NASCAR live updates: Cup cars get first road course test at Circuit of the Americas

NASCAR fans get their first look at a package of rules changes as the Cup Series visits its first road course of the season at Austin, Texas’ Circuit of the Americas. New for 2023, the cars will have less downforce — to encourage more passing — and there won’t be any stage cautions, which should lead to interesting strategy calls.

Here’s what else to know ahead of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix:

EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix broadcast schedule

All times ET

Friday, March 24
8-9 p.m.: Practice (FS1) — tape delay

Saturday, March 25
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Qualifying (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM)

Sunday, March 26
3:30-7 p.m.: EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Fox, PRN, Sirius XM)

EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix details

Track: Circuit of the Americas (3.4-mile, 20-turn road course)
Length: 68 laps, 231.88 miles.
Last year’s winner: Ross Chastain

EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix starting grid

1. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

3. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

4. Jordan Taylor (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

5. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

6. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

7. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

8. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

9. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

10. Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

11. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

12. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

13. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

14. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

15. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

16. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

17. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

19. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

20. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

21. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

22. Kimi Räikönnen (91), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

23. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

24. Jenson Button (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

25. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

26. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

27. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

28. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

29. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

30. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

31. Jimmie Johnson (84), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

32. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

33. Josh Bilicki (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

34. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

35. Conor Daly (50), TMT Racing Chevrolet

36. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

37. Cody Ware (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

38. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

39. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Top drivers and best bets for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

With Chevrolet having dominated each of the first two races at COTA, it’s no surprise that five of the six drivers with better than 10-to-1 odds to win drive Chevys. Kyle Larson, who finished second to teammate Chase Elliott in a rain-shortened first race there in 2021 is the favorite according to BetMGM.

Best odds to win

• Kyle Larson +600

• Kyle Busch +700

• Ross Chastain +750

• Tyler Reddick +900

• A.J. Allmendinger +1000

• William Byron +1000

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg suggests finding good mid-tier value in points leader Joey Logano — who has 19 career road-course top-10s, including a win. Logano enters the weekend at +2500. If you’re really looking for a longshot, Bromberg points out that Justin Haley (+10000) has two top-10 finishes at road courses in his career.

EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix entries list

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Jordan Taylor (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Noah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Conor Daly (50), TMT Racing Chevrolet
Cody Ware (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Josh Bilicki (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Jimmie Johnson (84), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Kimi Räikönnen (91), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix weather

Thunderstorms are forecast for Friday, which could wipe out an important practice session for the Cup cars, but from then it’s supposed to be clear and cool on Saturday and Sunday. That forecast along with the aforementioned road course rule changes should make for compelling battles throughout the field for Sunday’s race.