EchoPark Speedway

Here's the thing about EchoPark Speedway-it's basically NASCAR's best-kept secret hiding in plain sight just south of Atlanta. And when I say "hiding," I mean this 850-acre motorsports palace has been churning out some of the wildest racing in the sport since they reconfigured the whole thing back in 2021.

So what makes this place different? Well, they took what was already a legendary track-we're talking about a venue that's been hosting races since 1960-and completely reimagined it. They bumped the banking from 24 degrees to 28 degrees, which might not sound like much until you realize that small change turned this 1.54-mile oval into something that races like a superspeedway. We're talking pack racing, three-wide finishes, and the kind of chaos that makes your heart race even from the grandstands.

And speaking of finishes-in February 2024, this place delivered the closest three-wide finish in NASCAR history. Daniel Suárez won by 0.003 seconds. That's not a typo. Three one-thousandths of a second separated first from third place. You literally can't blink during the final laps here.

But here's what really gets me about EchoPark Speedway: it's got this perfect blend of old-school NASCAR soul and modern amenities. The track opened as Atlanta International Raceway back in 1960, and it's seen everything-Richard Petty's final race and Jeff Gordon's first Cup Series start happened on the same day here in 1992. That's the kind of history you can feel when you walk through the place.

The facility itself is pretty impressive. There's a nine-story condominium building called Tara Place right on the property with 46 luxury units, plus 137 luxury suites scattered around the track. The capacity sits around 71,000 these days, though back in its heyday it could pack in over 120,000 fans. And if you're wondering about the view, there really isn't a bad seat in the house-the quad-oval configuration means you can see most of the action from anywhere.

Now, the name change happened in June of this year through a seven-year, multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with EchoPark Automotive, the used car company. Some folks might miss the Atlanta Motor Speedway name after 35 years, but the track itself? Still the same beast that produces some of the most unpredictable racing on the circuit.

They host two NASCAR weekends each year-one in February and another in July-and both have become must-see events. The reconfiguration has turned this into a track where anything can happen. Lead changes? They set a record for most lead changes at the speedway recently. Comebacks? Brad Keselowski once won here in 2019 while battling flu-like symptoms and starting 19th. That's the kind of place this is.

Between race weekends, the speedway stays busy with events like Monster Jam, the Georgia State Fair, and various other motorsports activities. You can even book a track tour for $15 where they'll take you around in the speedway van for three laps, show you the luxury suites, Victory Lane, and all the behind-the-scenes spots that make this place tick. Tours run Monday through Friday at various times, but you'll want to call ahead since it depends on track availability.

The location is pretty ideal too-about 30 miles south of Atlanta in Hampton, right off Highways 19 and 41. Easy to get to, and the surrounding area has plenty of hotels and restaurants for race weekend. They've got this whole color-coded parking system for NASCAR events that actually works pretty well, routing traffic based on which direction you're coming from to minimize the usual race-day gridlock.

What strikes me most is how this place has managed to stay relevant. In an era where some tracks struggle to fill seats, EchoPark Speedway figured out the formula: take a historic venue, make it race like fans want to see, and don't mess with what works. The result? Some of the most exciting racing in NASCAR, period.