My NASCAR COTA Picks 2026: DuraMAX Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas

Position 1 (Main Driver)

Christopher Bell  |  No. 20  |  Joe Gibbs Racing

Look, I know. I know. Bell is 31st in points after two races and it has been a rough go so far. He got tangled up at Daytona and then Hocevar ended his day at Atlanta just when it looked like he had race-winning speed. It has been painful to watch.

But I am not bailing on him, and honestly, if I was going to pick any week to trust Bell, it is this one. COTA is his track. He is the defending race winner here. He has top-3 finishes in three of his four NextGen starts at this circuit, and the only time he had a bad result here it was because of a crash, not a lack of speed. The No. 20 JGR Toyota showed up to Atlanta fast and the finish just did not reflect it.

I am nervous. I won’t pretend I’m not. But I’m staying loyal and I think this weekend he reminds everyone why he is one of the best road course drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Position 2 (Top Tier Pick)

Tyler Reddick  |  No. 45  |  23XI Racing

Yeah, I’m picking Reddick. I don’t care if it’s the obvious call. The man has won both races to open the 2026 NASCAR season and his COTA numbers are genuinely elite. He holds the best average finish in the entire field at Circuit of the Americas (3.5), has posted four consecutive top-5 finishes here, and leads all drivers in average running position and driver rating at this track in the NextGen era.

He is the championship leader, he is hot, and he is historically dominant at Circuit of the Americas. Reddick is a must-start in this format until something gives me a reason to fade him. Nothing is giving me that reason right now.

Position 3 (Top Tier Pick)

Chris Buescher  |  No. 17  |  RFK Racing

Buescher does not get talked about the way the big road course names do, but his NASCAR COTA track record is genuinely impressive. He has finished inside the top 10 in each of his last three starts at Circuit of the Americas and holds a 7.7 average finish across all five of his COTA appearances. Only four active drivers can claim a better average finish in Austin.

He is sitting 10th in the current standings, which keeps him comfortably inside my Top Tier slot. What I really like about Buescher here is the floor he provides. When things get messy at COTA, and they always do, Buescher is usually the guy who keeps his nose clean and picks up consistent points. I’ll take that reliability every week.

Position 4 (Outside Top 12 Pick)

Shane van Gisbergen  |  No. 97  |  Trackhouse Racing

SVG is the outright race favorite at +110 and he is currently sitting 16th in the points standings, which means I can roster the top pick at this race as an outside Top 12 driver. That is a rare opportunity and I am absolutely taking it.

His road course credentials are undeniable. He is second all-time in NASCAR road course wins across all three series. COTA is actually the one notable road course where he has yet to win, which only adds motivation. He led 23 laps here last year while showing some of the fastest speed in the field before finishing sixth. He and teammate Connor Zilisch are both competing in the Xfinity Series race at COTA on Saturday, giving them extra track time and valuable data heading into Sunday. That is a real edge in a year when the circuit has seen some layout tweaks.

Getting the race favorite in an outside slot feels like a cheat code. I’m taking it.

Position 5 (Outside Top 12 Pick)

William Byron  |  No. 24  |  Hendrick Motorsports

Byron won the NASCAR COTA race in 2024, finished second here in 2025, and has three consecutive top-5 finishes at Circuit of the Americas. Pre-race simulations put his win probability at 13.1 percent, second only to SVG in the entire field.

Hendrick Motorsports has not visited victory lane yet in 2026, and Byron has shown the pace to change that. He is currently 13th in the standings, just outside the Top 12 cutoff, which makes him available for an outside slot while still being a genuine race winner. A driver with that kind of COTA pedigree available in this position is exactly the kind of value the Driving on Marbles format rewards.

Position 6 (Outside Top 12 Pick)

Alex Bowman  |  No. 48  |  Hendrick Motorsports

Bowman has had a rough opening to 2026, currently sitting 32nd in the standings. But his Circuit of the Americas history is worth ignoring that noise completely. He has finished inside the top 10 in each of his last three COTA starts, with a pair of top-5 results included. He and Tyler Reddick are the only two drivers in the entire NASCAR Cup Series field to have finished in the top 10 in all five COTA races.

He is not my pick to win on Sunday. But that is not what this slot is about. I want 25 to 30 reliable points from a driver who has proven himself at this track consistently, and Bowman delivers that. His standings position makes him a clean outside pick and gives my lineup a dependable floor at Position 6.