Echo Park Speedway has been a dominant track for Ford – Ford Preview
Zane Smith
After opening the 2026 season at Daytona International Speedway, Ford Racing teams in all three of NASCAR’s top series will head to EchoPark Speedway (formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway) for the first of two visits this year. Chandler Smith will be looking to start the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season with back-to-back wins after his Daytona victory while Nick Sanchez goes for consecutive track wins in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The weekend culminates with the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday afternoon.
QUALIFYING DOMINANCE When it comes to qualifying in recent years, no manufacturer has been more dominant than Ford, which has captured the NASCAR Cup Series pole six straight times. The Blue Oval hasn’t only won the pole, but it has swept the front row in each of those qualifying sessions. Team Penske has led the way during this two-year stretch as all three drivers – Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric – have qualified in the top 10 for each race. The organization has also had at least one driver start on the front row in each of the last six races. Here’s a list of Ford’s qualifying success since 2023.FORD LOOKING TO EXTEND ATLANTA POLE STREAK TO SEVENJoey Logano ran Ford Racing’s streak of Cup poles at EchoPark Speedway to six after putting his No. 22 Autotrader Ford Mustang Dark Horse on the pole in June.The list of pole winners during that span includes: Joey Logano and Michael McDowell (twice each), Aric Almirola and Ryan Blaney (once each).Ford has swept the front row in six straight AMS qualifying sessions – Logano/Berry (2025-2), Blaney/Cindric (2025-1), McDowell/Blaney (2024-2), McDowell/Logano (2024-1), Almirola/Blaney (2023-2), Logano/Cindric (2023-1).Team Penske has had at least one driver start on the front row in each of the last six races (Logano, 2025-2; Blaney and Cindric, 2025-1; Blaney, 2024-2; Logano, 2024-1; Blaney, 2023-2; Logano and Cindric, 2023-1)Ford swept the top 8 spots in the 2023 spring race.Ford swept the top 6 spots in the 2023 summer race.Ford swept the top 5 spots in the 2024 summer race.Ford swept the top 5 spots and 9 of the top 10 in the 2025 spring race.Ford swept the top 8 spots in the 2025 summer race.
KESELOWSKI GETS FIRST CUP WIN FOR MUSTANGIn 2019, Brad Keselowski gave Mustang its first NASCAR Cup Series victory as he held off Martin Truex Jr. at the finish line to win the Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Keselowski, who was battling an illness all weekend and had Austin Cindric standing by in case he needed relief, led the final 33 laps to post his 28th career victory. In all, Ford Racing led 177 of the 325 laps and won for the third straight year at the 1.5-mile track.
