Circuit of The Americas stands as one of the finest motorsports facilities in America. For the third straight year, NASCAR makes its way to the 3.41-mile road course in Austin, Texas — and this time, with more Texas-sized star power than ever.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Xfinity Series and Cup Series all race this week with plenty of familiar names across all three series.
RELATED: Full COTA schedule | Cup Series standings
The stars shine brightest in the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). In addition to the typical slate of stock-car racing’s biggest names come two Formula One champions — 2007 title winner Kimi Räikkönen and 2009 champ Jenson Button. Räikkönen makes his second appearance in the Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91, while Button will make his NASCAR debut in the No. 15 Ford for Rick Ware Racing.
Jordan Taylor, an IMSA heavyweight, joins the fray as well, piloting the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in place of the injured Chase Elliott. Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson returns in the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet as does IndyCar racer Conor Daly, who will pilot The Money Team Racing’s No. 50 Chevrolet.
Button, Taylor and Johnson make up three-quarters of NASCAR’s Garage 56 effort in this year’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As NASCAR ventures to France later this spring with a modified Next Gen vehicle, Button, Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller will share the main driving responsibilities while Taylor assists as an alternate-slash-coach.
MORE: Cup Series entry list for COTA | More on Garage 56
The fun continues in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday (5 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM) with a slew of Cup regulars coming to join the party. Defending series champion Ty Gibbs returns to Joe Gibbs Racing and will pilot the No. 19 Toyota for his first Xfinity start of 2023. Another former champion, 2017 title winner William Byron, rejoins the circuit in the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Other Cup drivers joining the party will be AJ Allmendinger in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet and Aric Almirola, piloting the No. 08 Ford for SS GreenLight Racing. Josh Bilicki, competing part-time in Cup this season, will pilot the No. 91 Chevrolet for DGM Racing on Saturday before hopping into the No. 78 Chevrolet Sunday for LiveFast Motorsports. Brad Perez returns to Emerling-Gase Motorsports to drive its No. 53 Chevrolet to attempt to qualify for his third Xfinity Series start.
RELATED: Xfinity Series entry list | Truck Series entry list
The Craftsman Truck Series takes the first green flag of the weekend on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM). Ross Chastain, who collected his first Cup Series victory at COTA one year ago, returns to the Truck Series driving the No. 41 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet. Alex Bowman, who found himself racing Chastain for the Cup win last year, returns to the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet for Saturday’s Truck race.
Kyle Busch, the two-time Cup champion and Truck Series’ winningest driver, returns to his No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet as well. Ed Jones, the former IndyCar driver and native of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, makes his inaugural NASCAR appearance behind the wheel of the No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet. Kaz Grala, now an Xfinity Series regular, also returns to pilot the No. 1 Tricon Garage Toyota on Saturday.