NASCAR COTA Predictions: Order of finish for entire field predicted for EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

This weekend is the first road course race of the season. The NASCAR Cup Series is taking on a new, shorter course at COTA. This should produce more action for fans at the track, shorter caution times, and hopefully, improved racing.

This weekend is a big one for Connor Zilisch. He will make his Cup Series debut at 18 years old, driving for Trackhouse Racing. On top of that, he will be the driver to bring Red Bull back to the NASCAR Cup Series with his No. 87 Chevy paint scheme.

Speaking of Trackhouse, this race also features Shane van Gisbergen. The Kiwi is hoping to score his second career Cup Series win and first of the season. SVG could have an edge on a course configuration that no one has raced on before.

NASCAR’s Racing Insights has made its prediction for this weekend. Using track, track type, performance, and data from the teams and pit crews, Racing Insights predicts the finishing order for the entire field.

Since Zilisch has no experience with a Trackhouse team that is also new, he is rated very low. However, the predictions are fairly strong.

NASCAR Cup Series at COTA Finish	Driver
1st	Kyle Larson
2nd	Chase Elliott
3rd	Shane van Gisbergen
4th	Ross Chastain
5th	Christopher Bell
6th	Tyler Reddick
7th	William Byron
8th	Chris Buescher
9th	AJ Allmendinger
10th	Ty Gibbs
11th	Alex Bowman
12th	Michael McDowell
13th	Kyle Busch
14th	Ryan Blaney
15th	Austin Cindric
16th	Denny Hamlin
17th	Joey Logano
18th	Chase Briscoe
19th	Carson Hocevar
20th	Daniel Suárez
21st	Todd Gilliland
22nd	Zane Smith
23rd	Ryan Preece
24th	Bubba Wallace
25th	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
26th	Brad Keselowski
27th	Austin Dillon
28th	Noah Gragson
29th	Justin Haley
30th	John Hunter Nemechek
31st	Erik Jones
32nd	Josh Berry
33rd	Ty Dillon
34th	Cody Ware
35th	Cole Custer
36th	Connor Zilisch
37th	Riley Herbst

While the rookies and newcomers like Custer, Zilisch, and Herbst are likely underrated, this is a solid look at how things could shake out. Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are two of the best road course racers among the “traditional” NASCAR drivers.

Then you have guys like SVG and newcomers like Zilisch. Drivers who grew up on road courses, though very different in age. Chastain, another Trackhouse driver, is very good at COTA in his NASCAR career.

Chastain has an average finish of 4.0 at COTA in four NASCAR races. That includes that fantastic and thrilling win he had in 2022.

With the Next Gen car and modern Cup Series racing leaning more into road course racing, it is becoming more competitive. Not just in the middle of the pack, but near the front as well. When you used to think of great road course racers before the Gen 7 car, it was Elliott, Larson, AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr. You might throw a couple more in.

Now you have Elliott, Larson, Allmendinger, SVG, Ty Gibbs, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Chris Buescher, Tyler Reddick, Michael McDowell, and Daniel Suárez – all but Gibbs have a Cup win in the Next Gen era on a road course.

With the competition being more talented than ever, who do you think wins the NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA?