The NASCAR circus rolls into Austin, Texas, and Circuit of the Americas this weekend for the first road course race of the season for all 3 National Touring Series. Being a road course race, weather plays a key factor in the race beyond threatening to postpone it. Could NASCAR be forced to adjust thanks to ominous weather this weekend?

• Circuit of the Americas is one of the newest tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar. Constructed in 2012, the track hosts the Formula One United States Grand Prix every October. NASCAR has raced on the circuit since 2021.
• Since Circuit of the Americas is a road course, NASCAR brings a wet weather package in case it rains. This includes rain tires, defoggers, windshield wipers, and mud flaps. Typically, this will be used in either light rain or on a drying track.
• Fans are excited for the road course ringers at Circuit of the Americas this weekend. The track has not been around for very long, so the track does not have enough history to build a weather reputation.

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Weekend Weather Forecast (via National Weather Service)

Saturday, March 23rd: Truck Series XPEL 225 (1:30 PM ET/12:30 PM Local)

• Forecast: Mostly Sunny
• Temperature: 69°F to start; Rising to Mid 70s°F by Race end
• Rain: 0%
• Wind: NE to E 6-9 MPH

Saturday, March 23rd: Xfinity Series Focused Health 250 (5:00 PM ET/4:00 PM Local)

• Forecast: Mostly Sunny
• Temperature: High 74°F
• Rain: 0%
• Wind: S to SSE 6 MPH

Sunday, March 24th: Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (3:30 PM ET/2:30 PM Local)

• Forecast: Mostly Cloudy and Breezy
• Temperature: High 74°F
• Rain: 0%
• Wind: SSE 23-24 MPH; Gusting to 35-37 MPH

COTA Weather History

NASCAR has already dealt with poor weather at Circuit of the Americas despite racing there for only 3 seasons. This came during the inaugural race in 2021, where a heavy downpour caused drivers to slip and slide all over the place, even on wet weather tires. Eventually, NASCAR was forced to stop the race short of its’ full distance, and Chase Elliott was declared the winner.

This race was even visited by one of our content creators, Eric Estepp. It was a wet and wild experience for Eric just as it was for the drivers and fans at home.