Austin, Texas. The humidity is already starting to creep in, and the sound of high-revving engines is bouncing off the hills at the Circuit of the Americas. If you’ve been following the 2026 season, you know this isn’t just another race on the calendar. COTA has basically become the ultimate "prove it" track for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (the series we used to call Xfinity).
The grid is set.
Qualifying just wrapped up, and honestly, the speed we saw in the final round was a little bit scary. When the COTA NASCAR Xfinity starting lineup was finalized, one name stood above the rest, and it wasn’t even close. Connor Zilisch. He’s 18. He’s driving the No. 88 for JR Motorsports. And he just put the rest of the field on notice with a lap that looked like it was on rails.
The Front Row: Youth vs. Experience
Connor Zilisch took the pole with a blistering 1:37.262. That is fast. Like, "how did he keep the tires under him" fast. It’s his second career pole in just a handful of starts, which is wild when you think about the guys he’s beating.
Starting right next to him is Ross Chastain in the No. 9. Yeah, the "Melon Man" himself. Ross is doing the double duty thing again, and while he’s a Cup Series vet, he couldn't quite find that extra tenth to catch Zilisch. It’s a fascinating dynamic for the start of the race. You have the young prodigy who grew up on road courses versus one of the most aggressive, "will-not-back-down" drivers in the history of the sport.
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Turn 1 at COTA is a nightmare. It’s a steep uphill climb into a blind left-hander. If you're Connor, you're hoping to clear Ross before the apex. If you're Ross, you're probably smelling blood.
The Heavy Hitters in the Top 10
Behind those two, the talent doesn't drop off. William Byron is starting third in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 17. Byron is basically a road course specialist at this point in his career. He was about a second off Zilisch's pace, which sounds like a lot, but in race trim, Byron is usually the most consistent guy on the track.
Then you have the series regulars. Justin Allgaier starts fourth. He’s the veteran presence that every series needs. He’s seen it all, and while he might not have the raw qualifying speed of the Cup guys, he knows how to manage a race over 250 miles.
- Connor Zilisch (No. 88)
- Ross Chastain (No. 9)
- William Byron (No. 17)
- Justin Allgaier (No. 7)
- Carson Kvapil (No. 1)
- Corey Heim (No. 24)
- Taylor Gray (No. 54)
- Sam Mayer (No. 41)
- Riley Herbst (No. 19)
- Christian Eckes (No. 16)
Why the National Course Changes Everything
In 2026, we are running the 2.4-mile "National Course." This is a huge shift from the 3.4-mile layout fans are used to. It's shorter. It's punchier. It's 17 turns instead of 20. Basically, they cut out some of the slower "stadium section" fluff and turned it into a sprint.
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Because the lap is shorter, the COTA NASCAR Xfinity starting lineup matters way more than it used to. On the long course, you had time to recover from a bad qualifying effort. Now? If you’re buried in the 20s, you’re going to be fighting through "the accordion effect" in those tight corners all afternoon.
Keep an eye on Jesse Love. He’s starting 11th. He’s the defending champion, and he’s been remarkably quiet this weekend. He’s got that RCR power under the hood, and if the leaders get into each other (which they will), he’s the first one who’s going to pounce.
The Mid-Pack Chaos
Further down the list, things get interesting. We’ve got guys like Sammy Smith (16th) and Anthony Alfredo (17th) who are desperate for stage points. Then there’s Baltazar Leguizamón in the No. 35. He’s a road course ringer, but he's starting way back in 37th. Watching him try to carve through the field is going to be one of the best shows of the day.
The track surface at COTA is notoriously bumpy, too. Even with the recent repaves in certain sections, the "esses" still chew up tires. If you didn't set your car up for the long run, you might have a fast qualifying lap, but you'll be a stone by lap 15.
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Strategy and Fuel Windows
The Focused Health 250 is usually won or lost in the pits. Since we’re on the shorter course, the fuel windows have shifted.
- Tires: Fall-off is real. Expect a two-stop strategy if the yellows stay away.
- Brakes: The heavy braking zone into Turn 12 is where the most passing (and crashing) happens.
- Restart Games: With the field bunched up, expect guys to go four-wide into the hill.
Honestly, the qualifying results tell us that JR Motorsports and Hendrick have the raw speed, but Toyota (Joe Gibbs Racing) usually has the better long-run pace. Corey Heim (starting 6th) is my dark horse. He’s been surgical on road courses lately.
What to Watch During the Race
When the green flag drops, don't just watch the leaders. Watch the gap between 5th and 15th. That’s where the "road course ringers" usually stall out.
If you're looking for an actionable way to enjoy this race more, pay attention to the sector times. Zilisch was dominant in the first sector (the esses), but Byron was actually faster in the final sector. If Byron can stay close through the twisty bits, he can out-brake Zilisch at the end of the long backstretch.
The COTA NASCAR Xfinity starting lineup provides a roadmap, but Austin, Texas, is known for throwing curveballs. Whether it’s a sudden afternoon shower or a typical Turn 1 pileup, this grid will look very different by the time they hit the checkered flag.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the final weather report 30 minutes before the green flag; COTA weather flips fast.
- Watch the No. 88 (Zilisch) and No. 9 (Chastain) telemetry if you have the NASCAR app; their braking points are worlds apart.
- Keep an eye on the stage breaks—restarts on the National Course are significantly more chaotic than the Full Course.