Forty cars will christen the new name of the former Atlanta Motor Speedway when the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Georgia this weekend.
The Quaker State 400 is scheduled for 7 p.m. June 28 at EchoPark Speedway. Same track as fans saw in February when Christopher Bell won the second race of the regular season. Just a new title sponsor.
Four cars in the field are open entries. Big-time prospect Connor Zilisch will make his third career Cup Series start in a Trackhouse machine. Corey LaJoie and BJ McLeod will compete in the top circuit for the first time since April. And 57-year-old David Starr will return to the Cup level after 14 months away.
Those drivers will not be among the 32 competing in the first in-season challenge. The tournament includes the top 32 drivers in points following the Nashville race on June 1. The seeds of the head-to-head bracket are based on the results from the last three weekends at Michigan, Mexico City and Pocono. No. 1 battles No. 32, No. 2 battles No. 31 and so on in the opening round. The driver with the better finish advances.
Each week, the bracket gets cut in half. The championship round is set for July 27 in Indianapolis, and the champion receives $1 million.
Here is the full entry list for Saturday’s race:
NASCAR drivers in Quaker State 400 race at Atlanta
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR entry list: See all 40 drivers set to compete in Quaker State 400 race at Atlanta
Reporting by Chris Vinel, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
