Even in a race that completed previous its scheduled distance and was delayed for greater than three hours due to lightning and rain, it was not sufficient to maintain Ryan Blaney from capping off a dominant efficiency on Sunday at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway.
Listed here are 4 takeaways from the Quaker State 400.
Ryan Blaney makes drafting monitor historical past
Coming into the weekend, Crew Penske had led essentially the most laps (698) on the reconfigured EchoPark Speedway with solely a pair of wins from Joey Logano to point out for it. Blaney made positive to etch his identify on that checklist in emphatic style.
Blaney swept the opening two phases and clearly had the automotive to beat all night time. Other than some contact with the wall late and a vibration, there was not a lot slowing Blaney down on Sunday night time, profiting from an enormous push from Christopher Bell out of Flip 4 to win a thriller.
The win is Blaney’s second of the 2026 season (Phoenix), second at Atlanta (2021 spring) and the nineteenth of his profession. Not solely is that this the primary time he has received a race after sweeping the primary two phases, however Blaney’s 171 laps led are essentially the most at a drafting-style monitor within the Trendy Period.
It was a missed alternative for teammates Joey Logano (ninth) and Austin Cindric (14th), however there was no slowing down Blaney within the draft. He has been a top-10 machine all season, however Sunday’s win was the newest reminder of how sturdy he and the Crew Penske vehicles are when drafting is concerned.
It seemed to be a stable factors day for Wallace, who continues to be combating to safe his “Chase” berth. Whereas he crossed the road facet by facet with Bell within the battle for second, Wallace dropped to twenty ninth after NASCAR penalized him for going beneath the double yellow line on the backstretch.
Whereas Wallace argued that he by no means superior his place and the argument may definitely be made to get his ending place again, it is a penalty that could possibly be detrimental if it doesn’t get overturned. He’s nonetheless 55 factors forward of Logano for the ultimate “Chase” spot, nevertheless it could possibly be much more if he had the end to point out for his velocity on Sunday.
It was nicely definitely worth the wait
Whereas it’s by no means supreme for any race to final nicely into the night time and into the early hours of the morning, EchoPark Speedway as soon as once more proved why it’s arguably the most well liked ticket within the sport.
Dealing with performed a job within the early portion and unfold the sphere out somewhat greater than anticipated, however Tyler Reddick’s drive from thirty first to second in 60 green-flag laps confirmed that drivers may maneuver their manner by way of the sphere and make passes.
The depth solely continued as the sphere battled facet by facet and even three-wide for a number of rows deep at instances, continuously buying and selling the lead backwards and forwards within the course of. That was all with the prolonged pink flag in between, offering one other reminder of the unimaginable racing the monitor continues to placed on.
In-Season Problem right down to the semifinals
After the head-to-head, bracket-style competitors for $1M started with 32 drivers, solely 4 drivers stay after Atlanta. No. 25 seed Todd Gilliland is ready to face No. 4 Chase Elliott, whereas No. 10 Bell will sq. off with No. 3 Blaney within the sport’s first factors race at North Wilkesboro since 1996 on Sunday.
