The NASCAR Cup Series returns to EchoPark Speedway this weekend for the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart, marking TNT Sports’ long-awaited reentry into stock car broadcasting. With Cup qualifying set for Friday at 5:05 p.m. ET and the main event scheduled for Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET, the action is heating up—not just on the track, but across the screens fans will use to watch it all unfold.
A field of 40 drivers will take a single-lap shot at securing a top starting spot, using NASCAR’s metric-based system to determine the qualifying order. With a packed race schedule across three series and multiple tracks, this weekend is anything but ordinary.
Key Highlights
Cup Series qualifying airs Friday at 5:05 p.m. ET on truTV
Quaker State 400 airs Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT and Max
Qualifying order based on metric system (previous finish + owner points)
Connor Zilisch, David Starr, Corey LaJoie lead off qualifying session
TNT’s return features digital innovations and a star-studded broadcast crew
Cup Series Qualifying Order: Underdogs to Hit the Track Early
The Cup Series qualifying format at EchoPark is simple: one lap, one round, and everything to gain. With just a single shot to make it count, the order in which drivers take the track—determined by a metric combining team finish and points—can play a huge role, especially as weather threatens to interfere.
Here’s how the top of the qualifying order shapes up:
David Starr (#66) opens the session with the highest metric score of 42.5
Connor Zilisch (#87) and Corey LaJoie (#01) follow, aiming to impress in part-time efforts
BJ McLeod, Riley Herbst, Ty Dillon, and Cody Ware round out the first wave
But it’s the back half of the order that will draw the most attention. Some of the sport’s biggest names—including:
Denny Hamlin (#11) – 2.3
Chase Briscoe (#19) – 3.4
Ryan Blaney (#12) – 3.9
Chase Elliott (#9) – 5.0
Kyle Larson (#5) – 5.5
These drivers will qualify late in the session, potentially giving them an edge with more rubber on the track—or putting them at risk if weather intervenes.
| Pos. | Car No. | Driver | Metric Score |
| 1 | 66 | David Starr | 42.5 |
| 2 | 87 | Connor Zilisch | 41.9 |
| 3 | 1 | Corey LaJoie | 41 |
| 4 | 78 | BJ McLeod | 40.1 |
| 5 | 35 | Riley Herbst | 36.4 |
| 6 | 10 | Ty Dillon | 33 |
| 7 | 51 | Cody Ware | 31.1 |
| 8 | 88 | Shane van Gisbergen | 31 |
| 9 | 71 | Michael McDowell | 30.8 |
| 10 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 29.1 |
| 11 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 28.2 |
| 12 | 34 | Todd Gilliland | 28 |
| 13 | 4 | Noah Gragson | 25.7 |
| 14 | 41 | Cole Custer | 25.6 |
| 15 | 38 | Zane Smith | 25 |
| 16 | 3 | Austin Dillon | 24.6 |
| 17 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 24.5 |
| 18 | 7 | Justin Haley | 22 |
| 19 | 1 | Ross Chastain | 20.6 |
| 20 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | 19.8 |
| 21 | 8 | Kyle Busch | 19.7 |
| 22 | 24 | William Byron | 19.2 |
| 23 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | 18.6 |
| 24 | 77 | Crason Hocevar | 18.6 |
| 25 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | 16.7 |
| 26 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 15.3 |
| 27 | 43 | Erik Jones | 14.5 |
| 28 | 22 | Joey Logano | 14.2 |
| 29 | 21 | Josh Berry | 13.2 |
| 30 | 20 | Christopher Bell | 13.1 |
| 31 | 48 | Alex Bowman | 11.9 |
| 32 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | 10.8 |
| 33 | 2 | Austin Cindric | 10.6 |
| 34 | 60 | Ryan Preece | 10.1 |
| 35 | 17 | Chris Buescher | 6.1 |
| 36 | 5 | Kyle Larson | 5.5 |
| 37 | 9 | Chase Elliott | 5 |
| 38 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | 3.9 |
| 39 | 19 | Chase Briscoe | 3.4 |
| 40 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | 2.3 |
Broadcast Breakdown: Where and How to Watch This Weekend
The weekend isn’t just about racing—it’s about access. NASCAR’s new broadcast model continues to unfold with multiple viewing options for fans.
Friday, June 27 (ET):
1:05 PM – Truck Practice (FS2)
3:00 PM – Xfinity Qualifying (CW App)
5:05 PM – Cup Qualifying (truTV)
7:30 PM – Xfinity Race: Focused Health 250 (The CW)
Saturday, June 28 (ET):
9:30 AM – Truck Qualifying (FS1)
1:00 PM – Truck Race: LiUNA! 150 (FOX)
4:00 PM – ARCA Race: Lime Rock 100
7:00 PM – Cup Race: Quaker State 400 (TNT & Max)
Broadcast Cheat Sheet:
| Series | Race | Qualifying | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cup | TNT | truTV | Max |
| Xfinity | CW | CW App | CW App |
| Truck | FOX | FS1 | FOX Sports App |
truTV will also feature TNT’s AltCast, led by Larry McReynolds and Jeff Burton, focused on the In-Season Challenge Bracket—a $1 million mid-summer tournament that adds real stakes to every lap.
TNT Returns to NASCAR with a New Era of Storytelling and Tech
This weekend marks the first Cup Series race on TNT since the network rejoined NASCAR under its seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcast deal. TNT has committed to airing five Cup races every summer through 2031, with EchoPark Speedway being the first in the 2025 stretch.
Here’s the full TNT broadcast lineup this summer:
June 28 – EchoPark Speedway
July 6 – Chicago Street Course
July 13 – Sonoma Raceway
July 20 – Dover Motor Speedway
July 27 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Brickyard 400)
TNT’s approach is bold and modern. On top of traditional race coverage, fans will get:
On-site studio shows with Shannon Spake, Jamie McMurray, and Parker Kligerman
On-board cameras, team radio feeds, and alternative viewing formats
Simulcasts on Max with Bleacher Report tie-ins and digital content from Mamba Smith
In the booth, Adam Alexander handles play-by-play, joined by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte, ensuring both entertainment and expert analysis.
News in Brief: Quaker State 400 Qualifying Order
The Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway is more than just another race—it’s the launch pad for TNT’s new era, the start of the In-Season Challenge, and a showdown featuring some of the biggest stars in NASCAR qualifying at the back of the field.
As the field lines up for Friday’s single-lap qualifying runs, strategy, timing, and weather could all be deciding factors. With so much on the line, this is shaping up to be one of the season’s most intriguing weekends.
Friday’s qualifying at 5:05 PM ET on truTV and Saturday’s main event at 7:00 PM ET on TNT and Max. NASCAR’s summer stretch has officially begun.
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