wrapped up in Charlotte eight days later.

 

Among the celebrities participating in this milestone 30th Anniversary Ride are NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty; NASCAR Hall of Famer and NASCAR Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth; NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton; former NASCAR drivers Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, Ken Schrader, and Kenny Wallace; former Formula 1, Champ Car, and NASCAR driver Max Papis; former IndyCar driver JR Hildebrand; TV personalities Rick Allen and Rutledge Wood; and great-grandson of William A. Davidson, one of the Harley-Davidson founders, VP & Global Brand Ambassador Bill Davidson.

 

Since the inaugural year in 1995, the KPCRAA has had 10 total NASCAR Hall of Fame members and two Landmark Award winners participate in the Ride including: Richard Petty, David Pearson, Terry Labonte, Ray Evernham, Robert Yates, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Herschel McGriff, Donnie Allison, Harry Gant, NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton, and NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France.


“Once you go on the Kyle Petty Charity Ride, you become part of the Charity Ride family,” Petty said. “It’s hard to explain to somebody that doesn’t understand it. We have around 50 people who have gone 20 years or more on this Ride.

 

“This year we have 150 motorcycles going with us, and we still had to turn people away. It is the hardest thing to tell people it didn’t work out for this year’s Ride.” he said. “We tell those people to come back next year, get on the list, and we will look at those people first. We have two doctors and two nurses that go with us, paramedics that follow the bikes, retired Highway Patrol motor officers who act as our Ride Motor Marshals, we have a hotel and luggage team, a media team, Coca-Cola sends a team and truck with products, Harley-Davidson sends a truck and technicians – there are an additional 30+ people that go with us just to make sure we can ride every day. The level of commitment from our team, our valued partners and many volunteers is really something special.”

  

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