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NASCAR heads to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas this weekend for the first road course race of the season. The 3.41-mile circuit will host the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup races over the weekend.
The stacked entry list for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix includes 3x Supercar champion Shane van Gisbergen driving the #16 Chevy for Kaulig Racing and Former F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi, in the #50 Toyota for 23XI Racing.
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There is plenty of anticipation and excitement surrounding the first road course race of the season, with Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, and Tyler Reddick each having won a race on the track.
As we gear up for the action-packed weekend in the Lone Star state, here are the top five drivers to keep an eye on in the Cup race on March 24.
Top 5 NASCAR drivers to watch out for at COTA
#5 Shane van Gisbergen
The NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie will make his third NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend, following his stellar debut last year.
Following his triumphant win on the streets of Chicago, Shane van Gisbergen scored a top-10 result in his second outing at the Indianapolis Road Course. There is plenty of excitement surrounding his return to the Cup Series, with the Kiwi driver expected to be a front-runner.
#4 Alex Bowman
The #48 Hendrick Motorsports driver is a dark horse heading into the event, as he has performed well in his three appearances on the 3.41-mile circuit.
In his last three outings at COTA, Alex Bowman has recorded an eighth, second, and most recently a third-place result at the track. Bowman missed out on a victory in the iconic three-wide battle with Ross Chastain and AJ Allmendinger in 2022. He is excited to return to the track as he believes the track fits him well.
#3 Ty Gibbs
The #54 Joe Gibbs Racing driver has kicked off his 2024 campaign in impressive fashion, fetching top-10 results in the last four events, and is showing no signs of sophomore slump.
Ty Gibbs performed well on the road courses last season, taking two top-five results at the Glen and the Roval. Gibbs is heading into the weekend with tremendous momentum, and could well take his first NASCAR Cup Series victory.
#2 Chase Elliott
The 2020 NASCAR Cup champion has established himself as the best road course racer in the current grid, with seven wins at such tracks, two short of Jeff Gordon's record nine victories.
Chase Elliott won the inaugural rain-affected race at the track in 2021. Despite his inconsistent form last season, Elliott was a top contender at road courses and has a high chance of snapping his winless streak at COTA.
#1 Tyler Reddick
The #45 Toyota driver took his first victory for 23XI Racing at COTA, last year. He has recorded a top-10 finish in his three outings at the track.
Tyler Reddick is one of the best road course drivers, with three of his five Cup Series victories coming on such tracks. The defending race winner is the outright favorite and is expected to make his second trip to the victory lane this weekend.
The EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix is scheduled for this Sunday, March 24, at 3:30 PM ET.
