Lately, the Texas state capital has embraced “Hold Austin Bizarre” as a motto. These phrases apply to the metropolis’s auto racing venue, too.
Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, which opened in 2012, encompasses a mix of a high-speed highway course and a extra technical circuit. COTA has hosted System 1 and IndyCar races, however in 2021, NASCAR raced on the Texas highway course for the primary time.
It returns to the course once more Sunday for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.
Since COTA’s debut on the NASCAR calendar, the monitor has grow to be one of many wilder occasions on the schedule. In 2021, a downpour pressured drivers to race by way of visitors on rain tires and with little visibility. The rain ultimately turned so heavy that the race was known as, with Chase Elliott declared the victor.
In 2022, Ross Chastain scored his first Cup Collection win after a wild ultimate lap wherein he performed pinball with A.J. Allmendinger and Alex Bowman within the corners. A 12 months later, Tyler Reddick survived three time beyond regulation restarts en path to victory lane.
This 12 months, nonetheless, COTA will look a bit different. Somewhat than racing on the normal 3.41-mile course, drivers will race on the two.3-mile Nationwide course, which eliminates the lengthy backstretch and provides followers the chance to see extra motion.
At first look, the transfer could not seem to be a giant deal. Sonoma Raceway in California has used two layouts since 1989 and Atlanta Motor Speedway underwent a reconfiguration in 2022.
However one other story could also be taking part in out behind the scenes. COTA doesn’t have a deal signed with NASCAR for 2026 — the monitor is leased by Speedway Motorsports for NASCAR occasions — making it appear as if the ability’s future within the sport might be in jeopardy.
That additionally begs the query: Is COTA’s structure change — which locations an emphasis on the viewing expertise — a racing determination or a enterprise determination?
Relying on how this weekend’s motion performs out, it might be each. According to The Athletic, talks between NASCAR and COTA concerning the monitor’s future will likely be held this weekend.
NASCAR isn’t the one racing collection whose future with COTA isn’t set. System 1 will race on the venue in 2026, however its future with COTA past that’s unsure. The collection reportedly wants to sign a new contract with the track beyond next year.
There are many the reason why NASCAR and COTA ought to need to strike a brand new deal. Austin is a rising space that provides a brand new surroundings for NASCAR racing, and the monitor itself is a world-class facility that’s barely over a decade previous.
Nonetheless, racing is usually a merciless enterprise, and loads of tracks have seen their NASCAR futures wither away. That doesn’t appear to be what’s happening with COTA, but it surely makes for an attention-grabbing storyline as NASCAR assessments a brand new structure to win over followers this weekend.
