The NASCAR Cup Series returns to EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday, February 22, with Team Penske NASCAR favorites leading the odds for this weekend’s Autotrader 400, the second race of the 2026 season. The race is set on the recently reconfigured 1.5-mile track, where competition promises to be fierce and a roster of potential winners is emerging among top drivers and underdogs alike.
Key Contenders: Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports Standouts
According to DraftKings Sportsbooks’ released odds, Team Penske drivers Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano, alongside Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, share the role of early favorites at +1000 to win. Blaney, consistent since the speedway’s reconfiguration into a drafting track in 2022, has collected six top-10 results at EchoPark Speedway, including a dramatic second-place finish behind Daniel Suarez in 2024’s three-wide finish. Despite not yet claiming victory on the new layout, Blaney’s history makes him a strong candidate for Sunday’s event.
Joey Logano brings proven success at the Atlanta venue, turning in victories at EchoPark Speedway in both 2023 and 2024. Known for his expertise in racing within the draft, Logano’s record places him firmly as a frontrunner as the Autotrader 400 approaches.
Chase Elliott, driving the No. 9 car for Hendrick Motorsports, returns as the most recent winner at EchoPark Speedway after overtaking Brad Keselowski on the final lap in the 2025 Quaker State 400. Elliott’s track history includes a win here in July 2022, reinforcing his position among the favorites to watch this weekend.
Additional contenders with strong odds include William Byron and Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports, along with Team Penske’s Austin Cindric, each posted at +1200 to win. Byron boasts two EchoPark Speedway victories from 2022 and 2023, while Larson, always a formidable competitor, secured a third-place finish at the February 2025 race. Austin Cindric, driving the No. 2, has led laps in every one of the track’s last seven races and achieved two top-five finishes during that span, underscoring Team Penske’s formidable lineup for this event.
Potential Surprises from Spire Motorsports and Other Longshots
While the favorites draw much attention, the unpredictable nature of drafting tracks like EchoPark Speedway means longshots cannot be ignored. Spire Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar enters with odds of +2500 and showed his capabilities with a runner-up finish at EchoPark in last season’s February event. Hocevar also recently led the pack at the white flag in the Daytona 500 before an unfortunate spin spoiled his chances.
Daniel Suarez, listed at +4000, is another Spire Motorsports driver with a past victory at EchoPark Speedway from his tenure with Trackhouse Racing, winning in February 2024 and finishing second at the September race that same year. Suarez’s proven experience at this track equips him well to play spoiler on Sunday.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. further pads the field of longshots, entering with +2800 odds. Stenhouse, driver of the No. 47, is known for winning on drafting circuits, having claimed all four of his Cup Series victories on such tracks. Although victory at EchoPark remains out of reach so far, he’s been consistent, finishing no worse than 14th in his last five starts there.
Event Details and Broadcast Information
The green flag for the Autotrader 400 waves at 3 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday. Fans can catch the high-stakes drama live on FOX or tune in via the Performance Racing Network. With both favorites and longshots poised to contend, and with recent races decided by mere fractions of a second, anticipation for EchoPark Speedway’s latest Cup Series showdown runs high.
This race promises to influence championship trajectories early in the NASCAR season, as Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports seek to reinforce dominance while Spire Motorsports and other hopefuls aim for a season-defining upset at one of Georgia’s most competitive racing stages.
