RCR Race Preview: EchoPark Speedway

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at EchoPark Speedway… In 169 NASCAR Cup Series starts at EchoPark Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins and four pole awards, including Kevin Harvick’s emotional victory in 2001. Dale Earnhardt won eight times at the Hampton, Georgia track under the RCR banner (1984-fall, 1986-fall, 1988-spring, 1989-fall, 1990-spring, 1995-fall, 1996-spring, 2000-spring). The Welcome, N.C., team has 31 top-five and 64 top-10 finishes at EchoPark Speedway and has led a total of 3,045 laps at the 1.54-mile oval.

RCR in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at EchoPark Speedway… RCR has recorded eight NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins at EchoPark Speedway, led by Austin Hill’s five victories (2022-fall, 2023-spring, swept both races in 2024, 2025-spring). Jeff Burton (2006 and 2007) and Kevin Harvick (2013) also secured victories at EchoPark Speedway with RCR. As an organization, RCR has racked up 19 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes across 68 starts at the Peachtree State track.

Did You Know? RCR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program has won nine of the last 13 (Hill – seven, Jesse Love – two) and 13 of the last 24 drafting track events (all since Hill joined the team in 2022). Additionally, with Hill’s victory last week at Daytona International Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has now won five consecutive season-opening events, tying the previous record set by Dale Earnhardt Inc. (1990-1994).

2.75… With RCR Chevrolets capturing the pole positions for both the Daytona 500 (Busch) and United Rentals 300 (Hill) and all four entries starting no worse than seventh (Love, 2nd; Dillon, 7th), the company’s average starting position at Daytona International Speedway was an impressive and stout 2.75.

Catch the Action on Saturday… The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 at EchoPark Speedway will be televised live Saturday, February 21, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Watch Us on FOX… The NASCAR Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, February 22, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FOX. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway… In 18 NASCAR Cup Series starts at EchoPark Speedway, Austin Dillon earned a best finish of sixth in March 2021. Across four NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and four NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Hampton, Georgia track, Dillon has posted seven top-10 results and never finished worse than the 11th position.

About Morgan & Morgan… As America’s largest injury law firm, with lawyers licensed in all 50 states, Morgan & Morgan has recovered more than $30 billion for over 700,000 clients. Throughout the United States, our attorneys fulfill our “For The People” commitment in over 50 practice areas, including national mass torts and class actions, labor and employment, product liability and dangerous drugs, among many others. Hundreds of law firms throughout the U.S. refer thousands of cases through our Morgan Connection platform. Our firm has taken on some of the biggest corporations across the globe, including BP, Facebook, Google, Monsanto, and Eli Lilly, and recovered billions in complex national litigation, including $1.8 billion in the Porter Ranch Gas Leak case in California. Learn more at www.forthepeople.com.

Meet Dillon… Fans will have two opportunities to meet Dillon this weekend. On Saturday, February 21 at 9:45 a.m. Local Time, Dillon will participate in a question and answer session at the Fan Zone Stage at EchoPark Speedway. On Sunday, February 22 at 11:45 a.m. Local Time, the 35-year-old will participate once more in a question and answer session at the Fan Zone Stage.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

EchoPark Speedway changed a lot with the repave and the reconfiguration, but how has it changed since? Where are we with the evolution?

“I think EchoPark Speedway is gaining character from the winters, and just the passing of time. That place is so banked, and you’re starting to find little bumps and stuff that were in it from the beginning that are getting bigger. It’s a cool style of racing. It’s a lot different than what we all envisioned a repave of EchoPark Speedway would be, I think. It’s speedway racing but with an important handling component. Handling is going to become more and more important as the track wears. I had a lot of fun in previous races there, even though we’ve been caught up in some messes.”

It’s very easy to get caught up in somebody else’s problems at EchoPark Speedway…

“It seems like it is, because two years ago that was probably the best car I’ve had going there. We were just riding along and the wreck happens and you’re in it. I mean, if you’re within a car length, it’s very tough to get away from the wreck at EchoPark Speedway.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway… Sunday’s 260-lap race at EchoPark Speedway will mark Kyle Busch’s 33rd career NASCAR Cup Series start at the Hampton, Georgia track. Busch has two NASCAR Cup Series wins at the 1.54-mile track, reaching Victory Lane in March 2008 and September 2013. The 41-year-old Las Vegas native has 10 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes at the track, holds an average starting position of 11.9 and an average finish of 13.1. In addition to his Cup Series success at EchoPark Speedway, the veteran racer also has eight NASCAR Truck Series and three NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins at the Peachtree State track.

Did You Know? Busch is the youngest winner in Cup Series history at EchoPark Speedway, claiming the checkered flag in the 2008 spring event at 22 years, 10 months, and 7 days of age.

About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the homestyle casual dining restaurant where guests always Get a lot. For not a lot™. The restaurant offers a variety of homemade meals and generous portions served up in a warm, welcoming atmosphere – all at an unbelievable price. After being welcomed with a signature Honey Butter Croissant on the house, guests can enjoy signature entrées like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 28 states. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Double Duty… In addition to his driving duties in Sunday’s Cup Series race, Busch will pilot the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports in Saturday’s Truck Series race.

Off the Track… Before Busch fires up the engine this weekend, he’s making a special pit stop in Georgia. A local 5th grade teacher, Ms. Smallwood, has gone viral for using NASCAR to spark excitement in her classroom. Busch, along with Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, are surprising her students with Cheddar’s croissants, fun surprises, and a hands-on lesson led by the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion himself.

Meet Busch… Race fans will have two opportunities to get up-close with Busch this weekend at EchoPark Speedway. On Saturday, February 21 at 9:30 a.m. Local Time, Busch will be on the Fan Zone Stage for a question and answer session, while on Sunday, February 22 at 11:30 a.m. Local Time, he will participate in the Speedway Children’s Charities LIVE Auction, also on the Fan Zone Stage.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

Talk about racing at EchoPark Speedway and what it’s like.

“EchoPark Speedway is an entirely different track than what it used to be. No more old age asphalt and running and strategy to have the best tires at the end. It’s a speedway race. It’s all everybody on top of one another and there’s a lot of chess matches going on. So trying to figure out the best lane to be in, where you want to be on that last lap, do you want to be leading, do you want to be second, it just kind of depends on the situations and the runs and the energy that is happening behind you from the other cars to push you forward.”

Talk about the chaotic nature of racing in Atlanta…

“Atlanta has gotten pretty chaotic, anything can happen. Any moment, we’re pushing each other, bumping each other, and more times than not we’re crashing down the straightaways. It’s a tricky little racetrack because it’s a mile-and-a-half. So the superspeedway aspect of it, at a mile-and-a-half, the speed sensation is so much higher. So, it’s really a fun place to race, but yet a big challenge on the drivers.”

How do you balance the aggression of racing here, and surviving?

“Yeah, you want to be aggressive at Atlanta because you want to get up towards the front. You want to make those moves to get yourself in position and everybody else is also trying to do that, so you got 30-40 drivers vying for that number one position it gets a little bit hectic, but you know you gotta wait. It’s a long race, you can’t be wrecking and piling up 30 something cars in turn three in the first stage it just makes zero sense, so trying to find a way to make it through the wrecks and not get caught up in one.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Samsara Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway… Jesse Love, the reigning O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion, will make his fifth start at the Hampton, Georgia track. Across his previous four starts at the 1.54-mile oval, the 21-year-old qualified on the pole for his first three starts (swept both poles in 2024, 2025-spring), earning a best finish of sixth twice. Love has completed 100% of the laps contested at EchoPark Speedway.

Strong Start to 2026… Starting on the outside of the front row alongside his teammate Austin Hill, Love was in contention throughout the race, led 27 laps and finished ninth in the season-opening O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

About Samsara… Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations® Platform, an open platform that connects the people, devices, and systems behind some of the world’s most complex operations. By bringing real-time data and AI together in one place, Samsara helps organizations turn day-to-day activity into clear, actionable insights to run safer, more efficient operations. With tens of thousands of customers across North America and Europe, Samsara serves the teams who keep the global economy moving—from transportation and logistics to construction, field services, manufacturing, utilities and energy, government, healthcare and education, food and beverage, and more—making these essential operations safer, more efficient, and more sustainable.

Recently, Samsara unveiled the Samsara Coach—a new AI-powered coaching experience delivering personalized, real-time guidance to drivers—that features Jesse Love as a Samsara Coach avatar. The new feature was recently announced in a Super Bowl commercial featuring the NASCAR champ.

Meet Love… On Saturday, February 21 at 2:30 p.m. Local Time, Love is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone at EchoPark Speedway. Stop by to meet Love and purchase new No. 2 gear.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

What are your thoughts going into EchoPark Speedway after a strong showing last weekend at Daytona International Speedway?

“I’m excited for Atlanta, and I am pretty motivated after last week. I felt like I had a great car, and obviously Austin Hill came out on top, and that motivates me even more. We’re going to try and stop his domination at Atlanta, which would be really cool for me. It’s not that I don’t want the 21 to win, but I have put a lot of effort into Atlanta and I feel like on the speedways I’m comparing myself a lot to what Austin has been able to accomplish and that’s been a great motivator for me to get better at these style tracks. Atlanta is a track that I’ve been really close at in the past, I’ve led coming to the white flag twice, ran out of fuel, you know, leading an overtime finish there, and things just haven’t panned out for me. So hopefully I can control my own destiny a little bit better this time around and finally take home a win in Atlanta. That would be huge for me to finally get it done there.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway… Austin Hill has eight starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at EchoPark Speedway, earning five victories, including winning three consecutive O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events (swept both races in 2024 and 2025-spring) and five of the last seven at the Hampton, Georgia track. Hill has led laps in seven of eight starts, leading a total of 364 laps. In addition, the 31-year-old has six NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Peachtree State track, posting one pole (2019), two top-five (2020, 2021) and three top-10 results (2019-2021).

Record Chasing x2… This weekend, Hill will look to surpass Kevin Harvick for the most all-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins at EchoPark Speedway. Harvick’s five victories came before the track reconfiguration, while Hill’s five checkered flags have all been on the new surface. Also, if the No. 21 Chevrolet crosses the finish line first, Hill will become the first driver in history to win the first two races of a season multiple times (he won both races in 2024).

Drafting Track Dominance… Hill is the all-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series drafting track leader in wins (11), stage wins (18) and laps led (888). The veteran racer is the only O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver to win on all three drafting tracks.

Bennett 250 Loading… Located a short 15 minutes from EchoPark Speedway, Bennett Transportation & Logistics’ headquarters are based in McDonough, Georgia. Serving as the entitlement partner of Saturday’s race, Bennett Family of Companies will have over 500 guests on site to watch Hill compete in the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250.

Georgia Boy Returns Home… Hill is a native of Winston, Georgia, located 60 miles from EchoPark Speedway. Hill started his motorsports career racing bandolero and legends cars on the frontstretch quarter-mile oval at the Hampton, Georgia track.

Daytona Winner… After capturing the pole in last week’s season-opening O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Daytona International Speedway, Hill dominated the event, sweeping both stages and leading a race-high 78 laps en route to capturing his fourth career season-opening win at the World Center of Racing.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

Meet Hill… On Saturday, February 21, fans have two opportunities to meet Hill prior to the green flag. At 1:55 p.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to make an appearance at the Bennett Family of Companies Display in the Fan Zone at EchoPark Speedway. Immediately following at 2:15 p.m. Local Time, the Georgia native is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone. Stop by to meet Hill and purchase a new limited edition No. 21 win t-shirt.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:

Do you approach EchoPark Speedway differently than Daytona International Speedway?

“For me personally, I have a different mindset going to Atlanta versus when I go to Daytona or Talladega. The way that runs are formed there with it being a mile and a half, things happen so quickly. I’m more mentally drained after that race than I am any other speedway race we go to. There is so much going on. My spotter, Derek Kneeland, will be talking non-stop simply because of how fast everything happens. Track position on the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series side is crucial. It’s very hard to gain track position back once you lose it. We have been able to make it up in the past, but as the track has deteriorated over the years, it’s getting harder and harder in our series to drive through the field and back up to the front.”

What do you need from your car to have success at EchoPark Speedway?

“We need to have a balance of raw speed and downforce built into the car. It’s always a 50-50 on what we want to do. How much do we want to look at the raw speed and sitting on the pole, and how much do we want to look at the drivability of the car. I thought we did a really good job of that in the February race last year, with having a good mixture of the two. For our series and our teams, it’s tough to understand what we need to have when unloading. Sure, you can go trim your car out and sit on the pole, but what is it going to do once you’re in the pack? There are a lot of different ways to look at Atlanta, which I enjoy. We might see a breakaway of five or six cars, or we all might be bunched up. It really depends on what everyone brings to the racetrack and how the race plays out. Temperature always seems to play a role in the equation too.”

A Georgia driver with a Georgia based sponsor in a Georgia race. How cool is it to represent Bennett Transportation & Logistics in their entitlement race?

“Over the last couple of years when we go to Atlanta, Bennett has either been the pole sponsor or the race entitlement sponsor. Each time they tell me that I have to go win each stage, lead laps, and win the race. I tell them all the time that I’m so glad you have that much confidence in me and I wish I had that much confidence in myself. It is so hard to win these races. So many things can happen and go wrong. We have been fortunate enough to win there multiple times and to do it with Bennett is really special. I’ve already been told this week that I need to win the race, so pressure is on for me to deliver. Hopefully, it’s just like Daytona where we stay up front all day and do what we know how to do on these speedway style races.”

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

Latest articles

Front Row Motorsports: EchoPark Speedway NCS Race Advance (Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith)

TitleMax joins Gragson and the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse this weekend in Atlanta.

Front Row Motorsports: EchoPark Speedway NCTS Race Advance (Layne Riggs / Chandler Smith)

Layne Riggs heads to EchoPark Speedway following a strong showing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season opener at the Daytona International Speedway

Wood Brothers Racing Race Week Briefing: EchoPark Speedway

With a top-10 finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 in the books, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head into the second race of the 2026 season carrying early momentum that has been hard to come by in recent years.

OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN ADDS $10,000 TO WIN NON-WING SPRINT CAR DIVISION FOR 2026

The fourth annual Open Wheel Showdown is excited to announce the addition of Non-Wing Sprint Cars for its 2026 running at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, November 5–7.

Best New Zealand Online Casinos