The NASCAR has not yet decided if COTA will remain on the calendar after 2025.
On the last Sunday, NASCAR Cup Series drivers competed in their first Road Course race of the 2024 season at Circuit of the Americas. The race was won by a Hendrick Motorsports driver who started on pole position, overcoming a late challenge from JGR. However, the race was not very exciting, except for a few on-track incidents.
A two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has a potential solution to this issue. With the Texas track looking to sign a new contract with NASCAR for the future, he suggests shortening the track length to make it shorter. The idea behind this is to allow fans in the stands to see the cars racing more frequently.
COTA is a track that is 3.4 miles long and features over 20 turns. It has hosted several prestigious racing championships, including the F1 race every year. It is possible to shorten the track, as suggested by Logano, by using the intersections at Turn 6 or Turn 7. However, this would diminish the charm of the entire track length.
Although Logano’s suggestions have merit, both he and the other drivers on the grid do not want COTA to be removed from the calendar. NASCAR has not announced its plans with the track for 2025 and beyond yet, but drivers like Chastain from Trackhouse Racing want it to remain on the calendar.
Chastain was not the only driver to defend the track. Michael McDowell, Christopher Bell, Austain Cindric, and many others had compelling arguments to keep it as a true Road Course. If NASCAR decides to continue racing at the track, it would be preferable to utilize the entire facility instead of shortening it, as Logano suggests.
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