Race: Challenge Round 1 – Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart
Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025
Track: EchoPark Speedway
Time: 7pm ET
Channel: TNT Sports
What Did We Learn From Last Weekend?
Christopher Bell lost momentum at Pocono despite his success in weeks prior. He struggled throughout the day to keep pace and finished a disappointing 17th place when all was said and done. Chase Briscoe happened to be the man of the hour after leading 72 laps with a margin of victory at 0.682s, clearly earning his spot in victory lane and his rightful place in the playoffs. There were 11 total lead changes and 7 cautions for 31 laps. It boiled down to a fuel game at the end, much like Pocono typically does.
Briscoe was able to hold his throttle and proved that he could beat the best Pocono driver around. Although Denny Hamlin had the fastest lap of the race, he couldn’t muster the exact strategy to knock Briscoe out of contention. Hamlin came into the race on the pole position and won the first stage. He led a very respectable 32 laps but didn’t put the day together that Chase did. Hamlin took home the runner-up spot, followed by Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, and Chase Elliott. John Hunter Nemechek came home with one of his best finishes in 6th place, followed by Kyle Larson, Ryan Preece, Brad Keselowski, and Austin Cindric.
Where Are We Headed This Weekend?
Drivers and teams are heading into the first challenge race of the summer challenge series this weekend at EchoPark Speedway. If you’re like me, this place will always be Atlanta Motor Speedway. It’s a 1.540-mile quad oval with 28 degrees in the turns and 5 degrees on the straights. Atlanta runs like a mini superspeedway. Speeds are high, and track position is crucial.
Odds and Value Picks
Kyle Larson is coming in as the favorite at +350, but I’m not so sure that his results will match. In fact, in 15 starts, Larson only has a handful of finishes in the top 10 at Atlanta. Let’s take a look at a few drivers that will likely prevail this weekend.
Winner: Ryan Blaney (+550)
Blaney is historically the best driver in most recent races and also in all-time active driver standings. He’s running a triple tie for 2nd best odds behind Kyle Larson, but Blaney has 7 top 5 finishes in 14 races, including a win. Blaney has a much cleaner record than Larson and is coming into the weekend off a strong run at Pocono.
Mid-Range Pick: Daniel Suarez (+10000)
Wild. I know. Those odds are way out there, but Suarez got a boost from his Xfinity success in Mexico City and needs to translate that to the races here stateside. In 13 career starts, Suarez has a win and 6 top 10 finishes. This is one of his better tracks, so look for this team to come online and buckle down this weekend.
Dark Horse: Carson Hocevar (+5000)
With odds better than Suarez, anything is possible. Hocevar is coming in hot, and his 3 starts have given him 2 top 10 finishes. This kid is up and coming, and Atlanta is a great track for drivers like him to like speed and the ability to move around and pass guys. Look for him to have a successful Sunday.
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Top 16 After Last Week’s Race:
- 1. William Byron
- 2. Kyle Larson
- 3. Denny Hamlin
- 4. Christopher Bell
- 5. Chase Elliott
- 6. Ryan Blaney
- 7. Tyler Reddick
- 8. Ross Chastain
- 9. Chase Briscoe
- 10. Joey Logano
- 11. Chris Buescher
