The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and O'Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) will return to Circuit of The Americas (COTA) for the sixth consecutive season Feb. 27 – March 1 as NASCAR released its 2026 national series schedules today.
The NCS event will be held Sunday, March 1 and be preceded by the NOAPS Focused Health 250 (currently the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)) on Saturday, Feb. 28. On-track action will open Friday, Feb. 27 at the acclaimed permanent road course venue located outside of Austin, Texas.
Both series will compete on the 17-turn, 2.4-mile National Course, which debuted in March after the first four seasons being contested on the 20-turn, 3.41-mile Full Course. Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing won the 95-lap NCS race on the National Course layout this season while Connor Zilisch of JR Motorsports was victorious in the NXS event.
The NASCAR at COTA stop will be the third race of the season for both series, with the NCS beginning with the season-opening Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15 and the Ambetter Health 400 at EchoPark Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 22. The NOAPS will be a support event at both of those venues. The NCS and NOAPS will also make a second swing through Texas, along with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS), with a May 1-3 visit to Fort Worth and Texas Motor Speedway.
Individual race tickets and weekend packages, along with camping options, are available by visiting NASCARatCOTA.com. The race weekend provides family affordability, including tickets for children ages 12 and under at $10 for the NCS race and free for the Focused Health 250 (with a ticketed adult required for either race). NASCAR at COTA also features an expansive Fan Zone that includes an array of entertainment acts, NASCAR driver appearances and activities.
Race start times, television broadcast partners, any additional support series races and a full on-track schedule will be announced at a later date.
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