A NASCAR Cup Series event at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta was abruptly halted when severe weather rolled in, forcing officials to stop the action after just 108 laps of Stage 2.
Weather Forces Early Stop
Lightning strikes within eight miles of the track prompted NASCAR to order drivers to shut down their engines and directed spectators to vacate the grandstands, as rain began to fall over the 2.5‑mile oval.
At the moment of the stop, Ryan Blaney held the lead, with his Team Penske teammate Joey Logano in second and Austin Cindric moving up to third, while Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick were positioned fourth and fifth respectively.
Stage Requirements and Next Steps
NASCAR has stipulated that a race must complete at least 130 laps to be considered official, meaning the event will need a restart once conditions improve.
The series will next head to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, where the historic speedway will host the following weekend’s competition.
EchoPark Speedway had previously seen Christopher Bell edge Joey Logano in the All‑Star Race earlier this month, adding a layer of intrigue to the upcoming event.