Wood Brothers Racing – Race Week Briefing: EchoPark Speedway

Event: Quaker State 400
Date/Time: Sunday, July 12, 2026, 7 p.m. ET
Location: EchoPark Speedway, Hampton, Georgia
Layout: 1.5-Mile Oval
TV/Radio: TNT, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Josh Berry and the No. 21 eero team return to EchoPark Speedway this weekend for the Quaker State 400 after producing several strong performances at the track in recent seasons.

The finishes haven’t reflected it, but Berry has consistently qualified near the front, led laps and contended for stage points at the reconfigured 1.54-mile oval. This weekend, the focus is on pairing that speed with the clean race needed to contend when it matters most.

EchoPark Speedway has become one of the NASCAR Cup Series’ most unpredictable venues since its 2021 reconfiguration and repave. The project increased the banking in the turns from 24 to 28 degrees while narrowing the racing surface from 55 feet to 40 feet, transforming the facility into a drafting-style track that produces the close, high-speed racing more commonly associated with Daytona and Talladega.

Berry has consistently shown speed at the track despite the challenging racing conditions. In six Cup Series starts, he has qualified inside the top 10 four times, including three starts from the top four. Last June, Berry earned the outside pole after posting an identical qualifying lap to Ford teammate Joey Logano, starting second based on the tiebreaker. He has also led 56 laps and captured a stage victory at EchoPark Speedway, but a string of multi-car incidents has prevented those performances from translating into the finishes the No. 21 team was capable of.

“I think we’ve been better at Atlanta than our finishes show,” Berry said. “We’ve had good speed there the last few times we’ve been there and have qualified well, but we’ve gotten caught up in a few situations that have kept us from getting the finishes we were capable of.

“Hopefully we can put ourselves in position again, stay out of trouble and be there at the end when it matters.”

Qualifying is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday with television coverage on truTV.

Sunday’s Quaker State 400 is scheduled to take the green flag shortly after 7 p.m. ET. The 260-lap, 400-mile race will air live on TNT, with stage breaks planned for Laps 60 and 160.

Josh Berry

Age: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Miles Stanley

IG: @joshberry88

X: @joshberry

About eero
eero was founded to make wifi and networking the way they should be—fast, reliable, secure, and, most importantly, easy to use. After introducing the first home mesh wifi system with a high-quality design that blends into its environment and technology that intuitively works behind the scenes, eero became known for sweating every single detail and delivering award-winning hardware and software for homes, businesses, communities, and service providers. Founded and headquartered in San Francisco in 2014, eero is an Amazon company. For more information, visit eero.com.

Are you a die-hard NASCAR fan? Follow every lap, every pit stop, every storyline? We're looking for fellow enthusiasts to share insights, race recaps, hot takes, or behind-the-scenes knowledge with our readers. Click Here to apply!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

SM SPEEDWAY SHOTS

Latest articles

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: NEW HAMPSHIRE RACE PREVIEW

In July 2023, Nemechek took home the checkered flag in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway after starting second.

FUNNY CAR POINTS LEADER RON CAPPS RETURNS TO BRAINERD AS NHRA 75TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREE

Ron Capps is no stranger to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series winner’s circle – especially at Brainerd International Raceway – and the three-time world champion will have his eye on another NHRA Brainerd Nationals win this weekend.

Gotta Go the Extra Mile at ‘Magic Mile’: New Hampshire Motor Speedway is Unique...

ASCAR Cup Series drivers have to go the extra mile at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Literally.

NHRA BRAINERD NATIONALS: ELITE MOTORSPORTS EVENT PREVIEW

Elite Motorsports nears the climax of the regular season as they head to Brainerd International Raceway for the NHRA Brainerd Nationals

Best New Zealand Online Casinos