Circuit of the Americas – NASCAR Schedule & Highlights

This weekend the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series travel to the Circuit of the Americas for a full weekend of racing action. The Craftsman Truck Series takes a break but returns to competition at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday, March 14.

This race will mark the first time NASCAR will compete on the shorter 2.40-mile layout at COTA.

NASCAR Cup Series Winners

The first NASCAR national series race held at the Circuit of The Americas was a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race on May 22, 2021 was won by Todd Gilliland.

There have been four Cup Series races at COTA. Hendrick Motorsports has won twice (Chase Elliott, 2021 and William Byron, 2024). Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain won the event in 2022 and 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick won in 2023.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Winners

There have also been four Xfinity Series races at COTA. Kyle Busch won in 2021 while AJ Allmendinger won the following two races (2022, 2023).  Kyle Larson won in 2024.

All of the winners, except Allmendinger, who started 4th in 2022, also won the pole award.

Friday, Feb. 28

5 p.m.: Xfinity Series Practice – CW App
Timed: 50 minutes

6 p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – CW App
Impound/2 Groups/Multi-Vehicle

Saturday, March 1

11 a.m.: Cup Series Practice – Prime
Timed/2 Groups/2 rounds/20 minutes each

12:30 p.m.: Cup Series Qualifying – Prime
Impound/2 Groups/Multi-Vehicle
Post Cup Series Qualifying: Press Pass

2:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Focused Health 250
Stages: 20/40/65 Laps = 156 Miles
Purse: $1,651,939
CW/PRN/SiriusXM
Post Xfinity Series Race: Press Pass

Sunday, March 2 Schedule

3:30 p.m.:NASCAR Cup Seroes EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix
Stages: 20/45/95 Laps = 228 Miles
Purse: $11,055,250
FOX/Max/PRN/SiriusXM
Post Cup Series Race: Press Pass

NASCAR Driver Appearance Schedule – COTA Weekend

Denny Hamlin, Michael McDowell, Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen and Riley Herbst will make appearances during Sunday’s Trackside Live at the EchoPark Automotive Experience Stage in the Fan Zone.

Fans can also purchase an Ultimate Fan Pass or Track Pass for access to Q&A sessions with Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe and Justin Haley, NASCAR Cup Series driver introductions and the Corey Kent pre-race concert.

Visit NASCARatCOTA.com/Events/EchoPark-Automotive-Grand-Prix/Appearances for scheduled driver appearances and updates.

Are you a die-hard NASCAR fan? Follow every lap, every pit stop, every storyline? We're looking for fellow enthusiasts to share insights, race recaps, hot takes, or behind-the-scenes knowledge with our readers. Click Here to apply!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

Angie Campbell
Angie Campbell
A native of Charlotte, NC, Angela (Angie) was first introduced to racing by her father. An avid fan of NASCAR, she found a way to combine her love of racing with her passion for writing. Angie is also an award-winning member of the National Motorsports Press Association. Follow her on Twitter @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

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