Monday, March 3, 2025

NASCAR COTA Race Weekend Recap

NASCAR COTA Race Weekend Recap

Winners: Christopher Bell (Cup); With Connor Zilisch (Xfinity)

NASCAR Cup

Christopher Bell Goes Back-to-Back

Christopher Bell Goes Back-to-Back #NASCAR

 

After winning at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Feb. 23, Christopher Bell said 2.4-mile, 17-turn Circuit of The Americas was a track he had circled for another potential victory.

 

Sure enough, after passing Kyle Busch for the lead and staving off defending race winner William Byron over the last five laps at COTA, Bell was a back-to-back winner in the NASCAR Cup Series for the first time in his career, having claimed victory in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.

 

Bell beat Byron to the finish line by 0.433 seconds, as the reigning Daytona 500 winner raced Bell cleanly over the closing laps. Polesitter Tyler Reddick was third, followed by Chase Elliott, who made a miraculous recovery from a Lap 1 spin in Turn 1 that resulted in a broken toe link.

 

“Whenever Kyle was leading, I was just trying to be so cautious,” said Bell, who spun Busch’s car in Turn 1 in the 2024 race. “Obviously, we know what happened last year. I didn’t want that to happen. I wanted to pass him clean. He was just doing such a good job at running his race, and he could get off the corners just good enough that I couldn’t get inside of him.

 

“But there I started peeking a nose, and he bobbled and allowed me to get out front. Whenever I did, I’m, like, ‘OK, just don’t beat yourself.’ Those were about the five or six sloppiest laps I’ve ever run.

 

“Just super proud for everyone on this DeWalt No. 20 team. We didn’t count (on) last week. Last week was a speedway. We didn’t have that one circled. We definitely had this one circled. I’m ready to keep adding to it.”

 






Pole: Tyler Reddick



Click Here for Race Results


Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 3:30 pm ET for the Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix Raceway.


NASCAR Xfinity

Connor Zilisch Bounces Back to Win

Connor Zilisch Bounces Back to Win #NASCAR

 

It’s hard to put Connor Zilisch off his game as the 18-year-old road-course prodigy proved once again in winning Saturday’s Focused Health 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Circuit of The Americas.

 

A commitment line violation couldn’t do it. Sent to the rear for pitting when pit road closed suddenly for the race’s second caution, Zilisch restarted 32nd after the first stage break and drove through the field, taking the lead from Carson Kvapil on Lap 56 of 65 at the 2.4-mile, 17-turn circuit.

 

“That was way harder than I wanted it to be,” said Zilisch, who scored the much-needed victory after respective finishes of 27th and 34th in the first two races of the season at Daytona and Atlanta. “I did not drive a clean race at all … I was kind of mentally fogged halfway through that race.

 

“I made way too many mistakes … I was glad we were able to fight back.

 






Pole: Connor Zilisch



Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 5:00 pm ET for the GOVX 200 at Phoenix Raceway.




NASCAR Trucks

NASCAR CRAFTMAN Truck Series – Off-Track this Weekend







Next Race: The Truck Series will return on Friday, March 14, 2025 at 9:00 pm ET for the Ecosave 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.




ARCA

ARCA Series – Off-Track this Weekend






Next Race: The ARCA Series will return on Friday, March 7, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET for the General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway.



 

source: NASCAR Media
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