NASCAR Heads to Circuit of The Americas for Thrilling New Layout

CONCORD, N.C. – The NASCAR Cup Series is set to make its fifth visit to the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, this weekend, marking the third points race of the 2025 season and a notable shift in its course layout.

This year, NASCAR will introduce a new “National” course for stock cars, featuring a 20-turn, 2.4-mile layout that shortens the traditional Formula One circuit by about a mile. This adjustment is expected to reduce lap times by nearly one minute and increase the total race distance to 95 laps, up from the 65 laps of the previous years from 2021-2024.

William Byron, the defending winner of the Cup races at COTA, is ready to defend his title. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kyle Larson, also made headlines last year by winning the Xfinity race at COTA. Larson’s victory bolstered Hendrick Motorsports’ reputation as a powerhouse in road course racing.

“COTA has always been a tough challenge, but I think the new layout will make for an exciting race,” said Byron during a recent press conference. “The shorter course means more action, and I feel we are prepared to give it our best shot.”

Other notable contenders include Alex Bowman, who has consistently performed well at COTA with an average finish of 4.3 over four events, ranking second best in the Cup Series. Bowman’s resilience and experience may prove valuable as the series transitions from high-banked ovals to a more technical road course.

The weekend’s schedule kicks off on Friday, February 28, where garage activities will begin in the afternoon and lead into practice sessions on Saturday followed by qualifying rounds. The official race schedule is as follows:

Friday, February 28:

– Garage open

– Track activity

Saturday, March 1:

– Garage open

– Track activity

Sunday, March 2:

– Garage open

– Track activity

– 5 p.m. ET: Xfinity Series practice on CW

– 6 p.m. ET: Xfinity Series qualifying on CW

– 11 a.m. ET: Cup Series practice on Prime Video

– 12:30 p.m. ET: Cup Series qualifying on Prime Video

– 2:30 p.m. ET: Xfinity Series race on CW

– 3:30 p.m. ET: Cup Series race on FOX

Weather forecasts indicate partly cloudy skies with temperatures ranging from the high 70s to low 80s, with minimal chances of rain throughout the weekend.

This weekend also marks a busy schedule for NASCAR at COTA, with both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series taking on the unique challenges that the new track layout presents. Fans and drivers alike anticipate a thrilling competition as the series embraces the evolving landscape of stock car racing.