By David Morgan, Associate Editor
FORT WORTH, Texas – The Lone Star State comes calling this weekend when the NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Texas Motor Speedway to kick off the second round of the Playoffs with Sunday’s running of the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500.
Texas first joined the circuit in 1997, but back in 2017 went through a reconfiguration, dropping the banking in Turns 1 and 2 from 24 degrees to 20 degrees, as well as widening the racing surface from 60 feet to 80 feet. Meanwhile, Turns 3 and 4 remain banked at 24 degrees and 60 feet wide, giving the track two distinct corners that the drivers will have to navigate.
After last weekend at Bristol, the Playoff field has been cut to 12 remaining drivers vying for a shot at taking home the championship trophy at season’s end.
Regular season champion and four-time winner in 2022, Chase Elliott, leads the championship field into Texas, joined by Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Alex Bowman, Daniel Suarez, and Austin Cindric.
As has been the case for the majority of the season, drivers and teams will have limited time in practice to get their cars dialed in on the tricky Texas layout, which will make the data they gathered at the NASCAR All-Star Race this summer all the more valuable.
However, a full-length, points-paying Playoff race is a completely different beast and will be a challenge down the stretch on race day as those both in and out of the championship fight battle it out for the right to don the cowboy hat and fire the six shooters in Victory Lane at the end of the day.
By the Numbers
What: Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500, NASCAR Cup Series Race No. 30 of 36
Where: Texas Motor Speedway – Fort Worth, Texas (Opened: 1997)
When: Sunday, September 25
TV/Radio: USA Network, 3:30 pm ET / PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90
Track Size: 1.5-mile quad oval
Race Length: 334 laps, 501 miles
Stage Lengths: First two stages: 105 laps each – Final stage: 124 laps
Pit Road Speed: 45 mph
Pace Car Speed: 55 mph
May 2022 All-Star Race Winner: Ryan Blaney – No. 12 Ford (Started second, 84 laps led)
November 2021 Race Winner: Kyle Larson – No. 5 Chevrolet (Started on pole, 256 laps led)
Track Qualifying Record: Kurt Busch (26.877 seconds, 200.915 mph – 11/3/2017)
Top-10 Driver Ratings at Texas:
- Kyle Busch – No. 18 Joe…
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