NASCAR is still undecided on whether COTA will remain on the schedule after 2025.
Last Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series drivers competed in their first Road Course race of the 2024 season at the Circuit of the Americas. The race was won by a driver from Hendrick Motorsports who started in pole position, overcoming a late challenge from JGR. However, the race was not very entertaining, aside from a few on-track clashes.
A two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has a potential solution to this problem. With the Texas track looking to sign a new contract with NASCAR for the future, he suggests reducing the length of the track to make it shorter. The idea behind this is to allow fans in the grandstands to see the cars racing more frequently.
COTA is a track that spans 3.4 miles and features over 20 corners. It has hosted various prestigious racing championships, including the F1 race each year. It is possible to shorten the track as suggested by Logano, using the intersections at Turn 6 or Turn 7. However, this would diminish the allure of the entire length of the track.
While Logano’s suggestions hold merit, both he and the other drivers on the grid do not want COTA to be removed from the schedule. NASCAR has yet to announce their plans with the track for 2025 and beyond, but drivers like Trackhouse Racing’s Chastain want it to remain on the calendar.
Chastain was not the only driver advocating for the track. Michael McDowell, Christopher Bell, Austain Cindric, and many others had compelling arguments for keeping it as a proper Road Course. If NASCAR decides to continue racing at the track, it would be preferable to utilize the entire facility rather than shortening it as Logano suggests.