NASCAR Cup Series Preview: COTA
Coming from the high banks of the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series takes a turn – a right turn, that is – this weekend. The first of six road course races on the schedule takes place in Austin at the Circuit of the Americas, with the third running of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.
After a rain-soaked inaugural running in 2021, the track known primarily for hosting Formula 1 stops annually since 2012 showed last year that it can put on a great show for stock cars as well.
Ross Chastain, A. J. Allmendinger and Alex Bowman beat and banged their way to the finish line in one of the most dramatic finishes of the season. Chastain came out on top for his first-career victory and put the rest of the sport on notice to both himself and his team, Trackhouse Racing.
This year’s event at COTA, however, features a diverse lineup of drivers from all different disciplines of racing, in addition to the regular stars and cars of the series.
Two former Formula 1 World Champions will be in action for Sunday’s event. Kimi Räikkönen will make his second Cup Series start for Trackhouse Racing’s “Project 91” entry following an impressive but short-lived debut last year at Watkins Glen. Räikkönen returns to the site of his final Formula 1 Grand Prix win, which came in Austin in the 2018 United States Grand Prix.
2009 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion Jenson Button will make his first NASCAR start behind the wheel of the No. 15 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing, in a collaborative effort with Stewart-Haas Racing.
With inaugural COTA race winner Chase Elliott still sidelined with injury, Hendrick Motorsports calls on longtime IMSA star Jordan Taylor to pilot the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro for this weekend’s road course action.
INDYCAR driver Conor Daly will make his third start for The Money Team in the No. 50 Chevrolet, and seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson – who Daly raced alongside for a couple of years in INDYCAR – makes his second start of the season in the No. 84 for Legacy Motor Club.
While the diversity of the field rivals any that NASCAR has seen in at least the last decade, the regulars of the NASCAR Cup Series will all be looking, and expected, to shine as well.
Allmendinger makes his return to COTA after coming only a few corners from winning the race a year ago. This time though, Allmendinger has a potential playoff berth at stake, in the midst of his first full-time Cup Series season since 2018.
Allmendinger will be among the group of drivers desperate to score a victory and playoff berth in a field of racing that they excel in. Look for drivers such as Austin Cindric, Michael McDowell and Daniel Suárez to have strong runs, as all three drivers have extensive road racing backgrounds.
Chastain will likewise be looking to get back to victory lane at the sight of his first win. Despite a strong finish to last season and a good start to this one, Chastain is in the midst of a 31-race winless streak.
Tyler Reddick was twice a winner on road courses last year, and has rattled off back-to-back top-five finishes after a slow start to the season at his new home, 23XI Racing.
Another driver to watch could be Kyle Larson, who boasts four career victories on road courses. Hendrick Motorsports always seem to be near the top of the pylon during the road-racing events, and with no Elliott in the fold, Larson could end up being the cream of the crop for the team on Sunday.
Kasey Kreider is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email kmk6865@psu.edu.
