Atlanta Motor Speedway isn’t what it used to be. And no, we are not talking about it being renamed the EchoPark Speedway. The focus, for the moment, is the new design. After a major reconfiguration between 2021 and 2022, the 1.54-mile oval was transformed into a high-banked, superspeedway-style circuit with a steeper degree of banking in the turns and a much narrower racing groove. The goal? More pack racing, more drama, more fan engagement.
And by those measures, the 2025 Quaker State 400 certainly delivered. A chaotic finish, multiple lead changes, and a massive 23-car pileup made headlines. But for all the fireworks on track, not everyone’s celebrating. While fans may be loving the edge-of-your-seat spectacle, some drivers, particularly the veterans, aren’t sold. And Cup Series champion, Ryan Blaney, is making his opinion known in no uncertain terms.
Ryan Blaney critiques Atlanta’s packed chaos
EchoPark Speedway, once known for its worn-out surface and single-file racing, has become the epicenter of NASCAR’s most dramatic and unpredictable events since its reconfiguration. The track’s banking has been increased from 24 degrees to 28 degrees, and the racing groove has been narrowed from 55 feet to about 40 feet in turns. The result? More packed racing. And with this style of racing, naturally, comes chaos.
The 2025 Quaker State 400 was no exception, delivering a show that left fans on the edge of their seats. “This is a place where we’re so packed up,” said Freddie Kraft, veteran spotter and analyst. “You saw it the other night. One guy gets turned down the backstretch and literally three-quarters of the field packed into the same wreck.”
Indeed, the 2025 race was marred by a massive incident early in Stage 2, when Denny Hamlin’s spin on the backstretch triggered a chain reaction that collected 23 cars on the field. Other drivers involved in the wreck were Joey Logano, Josh Berry, Daniel Suarez, and William Byron, among others. Similarly, earlier this year, a pivotal wreck at the 2025 Ambetter Health 400 occurred late in Stage 2. Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, and Corey LaJoie were swept into a multicar crash after Elliott was forced into the wall by contact from other cars. The incident brought out caution and sidelined several contenders.
Blaney himself was caught in a crash earlier in the race, which took him out of contention. Moreover, last year during the playoff race, Larson’s car snapped loose in the center of turns 1 and 2 and collected Chase Briscoe. Thus, the EchoPark Speedway has now gained a reputation for being less of a traditional racetrack and more of a high-speed pressure cooker. One wrong move can wipe out half the field in an instant.
“Yeah, it’s just pandemonium of chaos,” Ryan Blaney summed it up candidly. “There are fun moments, but yeah, I prefer the old one.” Blaney’s sentiment echoes the broader tension among drivers. While the new Atlanta delivers excitement, it often feels more like survival than a true test of racing skill. As NASCAR continues to experiment with track configurations and racing packages, Atlanta stands as a case study in the balance between entertainment and competition. It is a place where every race feels like a high-stakes lottery, and the only guarantee is chaos.
From one unpredictable track to the next
After the pandemonium and high-speed chaos of Atlanta, NASCAR now heads to another unpredictable battleground. The Chicago Street Race. Drivers face a new set of challenges on the tight, twisting streets of Grant Park. This year’s event, set for July 5–6, promises the same blend of excitement and uncertainty that has defined NASCAR’s urban experiment since its debut.
The inaugural 2023 Chicago Street Race will long be remembered for its wild weather and wilder racing. Torrential downpours turned the 2.2-mile, 12-turn circuit into a slick, treacherous gauntlet, forcing drivers to adapt on the fly. Shane van Gisbergen, making his NASCAR debut, emerged as the surprise winner. But it was not before a series of dramatic incidents.
There were multiple spins and crashes, leaving the field battered and the track littered with wrecked cars. The rain-soaked conditions amplified the chaos. Drivers struggled for grip and visibility, and the race was ultimately shortened due to the perilous track conditions. A year later, in 2024, the weather improved slightly, but the intensity remained.
This time, the race was shortened to 58 laps due to darkness, with Alex Bowman breaking an 80-race winless streak to take the checkered flag. Tyler Reddick and Ty Gibbs rounded out the podium in a tightly contested event. As NASCAR returns to Chicago for the third time, the legacy of this event, like Atlanta, is clear. It’s a true test of skill, patience, and adaptability. With the city’s streets, unpredictable weather, and relentless competition, will 2025 deliver another unforgettable chapter in NASCAR’s street racing saga?
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