Circuit of the Americas, a vast and impressive exhibition of American motorsports, host to Formula 1, Moto GP, Endurance racing, and many more, is undergoing a NASCAR-themed transformation this year. This year at COTA, NASCAR’s gas-guzzling Next Gen car V8 will rumble on a slightly different circuit. Remember back in 2023, when the Chicago Street Race debuted, SVG’s won it in style, that is the kind of unpredictability and enhancement of fan experience, COTA is hoping to bring to the table, or shall we say to the track.
This change is not just a minor tweak on a corner or some resurfacing of the asphalt, this is a fundamental shift in the character of the track. And it has sent a wave of excitement throughout the garage, some are excited about the change, while some are skeptical. As the drivers and the teams took their first steps around the new circuit, a new buzz began to surface throughout the garage, and this wasn’t just about the new layout.
As it turns out, NASCAR has implemented some new, let’s say, ‘innovative’ additions to the track to ensure that racing on the new track remains clean. While the intention was to ensure that drivers did not exploit the track limits, this has raised some questions about the balance between innovation and practicality.
NASCAR’s Solution Sparks New Controversy
Daniel Suarez, a driver renowned for his road racing prowess, with one win and 4 top-five performances at the road courses, recently found himself in the middle of a growing controversy. “Yesterday, you know, a lot of people were complaining about the big heavy things on the esses,” he said when asked about the new track changes. These ‘heavy things’ are the 400-pound hefty barriers introduced by NASCAR as a physical solution to serve as a deterrent to drivers looking to violate the track limits.
“NASCAR doesn’t want to be in the policy, you know policing all these different penalties because of the track limits,” Suarez explained. “So we just have to be more disciplined.“
The plan to introduce 400-pound barriers in the esses to prevent corner cutting has faced some push-back from the drivers. Jeff Gluck from the Atlantic also expressed his concerns regarding the potential car damage, if faced with the barriers. NASCAR reversed its decision by removing the barriers and accepted that it would have to police the drivers through the esses. But, Suarez wasn’t sold on this last-ditch change to an already confusion track layout.
Ross Chastain, who is considered a master of adapting to track conditions also expressed some concern regarding this, “The bundle looks heavy but that’s still going to move, so every lap if someone clips it it will probably transfer a bit. Doesn’t really look like it’s bolted down, but yeah. It’s going to be a few variables I think, but yeah, same for everyone.”
NASCAR decided to remove the barriers in the esses, and will instead officiate like in years past. Daniel Suarez was OK with the barriers being there:
“A lot of [drivers] were talking about ‘what if I hit them and destroy the car?’…well don’t hit them!” pic.twitter.com/CCxSZwI97m
— Eric Estepp (@EricEstepp17) March 1, 2025
Suarez, however, gave a very simple and straightforward idea to avoid damaging the cars hitting the barriers, “A lot of people were talking about we’re gonna hit and destroy the car…Don’t hit them, that’s gonna fix everything.” But after continued concern from drivers and the team regarding safety, the idea to put 400-pound deterrents was finally scrapped by NASCAR.
Shane Van Gisbergen was also skeptical of the changes in the track, “Looking at it now you can see the surface change where it’s brand new there and looks about 50 years old here. So, it will be very slippery. So, you go from huge grip to no grip and then obviously the paint on the exit. That’s going to be the biggest challenge is the different grip levels…It’s going to be a few variables I think, but yeah, same for everyone.”
While the choice of barriers and the new track layout creates a controversy, it also raises some important questions. It’s not just about this weekend’s race, it’s about the effect these changes could have on the future of NASCAR.
A New Era of Racing: The Future of NASCAR and Its Tracks
What if this experiment at COTA is a sign of things to come? Is this a test for a future road course? Imagine a future where iconic tracks like Watkins Glen undergo changes, focusing on new layouts and exciting racing.
This trend of changing the tracks and layouts is not new. Take a look at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, for example. The new changes there, its high banks and narrower racing surface, transformed it into a Superspeedway arena, much to the concern and shock of many drivers. These changes have evolved it from an intermediate track and it now competes with Daytona and Talladega. Similarly, Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, also underwent some changes to its chicanes to improve the race flow and decrease the racing incidents. Although these changes are less than those in Atlanta and COTA, this hints at NASCAR’s efforts to refine its tracks to improve racing.
Moreover, the introduction of the new ‘joker lap’ penalty or the new tires to be introduced by Goodyear at COTA, adds another layer of complexity to this already changing COTA equation. The possible consequences of these changes are massive, will we have some unexpected pit-stop strategies? Or some dramatic changes in track positions? One thing’s for sure this weekend at COTA is shaping up to be anything but predictable.
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