Where To Watch NASCAR This Weekend:

Friday, June 27

NCTS Final Practice (FS2 at 1 p.m. ET)

NXS Kennametal Pole Qualifying (CW App at 3 p.m. ET)

NCS Busch Light Pole Qualifying (truTV, PRN, SiriusXM at 5 p.m. ET)

NXS Race: Focused Health 250 (CW, PRN, SiriusXM at 7:30 ET)

Saturday, June 21

NCTS Kennametal Pole Qualifying (FS1 at 9:30 a.m. ET)

NCTS Race: Liuna 150 (FOX, NRN, SiriusXM at 1 p.m. ET)

ARCA Race: Lime Rock Park 100 (FS2, MRN, SiriusXM at 4 p.m. ET)

Historical EchoPark Speedway Information:

·       From the first race in 1960 through the SMI era the track came to be defined by weather, often all bad. The first race scheduled for late 1959 was not run until the following July because bad weather delayed construction.

·       An incomplete facility and muddy conditions greeted the 25,000 fans who saw Fireball Roberts win the inaugural NASCAR event.

·       Rain impacted the race weekends for much of the remainder of the decade that contributed to the worsening financial condition and eventual bankruptcy in the 1970s.

·       Among the numerous presidents and general managers of the track in its first 30 years was Vice Chairman of NASCAR Mike Helton who served as general manager in 1985-86.

·       In a most bizarre occurrence, the 1993 spring race was postponed when the eastern seaboard got buried in over a foot of snow.

·       In recent years, the track was hit by hurricanes and tornados. The September 2011 race was set to go at 9:15 PM when it started raining. Based on the forecast for Monday that tropical storm Lee would persist all day, it was ultimately postponed until Tuesday.

·       In 1990, SMI acquired the track. Since then, it has undergone a complete transformation from one of the original 1960s undercapitalized superspeedways to one of the most modern and fastest tracks.

·       In the fall of 1997, the most dramatic change in the track’s history was made when the original 1.5 mile symmetrical oval was remodeled into the current 1.54 quad oval with the front stretch and backstretch switched.

·       In 2013 Goodyear debuted a tire technology at AMS. The right side tire featured Multi-Zone Tread Technology, which combined two different rubber compounds in a single tread. With the combination of the high wear abrasive surface and the high speed, AMS had proved to be one of the most challenging tracks for Goodyear.

·       The season ending race was scheduled at Atlanta from 1986 to 2001 (became next to last in 2001 due to the postponement of the New Hampshire race). In 2002, at management’s request, the fall race was moved back a month to October in anticipation of better weather.

·       In 2009, the fall race was moved to the Labor Day weekend and the track hosted its first night race. Beginning in 2011, the track’s traditional spring race was dropped from the schedule. From 2012 to 2020 Atlanta held one race a year, with that single event being the 2nd race of the schedule from 2015 to 2019.

·       Starting in 2021 Atlanta gained a second date, and the second race was run during the summer

·       In 2025, the track was renamed to EchoPark Speedway..

Historical & Significant Events at Lime Rock Park:

• Lime Rock Park, nestled in Lakeville, Connecticut, is one of America’s most iconic and scenic road racing circuits.
• Opened in 1957, it was the first U.S. track purpose-built for sports car racing using natural terrain.
• Designed by racing pioneer John Fitch and founded by Jim Vaill, the 1.53-mile, seven-turn course quickly earned a reputation as a true driver’s circuit—fast, technical, and beautifully situated in the Berkshire foothills.
• From its very first race a Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) event in April 1957 Lime Rock became a cornerstone of U.S. road racing.
• Throughout the 1960s and ‘70s, it hosted fierce competition in Trans-Am, Can-Am, and Formula 5000 series. The track drew legends like Mark Donohue, Dan Gurney, Sam Posey, and Paul Newman, who began his professional racing career at Lime Rock and remained closely associated with it for decades.
• In the early 1980s, Lime Rock underwent a pivotal transition. Businessman and former racer Skip Barber, founder of the Skip Barber Racing School, purchased the track. Barber brought a vision of combining professional racing, driver development, and long-term sustainability. His stewardship modernized the business while keeping the grassroots spirit intact. Barber’s leadership helped the track thrive by expanding Saturday events, promoting non-race Sundays (car shows, vintage displays), and deepening community ties.
• Under Skip Barber’s ownership and later through new investment groups (including Lime Rock Group LLC in the 2020s), the track saw continuous improvement:
• 2008: A major repaving project—its first since opening—preserved the original layout but improved grip and safety.
• 2010s–2020s: Facilities were modernized, including fully updated paddock areas, new media centers, better access roads, enhanced spectator areas, and upgraded restrooms and hospitality spaces.
• Environmental initiatives included solar power installations and sustainable land use planning.
• Safety upgrades added modern barriers, runoff zones, and improved fencing—all while maintaining the original track’s character.
• The 1.474-mile track length at Lime Rock Park is the official measurement used by IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) for its WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races.
• While the “classic” Lime Rock layout has historically been referred to as 1.530 miles, newer and more precise measurements—especially after the 2008 resurfacing and re-surveying—have clarified that the actual race distance is shorter than previously believed. As part of this work, the track’s operations team used modern surveying methods to re-measure all four layout options. They found that the actual length of each configuration was closer to 1.500 miles, give or take a small margin. When IMSA re-evaluated the course for its WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, it measured the track length based on the racing line, which can differ slightly from the geometric centerline.