The NASCAR Cup Series will make its debut at a new track this week. Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, will play host to the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix. Fans have waited a long while for this race. Many of them wanted NASCAR to go to Circuit of the Americas and they finally get their wish with the 14th race of the 2021 season. Will NASCAR get the exciting road race they desire out of this road course?
Circuit of the Americas Overview
The newest track on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, Circuit of the Americas opened in 2012. The 20-turn, 3.41-mile road course in Austin, Texas, was made using different parts of other Formula 1 tracks. Well, not the literal track parts, just the blueprints from them. Think of it as combining several other F1 circuits into one.
Formula 1’s annual United States Grand Prix had the honor of putting the first rubber down on the track. They have raced there every year since, except for 2020 due to COVID-19. Circuit of the Americas also hosted the IndyCar Series in 2019 and, at the time, reached an agreement for a multi-year deal to bring the U.S. open-wheel series back. In October of 2020, the deal was nullified and it was announced that IndyCar would not be returning to the track.
Circuit of the Americas Welcomes Stock Car Racing
All of that leads us into this weekend as all three of the NASCAR National Series prepare to race at Circuit of the Americas. Both the NASCAR Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series will take to the track on Saturday before the weekend culminates with the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday afternoon. This marks the second of several big changes that NASCAR made to the schedule this year. The Bristol Dirt Race experiment split the fans in terms of opinion, and now we are at the second experiment with a new track/surface. This weekend will be another test of how NASCAR might further adjust the schedule in the years ahead.
NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas | Weekend Racing Schedule
Toyota Tundra 250
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Date: Saturday, May 22, 2021
Start Time: 1 p.m. EST
Coverage: FS1
Distance: 140 miles
Laps: 41
Pit Boss 250
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Date: Saturday, May 22, 2021
Start Time: 4 p.m. EST
Coverage: FS1
Distance:156 miles
Laps: 46
EchoPark Texas Grand Prix
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Date: Sunday, May 23, 2021
Start Time: 2:30 p.m. EST
Coverage: FS1
Distance: 231 miles
Laps: 68
