Circuit of the Americas – Austin, Texas
Scheduled Green Flag: 3:00 PM ET (approx. 65 laps / 156 miles)
TV: The CW (national) | Radio: PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Streaming: NASCAR App / Fubo (select markets)
The 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity Series) hits its first road course of the season with the fifth running of the Focused Health 250 at the iconic Circuit of the Americas. This marks only the third race of the young season, shifting from the high-banked drafting of Daytona and Atlanta to the technical, elevation-changing twists of COTA’s newly configured National layout.
Venue & Track Details
Location: Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd, Del Valle, TX (just southeast of Austin).
Track Type: Permanent road course (NASCAR National layout – shortened configuration introduced in 2025).
Track Length: 2.400 miles (3.862 km).
Turns: 20 (mix of high-speed sweepers, tight hairpins, and elevation changes; the layout cuts out the long traditional backstretch for more fan-visible action).
Key Features: Massive elevation drop after the uphill frontstretch into the esses (Turns 1-5), a technical mid-section with the new Turn 6a/6b chicane shortcut, and a flowing final sector leading back to the long front-straight. No traditional “backstretch” in the new config — instead, constant cornering and braking zones reward car balance, tire management, and driver skill over raw horsepower. Pit road is long and strategically vital; stage breaks at Lap 20 and Lap 40. Rain tires are available if needed, but the forecast is dry.
Expected Weather Conditions
Sunny to mostly clear skies. Highs in the low-to-mid 80s°F (27–29°C) by green flag, with track temps climbing into the mid-90s°F. Winds 10–13 mph from the south/southeast. Precipitation chance near 0–5%. Ideal dry conditions for full-speed road-course racing with minimal strategy disruption from weather. Overnight lows in the upper 50s–low 60s°F. Perfect for fans and crews.
Race History Highlights
- Fifth running of the Focused Health 250 at COTA.
- Recent winners under the new/shortened layout: Connor Zilisch dominated the 2025 edition in his JR Motorsports Chevrolet.
- Road-course trends at COTA favor veterans and specialists (Shane van Gisbergen, road-course ringers, and drivers with strong sim/setup experience).
- High attrition possible due to walls, curbs, and the tight new chicane; average winning speed ~85–90 mph in recent runnings. Multiple cautions typical from incidents in the esses or Turn 1.
2026 Season Context & Recent Driver Forms
After two drafting-style races (Daytona and Atlanta), points leader Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) sits atop the standings with a win and strong consistency. Close behind are Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love, and Parker Retzlaff. Road courses traditionally shake up the standings, rewarding drivers who excel away from ovals.
Key Matchups to Watch
- SVG vs. Zilisch: The ultimate road-course showdown — the New Zealand superstar (SVG) against the young gun who beat everyone here last year.
- RCR duo (Hill/Love) vs. JR Motorsports (Zilisch/Allgaier): Two powerhouse organizations with the best road-course programs in the series.
- Oval specialists vs. road ringers: Drivers like Creed and Parker Retzlaff must adapt quickly to the new chicane and elevation changes.
- Rookie/Part-timer battles: Brent Crews (JGR debut), international talents, and one-off entries will test the walls early.
Betting Trends & Advanced Stats
- Road courses in Xfinity: Favorites win ~55–60% of the time, but the new COTA layout has produced chaotic racing with big stage winners.
- SVG has dominated recent road events across series; Zilisch is the defending COTA king.
- Stage betting heavy on top road-course drivers for Stage 1/2 wins.
- Unders on total cautions if dry (but expect 4–6 with the tight new turns). Top-5 finish props pay well on consistent veterans.
- Historical COTA trend: Pole sitter or top-5 qualifier wins ~70% under similar configs.
Driver Odds
Shane Van Gisbergen – 130
Connor Zilisch – 110
Austin Hill + 1800
Sam Mayer + 2000
Justin Allgaier + 2000
Jesse Love + 2500
Sheldon Creed + 2800
Ross Chastain + 3000
Taylor Gray + 3500
Sammy Smith + 3500
Austin Green + 5000
Rajah Caruth + 6000
Nicholas Sanchez + 6000
William Sawalich + 7000
Carson Kvapil + 7000
Brandon Jones + 10000
Jeb Burton + 10000
Harrison Burton + 10000
Tyler Gonzalez + 20000
Ryan Sieg + 25000
Parker Retzlaff + 25000
Corey Day + 25000
Alex Labbe + 50000
Josh Williams + 50000
Jeremy Clements + 50000
Dean Thompson + 50000
Brennan Poole + 70000
Blaine Perkins + 70000
Baltazar Leguizamon + 70000
Austin J Hill + 70000
Anthony Alfredo + 70000
Sage Karam + 70000
Ryan Ellis + 70000
Preston Pardus + 70000
Patrick Staropoli + 70000
Lavar Scott + 70000
Kyle Sieg + 70000
Josh Bilicki + 70000
JJ Yeley + 70000
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, February 27, 2026
