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- What: DuraMax Grand Prix
- When: Sunday, March 1st, 2026
- Where: Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Austin, Texas, this Sunday, March 1st. The DuraMax Grand Prix will be the third race of the 2026 season. The 95-lap event takes place at Circuit of the Americas. This will be the sixth edition of the DuraMax Grand Prix.
Shan van Gisbergen is the favorite heading into Sunday. Christopher Bell is the defending race winner after his 2025 victory. That being said, no one has been better than Tyler Reddick, who opened 2026 with back-to-back wins at Daytona and EchoPark. I’d also keep my eye on William Byron, who won at COTA in both 2023 and 2024.
Several contenders will look to rebound from slow starts here. Rookie Connor Zilisch could be a factor here. He won the Xfinity race at COTA last season. Brad Keselowski may start, but could be replaced due to injuries. Jesse Love is the only open entry in the 37-driver field. The road course provides a reset after two drafting-heavy races.
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DuraMax Grand Prix Odds
Shane van Gisbergen
Van Gisbergen is favored for good reason. He’s been NASCAR’s most dominant road course racer since arriving in 2023. He’s won five straight on road courses, one win away from tying Jeff Gordon’s all-time record.
Will anyone be able to stop Shane van Gisbergen from getting his first #NASCAR Cup Series win at @COTA on Sunday?
Several Cup drivers perform well at the popular road course. pic.twitter.com/o5HMXim1iq
— The Side Draft (@SideDraftNASCAR) February 24, 2026
He posted a career-best sixth-place finish at EchoPark last week. Despite the success on road courses, he’s never won at COTA. His best finish at this track was ironically sixth place last year. Typically, van Gisbergen’s tire management skill set him apart from the rest of the field.
Can he overcome Byron and Bell to tie Gordon’s record for consecutive road course wins? I would pass on van Gisbergen at this price.
William Byron
No driver has a stronger resume at COTA than William Bryon. He’s led 71 career laps at the track, most in Cup Series history. He won the 2024 race from pole position, leading 42 of 68 laps. Byron finished second to Bell last year, making it three straight top-two finishes at this circuit.
Quick look at William Byron going through the first half of the new NASCAR course at COTA.
There are walls on both sides of the new "shortcut" of Turns 6A/6B bypassing Turns 7-11 of the GP circuit https://t.co/ieMs81TBdk pic.twitter.com/pf9kAAwKZ4
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) February 28, 2025
Byron has had a rough start to the season. He’s 13th in points, but COTA could be the reset Byron desperately needs. His deliberate approach to braking zones and shifting suits this layout. Hendrick Motorsports is the only team with multiple COTA wins. His consistency at this track makes him a serious threat on Sunday.
I’d take a shot on Byron at +1200 to win at COTA again.
Tyler Reddick
Can Reddick do something no Cup driver has ever accomplished? A win Sunday would make him the first driver to win the first three races of the season. Only five other drivers in Cup history have even had the chance. Reddick won at this track in 2023, so he knows what it takes to win here.
His numbers at COTA speak for themselves. He’s led 53 laps here, third most behind Byron and Kyle Busch. Since 2023, Reddick has owned the highest average starting position at this track. Besides Reddick, Alex Bowman is the only other driver with top-ten finishes in all five COTA races.
Do you know who’s really good at COTA?
Tyler Reddick
2025- Start 1st, Finish 3rd
2024- Start 3rd, Finish 5th
2023- Start 2nd, Finish 1st
2022- Start 4th, Finish 5th
2021- Start 1st, Finish 9thpic.twitter.com/tdc1kF2PLm— Racing Territory (@RacingTerritory) February 24, 2026
His late-race decision-making has been phenomenal over the past two weeks. He’s leading the point standings by 40 points over teammate Bubba Wallace. Reddick is racing so well right now; even if he doesn’t win here, I’d expect him to be near the front.
I can’t see Reddick winning his third race in a row, so I’ll pass on him at this price.
Chase Briscoe
Briscoe is a dark horse in this race. His average finish at this track stands at 15.6 across five starts. He has managed just one top-ten finish at this circuit. Certainly, those numbers do not scream contender on the surface.
However, Briscoe finished second at EchoPark last week behind Reddick. He enters COTA with real momentum. He’s no longer racing inferior equipment. The switch from Stewart-Haas to Joe Gibbs Racing elevated his results across all track types. The JRG Toyotas give him a legitimate shot to compete near the front.
Chase Briscoe Scores First Career Top-Five Finish at EchoPark Speedwayhttps://t.co/7XJUCSoKRx
— RotoBaller NASCAR (@NASCARDFS) February 23, 2026
He posted top-ten finishes in three of six road course races in 2025. If pit stops fall his way, I could see a scenario where Briscoe pulls this one out and shocks the rest of the grid.
I would bet on Briscoe at +2000 to win this one outright.
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