NASCAR will tighten track-limits enforcement at Turn 6 at Circuit of The Americas this weekend, aiming to remove confusion and prevent drivers from shortcutting the corner.
The change follows concerns raised during last year’s race at the Austin road course, where drivers exceeded limits in the section. Officials will now expand their officiating footprint and add tire packs as physical deterrents, along with camera monitoring to flag violations.
The details were discussed on the latest episode of the “Hauler Talk” podcast. According to Nate Ryan of NASCAR.com, the sanctioning body will apply the same approach used in the esses last season.
NASCAR Adds Tire Packs to Turn 6 and Turn 19
NASCAR will enforce track limits at Turn 6 just as it did in the esses section at Turns 3, 4, and 5 last season. Officials will also install tire packs at Turns 6 and 19 after successfully using them in earlier races.
On the podcast, Mike Forde, managing director of communications, said the barriers helped clarify and simplify officiating.
“Those were a game changer. There’s a rudimentary solve having tire packs. Obviously, you don’t want to hit them, and they’re positioned in an area where if you hit them, you have to shortcut the course. It was pretty black-and-white, which is really the best way to officiate. Gray area is where you can get yourself in trouble.”
The tire packs provide a visible and physical boundary. NASCAR expects them to discourage drivers from running wide while giving officials a clear reference when judging violations. The approach mirrors last season’s enforcement method in the esses, which NASCAR viewed as effective.
AI Cameras Will Alert Officials to Possible Violations
NASCAR will also use AI-generated cameras to monitor cars against set boundary lines at Turn 6. The system automatically alerts officials if a car crosses those limits so they can review the situation.
Forde explained how the process works and confirmed NASCAR will review the rules with drivers before the race weekend continues.
“If a car crosses those parameters, it sends up an alert to our officiating team that can review it and then make the call if there was a shortcutting of the course. We plan to speak with the drivers on Friday and go over those with them one more time.”
According to the NASCAR.com report by Nate Ryan, the driver meeting will ensure teams understand the enforcement parameters and how officials will determine whether a shortcut occurred. NASCAR introduced the step after past races produced disputes about track limits and consistency in calls.
The “Hauler Talk” episode also covered recent competition decisions from EchoPark Speedway. Tyler Reddick won the race despite losing the right-front fender on his No. 45 Toyota in a crash. Officials cleared the car in post-race inspection and determined the damage did not create an aerodynamic advantage.
“We go through all the (inspection) stations. But understand that some are going to be impossible to pass because of the damage,” Mike said. “There was some discussion about whether there was a hole in the firewall. And air got into the cockpit, which would be an advantage. But there was no hole, and if there was, we would not allow (Reddick) to go back onto the race track. We’re not going to let a car go back in with anything that would be deemed unsafe. Also, we wouldn’t let them back on track for anything that would be deemed a competitive advantage.”
NASCAR Expands Turn 6 Enforcement at COTA With Tire Packs and AI Monitoring