Ahead of the 2026 Autotrader 400, William Byron said windy conditions might change how the cars handle the draft at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia, on Sunday. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was not sure how the 15–20 mph winds with higher gusts would affect drafting, but said it would certainly make it ‘tough.’
The second race of the NASCAR Cup Series season started at 3 pm local time after qualifying was canceled because of rain. Byron started in the 13th position in his No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.
In a pre-race interview, Byron was asked about the wind and how it might affect the race. He predicted that the gusts would demand extra attention from drivers off Turn 4 and into Turn 1 when the leader faces a headwind.
“I feel like it’s going to do something to you off of four, whether it makes you tight or loose, who knows. But it’s going to definitely make that tough. And then, you know, going into one, there might be some different sort of runs with the headwind that the leader is going to have,” William Byron said.
Byron has had success at the reconfigured Atlanta track since it became EchoPark Speedway in 2022. He has four top-20 finishes there, including two victories, and has always started races in the top 20.
William Byron Robbed for the Stage 2 Win at Atlanta
William Byron was denied the Stage 2 win at EchoPark Speedway after a tight battle with Bubba Wallace. Kyle Larson and Shane van Gisbergen got together on track, leading to Larson’s crash and his trip to the garage. That incident reshuffled the front-running order and opened the door for Wallace to claim the stage win over Byron on Lap 160.
In the Stage 2 running order, Wallace edged Byron for the top spot, leaving the Hendrick Motorsports driver with a strong second-place stage finish but missing out on the bonus points that go with a stage victory. Wallace scored 10 stage points for the win, while Byron collected 9 points for his runner-up spot. Chase Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.
The 28-year-old finished the caution-free Stage 1 in fourth place, while Wallace had a second strong stage run behind stage winner Austin Cindric.
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