EchoPark Speedway and Henry County lit up the night sky Thursday night to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and kick off race month at the speedway.
Fireworks and a drone show dazzled thousands of attendees with colorful explosions and illuminated formations in the night sky. NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece had the honor of starting the festivities; in just a matter of days he'll be back to be part of another awe-inspiring spectacle: the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.
“At this place handling is way more dramatic, the runs are way more dramatic,” Preece said. “It’s made this race really exciting. When (fans) come into the grandstands and go to their seat, they’re really not using it because they’re standing the entire time. That’s how exciting it is.”
Preece is currently in contention to be one of 16 drivers to compete for the Cup Series title in The Chase this fall. Earlier this year, Preece scored his first top-10 finish at EchoPark Speedway; a similar result in Atlanta’s Night Race would go a long way towards realizing that goal.
“When I look at the final eight races, I look at Atlanta as one where you can control your own fate, but you can also get caught up in something that wasn’t of your own doing,” Preece explained. “It’s a challenging racetrack for sure, so it’d be good to have a top-10, top-5 day with some stage points. I’d be happy with that for sure.”
Preece will compete in the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart on Sunday night, July 12 at 7 p.m. NASCAR action kicks off on Saturday, July 11, with Sunbelt Rentals Qualifying for both the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Cup Series, followed by the Focused Health 250 at 7 p.m.
Tickets and camping for the July 11-12 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend are available now at EchoParkSpeedway.com.
