NASCAR heads to the first road course race of the season at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), and while last year the win went to Christopher Bell, marking his second win on the trot after Atlanta, it will be interesting to see if he can circle the wagons again, outpace Shane van Gisbergen, and carry the purse back to his camp once more.
Advertisement
With the purse nudged up this year, there is a little more skin in the game for drivers aiming to plant their flag at COTA. Last year, NASCAR set $11,055,250 as the purse for the Cup race at COTA. This year, that figure climbs to $11,233,037.
The prize pool covers payouts across the board, from finishing spots to contingency awards, along with contributions to the year-end points fund and charter payouts. For the Xfinity race, the purse sits at $1,653,590, inching up from last year’s $1,651,939. Meanwhile, the Truck Series heads to St. Petersburg this time, with a purse of $789,700.
Purses for NASCAR races this weekend (COTA/St Pete). Includes all payouts, all positions plus contingency awards, contribution to year-end points fund, charter payouts, etc.:
Cup (COTA): $11,233,037
OReilly (COTA): $1,653,590
Truck (St. Pete): $789,700
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 25, 2026
Which drivers to look out for at COTA?
With the schedule turning to its first road course, naturally, SVG is walking in as the name on everyone’s lips. Last year, he ruled the roost on road layouts, winning five of six and punching a ticket to the Round of 16 before bowing out. But that is not the only reason eyes are on him.
Two races into the 2026 slate, SVG has already shown he is not here to make up the numbers and has made it clear he is more than a one-note act. After holding his ground at EchoPark with a P6 run, he is now ready to do what he is perfect at.
Then there is SVG’s teammate and road course foil, Connor Zilisch, who could throw his hat in the ring at the front. The 19-year-old has yet to cross P30 after the first two races, but he has traded blows with SVG in Xfinity road races before, and COTA might give him room to stir the pot again.
On paper, Tyler Reddick also stands tall. Fresh off a statement win at EchoPark to go with his Daytona 500 success, he became the first driver since Matt Kenseth in 2009 to open the season two-for-two. That run could carry over to COTA, a place where he has shown he can run at the point and seal the deal, backed by an average finish of 4.6 across five starts.
Beyond him, Alex Bowman, Ross Chastain, William Byron, and Chase Elliott remain steady hands given their track record at the venue, making them safe bets to keep in play when the cards hit the table.
