2026 NASCAR DuraMax Texas Grand Prix: The trickiest turns for abbreviated road course at COTA originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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NASCAR’s return to the national course at Circuit of the Americas for the DuraMax Texas Grand Prix brings an abbreviated, 20-turn layout that promises tighter racing and heightened chaos. Here are the turns to watch for on Sunday.
The most treacherous spot remains Turn 1, nicknamed “Chaos Corner.” Drivers climb sharply at nearly 133 feet, comparable to the height of the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal before fanning out five-and six-wide into a blind left-hander at the crest. With heavy braking and limited visibility, it has produced pileups in nearly every Cup race held at COTA.
From there, the field plunges into the technical Esses. The high-speed sequence features decreasing-radius corners that demand precision. Miss a mark and drivers risk hopping curbs or slamming into tire barriers designed to police track limits. One mistake can stack up half the field.
The national course also introduces Turns 6A and 6B, a short connector that funnels drivers onto a long straightaway. That straight leads to Turn 12, one of the slowest corners on the track and another prime passing zone and another chaos candidate as drivers dive-bomb under braking.
The stadium section, particularly Turns 15 through 20, offers opportunity and risk. Wide entries into Turn 15 invite aggressive moves, while the final two corners reward those willing to slide the car and launch onto the frontstretch.
With the season’s first road course race ahead on the NASCAR schedule, few have shown a hotter hand on than Tyler Reddick. The back-to-back winner is riding a hot streak and has mastered this course before. But that was a much different layout. The 23XI racer will have to limit mistakes to make NASCAR history.
More:Tyler Reddick chases NASCAR history going back 2,789 races at COTA
The third race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series takes place at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and is scheduled for 95 laps, totaling approximately 228 miles. The DuraMax Texas Grand Prix takes place on the 2.4-mile road course configuration in Austin, Texas with stages of 20, 25, and 50 laps.
Total Distance: 228 miles
Total Laps: 95 laps
Track Length: 2.4-mile road course
Stages: 20/25/50 (Total 95)
Start Time: Approx. 3:40 p.m. ET
TV Channel: FOX
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