2025 NASCAR Odds, Picks & Predictions at COTA: Today's Best Bets for EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix
The Circuit of Americas in Austin plays hold to the NASCAR Cup Series today, as drivers will start their engines right around 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX).
Today's race challenges drivers to adapt to a road course, which comes with a new configuration and tire compound.
Join us as we look at the 2025 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix odds and deliver our best picks with the race only a few hours away.
📊 2025 NASCAR odds & favorites for EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (COTA)
Here are the latest EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix odds and favorites for today's race at BetMGM as of early Sunday morning on raceday.
🥇 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix odds🥇
- Shane van Gisbergen, +350 ($10 to win $35)
- Tyler Reddick, +350 ($10 to win $35)
- Kyle Larson, +700 ($10 to win $70)
- Chase Elliott, +700 ($10 to win $70)
- William Byron, +1400 ($10 to win $140)
- Christopher Bell, +1400 ($10 to win $140)
- Ross Chastain, +1600 ($10 to win $160)
- Daniel Suarez, +1600 ($10 to win $160)
- Connor Zilisch, +1600 ($10 to win $160)
- Alex Bowman, +2200 ($10 to win $220)
- AJ Allmendinger, +2200 ($10 to win $220)
- Kyle Busch, +2500 ($10 to win $250)
- Carson Hocevar, +2500 ($10 to win $250)
- Bubba Wallace, +2500 ($10 to win $250)
Claim our BetMGM bonus code, SBRBONUS, to receive up to $1,500 in bonus bets by placing a wager of any amount on the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix or any other market!
Bonus bets will expire in 7 days. One new customer offer only. Additional terms and conditions apply.
🏁 NASCAR COTA predictions, expert picks & best bets at Austin
Editor's note: NASCAR picks made Friday before qualifying; odds may have changed.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Austin this weekend for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Unlike previous seasons, we’re on a new configuration. NASCAR is cutting about a mile off the track, bringing it down from roughly 3.5 to 2.5 miles, and the race will run 95 laps instead of the 68 laps run last year.
These modifications include the removal of the 0.6-mile back straightaway, which was previously the fastest part of the track. That limits the advantage a driver can gain from raw speed and also removes one of the more intense braking zones on the track.
It’s also worth noting that the Cup Series will be using a new tire compound intended to increase tire wear. With a shorter circuit, more laps, and more tire wear, I predict Chris Buescher will win the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at COTA.
🏆 Pick to win COTA Grand Prix: Chris Buescher (+2500 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My NASCAR betting strategy hinges on positive expected value - and yours should, too. So with Buescher trading at +2500 (3.8% implied probability) via DraftKings, we’re locking in a wager on him because I project his odds of winning this race as closer to 5-6%.
Why am I so high on Buescher? For one, no driver has a better average finish across the 17 road and street course events run since in the Next Gen era (since 2022). Buescher has a monstrous 13 top-10 results, good for a rate of 76.5%. More on this later.
Importantly, Buescher has an average finish of third at Sonoma, which compares favorably to the new COTA layout that will also feature more tire wear. This sample doesn’t include a win, but he found Victory Lane at Watkins Glen last year, and his odds should be much shorter than +2500 at BetMGM.
💎 Best value bet to win COTA Grand Prix: Michael McDowell (+3700 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While McDowell hasn’t been as consistent as Buescher on road courses, a lot of that falls on equipment failures. As a former sports car driver, McDowell has an edge on technical road courses. Now that McDowell has left Front Row Racing to join Spire Motorsports, we could see fewer equipment problems end his day early.
McDowell is close behind Buescher with 10 top-10s in 17 starts on these tracks in the Next Gen era. Importantly, one of those came in a dominant win at the Indy Road Course, and another was a runner-up finish at Sonoma last season.
While we haven’t seen McDowell light it up in Spire equipment on a road course yet, teammate Carson Hocevar scored a P3 at Watkins Glen last year - and Zane Smith, whose No. 71 Chevrolet is now piloted by McDowell, finished P5.
We’re getting too much value with McDowell this year at these +3700 odds via FanDuel, which would turn a winning $10 bet into a $370 profit.
New customers only. Deposit min. $5. Place first bet of $5+ and win $250 in Bonus Bets, if your bet wins. (within 72 hours).
🎯 Best long shot to win COTA Grand Prix: Zane Smith (+20000 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐
If you want to get really aggressive, look no further than Smith. He struggled as a full-time Cup Series driver last year, but he made some progress down the stretch, including that P5 at Watkins Glen with Spire. He now drives the No. 38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports - which, as we saw with McDowell behind the wheel, can win at road courses.
Importantly, Smith is no stranger to Victory Lane here in Austin. While running for Front Row in the Truck Series, Smith won here in back-to-back seasons (2022, 2023). He edged out Kyle Busch in both races as well as Ross Chastain in the second. He’ll probably need some big-time help to win this race, but a $10 bet on him should not be paying out $2,000.
💰 Best NASCAR COTA prop bets & picks for Sunday's race at Austin
I alluded to this wager earlier, but we’ve simply got to go with Chris Buescher to finish in the top 10 as our top NASCAR Cup Series prop bet of the weekend.
🔥 Best prop bet for COTA Grand Prix: Chris Buescher top-10 finish (+130 via Hard Rock Bet) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Buescher has scored a top-10 finish in 13 of his 17 road races (76.5%) over the last three seasons - and he could be 14-for-17 but for an 11th-place finish in that stretch. No driver comes close to Buescher’s consistency on road courses. Even if he can’t contend for the win, he’ll be bringing home plenty of points.
Yet despite Buescher’s consistency, our best sportsbooks continue to treat him as a fringe driver. His outright odds are longer than they should be, so it’s no surprise that his top-10 odds are, too. Most books have him at somewhere between -120 (54.6%) and +100 (50%) to finish in the top 10, but we’re blowing those out of the water with the +130 odds at Hard Rock Bet (43.5%).
You can wager $10 to return $13 in profit for something that all the previous results (and most other sportsbooks’ lines) suggest is likelier than not to happen. You don’t find edges like this one every day, so make sure not to leave it off your betting card for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. I'd even consider locking it in before Saturday’s qualifying session.
Terms and conditions apply.
🚀 Best long-shot prop bet for COTA Grand Prix: Zane Smith top-10 finish (+750 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If backing Smith to win this race outright at +20000 is a bit too long for your blood, that’s fine - he clocks in at a whopping +750 via FanDuel (11.8%) just to score a top-10 result.
For some perspective, DraftKings has him at +450 (18.2%) and BetMGM at +500 (16.7%). If you’re betting on NASCAR, you need to have access to as many of the best sports betting apps as possible due to the highly variable nature of most betting lines.
We’re trusting Smith not just because he has won at COTA before or because the price is right, but also because of the relatively high floor these Front Row cars have on road courses. Todd Gilliland, who used to drive Smith’s No. 38 Ford, recorded a top-10 at COTA two years ago and earned another at Sonoma last season.
Smith should be able to get more out of the car than Gilliland could, so a $10 bet to win $75 is too generous to pass up this weekend.
🤖 NASCAR COTA AI picks & predictions at Austin
We asked the most advanced model of ChatGPT for its EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix AI predictions - including its pick to win, best prop bet, favorite long shot, and projection for all 37 drivers.
🖥️ ChatGPT's pick to win COTA Grand Prix
Here's a sneak peek at why the AI model is predicting Shane van Gisbergen will win the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix:
"Van Gisbergen’s proven ability to manage tire wear and adjust his strategy on the fly is critical on a track known for its demanding braking zones and high-speed corners."
For more analysis, check out our full NASCAR COTA AI predictions, which include the AI model's best bets and projected finishing order for Sunday's race.
🚨 NASCAR expert picks at COTA
- EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix predictions
- EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix AI picks
- EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix long shots
📈 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix trends & Circuit of the Americas history
Here are a few EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix trends to consider before betting on Sunday's race at the Circuit of the Americas:
🏎️ Since the first NASCAR Cup Series race at the Circuit of the Americas in 2021, no driver has found Victory Lane multiple times. Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, and William Byron all have one win apiece.
🏎️ Starting position matters! While it may matter less now that we’re on a shorter COTA layout, the eventual race winner started on the front row in two of the four races run here. Only one driver (Chastain) won after starting outside the top 10.
🏎️ If you win Stage 2, you won’t win the race. In every race at COTA with cautions following stage breaks (2021-22 and 2024), the driver who won the second stage failed to hold on for the win - largely due to pit strategy. Just one Stage 2 winner (Busch) even scored a top 10.
🏎️ Bowman the Showman! Alex Bowman has scored a top-five finish in the last three races held at COTA, even though he failed to lead a single lap in any of those starts. His lone finish outside the top five came in 2021, when he finished eighth (and led three laps).
💡 How to bet on NASCAR at COTA
Betting on NASCAR at road courses can be a lot trickier than betting on NASCAR at superspeedways or even traditional ovals. Let’s tackle some key considerations:
🏁 Don’t expect a ton of crashes! The lower speeds we see on road courses mean fewer opportunities for drivers to pile into each other. Further, when drivers do wreck, they can often get going again - albeit after losing some time to the leaders.
🏁 The books want you to overpay for the favorites, so don’t. This week’s odds board features two drivers with odds of +525, which imply a win probability of 16%. Connor Zilisch and Shane Van Gisbergen may be the next big things, but your $10 outright bet on them would only pay $52.50. In a 37-car field, their raw unadjusted odds of winning are just 2.7%.
🏁 Don’t blindly trust track history. While ovals rarely change in configuration, NASCAR routinely makes changes to road courses - whether it’s to elements on the surface, such as curbing, or even the circuit itself like we're seeing this year.
🏆 Past EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix winners
Here is a look at the four EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix winners entering Sunday's race. The race was started in 2021.
| Year | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 2023 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 2022 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2021 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
📺 How to watch the 2025 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at COTA
📅 Race date: Sunday, March 2
🕒 Start time: 3:30 p.m. ET
📍 Track: Circuit of the Americas (Austin)
📺 TV: FOX | Streaming: FOX Sports App
❓ NASCAR EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix FAQs
Who is favored to win the COTA Grand Prix?
Connor Zilisch and Shane Van Gisbergen are co-favorites for the 2025 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix with +525 odds, which would profit $52.50 on a winning $10 bet.
What are the odds for the COTA Grand Prix?
Connor Zilisch and Shane Van Gisbergen are co-favorites with +525 odds to win the EchoPark AutoMotive Grand Prix. They're followed by previous winners Tyler Reddick (+700) and William Byron (+900) and Atlanta winner Christopher Bell (+900).
What time is the 2025 COTA Grand Prix?
The 2025 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix starts at 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX) on Sunday, March 2, from the Circuit of the Americas.
How to watch the 2025 COTA Grand Prix
You can watch the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on FOX or stream it via the FOX Sports App.
Who won the COTA Grand Prix last year?
William Byron won the 2024 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix last year. He closed at +450 after winning the pole for the event.
🏁 Best NASCAR betting sites for the COTA Grand Prix
Looking to bet on the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas? Here are our top-rated NASCAR best sports betting sites as determined by our expert team at Sportsbook Review, along with our best sportsbook promos ahead of Sunday's race at 3:30 p.m. ET.
- Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUSDYW | Read our Caesars Review
- BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
- bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.
Related Articles
