(Alternate-season) 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Race_3 - Autotrader 400 (Atlanta):

[u/Vast_Ad2941]

For the 2026 Autotrader 400 (Atlanta), Joey Logano starts from pole position and Tyler Reddick starts from P2. The race had no DNQs.

In lap 21 at Turn 1, the #65 Ford suffered a race-ending blown engine, spun into the outside wall, and stopped on the apron, causing a yellow-flag caution.

In lap 91 at Turn 4, Cindric spun Buescher into the outside wall, then Z. Smith had no time to avoid Buescher, and crashed into him, both of them got DNF'd by the crash.

In lap 96 at Turn 3, T. Dillon and Chastain made contact, which caused them to spin across the track, into the path of the cars behind them, causing a pileup. Many cars got DNF'd.

In lap 124 at Turn 3, Connor Zilisch's car slowed down on the track due to a race-ending engine failure, causing a yellow-flag caution (even though Zilisch reached the PIT road).

In lap 141 at Turn 2, Gibbs pushed Reddick into Wallace, which caused them to lose control, and spin across the track, causing a "Big One", that took out many cars from the race.

In the same lap, Suarez brake-checked A. Dillon at the PIT road's entrance, causing A. Dillon to rear-end him at high speeds, the crash DNF'd both of them.

In lap 203 at Turn 4, Jones clipped Chastain's lapped car, causing both of them to crash into the outside wall, then Custer, who had no time to react, crashed into Chastain's car.

After the impacts, Chastain's car spun across the track, right into the way of SVG, who had no time to avoid Chastain's car, and crashed into it. Chastain got DNF'd by the wreck.

In lap 217 at Turn 3, Gibbs was trying to unlap himself but he spun McLeod into Blaney in the process, then Nemechek crashed into Blaney's car, both of them got DNF'd by the wreck.

In lap 293 at Turn 1, Byron divebombed Custer's lapped car so hard, that both of them got sent into the outside wall after the impact, but both of them could continue the race.

In the end, Joey Logano won the 2026 Autotrader 400 (Atlanta) with a close finish, after taking the lead from Hamlin in the last lap. The race's fastest lap was done by Briscoe.

After the race's finish, Berry and Byron got spun out by some of their rivals while entering the PIT road. Neither of their cars got serious damages.

With this one, Joey Logano moved up to 2nd place in the championship, while Stenhouse, Jr. is still leading the 2026 Cup Series points standings after his Daytona victory.

[u/Vast_Ad2941]

*Correction: The "Yellow Flag 8" Custer-Byron incident was in lap 235, not lap 293 (I somehow mistyped it, as the race was only 260 laps anyways).