Atlanta Race Day Shifts
Atlanta Quaker State 400 Undergoes Four Lineup Changes; Rain Threatens Qualifying
Key Points
Two non-chartered entries that raced at Chicagoland—NY Racing Team's No. 44 and 23XI Racing's No. 67 for Corey Heim—will not return for Atlanta, extending their absence from this weekend's race. Heim finished ninth at Chicagoland and has five additional Cup starts planned in 2026, while J.J. Yeley in the No. 44 ran Chicagoland in 35th, neither returning to Atlanta.
B.J. McLeod is back behind the wheel of the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports at Atlanta, ending his recent superspeedway-streak that had him driving at every superspeedway since 2021 through Talladega in 2026. He had previously driven the No. 78 in every superspeedway race for the team over multiple seasons.
Chad Finchum will drive the No. 66 Ford for Garage 66/MBM Motorsports at Atlanta, a car that had previously been withdrawn from February’s entry with Casey Mears and from Chicagoland with Josh Bilicki. Finchum already has four starts this season, and the No. 66 has eight races in 2026.
If Saturday’s qualifying is washed out again, the starting lineup would be set by NASCAR’s two-variable metric from 2025, which would place Denny Hamlin on pole due to his current P1 in points and P3 finish at Chicagoland. The site also provides a full hypothetical lineup under the canceled-qualifying scenario.
Atlanta Motor Speedway's EchoPark Speedway will host the Quaker State 400 on July 11, marking the Cup Series' first track to host a second race in the 2026 season. Four entry-list changes separate this weekend's field from the one that raced at Chicagoland, according to Yahoo Sports.
Two open cars that ran at Chicagoland will sit this one out. Two different teams step in to take their spots, with Chad Finchum and B.J. McLeod set to compete. TNT Sports will broadcast the race starting at 7:00 p.m. ET, Tennessean reports.
Two Chicagoland Cars Won't Make the Trip South
NY Racing Team's No. 44 and 23XI Racing's No. 67 both ran at Chicagoland but will not appear at Atlanta. Corey Heim drove the No. 67 to a ninth-place finish at Chicagoland. He has five more Cup starts planned in 2026, but Atlanta is not one of them, according to Yahoo Sports.
J.J. Yeley drove the No. 44 at Chicagoland and finished 35th. Neither Yeley nor Heim will return this weekend. Their exits open the door for two new open entries to take their place in the field.
Finchum and McLeod Step In as Open Entries
Chad Finchum will drive the No. 66 Ford for Garage 66/MBM Motorsports. The car had been withdrawn twice before — once in February with Casey Mears and again at Chicagoland with Josh Bilicki. Finchum already has four starts in 2026. The No. 66 has now made eight race appearances this season, per Yahoo Sports.
B.J. McLeod returns to the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports. McLeod had driven the No. 78 at every superspeedway race since 2021, a streak that ran through Talladega earlier in 2026. Atlanta continues that history. Both the No. 66 and No. 78 are locked into the race as open entries, Yahoo Sports reports.
Rain Threatens Qualifying, Hamlin Could Land on Pole
Saturday qualifying faces a 58% chance of rain. If it gets washed out, NASCAR would use its two-variable metric from 2025 to set the starting lineup. That system weighs driver points standings and recent finish, according to Yahoo Sports.
Under that formula, Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin would start on pole. He currently sits P1 in points and finished P3 at Chicagoland. A full hypothetical lineup has been projected for the canceled-qualifying scenario, Tennessean notes.
Atlanta Serves as Season's Second Superspeedway Stop
Atlanta Motor Speedway is the second superspeedway on the 2026 Cup Series calendar. The high-speed, drafting-heavy style of racing makes it different from a standard oval. Open entries like the No. 66 and No. 78 can still earn their way in through time trials or the qualifying metric, per Yahoo Sports.
This weekend also marks the quarterfinals stage of the season, adding extra stakes for playoff contenders. Finchum's Atlanta start will be his first Cup appearance at the track. McLeod, a superspeedway regular, brings experience on this style of circuit back to the No. 78 garage.
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