Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Circuit of The Americas.
One of those world-class facilities is certainly nothing like the others. But, in the world of NASCAR, a singular trait groups them all together, something that isn’t a major factor at any other racetrack on the NASCAR National Series circuit.
Track limits.
Yes, in a world where NASCAR put on three captivating shows this weekend in Austin, Texas, the discussion afterward is primarily focused on the pavement adjacent to the racing surface, rather than the action that occurred on it.
But that’s exactly the problem – and NASCAR’s Senior Vice President of Competition, Elton Sawyer, agrees.
“COTA is very challenging,” Sawyer told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday. “I would rather go to Daytona, Talladega, or Atlanta every day of the week from the officiating standpoint. We’re calling balls and strikes on every lap and that’s not really where we want to be.”
“I commend our team in the tower, I thought they did a good job, but it’s way too much about us and not enough about the athletes, and our teams, and our pit stops and strategy and things of that nature.”
#NASCAR's Elton Sawyer admits there's "some work to be done" on their end when it comes to figuring out how to officiate track limits moving forward at @COTA and on other road courses.
?? "It doesn't need to be about the officiating."
More ? https://t.co/MKhd9eLXG8 pic.twitter.com/dGQDfy6kYp
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) March 26, 2024
Fans who tuned in for the conclusion of Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event saw an incredible battle for the win between series-regular Austin Hill, three-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen, and NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson in the closing laps.
After multiple instances of contact between Hill and Van Gisbergen, the race leaders, on the final lap of the event, Larson eventually made both passes to return Hendrick Motorsports to victory lane in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with the No. 97 finishing in the runner-up position.
If you turned off the television immediately after the checkered flag was displayed, you would still be under the impression that the inaugural Chicago Street Course winner was the race’s runner-up. But then you would miss the part where the Kaulig Racing driver got a 30-second penalty for cutting the course in the Esses, dropkicking the 34-year-old driver to 27th.
That was the most damning of the combined 40 track limits violations handed out during the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events at the 3.41-mile road course over the weekend – and that’s with only checking track limits in one section of the course.
Nobody was immune to those violations either, with pass-through penalties being assessed to the likes of Chase Elliott, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Ed Jones, Matt Crafton, Connor Zilisch (multiple times), Stefan Parsons, Tyler Anrkum, and loads of others.
The biggest takeaway from the copious number of penalties from this weekend at Circuit of The Americas is even NASCAR believes it was excessive, and according to Sawyer, the sanctioning body will be looking at potentially different methods, penalties, and rules should the series return to COTA in 2025.
“Some work to be done, not sure where the announcement is, if we will or will not be going back to COTA in [2025],” Sawyer added. “But we’re preparing today – and have been since basically we started the weekend – about what we can do going forward with the facility, and how we would officiate it, and what the deterrent looks like.”
While NASCAR’s return to Circuit of The Americas for 2025 hasn’t been officially confirmed, as of the time of publishing, a report from Kevin Lyttle of the Austin Statesman states that the 3.41-mile road course is likely to return to the NASCAR schedule next year.
Let's try that again. Outlook is promising for @NASCARatCOTA return in 2025. My @Statesman story details why. Plus COTA Chair Bobby Epstein offers updates on track schedule and entertainment projects. #NASCAR … https://t.co/Bc0dyOp3D8
— Kevin Lyttle (@klyttlesports) March 25, 2024
