NASCAR Cup Series drivers tackled their first Road Course race of the 2024 season last Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas. Hendrick Motorsports’ Willaim Byron who started the race in pole went on to win the race overcoming a late challenge from Christopher Bell JGR. Barring some on-track clashes, the Austain race was underwhelming from an entertainment standpoint.
Two times NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano might’ve a fix to this problem. With the Texas track set to sign a new contract with NASCAR for 2025 and beyond, he wants the sanctioning body to reduce the length of the track and make it shorter. The logic behind the suggestion is the fact that this would allow fans in the grandstands to see the cars racing more often.
The track is too long. I would cut off about half the track. My only reason would be so the cars come around the grandstands more often. Fans could see the cars a lot more. Logano told Austin American Statesman.
COTA is a 3.4 miles track with over 20 corners and has over the years hosted multiple prestigious racing championships including the F1 race every year. It is possible to Cut track distance as Logano suggested. It can be done by using the intersections at Turn 6 or Turn 7. But it will reduce the prestigious racing the whole length brings to the table.
Despite concerns raced by Joey Logano, Ross Chastain’s words on the tracks shows how much drivers rate the facility
While Logano’s suggestions are valid, even if that doesn’t happen neither the Team Penske driver nor the other racers on the grid wants COTA to exit the schedule. NASCAR is yet announce their plans with the track for 2025 and beyond, but driver including Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain wants it to stay in Calander.
Dang right I want to see it come back. I had some some great runs there and super fast cars and just a lot of fun — Trucks, Xfinity, Cup cars, all of them. ...I hope that (Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith) doesn’t let it go. Ross Chastain said.
Chastain wasn’t the only driver to argue in favor of the track. Michael McDowell, Christopher Bell, Austain Cindric and many more had compelling arguments to keep racing what they see as a proper Road Course. If NASCAR decides to race at the track, it would be better to race using the whole facility instead of shortening it as suggested by Logano.
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