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The NASCAR Cup Series takes on Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, May 23, capping off the first-ever race weekend in Austin. A resident of the city and a massive TV star, Jared Padalecki, is setting up the unique road course race by lending his voice to an epic hype video.
“There’s an old cowboy saying, ‘don’t go in if you don’t know the way out,'” the “Supernatural” and “Walker” star narrates. “Which brings us here, Circuit of the Americas, where no one knows the ins and outs because we’ve never seen this before.”
According to Padalecki’s explanation, a circuit goes around, starting and ending at the same point. However, the Circuit of the Americas is different in that this “outlaw track in an outlaw town” does not follow the standard NASCAR layout. Now the drivers will have to test their skills on an entirely new type of road course.
The NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas takes place on Sunday, May 23, at 2:30 p.m. ET. FS1 will broadcast the race with Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon, and Mike Joy in the booth. PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will provide audio coverage of the race. Jamie Little and Regan Smith will provide updates from pit road while Larry McReynolds will serve as the in-studio analyst.
Padalecki is the Right Man to Promote a Race in Austin
A Texas native, Padalecki currently resides in Austin with his wife and co-star, Genevieve. There is a massive Texas Longhorns logo on the wall of his home gym, and he spends considerable time running around Austin. Padalecki’s newest show, “Walker,” even takes place in Austin instead of Dallas-Fort Worth like the Chuck Norris version.
Padalecki is not the first name that people think of when discussing NASCAR, but he is definitely the best choice to promote a race in his favorite town. He explained in an Instagram post in January 2020 that Austin is the city he dreamed about living in when he was a child. Now he has fulfilled that goal.
“Austin brings me a warmth and a happiness and a peace that I have been unable to find anywhere else in my travels. I love being here,” Padalecki wrote in his Instagram post. Additionally, KVUE noted in 2020 that Mayor Steve Adler even declared June 23 “Supernatural Day” in honor of the long-running show starring Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, another Austin resident.
The First Practice Sessions Set the Stage for Fascinating Races
The Xfinity Series and Truck Series drivers headed out onto COTA for the first time on Friday, getting some crucial practice laps before Saturday’s qualifying sessions. There were some Cup Series drivers in the group, a list that includes Kevin Harvick, Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon, and Kyle Busch among others.
The talented wheelmen experienced some highs and lows during their first trips around the circuit. Busch, who previously tested COTA for Toyota, posted the fourth-fastest lap on Friday at 2:17.989. Reddick was slightly faster at 2:17.963. Dillon did not find as much success while making trips around COTA, finishing with the 28th-fastest lap at 2:21.662.
There were concerns entering the afternoon about the weather and potential thunderstorms. However, the drivers avoided any delays or issues while practicing under blue skies and sunshine. The rain tires remained stacked away and wrapped in protective material.
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