Tyler Reddick landed his 2nd consecutive victory to open the NASCAR Cup Series season at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta
MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTOS of the AUTOTRADER 400 by Fred Hanyon & Derek Jackson
by Derek Jackson
Tyler Reddick answered his Daytona 500 victory a week ago with a double overtime comeback win Sunday evening in the AutoTrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway, marking the first time in nearly two decades a driver has won the first two races of the NASCAR Cup Series season since Matt Kenseth did it in 2009.
Reddick jumped out of his damaged Toyota Camry to retrieve the checkered flag, pausing to take a long look at the missing fender – then wondered aloud how he pulled off that victory.
“That’s crazy, how about that EchoPark Speedway?’’ he yelled to the packed grandstands. “This place over the years it just puts on some amazing racing. Handling matters here, but I don’t know, I guess determination outweighs handling.”
With his Atlanta win, Tyler Reddick now leads his teammate Bubba Wallace by 40 points atop the championship standings.
“It’s really fun to be a part of 23XI right now,’’ said team owner Michael Jordan.
It’s a great day for racing at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta!AutoTrader 400 Trophy presented by Southern Belle Farms in McDonough, GeorgiaAtlanta’s Operatic Tenor Timothy Miller performed the Star Spangled Banner during the Autotrader 400 pre-race ceremonies Sunday. Punctuating Miller’s performance of the National Anthem with a Flyover by a C-130 from the 189th Airlift Wing based at Little Rock Air Force Base.23XI owner Michael Jordan was on hand for the race.Pace Lap of the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark SpeedwayGreen Flag and the start of the race and No. 45 Tyler Reddick is out to an early lead.Reddick leads Logano.Carson Hocevar and William Byron out front of Bubba Wallace and Ryan Blaney7th lap of the race, Joey Logano leads.No. 77 Carson Hocevar and No. 9 Chase ElliottReddick back out front on Lap 20.Brad Keselowski takes the lead, with Tyler Reddick and Chase Elliott in tow.Kyle Busch started in 14th on the 7th row. He will be done for the day with contact with the inside wall on the backstretch on Lap 126.Chase Elliott to the lead halfway through stage 1.Carson Hocevar comes to pit road with a possible flat tire.Joey Logano leads No. 6 Brad Keselowski then No. 9 Chase Elliott and 21 Josh Berry.Lap 43 – No. 77 Hocevar is 2 laps down. He had a cut in the sidewall of the right front tire. He’s currently the only driver off the lead lap.Lap 51 – Ten laps remaining in stage 1: Elliott, Reddick, Logano, Larson, Byron, Wallace, Berry, Zilisch, Cindric and Blaney in the top 10.No. 21 Josh Berry drives for the legendary Woods Brothers Team.Lap 54 – Kyle Larson led for the first time during the race. No. 77 Hocevar has fallen back to two laps down.Cole Custer drives the No. 41 Andy’s Frozen Custard Chevrolet for the Haas Factory Team.No. 51 Cody Ware & No. 34 Todd Gilliland in Turn 4.Austin Cindric leads Connor Zilisch in Turn 3.Lap 61 Caution for the end of stage 1. Cindric wins it over Wallace. Free pass will be Hocevar, but he will still be one lap down. Cindric started the race in 30th place and finished the 1st stage in P1.Lap 69 – Back to green for the start of the second stage. Larson leads out of Turn 2.Caution is out on lap 82 for a crash involving Ty Gibbs and Josh Berry in Turn 3. Minor damage to Hamlin & Herbst. Hocevar will get the free pass and back on the lead lap.Ryan Blaney leads Ricky Stenhouse, Jr and Zane Smith.Caution is out on lap 103 for a pile up involving Herbst & Stenhouse and others in Turn 2.Austin Dillon got caught up in the Herbst – Stenhouse wreck.Herbst and Stenhouse are done for the day.Reddick still leads over Wallace Briscoe. 40 laps remaining in stage.Ryan Blaney on the backstretch during the caution lap.2025 Ambetter Health 400 winner, Christopher Bell during the caution lap.Wallace leads Briscoe through Turn 3.3-Wide through Turn 1Michael McDowell & Noah Gragson lead their pack down the backstretch.New Zealand’s Shane Van Gisbergen headed to Turn 4.2024 Ambetter Health 400 winner Daniel Suarez leads No. 88 Connor Zilisch through Turn 1.Briscoe, Allmendinger and McDowell three wide through Turn 3.Alex Bowman drives the No. 48 ally Chevy.No. 9 Chase Elliott leads the field through Turn 1.No. 9 Chase Elliott leads the field towards to Turn 2.It’s Bell, Chastain & Preece 3-Wide through Turn 3.Christopher Bell, Ryan Preece and Erik Jones lead the field 3-Wide through Turn 1.Briscoe now leads Hamlin, Blaney, Byron and Chastain on Lap 180. 81 laps remaining.
Lap 216 with 45 laps remaining, it’s Reddick and Blaney in Turn 3.Lap 224 – Caution for an accident on the frontstretch involving Hamlin, Reddick and others. Leaders stay out but several cars pit.Back to green on Lap 232, with 29 laps remaining. Austin Cindric leads Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott.Caution on Lap 239 as Joey Logano slides through the infield with 22 laps remaining.Caution on Lap 239 as Joey Logano slides through the infield with 22 laps remaining.Alex Bowman’s pit crew in action.Lap 257 Caution for a wreck in Turn 3. Cole Custer, Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, William Byron, Austin Dillon, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano & Cody Ware involved. Byron may have had a tire go down to start the wreck.Todd Gilliland was one of several drivers involved.Alex Bowman’s pit crew struggles with a fix.Erik Jones pit crew during the stop. Austin Dillon comes to rest against the pit wall.Austin Cindric limps into the pits. Race is red flagged for track cleanup.Dillon’s Day is Done.Lap 266 – Green flag for overtime. Wallace the leader with Bell outside. Reddick behind Wallace, Hocevar lines up behind Bell, then Briscoe and Chastain.Caution during the restart as Christopher Bell goes into the outside wall after contact with Carson Hocevar.Green flag for the 2nd overtime attempt. Wallace and Hocevar on the front row. Reddick and Chastain behind them. Briscoe and Suarez in the third row.White flag for Reddick over Hocevar, Briscoe and Wallace.Checkered Flag for Tyler Reddick as he wins the AutoTrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta!Tyler Reddick’s burnout on the start-finish line!Tyler Reddick’s celebration with his pit crew on the start-finish line in Atlanta!Tyler greets his son upon arriving in victory lane.Tyler Reddick climbs out of his car as he signals Two in a Row for his wins at Daytona and Atlanta.Tyler Reddick hoists the Autotrader 400 trophy above his head in victory celebration.Tyler Reddick celebrates with the Autotrader race sponsors.Tyler Reddick celebrates with Brandon Hutchison Executive Vice President and General Manager of Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway.Tyler Reddick’s 2nd victory celebration of 2026 with his family and car sponsor, Pinnacle Financial Partners.Tyler Reddick’s family celebrates with his Toyota Racing Team.Tyler Reddick celebrates his 2nd victory in a row with Georgia’s All American beauty queens.Ross Chastain stops by victory lane to give his congratulations to Tyler Reddick.Tyler Reddick’s car won the Autotrader 400 in Atlanta while missing his right front fender. Ross Chastain commented it created such a draft, that it pulled him down the track at incredible speeds.
Get your tickets today for the Focused Health 250 & Quaker State 400 when NASCAR returns to Atlanta on July 11-12th!
