It’s finally here. NASCAR makes its debut at Circuit of the Americas.
The COTA weekend schedule will be busier than most weekends this season. Cup, Xfinity and the Camping World Truck Series each will have one practice session and qualifying before racing.
The 20-turn circuit is 3.41 miles and has hosted Formula One and the NTT IndyCar Series, among several other series.
The course could be even more challenging with rain in the forecast.
The wundereground.com forecast for Friday calls for a high of 82 degrees and up to a 58% chance of scattered thunderstorms for the Truck and Xfinity practice sessions.
Saturday’s forecast calls for a high of 78 degrees and a 51% chance of scattered thunderstorms at the start of the Truck race. The forecast calls for a high of 77 degrees and a 60% chance of thunderstorms at the start of the Xfinity race.
The forecast for Sunday’s Cup race is expected to have a high of 77 degrees and a 45% chance of scattered thunderstorms at the start.
COTA weekend schedule
(All times Eastern)
Thursday, May 20
5 p.m. — Xfinity rookie meeting (virtual)
5:30 p.m. — Xfinity driver/crew chief meeting (virtual)
6 p.m. — Camping World Truck Series driver/crew chief meeting (virtual)
Friday, May 21
Noon - 10:30 p.m. — Truck garage open
Noon - 1:30 p.m. — Driver track walk
12:30 - 1 p.m. — Truck rookie meeting (virtual)
1 - 10:30 p.m. — Xfinity garage open
3:05 - 3:55 p.m. — Truck practice (FS1)
4:05 - 4:55 p.m. — Xfinity practice (FS1)
5:30 p.m. — Cup rookie meeting (virtual)
Saturday, May 22
7 a.m. - 5 p.m. — Cup garage open
7 a.m. — Truck garage opens
7 - 7:45 a.m. — Driver track walk
9:05 a.m. — Truck qualifying; multi-vehicle/two rounds (FS2)
9:30 a.m. — Xfinity garage opens
10:05 - 10:55 a.m. — Cup practice (FS2)
11:05 a.m. — Xfinity qualifying; multi-vehicle/two rounds (FS1)
1 p.m. — Truck race; 41 laps/139.81 miles (FS1, Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
4 p.m. — Xfinity race; 46 laps/156 miles (FS1, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday, May 23
8 a.m. — Cup garage opens
11 a.m. — Cup qualifying; multi-vehicle/two rounds (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
2:30 p.m. — Cup race; 68 laps/231 miles (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)