In a highly unusual outcome at the EchoPark Speedway, formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway, Joey Logano and Josh Berry posted identical lap times during NASCAR Cup Series qualifying. This resulted in a tie at the top of the leaderboard for the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart scheduled for Saturday.
Both drivers completed the 1.54-mile superspeedway circuit in 30.979 seconds, averaging 178.960 mph. Despite matching performances, Logano was awarded the pole position based on owner points, marking his 32nd career pole in the series.
Setting the Stage for an Exciting Quaker State 400
This marks the first time in 17 years that two drivers shared the fastest qualifying time in the NASCAR Cup Series, recalling the 2007 Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway when Jeff Gordon edged out David Gilliland in a similar tie-breaker.
Josh Berry, who earned his maiden Cup Series victory earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, narrowly missed out on his first pole position due to the tiebreaker. His strong qualifying run confirmed his rising competitiveness in the series.
Team Penske Dominates the Top Qualifiers
Joey Logano, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and a key driver for Team Penske, praised the team’s uniform car-building approach and credited Roush-Yates Engines for their performance.
“Well, you know, we all have the same things and Team Penske does a great job at building the same cars, it seems like,”
said Logano.
“All of us are in the top four there. Proud of everyone at the shop, proud of Roush-Yates Engines. This is always a test of how close you can build your cars, but how much speed you can put in them.”
—Joey Logano, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
Ryan Blaney, another Team Penske driver, secured third place after qualifying just 0.004 seconds behind Logano and Berry. This strong showing highlights Team Penske’s dominance at the EchoPark Speedway track.
Complete Qualifying Results Highlight Top Contenders
The top five qualifiers included Austin Cindric and Ryan Preece following the Team Penske trio. Brad Keselowski started sixth, with Cole Custer and Zane Smith in seventh and eighth respectively. Alex Bowman and Chase Briscoe completed the top 10 qualifiers.
Other notable drivers such as Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, and Christopher Bell secured positions further down the grid, emphasizing the depth of competition heading into the race.
Looking Ahead to the Race at EchoPark Speedway
The Quaker State 400 will take place at EchoPark Speedway on Saturday, June 28, at 7:00 p.m. ET. With the pole decided in such a rare fashion and multiple Team Penske drivers at the front, the race promises intense competition and strategic battles on the superspeedway.
The outcome of the qualifying run underscores how close performance margins are among top NASCAR teams and suggests a thrilling event where every fraction of a second will count toward race day success.