Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400
The Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. The inaugural race took place on November 6, 2005. The race has always started in the late afternoon, gone through sunset and twilight, and ended under the lights at night, much like the Coca-Cola 600 in May, but it is not considered a night event.
| NASCAR Cup Series | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Texas Motor Speedway |
| Location | Fort Worth, Texas, United States |
| Corporate sponsor | Autotrader.com/EchoPark Automotive |
| First race | 2005 |
| Distance | 400 mi (643.738 km) |
| Laps | 267
Stage 1: 80 Stage 2: 85 Final stage: 102 |
| Previous names | Dickies 500 (2005–2009) AAA Texas 500 (2010–2019) Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 (2020–2022) |
| Most wins (driver) | Jimmie Johnson (5) |
| Most wins (team) | Hendrick Motorsports (8) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Chevrolet (11) |
| Circuit information | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
The race was acquired as a result of the Ferko lawsuit, which forced NASCAR to relinquish the sport's fourth major, the Mountain Dew Southern 500 and in the process end its Grand Slam, as the Southern 500 was one of the four races that made it up. This race has been derisively referred to as the Francis Ferko 500, mostly by traditionalist fans upset by the demise of the Southern 500.
The trophy is in the shape of a cowboy hat on top of a piston. Traditionally, the winning driver wears a black cowboy hat and fires a couple of six-shooters in the air on victory lane.
This race is featured in the 2006 film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, but it was actually shot at the identically shaped Charlotte Motor Speedway with the wall painted to look like Texas.
Chase Elliott is the defending winner of the event, having won it in 2024.
The race was shortened from 500 miles to 400 miles starting in 2023.