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Chase Elliott won a back-and-forth battle in the closing laps of the prime-time NASCAR Cup Series race on Saturday, June 28 and set off a celebration in the grandstands of EchoPark Speedway as the Georgia native made good on his home track.

Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular driver, passed Brad Keselowski in Turn 2 of the final lap of the Quaker State 400, edging the RFK Racing driver and owner by 0.168 seconds as the fans roared their approval.

The 29-year-old scored his first victory of the 2025 season, taking the checkered flag for the first time in nearly nine months. But this win was special to the driver born and raised in Dawsonville, Georgia.

“Unbelievable! Are you kidding me? Thank you so much!” Elliott shouted to the crowd after climbing from his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Elliott was one of just a few drivers who avoided the massive wrecks that took out more than one-third of the field Saturday night and dinged up the majority of the cars. And because of that, he was able to battle up front in the final stage as the lead changed hands multiple times in the final 20 laps.

First it was Keselowski, then Zane Smith, then Alex Bowman. Then Keselowski again, and Bowman again, and Smith again. Then Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made a bold move to take the lead before Keselowski overtook him to reclaim it. But the final pass would belong to Elliott.

“What a special car,” Elliott said. “It was a lot of fun. This is something I’ll never forget.”

At times the track, until recently known as Atlanta Motor Speedway, resembled Talladega or Daytona with the two multicar crashes that ended Stage 1 and opened Stage 2. One contender after another – including pole winner Joey Logano, points leader William Byron, 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney, and three-race winners this season in Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell – were taken out in those crashes, giving a slew of winless drivers a chance to celebrate in victory lane.

The crashes also upended the first round of the inaugural NASCAR In-Season Challenge, which opened Saturday night with a field of 32 contenders, who were seeded and matched up in head-to-head competitions. Sixteen of those drivers advanced to the second round next weekend on the streets of Chicago, and the other 16 were eliminated, including No. 1 seed Hamlin.

USA TODAY Sports had full coverage of the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway. Scroll below for results, highlights and a recap of the action.

NASCAR Atlanta Quaker State 400 extended highlights

NASCAR In-Season Challenge first round

The first round featured 32 drivers in 16 head-to-head matchups, with the goal to finish better than your opponent in the Quaker State 400. The 16 losers were eliminated and the 16 winners advanced to the second round next weekend in Chicago. Here are the full results and bracket:

Top half of draw

No. 32 Ty Dillon def. No. 1 Denny Hamlin (DNF)

No. 17 Brad Keselowski def. No. 16 Kyle Busch

No. 8 Alex Bowman def. No. 25 Joey Logano (DNF)

No. 9 Bubba Wallace def. No. 24 Daniel Suarez (DNF)

No. 12 John Hunter Nemechek def. No. 21 Josh Berry (DNF)

No. 5 Chase Elliott def. No. 28 Austin Dillon

No. 20 Erik Jones def. No. 13 Ross Chastain (DNF)

No. 29 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. def. No. 4 Christopher Bell (DNF)

Bottom half of draw

No. 31 Noah Gragson def. No. 2 Chase Briscoe (DNF)

No. 15 Ryan Preece def. No. 18 William Byron (DNF)

No. 26 Carson Hocevar def. No. 7 Ryan Blaney (DNF)

No. 23 Tyler Reddick def. No. 10 Kyle Larson

No. 22 AJ Allmendinger def. No. 11 Michael McDowell

No. 6 Ty Gibbs def. No. 27 Justin Haley

No. 14 Zane Smith def. No. 19 Austin Cindric (DNF)

No. 3 Chris Buescher def. No. 30 Todd Gilliland

NASCAR Atlanta Quaker State 400 results

Here are the top 10 finishers of the NASCAR Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway on June 28 (starting position in parentheses):

(15) Chase Elliott, No. 9 Chevrolet (6) Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford (9) Alex Bowman, No. 48 Chevrolet (23) Tyler Reddick, No. 45 Toyota (26) Erik Jones, No. 43 Toyota (37) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Chevrolet (8) Zane Smith, No. 38 Ford (14) Ty Dillon, No. 10 Chevrolet (13) Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ford (30) Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Chevrolet

FINISHING ORDER: Full results of the Quaker State 400

Chase Elliott win NASCAR Atlanta race

Georgina native Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular driver, won on his home track, taking the lead on the final lap of the Quaker State 400 for his first victory of the 2025 season.

Elliott cleared Brad Keselowski for the lead off Turn 2 on Lap 259 of 260 then held off the RFK Racing driver to win by 0.168 seconds.

NASCAR Atlanta: Justin Haley brings out caution with 33 laps to go

Ty Dillon made contact with Justin Haley, causing Haley to spin and bring out the caution on Lap 227 of 260. No other cars were involved. The first two rows are being controlled by two teams: RFK Racing with Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher, and Hendrick Motorsports with Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman.

NASCAR Atlanta race under caution at midpoint of Stage 3

The ninth caution of the race, for a spin by David Starr, halted the Quaker State 400 with 57 laps remaining. Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, Ty Gibbs and Alex Bowman hold the top 6 positions.

NASCAR Atlanta restarts with 70 laps to go

The Quaker State 400 restarted on Lap 191 of 260 with Ty Gibbs and Ryan Preece on the front row. Most of the field had come down pit road following the caution on Lap 176. Justin Haley, Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott and Ty Dillon are also racing in the top 6.

Tyler Reddick was penalized during his pit stop and lost his front row track position.

NASCAR Atlanta: Shane Van Gisbergen spins, brings out caution

Shane Van Gisbergen, racing in the top 10, spun into the grass on Lap 176 to bring out the yellow flag with 85 laps to go in the Quaker State 400. Alex Bowman had the lead at the time of caution followed by Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Chris Buescher, Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick. Some drivers, including Buescher and Reddick, decided to come down pit road for fuel and tires, while others, including Bowman and Elliott, stayed out.

Chase Elliott begins Stage 3 with lead at Atlanta

A Georgia native and NASCAR’s most popular driver, Chase Elliott jumped out to the lead on the restart to begin Stage 3 of the Quaker State 400. Elliott got a push from Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman.

Tyler Reddick wins NASCAR Atlanta Stage 2 in photo finish

Tyler Reddick and Chase Elliott battled right to the line to end Stage 2 as NASCAR went to video review to decide the winner of the 100-lap stage. Officials determined Reddick beat Elliott by 0.001 seconds to earn the stage win.

Chris Buescher, Alex Bowman, Erik Jones, Ty Dillon, Shane Van Gisbergen, John Hunter Nemechek, Zane Smith and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top 10.

Following the huge crash to open the second segment, there was only one other caution when Riley Herbst spun out on Lap 110 and collected Todd Gilliland.

NASCAR Atlanta Lap 220: Battle for the lead

Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman are battling for the lead with 40 laps remaining in Stage 2. Chris Buescher, Zane Smith and Justin Haley are also racing in the top 5.

NASCAR Atlanta: Eight cars officially out of the race

Following the Big One to open Stage 2 and the multicar crash that ended Stage 1, eight drivers are officially out of the race: Josh Berry, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez, William Byron, Austin Cindric, Cory LaJoie and Ryan Blaney.

Three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers remain in the garage while their teams attempt to make repairs: Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell.

NASCAR Atlanta race restarts on Lap 77

Chris Buescher and Ty Gibbs led the field to green for the restart of Stage 2. More than 10 cars are either out of the race or in the garage.

Garage area busy after crash to open Stage 2

Joey Logano joined Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney with an early exit from the Quaker State 400 after his crew was unable to repair the big damage from the multicar crash to open Stage 2. NASCAR points leader William Byron was also in the garage along with last week’s leader Chase Briscoe and Trackhouse racing teammates Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez.

NASCAR Atlanta Stage 2 opens with big crash

Moments after the green flag waved to start Stage 2, the Big One unfolded at EchoPark Speedway after Denny Hamlin made contact with John Hunter Nemechek, causing a massive crash that engulfed a large chunk of the field. Both cars had begun the second segement in the top 10, so multiple rows racing behind them were collected.

Hamlin, the No. 1 seed in the inaugural NASCAR In-Season Challenge, was towed to the garage as was Stage 1 winner Austin Cindric after both suffered major damage. Pole winner Joey Logano also sustained major damage. An estimated 23 cars were involved in the crash, which will have big implications for the first round of the Challenge.

NASCAR displayed the red flag on Lap 70 of 260 to tow cars off the track and clean up the oval.

NASCAR Atlanta race: Stage 2 begins

Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher led the field to green on a restart on Lap 69 of 260 to begin Stage 2 of the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway. The second and third segments are each scheduled for 100 laps.

Christopher Bell starts multicar crash; Stage 1 ends under caution

Christopher Bell got loose with three laps remaining in the 60-lap opening stage between Turn 3 and Turn 4 to trigger a multicar crash and bring out the caution flag. Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch and AJ Allmendinger were among the drivers who sustained some damage. Blaney exited his car, ending his race, after a hard hit into the outside wall. It was Blaney’s sixth DNF this season.

The stage finished under caution with Austin Cindric winning the opening segment. He was followed by Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Carson Hocevar in the top five. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Josh Berry, Shane Van Gisbergen, Chase Elliott and Wallace rounded out the top 10.

NASCAR Atlanta race restarts on Lap 48

Joey Logano and Austin Cindric led the field to green following a roughly 15-minute delay for weather. The majority of cars came down pit road prior to the restart for fuel, tires and/or adjustments, including Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin. But the leaders stayed out. There are 12 laps remaining in the first stage.

NASCAR Atlanta race lap 43: Red flag waves

As the race remains under a weather delay at EchoPark Speedway, NASCAR officials displayed the red flag on Lap 43 and brought the cars down pit road. The rain remains light.

NASCAR Atlanta race lap 37: Caution flag waves

A light sprinkle has hit EchoPark Speedway bringing out the caution flag. Joey Logano has led every lap of the race so far. Drivers are expected to hit pit road for adjustments during the caution period.

NASCAR Atlanta race lap 35: Joey Logano leads

Pole winner Joey Logano has led all 35 laps in the opening stage of the Quaker State 400. The first stage is 60 laps. Austin Cindric, Josh Berry, Brad Keselowski, William Byraon and Kyle Larson round out the top six.

NASCAR Atlanta race starts as green flag flies

The green flag has waved for the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. Joey Logano in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford is on the front row alongside Josh Berry in the Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford.

How to watch NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta: TV, stream

Race: Quaker State 400

Quaker State 400 Time: 7 p.m. ET

7 p.m. ET Location: EchoPark Speedway (Hampton, Georgia)

EchoPark Speedway (Hampton, Georgia) TV: TNT, alternate telecast on truTV

TNT, alternate telecast on truTV Live stream: Sling TV

What is the green flag time for NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta?

The green flag to start the Quaker State 400 is scheduled for 7:19 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 28, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.

What is the lineup for NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta?

Joey Logano won the pole for the Quaker State 400 in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford as Ford drivers took the top eight spots in qualifying. Josh Berry will start alongside Logano on the front row in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford. Logano’s Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric, qualified third and fourth, respectively, and will start on the second row.

QUAKER STATE 400 LINEUP: Full starting lineup for tonight’s race at Atlanta

What is the weather forecast for NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta?

The Weather Channel is calling for a 65% chance of isolated thunderstorms around the Hampton, Georgia area, with the track placed on a lightning hold around 5:30 p.m. ET and lifted just after 6 p.m. ET. If rain hits the track, it should clear out of the area later this evening, with the forecast changing to showers around 9 p.m. ET and mostly cloudy skies at 10 p.m. ET. Temperatures will drop from the low 80s to the mid-to-low 70s.

NASCAR In-Season Challenge first-round pairings

Here are the pairings for the first-round race at Echo Park Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) on Saturday, June 28. The winner of each head-to-head matchup advances to the next round.

Top half of draw

No. 1 Denny Hamlin vs. No. 32 Ty Dillon

No. 16 Kyle Busch vs. No. 17 Brad Keselowski

No. 8 Alex Bowman vs. No. 25 Joey Logano

No. 9 Bubba Wallace vs. No. 24 Daniel Suarez

No. 12 John Hunter Nemechek vs. No. 21 Josh Berry

No. 5 Chase Elliott vs. No. 28 Austin Dillon

No. 13 Ross Chastain vs. No. 20 Erik Jones

No. 4 Christopher Bell vs. No. 29 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Bottom half of draw

No. 2 Chase Briscoe vs. No. 31 Noah Gragson

No. 15 Ryan Preece vs. No. 18 William Byron

No. 7 Ryan Blaney vs. No. 26 Carson Hocevar

No. 10 Kyle Larson vs. No. 23 Tyler Reddick

No. 11 Michael McDowell vs. No. 22 AJ Allmendinger

No. 6 Ty Gibbs vs. No. 27 Justin Haley

No. 14 Zane Smith vs. No. 19 Austin Cindric

No. 3 Chris Buescher vs. No. 30 Todd Gilliland

How NASCAR In-Season Challenge works: Matchups, rounds

The NASCAR In-Season Challenge puts the 32 drivers in a bracket, which begins with 16 first-round matchups.

The No. 1 seed faces the No. 32 seed in the first round, the No. 2 seed takes on the No. 31 seed, No. 3 matches up with the. No. 30 seed, etc. The losers of the head-to-head matchups will be eliminated, and the 16 winners will advance to the second round, where the winner of the No. 1 vs. No. 32 matchup will face the winner of the No. 16 vs. No. 17 matchup, the winner of the No. 2 vs. No. 31 matchup takes on the winner of the No. 15 vs. No. 18 matchup, etc.

Like March Madness, the tournament will move from a Round of 32 to a Sweet 16 to an Elite Eight to a Final Four and finally a championship race.

First round: 32 drivers in 16 head-to-head matchups; 16 drivers eliminated at end of race.

32 drivers in 16 head-to-head matchups; 16 drivers eliminated at end of race. Second round: 16 drivers in eight head-to-head matchups; eight drivers eliminated at end of race.

16 drivers in eight head-to-head matchups; eight drivers eliminated at end of race. Third round: Eight drivers in four head-to-head matchups; four drivers eliminated at end of race.

Eight drivers in four head-to-head matchups; four drivers eliminated at end of race. Fourth round: Four drivers in two head-to-head matchups; two drivers eliminated at end of race.

Four drivers in two head-to-head matchups; two drivers eliminated at end of race. Fifth round: Two drivers in a head-to-head matchup; winner wins the in-season challenge.

TOURNAMENT: Full visual NASCAR In-Season Challenge bracket

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta?

The Quaker State 400 is 260 laps around the 1.54-mile oval for a total of 400.4 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 60 laps; Stage 2: 100 laps; Stage 3: 100 laps.

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta start?

The Quaker State 400 is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 28, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.

NASCAR In-Season Challenge races

All times Eastern

Round 1 — 32 drivers

Echo Park Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway)

Saturday, June 28 | 7 p.m. | TNT, truTV altcast

Round 2 — 16 drivers

Chicago street race

Sunday, July 6 | 2 p.m. | TNT, truTV altcast

Round 3 — 8 drivers

Sonoma Raceway

Sunday, July 13 | 3:30 p.m. | TNT, truTV altcast

Round 4 — 4 drivers

Dover Motor Speedway

Sunday, July 20 | 2 p.m. | TNT, truTV altcast

Round 5 championship — 2 drivers

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Sunday, July 27 | 2 p.m. | TNT, truTV altcast

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The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Atlanta for the second time this season with the Quaker State 400 on June 28 at EchoPark Speedway.

A rare Saturday night race in 2025 will feature the unique pack racing that Atlanta has featured over the last few years.

In February, Christopher Bell won just ahead of Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson in a chaotic final lap.

Two things will be of central focus on Saturday night: The playoff picture and the in-season tournament. Nine races remain in the regular season, and 11 drivers have won this year. The playoff cutline has narrowed to put drivers like Alex Bowman and Bubba Wallace at risk of missing out.

Saturday’s race will also be the first round of the in-season tournament, with 32 drivers in 16 head-to-head matchups. The in-season tournament will be a battle within the normal race, with matchups decided by the final race results. We’ll be keeping tabs all night long.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Follow along with our live race updates, with green flag set for after 6 p.m. CT on Saturday.

ATLANTA RACE PICKS: NASCAR Atlanta predictions 2025: Expert picks for Cup Series race

NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta: Live updates, highlights, live leaderboard for the Quaker State 400

LIVE LEADERBOARD: Full field leaderboard of NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400

Chase Elliott wins at Atlanta!

Chase Elliott gets a run coming to the white flag, then slides past Brad Keselowski for the lead in turn 1. Alex Bowman got alongside Keselowski for second instead of pushing the 6, and Elliott wins unabated at the line. What a final 20 laps.

Lap 252: Intense racing

Alex Bowman and Zane Smith are trading the lead up front, with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Brad Keselowski behind. All four will be desperate to win.

Lap 232: Brad Keselowski preserves the lead for now

Brad Keselowski preserves the lead with a big-time push from Chris Buescher, while Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman can’t imagine the same.

Lap 228: Justin Haley, Ty Dillon push too hard

Ty Dillon tags Justin Haley while attempting to side draft, and Haley spins. Caution is out. Take a breather. Brad Keselowski leads Chase Elliott.

Haley is being hauled back to the garage area. He was running inside the top 10, and as mentioned below, was a willing pusher for other Chevys up front. He was in an in-season matchup with Ty Gibbs, who remains in the top 10.

Lap 226: Justin Haley, Ty Dillon looking like the best pushers

Chris Buescher is a willing pusher to teammate/owner Brad Keselowski, but Justin Haley and Ty Dillon are pushing well too.

Lap 211: RFK Racing cars determined late

Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher are quite the tandem to deal with on restarts, as Buescher again shoves Keselowski ahead of Chase Elliott for the lead.

Lap 203: David Starr brings out the caution

David Starr is stalled on pit road, and the caution is back out. Chase Elliott had just been passed by Brad Keselowski as the caution waved, but Elliott will hold onto the lead.

Lap 201: Chase Elliott holds the lead

Chase Elliott holds the lead on the restart, but Brad Keselowski certainly looks fast enough to make a mark late in this race.

Lap 196: Erik Jones spins

Erik Jones spins through turns 3 and 4, and the caution is out. Chase Elliott had just passed Ryan Preece and cleared him at the front.

Bubba Wallace is still running, just two laps down after that contact and caution a few laps ago.

Lap 194: Ryan Preece takes the lead on the restart

Ryan Preece leads Ty Gibbs and others off of the restart, but Chase Elliott is working the low lane.

Lap 185: Caution for Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace, back on the lead lap, spins down the backstretch. He hits the inside wall, and he may be done for the day.

Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick and Brad Keselowski will pit along with some others. They won’t have to save fuel the rest of the way, while the others may still have to especially if there’s overtime.

Tyler Reddick is penalized for driving through too many pit boxes.

Lap 177: Caution for SVG

Shane van Gisbergen spins after contact through the frontstretch. Caution is out.

Some cars stay out, like Alex Bowman, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott. Most pit.

Tyler Reddick wins Stage 2

Tyler Reddick wins Stage 2 by 0.001 seconds over Chase Elliott as they traded the lead. Reddick gets his first playoff point of the season.

The top 10:

Tyler Reddick Chase Elliott Chris Buescher Alex Bowman Erik Jones Ty Dillon Shane van Gisbergen John Hunter Nemechek Zane Smith Brad Keselowski

That was close between Reddick and Elliott at the start-finish line.

Lap 153: Chase Elliott to the lead

Chase Elliott clears Tyler Reddick through turns 3 and 4 to re-take the lead. 7 laps to go in the second stage. Things are calmer up front for now.

Lap 163: Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, Chris Buescher jockeying up front

Alex Bowman leads Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher with less than 20 to go in the second stage, with Erik Jones trying to be aggressive behind them.

Lap 120: Alex Bowman to the lead

Alex Bowman and Tyler Reddick trade the lead over the first couple laps after the restart. Stage 2 ends on Lap 160.

Lap 111: Caution for Riley Herbst, Todd Gilliland

Riley Herbst loses control suddenly as Chase Elliott rides alongside him in the top five, and Herbst slaps the outside wall before collecting Todd Gilliland.

Herbst will need major repairs.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will get a toe-link repair during this caution. Carson Hocevar is back on the lead lap.

Lap 104: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has issue

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. gets into the wall with Erik Jones, and Stenhouse reports an issue.

Lap 88: Aggression still high

The door is wide open for a non-winner to get their first victory of the season, so the aggression is high even with 172 laps to go. Chris Buescher leads Tyler Reddick and Chase Elliott. 21 cars in the lead pack right now.

Lap 77: Back to green

Ty Gibbs gets a good push to take the lead ahead of Chris Buescher. Everyone came in during the caution for fuel and/or tires.

Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch are among the drivers involved in the last crash still on the lead lap.

Running list of drivers done for the day after major crash

NASCAR reported 23 cars involved, but didn’t list Alex Bowman. That number could change. Among those who are done for the day:

Joey Logano

Corey Lajoie

William Byron

Many teams are trying to repair very damaged race cars.

Lap 69: The Big One!

We haven’t seen the big one at Atlanta until now. Denny Hamlin gets off-kilter off the bumper of John Hunter Nemechek, and Hamlin and Ross Chastain spin across the whole field. Everyone from about eighth place on is involved. This will be a lengthy caution.

Chase Elliott stayed out during the stage break and is the leader.

The list of cars involved:

Denny Hamlin

John Hunter Nemechek

Ross Chastain

Noah Gragson

Joey Logano

Alex Bowman

Josh Berry

Austin Cindric

Daniel Suarez

William Byron

Brad Keselowski

Carson Hocevar

Chase Briscoe

Kyle Larson

Kyle Busch

Justin Haley

Corey Lajoie

BJ McLeod

Ryan Preece

Ty Dillon

Cody Ware

Alex Bowman

Red flag is out. There are more cars involved than what is listed.

Austin Cindric wins Stage 1

Austin Cindric was ahead of Brad Keselowski at the time of caution, so he bags another playoff point.

The top 10:

Austin Cindric Brad Keselowski Joey Logano William Byron Carson Hocevar Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Josh Berry Shane van Gisbergen Chase Elliott Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace was involved in the crash, and it appeared that SVG and Chase Elliott passed him as he drove away. We’ll see if that is adjusted. (NOTE: That was adjusted.)

Lap 58: Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell involved in crash

Christopher Bell spins through turns 3 and 4, collecting Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace and others. Kyle Busch may have been up against the wall too. AJ Allmendinger also involved.

Blaney is out of his car, and likely done for the day. Note that Blaney is in a first round matchup against Carson Hocevar in the in-season tournament. (Blaney was my pick to win it all.) Blaney will finish 40th, so Hocevar will advance.

Lap 49: Back to green

Six cars stay out, including leader Joey Logano. But Logano and Austin Cindric are side by side for the lead. Cindric actually has the advantage but is not clear.

Engines re-firing

After a short delay, NASCAR tells drivers to re-fire engines. Yellow flag is back out.

Lap 44: Red flag for rain

NASCAR has displayed the red flag as the rain persists around the track. NASCAR also tells the drivers to stay in their cars as the jet dryers work on the track.

Lap 37: Caution for rain

Caution is out for rain. The pace car reports to NASCAR a “light, steady rain”. We’ll see if this causes a red flag.

Joey Logano remains the leader. “The track is good,” the pace car driver tells NASCAR officials on the radio.

Chase Elliott was earlier complaining of a loose race car and tells his team to give him something. Other drivers are also asking for adjustments. Reminder: these teams did not get a practice session this weekend.

Lap 30: Carson Hocevar showing off early again

Carson Hocevar is up inside the top 10 and being ultra-aggressive in passing other cars three-wide. Joey Logano remains the leader, but the aggression is rising.

Lap 11: Calm so far up front

Last night in the Xfinity Series race, there was a multi-car crash in the first five laps. That’s not going to happen tonight in a 400-mile race with this group of veteran drivers.

The first seven cars are single file up front, led by Joey Logano. They are also all Fords, with Alex Bowman in eighth the only non-Ford in the top 10. 60 laps in the first stage.

Carson Hocevar is the top mover so far, up 11 spots from starting 30th.

Lap 1: Green flag at Atlanta!

Green flag at Atlanta, and Joey Logano gets the edge and clears Josh Berry down the backstretch.

Two things to watch….

Two things to watch tonight: The playoff picture and the in-season tournament. Given the pack-racing element, it’s going to be a fluid situation with the 16 first-round matchups in the in-season challenge. But a driver that has trouble will be something we’ll note throughout the night. Who’s your inaugural in-season tournament winner?

POINTS COMING INTO TONIGHT: NASCAR points standings: Cup Series points update after Pocono race

About ready to fire the cars at Atlanta

Y’all won’t mind if I continue to call EchoPark Speedway Atlanta, will you? The drivers are getting into their cars, and the command to fire engines is upcoming soon. Should be a very interesting night, as long as the weather dodges the 1.5-mile track in central Georgia.

Joey Logano on the pole; full NASCAR Cup Series Atlanta starting lineup

Joey Logano is on the pole for the Quaker State 400, with the top eight spots taken by Fords.

The top 10:

Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Find the full starting lineup here.

NASCAR race radio coverage: How to listen to NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta

The Great American Getaway 400 will be aired on the radio by the Performance Racing Network. PRN has affiliates all across the country, and their feed can also be streamed on NASCAR.com as well as the NASCAR app. The race can also be heard on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

NASCAR Atlanta race TV schedule, start time

Green Flag Time: Approx. 6:20 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 28

Approx. 6:20 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 28 Track: EchoPark Speedway (1.54-mile oval) in Hampton, Georgia

EchoPark Speedway (1.54-mile oval) in Hampton, Georgia Length: 260 laps, 400 miles

260 laps, 400 miles Stages: 60 laps, 100 laps, 100 laps

60 laps, 100 laps, 100 laps TV coverage: TNT

TNT Radio: PRN

PRN Streaming: Watch FREE on Fubo;; MAX app for in-car cameras (subscription required); NASCAR.com and SiriusXM on Channel 90 for audio (subscription required)

The Quaker State 400 will be broadcast nationally on TNT. Other streaming options for the race include MAX for in-car cameras for each driver.

Recent NASCAR Cup Series winners at Atlanta

Chase Elliott won the Quaker State 400 at his home track after overtaking Brad Keselowski on the final lap.

This victory marks Elliott’s first win since April and his 20th career Cup Series win, securing him a playoff spot.

Chase Elliott passed Brad Keselowski on the final lap and held on for a win in the Atlanta NASCAR race, his home race, on June 28.

Elliott was one of only four drivers who was not involved in a crash in the action-packed Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Raceway.

The Dawsonville, Georgia native, led 39 laps earlier in the race before rejoining the leaders in the final five laps and passing Keselowski, who led for 45 laps, at the end.

Elliott secured a spot in the playoffs by claiming his first victory since April 14, 2024 at Texas. It was Elliott’s 20th career Cup victory.

Keselowski finished second and Alex Bowman was third followed by Tyler Reddick and Erik Jones.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

There were 45 lead changes and 10 cautions during the race.

This was the first race of NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge.

Here are the unofficial results for the Atlanta NASCAR race.

ATLATNA NASCAR CUP RACE HIGHLIGHTS: NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta: Live updates, highlights, leaderboard for the Quaker State 400

Who won NASCAR Atlanta race? Winner, race results for Quaker State 400 Cup Series race

Here are the unofficial results for the NASCAR Pocono at EchoPark Speedway: