With the fifth season featuring NASCAR racing at Circuit of the Americas complete, NASCAR has a decision to make, should they return to the track in years to come? As a fan, here is my argument for coming back for years to come.
The Case For NASCAR Returning To Circuit Of The Americas
In an era of old ovals returning to the schedule, and removing old ovals because of the poor ticket sales, every track is fighting for a spot on the schedule. With this year being the final year of the contract, here is my case for renewing Circuit Of The Americas for NASCAR seasons to come.
I’ve been attending the races at COTA since 2021. My family and I travel in and camp in an RV, and we enjoy that the Cup Series is racing in Texas. So I have sat through the downpour weekend that was 2021, seen the wild finishes, and this is my perspective as someone who has been there for it all.
BACK-TO-BACK. Christopher Bell holds off William Byron to WIN at Circuit of the Americas! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/oq0Dd2hHCu
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 3, 2025
We Have Perfected The Course:
As a fan, I will tell you the full layout was *way* too long. Cautions felt like they took 15 minutes to run. This weekend, felt miles shorter than years before. It kept me involved in the action and was enough time to grab a refreshment and get back to my seat in time for the restart.
The new turn-six was a great addition. I saw more people at the new turn during practice and qualifying than I had seen sitting in the esses across the last five years. As I anticipated, the new turn caused some excitement. We saw Denny Hamlin and Austin Dillon wreck heading into the turn during Cup, and Hocevar drove into the barriers in the Xfinity race. Those fans who parked themselves there got a great show.
The combination of the new layout and new tire was perfect. Dale Jr., said on his podcast Tuesday, that he could not have cared less about COTA, until Sunday’s race.
New COTA, who dis? 🤠🆕
The latest episode of the @DaleJr Download is out right now!
Apple: https://t.co/CpJSvuZl1w
Spotify: https://t.co/5NTbk9jib9
YouTube: https://t.co/fH78msQ3eV pic.twitter.com/3ZwhRuahY5— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) March 4, 2025
If Dale Jr., one of the most highly respected voices in the sport, wants this race back, who are we to disagree?
READ MORE: Connor Zilisch Overcomes Penalty to Win COTA Xfinity Series Race
COTA Is The Premier Road Course In The United States:
Circuit Of The Americas is one of, if not the premier road course in the United States. The facility is great, cleaner, and more modern than some ovals on the schedule. It has the tower, it’s got the big American and Texas flags, and it looks great on camera. If you race in the United States, you should race at COTA. This goes for all series, Formula 1, IndyCar, IMSA/WEC, and of course NASCAR.
If We Return to COTA, Let’s Keep Improving:
If this race is to return, I have some requests and criticisms.
There needs to be improvement in the fan experience areas. The area next to the main grandstands was empty. Let us fill it with some food trucks or something. I understand there are food service contracts, so this is something that will need working. But We can’t have the area next to the track look empty.
Finally, improve the PA/At-Track announcing. We sat in the stands and did not even know that NASCAR was not calling penalties for course cutting in turn six. We assumed Bell would be getting a penalty for cutting the course and not until I listened to The Teardown on Monday that we found out they were not calling penalties.
Let’s keep improving the fan aspect, and make this a great race for fans from across the country and world to enjoy.
My Conclusion:
We have great momentum going, great racing, and a great new layout. If we leave COTA, we lose that energy, and we will have to build new experiences somewhere else.
Goodyear worked hard to bring a great new tire, COTA/SMI changed the layout and it was great. We have the results of years of polishing this place into a great race, and to abandon that is criminal.
This is my plead to NASCAR and fans who are not on board with resigning COTA, we have polished this track into something great, now let us enjoy it for the coming years.
READ MORE: NASCAR Cup Series at COTA Highlighted by Rules Inconsistency, Bell Victory
Featured Image Credit: James Gilbert, Getty Images. 3/2/2025
