Nick Sanchez Scores Big at EchoPark Speedway

Despite Mother Nature and some big wrecks playing a factor, the Xfinity Series race at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. The Focused Health 250 had plenty of highlight-worthy moments, including a first-time winner.

Rookie Nick Sanchez Scores First Xfinity Series Win

Nick Sanchez has had plenty of moments in his first season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, from leading laps to scoring Top 10 finishes. He even scored a career-best finish of third at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. That career best was topped on Friday night.  The 24-year-old rose to the challenge in a race that saw plenty of the favorites and best drivers on drafting tracks, including Austin Hill, who was knocked out of contention early. Heck, even Sanchez had a moment early in the race as he spun out, but kept his No. 48 Chevy from hitting anything.

Nick held off challenges from the likes of Connor Zilisch, Carson Kvapil, and Jesse Love to score his first Xfinity Series win, and just the second ever win for his team, Big Machine Racing.

Massive Wreck Takes Out Top Xfinity Stars

After an hour-plus-long weather delay, the race was able to resume, with just under 40 laps complete. The moment the racing got going again, things changed for some of the top stars of the series. A massive crash on the backstretch saw plenty of drivers who have already won this season taken out. The melee saw defending series champion Justin Allgaier caught up in the crash. As was Sammy Smith, polesitter Sheldon Creed, and multi-time Atlanta winner Austin Hill.

Despite Hill being caught up in the incident, he ended up back in the race, but multiple laps down. That wreck was certainly one way to clear out Hill, who has been the driver to beat in the draft.

Spin and Rally

Even when you think you’re out of the running at a drafting track in NASCAR, you’re not. That’s exactly what this race played out to be, with so many cars out of the race. Nick Sanchez certainly had to rally from his spin on lap 68. The spin occurred on the frontstretch grass, which could have easily destroyed the front of his car. By chance, it didn’t, and he eventually climbed his way back into the picture. As did Jesse Love, who was involved in the lap 40 pileup. Love, despite a heavily damaged nose on his car, was able to put his No. 2 Chevy in the front. Aric Almirola was also a factor in the closing laps of the race, but Love and Sanchez didn’t care about the former Cup driver.

Love and Sanchez put on a show during the final restart, which came on lap 157. Despite Love having plenty of pushers behind him, he had nothing to say to stop Sanchez’s No. 48 from holding off all challengers. That included a late run from both Zilisch and Kvapil. It was certainly an exciting duel for the race win, especially with so many drivers in the picture that hadn’t won before. So for Sanchez to rally from his spin and win, that was simply some great driving by the rookie.

A Very Notable Pit Road Incident

Following the race, Hill appeared to share words with Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Dye. Hill was multiple laps down and not in contention for the win, but still found himself racing near the front. In Dye’s case, he was in the battle for a very strong finish. The pair appeared to share words about something that happened during the race or the closing laps.

The pair were caught on video by Frontstretch.com discussing something, and it appears Hill threatened Dye about flipping him off.

Whatever that was about was certainly eye-catching. Sure seems like Hill needs to chill, given he seems to only go after the younger guys, when he’s done some questionable things in racing himself.

Read Next: NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway Preview

Main Photo: Sean Gardner, Getty Images

Recording Date: 6/27/2025