Sat Mar 01 18:30:00 UTC 2025: ## NASCAR Heads to COTA for Action-Packed Weekend
**Austin, TX –** The NASCAR Cup Series is set to debut on a revamped Circuit of The Americas (COTA) this weekend, marking a historic moment for the sport. Saturday’s events will feature a shorter, faster 2.4-mile, 20-turn road course, approximately a mile shorter than the track’s Formula One configuration. This change is expected to reduce lap times by about a minute.
Cup Series practice begins at 11 a.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 12:30 p.m. ET, both sessions streamed live on Amazon Prime. The day also marks the Cup debut for 18-year-old Connor Zilisch, prompting reflections from veteran drivers like Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott on their own first Cup races.
The Xfinity Series will also be in action at COTA, hosting its first road course race of the season at 2:30 p.m. ET on The CW Network. While defending champion Kyle Larson will be absent, several Cup drivers, including Ross Chastain, Carson Hocevar, William Byron, and Riley Herbst, will compete.
Adding to the excitement, the IMSA-sanctioned VP Racing SportsCar Challenge will hold two races, one in the morning and another in the evening.
The day’s events at COTA promise a thrilling spectacle under mostly sunny skies, with a high of 86 degrees and only a 7% chance of rain. The Xfinity race, however, is expected to start under partly cloudy conditions at 54 degrees. Fans can tune into Amazon Prime, The CW, Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio for complete coverage.
First Piper 