What’s Happening?
This weekend, NASCAR heads to Circuit of the Americas for the first road course race of the season. This weekend will be a doubleheader for the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, as the Trucks have the weekend off.
- Circuit of the Americas is one of the top road courses in the United States. COTA is the only circuit shared by NASCAR and Formula One. This year, however, the Cup Series will race on a shorter course than the one Formula One uses.
- The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series are racing at Circuit of the Americas for the fifth time. Both Series debuted at the track in 2021. COTA is the third track that the NASCAR National Series has raced at in Texas.
- For the first time since 2021, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will not race at COTA. Instead, in 2025, NASCAR will opt for the Series to race on more Road Courses, specifically on the East Coast.
Weekend TV Schedule (All Times ET)
Friday, February 28: Xfinity Practice and Qualifying
- 5:00 PM – 5:50 PM – Xfinity Series Practice on the CW App
- 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM – Xfinity Series Qualifying on the CW App
Saturday, March 1: Cup Practice and Qualifying – XFINITY SERIES RACE
- 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM – Cup Series Practice 1 on Amazon Prime Video
- 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM – Cup Series Practice 1 on Amazon Prime Video
- 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM – Cup Series Qualifying on Amazon Prime Video
- 1:30 PM – XFINITY SERIES Focused Health 250 on the CW (TV) and PRN (Radio)
Sunday, March 2: CUP SERIES RACE
- 2:30 PM – EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on FOX (TV) and PRN (Radio)
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Race Facts
Track Facts: Circuit of the Americas
- Year Built: 2012
- Length: 2.3-mile
- Turns: 20
- Surface: Asphalt
- Rain Tires: Yes
Focused Health 250 on the CW:
- Race Length: 65 Laps (165 Miles)
- Stages: 20 Lap Stage 1, 20 Lap Stage 2, 25 Lap Final Stage
- Most-Recent Race Winner: Austin Hill
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on FOX:
- Race Length: 95 Laps (228 Miles)
- Stages: 20 Lap Stage 1, 25 Lap Stage 2, 50 Lap Final Stage
2024 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Results:
- First: William Byron – No. 24
- Second: Christopher Bell – No. 20
- Third: Ty Gibbs – No. 54
- Fourth: Alex Bowman – No. 48
- Fifth: Tyler Reddick – No. 45
Weather Forecast for NASCAR’s 2025 Race at Circuit of the Americas
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Top Storylines of the Weekend
- This weekend marked a special occasion for fans of Red Bull and Trackhouse Racing. The team’s top prospect, 18-year-old Connor Zillisch, will make his debut with sponsorship from Red Bull. This will be Red Bull’s first NASCAR race since 2011, and with the Road Course Prodigy Zilisch behind the wheel, the Bulls have a real shot at victory lane.
- This year, NASCAR will race on a shorter 20-turn circuit at COTA. Typically, the Series used the 3.426-mile Grand Prix Circuit; however, in an effort to increase passing, tire wear, and cut down lap times, NASCAR will no longer use the bulk of the track’s 0.62-mile back stretch.
- This weekend is the first of five road course opportunities for some drivers to lock themselves into the NASCAR Playoffs. Some names looking to use their skill to lock in this weekend include A.J. Allmendinger, Michael McDowell, and Shane van Gisbergen. While they could win elsewhere, these “ringers” will look to lock in early on in the season.
Entry Lists
Cup Series
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Notable Entrants:
- No. 87 – Connor Zilisch – Trackhouse Racing
Xfinity Series
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Notable Entrants:
- No. 07 – Alex Labbe – SS-Green Light Racing
- No. 9 – Ross Chastain – JR Motorsports
- No. 14 – Carson Hocevar – SS-Green Light Racing
- No. 17 – William Byron – Hendrick Motorsports
- No. 19 – Riley Herbst – Joe Gibbs Racing
- No. 24 – Corey Heim – Sam Hunt Racing
- No. 32 – Austin Green – Jordan Anderson Racing
- No. 35 – Baltazar Leguizamón – Joey Gase Motorsports
- No. 50 – Preston Pardus – Pardus Racing, Inc
- No. 70 – Thomas Annunziata – Cope Family Racing
Note: This article will be updated as more information about the weekend comes out.