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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

After two weekends of rather controversial short-track racing, NASCAR is finally headed to the next intermediate track on the calendar, Texas Motor Speedway. With the disappointment the next gen cars brought on short tracks, this weekend will be vital for NASCAR to turn the tides in their favor.

But that’s not all, this weekend also marks the return of Jimmie Johnson for the #84 Legacy Motor Club entry for the second time this season. With a lot on the line for defending winner William Byron, let’s take a look at how the weekend is set to unfold at the 1.5-mile track.

Let’s take a brief look at NASCAR’s itinerary for its Texas trip

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As usual, proceedings are set to begin on Friday with the garages opening at 11 am EST. The Xfinity garage will open starting at 1 pm EST and close at 8 pm whilst the Cup garages open at 2:30 pm and close at 7:30 pm EST. Track activity will begin with Truck Series practice at 4:05 pm, followed by qualifying at 4:35 pm EST.

The Xfinity Series will have practice at 6:05 pm EST, after which qualifying will commence at 6:35 pm. According to NBC, the weather forecast for Friday reveals higher temperatures up to 81 degrees and no chance of rain ahead of the Truck race, which will begin at 8:30 pm for 167 laps of action-packed racing. All practice and qualifying will be streamed on Fox Sports 1, however, the Truck race will be streamed by Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM as well.

Moving on to Saturday, track activity is set to begin at 10:30 am EST for the Cup Series practice. Following this, last year’s race winner, William Byron, will be aiming to secure pole position during the qualifying session at 11:15 am. After Cup Series action for the day ends, all eyes will turn to the Xfinity Series race at 1:30 pm EST.

The main event of the weekend, aka the Autotrader Echo Park Automotive 400, will kick off at 3:30 pm for 267 laps and 400.5 miles of intermediate racing. While partly cloudy weather is reported, the Cup race start does not face any chances of precipitation.

Fans at home can expect Fox Sports 1 to provide all the coverage they need alongside Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM’s NASCAR Radio. With that said, those wanting to visit the circuit can purchase tickets for the Autotrade Echopark Automotive 400 from the Texas Motor Speedway website which has weekend and race passes. The price for Standard Adult Admissions begins from $115 with a Child Ticket running an additional $10 for ages 12 and younger.

READ MORE: Why is Kyle Larson’s Indy500 Run More Quintessential than Any NASCAR Driver’s Double Duty?

It’s safe to say many drivers and fans are expecting NASCAR to pull up their socks at Texas Motor Speedway. But there’s one Ford driver eager to use this weekend as the catalyst for a stellar resurgence in the Cup Series standings.

Despite earlier misery, Joey Logano and Ford could steal the win at Texas Motor Speedway

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For Joey Logano and the #22 Penske garage, the start of the 2024 season was nothing spectacular. After finishing outside the top 25 at both superspeedways, Logano continued a dismal run plagued with lackluster finishes. However, all that changed when the Cup Series arrived at Richmond. Logano opened his top-5 tally this year with a second-place finish at Toyota Owners 400, followed by sixth at Martinsville last week.

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Logano will aim to secure a podium if not a win at Texas Motor Speedway. Over his career, Logano has 1 win and 12 top-five finishes at Texas, making it one of the most promising opportunities for a comeback if there is one. But that’s not all.

USA Today via Reuters

Ford is no slouch at the 1.5-mile track either, with 15 wins that have been brought in by 9 drivers. This makes Logano’s prospects more promising. Now that Logano is back in action, the #22 could very well join Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle as a two-time Texas winner while driving for Ford.

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After taking a look at the relatively clear weather and Logano’s rising form, it’s safe to say there might be nothing in the way of the #22 securing a dream win to make his much-awaited comeback.

READ MORE: Legacy MC Insider Claims, “Its Going to Take More Time” as Jimmie Johnson & Co. Shrug Off Chevrolet Misery