Christopher Bell edges out Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson in another 3-wide photo finish at Atlanta!
PHOTOS by MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTOGRAPHERS FRED HANYON and DEREK JACKSON
by Derek Jackson
NASCAR Fans in Atlanta are getting excited, and they should be. It’s only one month until NASCAR returns to EchoPark Speedway, the track that is called The Best Drafting Track that is on the NASCAR circuit today.
With its latest reconfiguration in 2022, Atlanta underwent a facelift that saw the banking increase from 24 to 28 degrees in the turns and the width of the racing surface consolidated from 55 to 40 feet. They took superspeedway racing and squeezed it into an intermediate track complete with the same engines used at Daytona and Talladega.
Kyle Petty said, “We don’t see racing like this anywhere else. This racetrack allows these drivers to do things here that they can’t do at Daytona, they can’t do at Talladega, they can’t do at Charlotte, and they can’t do at Texas.”
NASCAR observers have declared that Atlanta is the new gold standard for competitive racing, and the recent string of races has cemented its status as a premier track on the NASCAR circuit.
In 2024 Daniel Suarez’s win over both Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch the three drivers hurtled three-wide to the finish line. Suarez edged Blaney to the checkered flag by 0.003 seconds in the closest three-wide finish in NASCAR history. NASCAR timing and scoring showed Suárez ahead of Blaney by 0.003 seconds at the stripe, with Kyle Busch in third, 0.007 seconds behind the race winner.
As the three drivers sped through the final two corners, Suárez held the outside lane with Blaney on the bottom and Busch in the middle. Suárez surged forward approaching the finish line to earn his second career victory—and his first since June of 2022 at Sonoma—by the thinnest of margins. It was so damn close, Suarez said. NASCAR Fans everywhere lit up social media with a buzz that lasted for weeks afterwards.
The 2025 Spring Race in Atlanta saw Christopher Bell start the race in 32nd spot to win in a photo finish over Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson. The caution flag came out on the latter half of the final lap, and when it did, Christopher Bell was in the lead, edging out Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson for the win.The race’s conclusion mirrored the previous year’s three-wide finish at Atlanta, with Bell seizing the lead after a critical restart.“I’ll tell you what, that right there is what you dream of!”, C-Bell said beaming.
In the 2nd race of the 2025 season at Atlanta, Chase Elliott pulled off a last lap pass on Brad Keselowski to win the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway. The stunning victory cemented his place in Atlanta race lore forever. In the last 10 laps of the race there was five different leaders, and Chase Elliott came from 8th spots back to win. During that last lap pass, EchoPark Speedway came alive with the roar of the crowd as he brought home an unbelievable win for his hometown fans.
The Echo Park Speedway announcer asked the race fans to turn on their mobile phone flashlights to signal the start of the final stage of the race. Stage leader Chase Elliott later commented how cool it looked from a driver’s perspective!Chase Elliott picking his way through the field in the closing laps of the race.Chase Elliott passing Tyler Reddick with two laps to go.Chase Elliott sets up for his last lap dash with a push from teammate Alex Bowman.Chase Elliott passes Brad Keselowski on the last lap for the win in front of his hometown fans in Atlanta!Chase Elliott’s burnout thrills his hometown fans in Atlanta, as his brake pads glow white-hot!Chase Elliott celebrates his 2025 Quaker State 400 win with his crew and guest of honor Rhealynn Mills.
“To see the fans that excited after the race for me was just crazy,” Elliott said. “It was surreal. I don’t really know how else to describe it. It’s just one of those moments you wish you could bottle up and relive it.” Moments later, he was walking into the grandstands to soak in the win together with his fellow Georgians.
In the Bennet Transportation and Logistics 250, Austin Hill from Douglas County, Georgia led an impressive 146 out of 163 laps.
In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Austin Hill, a Douglas County, Georgia native, showcased his dominance at the Atlanta Motor Speedway once again by clinching the NASCAR Xfinity Series Bennett Transportation and Logistics 250 title for his 5th win at his home track. The race saw Hill lead an impressive 146 out of 163 laps, securing his first victory of the early 2025 season. Driving the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, sponsored by the race’s title sponsor, Bennett Transportation& Logistics, Hill proved that he truly owns his home track, winning five Xfinity Series races in Atlanta.
The Winston, Georgia native has won five Xfinity Series races in Atlanta.Austin Hill from Douglas County, Georgia celebrates his 5th win in Atlanta with his crew. – Photo for Motorsport America by John KnittelAustin Hill celebrating his 5th win Xfinity in Atlanta with Richard Childress and his crew.
Atlanta just isn’t known for close Cup races, this track has enjoyed countless stage wins and race wins photo finishes across all three series. The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series FR8 208 was no exception. Kyle Busch came from behind on the last lap of the race, to nip Stewart Friesen by a nose.
Last lap of the FR8 208, and Kyle Busch trails Ty Majeski.The pair scream down the backstretch as Busch makes up ground on Majeski.Busch overtakes Majeski in Turn 3 as excited fans look on!Kyle Busch edged Stewart Friesen at the line by a margin of only 0.17 seconds in a thrilling photo finish.BACK-TO-BACK FR8 208 WINNER. It was Busch’s eighth Truck win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his first win of the season and the 67th of his career. It was also his 232nd career NASCAR national series victory.
One thing is for sure: the Daniel Suarez 3-wide photo finish, Austin Hill’s dominance at his home track in Atlanta, Christopher Bell’s P32 to P1 photo finish win, Chase Elliott’s last lap pass of Brad Keselowski and all of the entertaining action from EchoPark Speedway are going to continue to bump this track up the list of must-see for the foreseeable future.
Motorsport America photos from the 2025 Atlanta NASCAR Race Weekends:
EchoPark Speedway before qualifying.Sea Lion Splash Sea Lion Show in the Fan Zone at EchoPark Speedway.Ross Chastain in the NASCAR Atlanta Garage making a lifetime memory for two young fans.Fun for the whole family in the Fan Zone at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta.Jessie’s Junction City Police on the Burnout Pad in the EchoPark Speedway Fan Zone.Bubba Wallace shares a laugh with Tyler Reddick during qualifying.Chase Elliott signs an autograph for an excited little girl on pit road.Elliott’s car and uniform for the June 28 race featured a design created by 11-year-old Rhealynn Mills, a cancer patient at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This marks the ninth edition of the “Desi9n to Drive” program through the Chase Elliott Foundation. “Desi9n to Drive” has raised nearly half a million dollars for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.Eyes-On the Mellon Man, Ross Chastain.Christopher Bell connects with a young fan during driver introductions for the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.Carson Hocevar during driver introductions on pit road.Nathanael Kormanik signs autographs on pit road.Corey Heim of Marietta, Georgia is your defending 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion.Jesse Love on pit road in Atlanta.Connor Zilisch being interviewed by CW Sports on pit road in Atlanta.In the Atlanta Xfinity Series summer race on Lap 68, Nick Sanchez spins on the frontstretch……only to win the race 95 laps later for his first win in the Xfinity Series in the Focused Health 250 at EchoPark Speedway.Driving the No. 22 Autotrader Ford Dark Horse Mustang, Joey Logano captures the pole position award for the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart with a speed of 178.960!Pit road is full of action in front of the packed house at EchoPark Speedway!Austin Dillon’s pit crew in action in front of packed house at EchoPark Speedway!Joey Logano driving the Autotrader Ford, leads a pack of Mustangs through Turn 4.Trio of Toyotas from Joe Gibbs Racing, as Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs head through Turn 3.The Big One happens in on Lap 70 in Turn 3 as the wreck collects 21 cars in a chain reaction crash triggered by Denny Hamlin.Late race pit stops in front of the packed house EchoPark Speedway!Riley Herbst and Todd Gilliland Tangle in Turn Four.Eric Jones’ Camry spins-out in Turn 4 as Bubba Wallace shows damage to his Toyota.Chase Elliott celebrating with Brandon Hutchinson Executive Vice President and General Manager of Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta.See you at the next race at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta February 20th-22nd!
