The Cup Series race in the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday went by spectacularly, with Christopher Bell reaching victory lane. Fans were thrilled with the overall action, as were drivers. The saddening news at this juncture is that the future of the road course in the Cup Series calendar isn’t yet confirmed. Denny Hamlin spoke about it on Actions Detrimental.
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COTA entered NASCAR in 2021 after striking a leasing deal with Marcus Smith, the CEO of Speedway Motorsports Incorporated. Smith owns and operates many of the tracks that the Cup Series races at in the United States.
He withdrew a date from one of these tracks in favor of the road course. According to Hamlin, whether he will continue to do so depends on the factor of profitability.
NASCAR pays Smith a certain amount of money. He can either use that to organize a race at one of his own tracks or use it to lease a venue like COTA.
So, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran contends that whether the track will return to the calendar depends on the lease fee it charges from Smith. He said, “I think whether we come back here is going to be largely based on how much they charge him.”
“If they increase the price 30-40% and then Marcus says, ‘Oh, screw that! That takes too much profit away, and so I’m just going to put it back at one of my old tracks.’ I think if they increase the price, we probably won’t go back.” Further updates can be expected from the promotion or Smith’s side in the coming months. As of now, COTA is not a confirmed presence for 2026.
Other factors that will determine COTA’s future in NASCAR
Austin is not a traditional NASCAR venue. When Smith brought stock car racing to COTA, he took a date from the Texas Motor Speedway. The Charlotte All-Star race was then moved to Fort Worth. In the time that he has been here, he has been left impressed with the culture of Austin and wants to continue experiencing it.
SMI officials have also stressed that ticket renewal numbers and fan feedback will play a big role in making decisions about the future. COTA President Bobby Epstein reiterated that he wanted to see NASCAR return to the track as well.
SMI COO Mike Burch said that they will “take a look at ticket renewals, feedback from the fans who attended the race, and the overall results before we talk with NASCAR about next year’s schedule.”
