May 22, 2021 “Toyota Tundra 225” (Stages 12/26/42 laps = 143.220 miles)
“Everything is bigger in Texas, even the width of the track!”
Now is the time for the second road race of the 2021 NCWTS season of the four on the schedule. The particularity being that it will be an inaugural race. Indeed, it's in Austin, Texas on the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) that the 9th race of the season will take place. The Toyota Tundra 225 will take place in 3 stages for a total of 42 laps.
This is a 20-turn multi-elevational, 3.41 mile paved road course. The same circuit used by F1 or Indycar for example. A circuit designed by the famous German Hermann Tilke. The world's greatest parking engineer... With rare exceptions, he has been the author of all modern F1 circuits since the end of the 90s. And the least we can say is that he's very talented at designing circuits ... of shit ! Without souls, without flavors, without interest in 99% of cases. You just have to watch races, regardless of the motorsports series on these circuits. The fans are complaining and worse ... the drivers are complaining!
But with incredible luck COTA is part of the remaining 1%. Namely a very beautiful circuit. It's hilly, has varied turns including a nice sequence of "S" (turns 3 to 6) in the purest style of what one can see in England at Silverstone. A benchmark circuit for F1 fans.
That's going to require some work. @NASCARatCOTA | 📺: FS2 pic.twitter.com/vA0O1bZdHO
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 22, 2021
Only the part between turns 13 and 18 is not very interesting in terms of driving. And worse, it's impossible to overtake ...
Its construction began symbolically on December 31, 2010 and the first race took place on October 21, 2012. The track is very wide, even very very wide in places. Which will be a first in NASCAR, accustomed to “old-fashioned” road tracks like Watkins Glen or Elkart Lake or winding like Portland or Sonoma. The last time NASCAR visited a track with similar straights width was in 1954 at Linden Airport, NJ with Al Keller's victory in a Jaguar XK120.
What does this hold in store for us? A boring race as the 40 trucks will be scattered on such a circuit or on the contrary a crazy race with the phenomenon of draft that can generate the huge straights as if we were on a Super Speedway?
We will have a first element of response today. Because with this new track, the practice / qualifying / race format is back. This allows drivers and teams to find the right setups.
Like the vast majority of his colleagues, Derek Kraus will discover COTA. However, some have already been able to test there in the past or even participate in it. This will be the case for many road ringers entered just for this race. And despite the fact that they ride for small teams, they could be talked about.
Excited to go to @COTA for the first time this weekend with our @NAPARacing @ToyotaRacing Tundra. We have practice and qualifying back too!
— Derek Kraus (@derek9kraus) May 21, 2021
Practice: TODAY at 3pm EST (FS1)
Qualifying: Saturday at 9am EST (FS2)
Race: ⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/o40HVfSYUC
Derek just competed in the first BMRDA road race at Thunderhill Raceway Park, CA. A good way to get used to turning right and left again. Let's just hope that the #19 NAPA AutoCare / Gates Hydraulics NAPA Belts & Hoses of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing led by crew chief Mark Hillman will finally be spared some bad luck. Because this 2021 season is very difficult for them. Let us remember that the only top10 of the season was precisely obtained in the Daytona Road Course last February with a 7th position.
Note the debut in NCWTS of Jack Wood with GMS Racing, his team in ARCA. Another former opponent from Derek’s K&N West era arriving in a NASCAR national series.
GO Derek GO !!
Entry list, starting lineup and much more click here.
Race live this Saturday on FS1 at 1:10 p.m. ET
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