EchoPark Automotive has joined Kaulig Racing and AJ Allmendinger for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at California’s Sonoma Raceway. The pre-owned automotive vehicle retailer, with 18 locations nationwide, will serve as the primary sponsor for Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 with an eye-catching bright green and white paint scheme for Allmendinger’s historic 500th career Cup Series start.
The Kaulig Racing No. 16 featuring EchoPark Automotive’s signature green will make its on-track debut in NASCAR Cup Series practice on Saturday, June 27, at 2 p.m. ET followed by qualifying on the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course at 3:10 p.m. Sunday’s Cup race will take place at 3:30 p.m. ET with live broadcast coverage on TNT, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
“AJ Allmendinger is always one to watch on a road course, and Sonoma gives EchoPark a tremendous opportunity to connect with NASCAR fans nationwide. EchoPark shows drivers and fans there’s a simpler, more transparent way to buy or sell a car with great value, no haggling, and an experience designed to create happy owners,” said David B. Smith, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sonic Automotive, Inc. “We’re excited to support Kaulig Racing and AJ this weekend, and we invite fans to check out EchoPark and see what makes car buying and selling so much easier.”
A road-course specialist with two sixth-place finishes at Sonoma and three Cup Series wins to his credit, Allmendinger enters this weekend as a favorite to capture the signature Winner’s Goblet trophy in wine country.
“This is EchoPark Automotive’s first team partnership, and we’re really honored they chose Kaulig Racing,” Allmendinger said. “They picked a great race. Sonoma is always a challenge with its 10 turns and elevation changes. I’m happy to welcome a new sponsor at my home race. We’ll go out there and do our best, and if we have a shot at a win, that would be amazing.”
This weekend’s partnership marks EchoPark Automotive’s debut as a NASCAR team sponsor. The automotive retailer currently serves as the naming rights holder for EchoPark Speedway serving the Atlanta, Georgia market, and a fan zone activation partner at select Speedway Motorsports tracks for NASCAR race weekends. Launched as a subsidiary of Sonic Automotive, Inc., one of the nation’s largest automotive and powersports retailers, EchoPark has disrupted the traditional car-buying experience with transparent, no-haggle pricing, a focus on high-quality pre-owned vehicles and a seamless omnichannel process that lets customers shop online or in person.
The brand’s “Every Car Happy Owner” promise is backed by delivering incredible value like offering pre-owned vehicle prices that are up to $3000 less than major competitors when buying a car and offering up to $2000 more when selling your car to EchoPark. All backed by the best car-buying and selling experience in the country, reflected in their 93% 5-Star Review ratings.
In making his 500th Cup Series start at Sonoma, Allmendinger brings a deep résumé to the new partnership with EchoPark. The former Champ Car standout earned five wins and finished third in points in 2006 before moving to NASCAR. He made his Cup debut in 2007 and scored his first victory at Watkins Glen in 2014. Since joining Kaulig Racing in 2019, Allmendinger has become one of the series’ top road-course specialists, delivering Kaulig’s first Cup win and adding two more victories while racking up 18 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins.
Kaulig Racing, founded in 2016 by entrepreneur Matt Kaulig, has grown from a part-time O’Reilly team into a multi-series powerhouse. The organization has earned 27 O’Reilly victories, two regular-season championships and multiple Cup road-course wins.
In 2026, Kaulig became the anchor factory team for Ram’s return to NASCAR, fielding five full-time Ram trucks in the Craftsman Truck Series alongside its two-car Cup program with Allmendinger and Ty Dillon.
— Kaulig Racing —