This weekend’s NASCAR race on FOX: Circuit of the Americas kicks off the 1st road test of the season

Drivers face their first road test of the NASCAR season when they clash at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

The action begins at 3 p.m. ET Sunday with NASCAR RaceDay, followed by COTA at the EchoPark Automotive at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Tyler Reddick won last year’s race at COTA and is favored to win this weekend. Reddick has eight top-10 finishes in the last 10 road-course races and is the only driver to qualify and finish in the top five in tow races at COTA, NASCAR noted. 

But Reddick faces stiff competition from fellow drivers, including Ross Chastain, who won his first career cup at COTA in 2022. Chastain is also the only driver to complete all three races at the circuit in the top five. 

And other drivers to watch in Sunday’s race are Alex Bowman, Martin Truex Jr, Shane Van Gisbergen, and Chris Buescher. 

COTA is a massive 3.41-mile track that features 20 turns. Since it opened in 2021, the racing venue has hosted various racing and live sporting events, including Formula One, according to NASCAR.   

This story was reported from Washington, D.C.