Sam Mayer captures O’Reilly Series pole at EchoPark Speedway

HAMPTON, Ga. —Sam Mayer laid down a blazing lap to secure pole position for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta.

Mayer (31.804) is joined by Carson Kvapil (31.885) in the aptly nicknamed Arby’s sponsored “Meat Missile” on the front row.

Sam Mayer may grab the headline, but another Chevrolet steals the spotlight.

The dominant superspeedway Richard Childress Racing duo of Jesse Love and Austin Hill missed the first few rows. Love qualified in tenth while Hill sits firmly in the mid-pack in 20th.

For Hill, he arrives at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway fresh off a Daytona win and carrying three straight spring Atlanta victories. The starting spot raises eyebrows, but RCR focused on race trim over single-lap speed.

Notable additions to the field include Cup regulars Ross Chastain and Cody Ware, who makes his first Atlanta start since 2022, along with Truck Series regular Gio Ruggiero in just his second career start in the series.

In total, 39 entrants vied for 38 spots, leaving Dawson Cram slowest on speed and sent home.

Below is the full starting lineup for the Bennett Transportation 250 at EchoPark Speedway.

Starting Lineup

1. Sam Mayer – 31.804
2. Carson Kvapil – 31.885
3. Taylor Gray – 31.905
4. Sheldon Creed – 31.906
5. William Sawalich – 31.927
6. Rajah Caruth – 31.941
7. Gio Ruggiero – 32.006
8. Sammy Smith – 32.031
9. Corey Day – 32.036
10. Jesse Love – 32.057
11. Justin Allgaier – 32.114
12. Ryan Sieg – 32.182
13. Harrison Burton – 32.221
14. Patrick Staropoli – 32.228
15. Brandon Jones – 32.238
16. Joey Gase – 32.278
17. Dean Thompson – 32.281
18. Kyle Sieg – 32.288
19. Mason Maggio – 32.337
20. Austin Hill – 32.341
21. Josh Williams – 32.407
22. Blaine Perkins – 32.410
23. Parker Retzlaff – 32.423
24. Anthony Alfredo – 32.429
25. Jeb Burton – 32.505
26. Ryan Ellis – 32.580
27. Luke Fenhaus – 32.596
28. Nick Sanchez – 32.597
29. Garrett Smithley – 32.625
30. Ross Chastain – 32.641
31. Austin Green – 32.712
32. Jeremy Clements – 32.761
33. Brennan Poole – 32.793
34. Lavar Scott – 32.807
35. Josh Bilicki – 32.817
36. Cody Ware(i) – 32.849
37. Chad Finchum(i) – 33.000
38. Nick Leitz(i) – 33.136

Failed to qualify: Dawson Cram – 33.577