Frontstretch Newsletter: Austin Gets Underway

Published: Fri, 03/24/23

Frontstretch Newsletter: March 24, 2023
Volume XVII, Edition XXXVI

What to Watch: March 24-26

- Friday is a very busy day at Circuit of the Americas as all three of NASCAR's National-level series will be in action on the 3.41-mile road course. Take notice that much of the action scheduled for Friday will air on FOX Sports 1 via tape delay.

- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams are scheduled to practice at 4:30 p.m. ET this afternoon. Qualifying will follow right afterwards. Practice will air via tape delay at 9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.

Coverage of the Xpel 225k is scheduled to start with NASCAR RaceDay - NCTS Edition at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. Race coverage will start at 1:30 p.m. ET

- NASCAR Xfinity Series teams are scheduled to practice today at 6:30 p.m. ET. This will air live on FOX Sports 1. Qualifying follows at 7 p.m. ET

Coverage of the Pit Boss 250k starts at 4 p.m. ET with NASCAR RaceDay - Xfinity Edition. Like last weekend at Atlanta, it is possible that the pre-race show could be delayed due to the Truck race running long. Race coverage will start at 5 p.m. ET.

- The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is racing tonight in the Talladega Sprint Car Showdown at Talladega Short Track. Action starts at 7:15 p.m. ET on DirtVision.

Saturday night sees the series cross the border into Mississippi to compete in the World of Outlaws Black Ice Brawl at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus. Action from "The Mag" starts at 7:15 p.m. ET Saturday night on DirtVision.

- ARCA Menards Series East will start their season Saturday night at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. Race coverage starts at 7:55 p.m. ET on FLORacing.com (subscription required). The green flag is scheduled to start at 8:05 p.m. ET.

FOLLOW THE FRONTSTRETCH THIS WEEKEND IN AUSTIN THROUGH OUR COLLEAGUE:

Jared Haas (@RealJaredHaas)

Stephen Stumpf (@stephen_stumpf)

Justin Wyatt Watson (@WyattGametime)

Also, don't forget to follow our Twitter page, @Frontstretch as well for updates on Austin!

TV Schedule: Here

Today's Top News:

Chase Elliott Joining Cup Broadcast Booth at COTA

FOX Sports announced on NASCAR RaceHub Thursday that Chase Elliott will be a part of the broadcast of Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.

Read more

Photos are courtesy of Nigel Kinrade Photography.

Have news for Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.

Newsletter Exclusive:

Frontstretch Folio: EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

by Phil Allaway

This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series makes their third visit to Circuit of the Americas near Austin for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Coverage is scheduled to start with NASCAR RaceDay at 2 p.m. on FOX Sports 1. Coverage moves to FOX at 3 p.m. The green should fly around 3:40 p.m. Radio coverage will be provided by local PRN radio affiliates and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Records and facts

Last year's EchoPark Texas Grand Prix came down to a duel on a Green-White-Checker restart between a number of drivers. Tyler Reddick led on the restart, but Ross Chastain had some contact with him entering the Esses that allowed him to get alongside. He would take the lead and open up a gap.

AJ Allmendinger ran down Chastain on the final lap and nudged him out of the way at turn 15 to take the lead. Alex Bowman swept past both Allmendinger and Chastain to take the lead in the quadruple-apex turn 18. Chastain, in a last-ditch effort, got in the back of Allmendinger under braking for turn 19. Allmendinger bounced into Bowman, then spun into the gravel. Chastain slipped back into the lead and took the win, his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory.

Chastain won by 1.331 seconds over Bowman. Christopher Bell was third, then Chase Elliott and Reddick. Allmendinger was credited with 33rd.

Of the active drivers in Cup, Chase Elliott is the most successful driver on road courses with seven victories in 25 career starts. He's won the two most recent Cup races at Watkins Glen, twice at Charlotte Motor Speedway's ROVAL and one each on Daytona's infield road course, Road America and the inaugural race at COTA. Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. each have four victories on road courses. Busch also won the Busch Clash on Daytona's road course in February. AJ Allmendinger, Kevin Harvick and Tyler Reddick both have two wins.

Track Facts
Track / Race Length: 3.41-mile oval, 68 laps (231.88 miles)
Banking: varies
Straightaways: 1,076 ft., banked 2 degrees

Grandstand Seating: 120,000

Pit Road Speed: 35 mph
Pace Car Speed: 45 mph
Opened: 2012, first Cup race in 2021

Website: http://www.circuitoftheamericas.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoverInternationalSpeedway

Twitter: https://twitter.com/COTA

Pre-Race Schedule:

Practice: Friday, March 24, 1 - 1:50 p.m. Airing via tape delay at 8 p.m. on FOX Sports 1

Qualifying: Saturday, March 25, 11:30 a.m. ET on FOX Sports 1

Say What?

"We’ve gotten both COTA’s I feel like. [We got] the monsoon the first year, which was my first-ever time really racing in the rain. So that was a blast. We came up a little short there because it started raining a little too hard and we had to call the race short. We were in position to win that one. Last year, I didn’t qualify well, didn’t race well and did a terrible job on restarts. I look forward to going back to hopefully do a better job behind the wheel, having a better setup under us and having a better opportunity to race for a win would be great." - Kyle Larson

"Any driver wants to be at the front and battling for the win, but I think I have to keep my expectations in check. Everyone in the Cup Series these days is good on every form of racing, whether it’s a superspeedway, short track or a road course. I know that it’s going to be a big uphill battle, battling these guys. I’m glad we do have an extra (practice) session to kind of understand it. From a driver’s perspective, I have the belief that I can figure out how to drive the car and then it just comes down to the little details of pit stops, pit lane speed. I’m used to pushing a button on the steering wheel and it controls my pit lane speed. In NASCAR, you have to control it all yourself. So little details like that are the things that I’ve been bouncing off Chase (Elliott); little tricks of the trade and what to expect. Even little things like coming into the pit box, knowing how to launch the car and things like that. I know it’s going to be a big challenge, but I’m looking forward to it. I’m really grateful for the opportunity." - Jordan Taylor

"I think the whole field has elevated their ability on road courses, between the teams putting in work to figure out what to do with the new car and the driver getting more comfortable. So, it’s going to be hard to have a big advantage where you would typically find it, in a braking zone or with straightaway speed, but the lower downforce will hopefully help some and allow us to find something we can work with to gain that advantage." - Chase Briscoe

Phil Allaway is the Frontstretch newsletter manager. He can be reached at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Photo is courtesy of Nigel Kinrade Photography.

Today at Frontstretch:

4 Burning Questions: Is Kyle Busch Right About a Lack of Respect Between Drivers?

by Stephen Stumpf

Friday Faceoff: Has RFK Returned to Glory?

by the Frontstretch Staff

Fire on Fridays: Is the Road Course Ringer Making a Comeback?

by Anthony Damcott

NASCAR 101: Let’s Meet the COTA Road Course Ringers

by Zach Gillispie

Through the Gears: COTA Betting Preview

with Michael Bachmann

This Day in Dirt: Terry Phillips Stomps USMTS Field at Humboldt; Terre Haute Action Track Back in Action

by Bryan Keith

Tomorrow at Frontstretch.com:

We'll have recaps and breakdowns of all the action from Austin.

Talk Back!

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