NASCAR at COTA Kicks Off Austin's Spring Festival Season

The racing event brings thousands of visitors and millions in economic impact to the city.

Feb. 27, 2026 at 7:09pm

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NASCAR's return to Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this weekend marks the unofficial kickoff to weeks of major events in Austin, Texas, bringing thousands of visitors and millions of dollars in economic impact to the city. The race weekend includes practice and qualifying events on Friday, NASCAR Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series races on Saturday, and the NASCAR Cup Series race on COTA's road course on Sunday.

Why it matters

Austin's spring festival season is a major driver of tourism and economic activity for the city, with NASCAR at COTA being one of the largest early-season events. The influx of race fans staying in hotels, eating at restaurants, and visiting local attractions provides a significant boost to the local economy.

The details

NASCAR's weekend at COTA is expected to deliver millions of dollars in economic impact, with fans coming from almost every U.S. state and at least 10 countries to attend the event. The multi-day nature of the race weekend means visitors are staying in the area for multiple days, spreading the economic benefits throughout the region, including downtown Austin and The Domain shopping district.

  • NASCAR returns to Circuit of the Americas this weekend, March 24-26, 2023.
  • Practice and qualifying events will take place on Friday, March 24.
  • The NASCAR Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series races will be held on Saturday, March 25.
  • The NASCAR Cup Series race on COTA's road course will be on Sunday, March 26.

The players

Wesley Lucas

Director of communications for Visit Austin, the city's tourism organization.

Kirk Watson

Mayor of Austin, Texas.

Mark Faber

General manager of NASCAR at COTA.

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What they’re saying

“Sports has become really, truly a pillar for our community when it comes to driving tourism.”

— Wesley Lucas, Director of communications for Visit Austin

“It's one of the things I love about this town, right? It's always been a town that excited people, and they always wanted to come and be a part of it.”

— Kirk Watson, Mayor of Austin

“We're going to have millions of dollars of economic impact here for a weekend.”

— Mark Faber, General manager of NASCAR at COTA

What’s next

Fans can visit the COTA or NASCAR websites for schedules, tickets, and parking details for the race weekend.

The takeaway

NASCAR at COTA is a major event that kicks off Austin's vibrant spring festival season, bringing thousands of visitors and millions in economic impact to the city. The influx of race fans staying in hotels, dining at restaurants, and visiting local attractions provides a significant boost to the local economy, showcasing the importance of sports tourism to the Austin community.