When did you last go inside the speedway on US-19/41 on a day without a race? For most of the year, the biggest venue in Hampton runs on a smaller, local calendar. Some of it is free, some of it needs an appointment, and some days line up with events a mile away at the Depot on Main Street.
Twice a year the track belongs to NASCAR fans from around the country. The rest of the time, in the speedway's own words, "this premier racing facility is open to the public for speedway tours and a behind-the-scenes look." Both 2026 NASCAR weekends are over, so from now until the track fills up again in February, it is a Henry County venue first.
Same Track, New Name, Two Race Weekends
If the signs along Tara Boulevard still catch you off guard: Atlanta Motor Speedway became EchoPark Speedway at an on-track ceremony on June 3, 2025. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the name came from a seven-year, multimillion-dollar naming-rights deal between Speedway Motorsports and EchoPark Automotive. EchoPark is the used-vehicle business of Sonic Automotive. The track's announcement says the brand had 17 locations in 13 markets when the deal was signed.
The 2026 race calendar shows why fall is the quiet season. The speedway announced two NASCAR weekends for 2026. The Spring Race weekend ran Feb. 20–22, with the Autotrader 400 on Sunday, Feb. 22. Atlanta's Night Race weekend ran July 11–12, with the Quaker State 400 moving from a Saturday to a Sunday night on July 12. Neither weekend falls in autumn. The track hasn't been rebuilt since then either: its last major repave began July 11, 2021, and paving finished December 20, 2021.
So the track you can visit this fall is the same surface the Cup drivers raced on in July, and nobody is competing with you for the room.
The Fall Calendar Inside the Gates
The speedway's events calendar is a live listing with no publish date. Treat these dates as planned and confirm them before you go.
| Date | Event at EchoPark Speedway | How locals get in |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 17 | SCCA Co-Drive Challenge, NASCAR Racing Experience, RevWise | Spectators free with a waiver; driving experiences ticketed |
| Sun., Oct. 18 | BMW Autocross | Club event |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | Track Tours | Appointment |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Cars & Christ Atlanta, RevWise | Check with organizer |
| Mon., Oct. 26 | Track Tours | Appointment |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | RevWise | Riding academy |
| Fri.–Sat., Nov. 6–7 | Stars Stripes and White Lines truck show | Free to attend |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | SCCA Champion of Champions | Spectators free with a waiver |
| Mon., Nov. 9 | Track Tours | Appointment |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Peachstate PCA Autocross 7 | Club event |
| Wed., Nov. 18 and Mon., Nov. 23 | Track Tours | Appointment |
RevWise Motorcycle Riding Academy is also on the calendar for Nov. 14, 21 and 28. After Nov. 28, the calendar jumps straight to February 2027. The Noel Magic Lights display last ran from Nov. 21, 2025 to Jan. 4, 2026, with tickets from $27 to $62, but we found no announcement that it returns this year.
The Free Way In Is a Folding Chair at the Autocross
Autocross is the speedway's lowest-cost door. Atlanta Region SCCA runs two events at the track this fall: the Co-Drive Challenge on Saturday, Oct. 17, and Champion of Champions on Sunday, Nov. 8. Drivers register ahead of time. Guests who aren't driving can attend with no guest fee, as long as they sign a waiver at the gate.
If you want to drive yourself, the Co-Drive Challenge listing puts entry at $82, capped at 80 drivers in 40 teams. Gates open at 7 a.m. and morning runs start at 9:30. Organizers say the event isn't recommended if you've never done an SCCA autocross. The annual Champion of Champions on Nov. 8 costs $52 to enter, plus a $20 weekend membership for non-SCCA members and a $2 booking fee.
The NASCAR Racing Experience is the paid option on the same Oct. 17 date. Ride-alongs start at $157.99 and driving experiences at $299.99, and prices change with demand and time slot. On that Saturday, a spectator watching autocross for free and a guest paying for a stock-car ride-along are on the same property.
Tours Run on Weekdays, Which Changes the Plan
Track tours cover laps of the 1.5-mile oval, Victory Lane, pit road, the infield and garages, a suite visit and a stretch of track history. You need an appointment, and tours run Monday through Friday at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The speedway says pricing "varies by date." The online booking page lists sessions on Oct. 23, Oct. 26, Nov. 9, Nov. 18 and Nov. 23. For other dates, the track takes calls at 770-707-7970, and every tour depends on the track being available.
Because tours only run on weekdays, the best tour day this fall is Friday, Oct. 23. A 3 p.m. tour ends right around when the county's evening event opens.
Where the Track Calendar Meets Downtown Hampton
The track only works as an outing when it's paired with something in town. This fall, three track dates line up with events downtown or at Nash Farm Park.
Saturday, Oct. 17. Spend the morning at the SCCA Co-Drive Challenge, then drive into town for Rutabaga's Market & Café's Bags, Bands & Bites Oktoberfest at 1 Cherry Street. It was rescheduled to Oct. 17, and the Visit Henry County listing describes cornhole, live music, food and local vendors, with proceeds going to Twisted Pink. On regular weeks, Rutabaga's café runs Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 23. Take the afternoon track tour, then head to the Food Truck Frenzy at Nash Farm Park, which runs 4 to 9 p.m. The event listing includes food trucks, Rec N Roll, music and a trunk-or-treat, with the Humane Society as beneficiary. The listing gives the park's address as 100 Babbs Mill Road but shows 4361 Jonesboro Road in its venue details, so check directions before you leave. If you arrive early, Nash Farm is a 204-acre park on the site of the largest cavalry raid in Georgia history, with walking trails and a fishing lake.
Saturday, Oct. 31. This is the last Rail & Roots Farmers Market on the 2026 schedule. City of Hampton Main Street runs it at the historic Train Depot, and this year it fell on the last Saturday of each month starting June 27, with no November date listed. The listings disagree on hours. Visit Henry County says 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., while the market's Eventeny page shows 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for that date, so check with Main Street. Vendors bring regional produce, flowers, baked goods and handmade items.
Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6–7. The Stars Stripes and White Lines truck show is free, and the Friday night concert features Creed Fisher and Mark Ware. It's the biggest crowd on the fall calendar that doesn't need a ticket.
Downtown places to eat within a short walk of the Depot:
- The Awaken Drip Coffee Lounge, 4 East Main Street, takes call-ahead and online pickup orders, which helps on a 7 a.m. autocross morning.
- Yumi Japanese Sushi & Steakhouse, 5 East Main Street, serves sushi and hibachi.
- Vía 14, 14 E Main St N, keeps longer hours on Friday and Saturday.
- Welcome Home Creamery & More is still listed as downtown's creamery and coffee shop in Visit Henry County's August 2026 Hampton guide.
What Comes After the Speedway's Quiet Season
The land around the track won't stay this quiet forever. Henry County gave final approval in July 2025 to The Grove, a proposed 1,278-acre project near the speedway. As Urbanize Atlanta reported, the plan calls for more than 6,000 homes and 2 million square feet of commercial, retail and public space, with road and utility work in the first phase. We found no confirmed construction timeline, so for now it's an approved plan. For the rest of 2026, the speedway's calendar is mostly tours, club drivers and a free truck show, with no NASCAR crowds.
Do you live near the speedway and want to know how the off-season calendar, The Grove and the 2026 race weekends affect what your home is worth? Amy & Company | The Legacy Real Estate Group works in Hampton and across Henry County, and we answer quickly. Get your instant home valuation, then call us with your questions about the corridor.
