Qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta was called off Saturday because of persistent rain and lightning. As a result, Tyler Reddick will claim the pole position for Sunday’s Autotrader 400 using the NASCAR Rule Book lineup. Reddick won the Daytona 500 earlier this year and will start with his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota at the front of the grid.
Starting Lineup and Front Row Details
Joining Reddick on the front row will be Joey Logano in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford. Logano is a two-time winner at the 1.54-mile EchoPark Speedway and will be aiming to leverage his experience in Sunday’s race starting at 3 p.m. ET, which will be broadcast on FOX and covered across various radio networks including PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Impact of Weather on Saturday’s Schedule
The steady rain throughout the morning led to a halt in all on-track activities, affecting not only Cup Series qualifying but also the weekend’s schedule for other NASCAR national series. The Fr8 Racing 208, part of the Craftsman Truck Series, and the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series remain on the card, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. ET, respectively, with broadcasts on FS1, The CW, and various radio networks.
Historical Context and Next Steps
This marks the first time since 2008 that Cup Series qualifying was canceled at EchoPark Speedway. The cancellation means that the lineup defaults to the NASCAR Rule Book, granting Reddick the coveted pole position without on-track qualifying. Fans and teams will watch closely on Sunday to see how this impacts the race dynamics and whether rain may affect race day conditions as well.
