CONCORD, N.C. – Speedway Motorsports officials have selected the 3.41-mile long course at Circuit of the Americas for all competition during the inaugural May 21-23 NASCAR weekend at the venue.
“We took a hard look at both the 3.41-mile long course and the newly reconfigured 2.2-mile short course,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “There’s no doubt the long course will be the most entertaining for the fans. There are more sight lines and opportunities for hillside viewing, plus we’ll have additional options for trackside camping.
“Every NASCAR driver will be challenged by the same 20-turn, counterclockwise circuit designed for Formula One racers.”
The 3.41-mile long course takes full advantage of the undulating landscape and features a 133-foot hill at turn one. The course is the only circuit in the United States to annually host both F1 and MotoGP.
Speedway Motorsports is working closely with NASCAR competition officials on select changes to the course and facility to maximize the spectacle and excitement for NASCAR’s top three series which will all run on the inaugural NASCAR weekend at COTA.
“The Circuit of The Americas is already a world-class, world-renowned facility,” said Smith. “Along with NASCAR, we now have to make a few safety and competition enhancements to accommodate the Camping World Trucks, Xfinity and Cup Series. Every effort will be made to make the first NASCAR weekend an experience like no other for both fans and competitors.”
Officials are developing a plan that will include adding rumble strips from Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ROVAL in select corners at COTA. The turtles, as they’ve been coined by former NASCAR Cup Series driver and current NBC broadcaster Dale Earnhardt Jr., will force stock car and truck drivers to truly drive the circuit without taking advantage of COTA’s more forgiving and extended asphalt runoffs.
Operations crews will also add tire-packs to potentially high-impact areas, extend pit road wall and install additional caution lights and timing/scoring loops to support the larger stock car and truck fields that will now compete at COTA.