On March 26, NASCAR will take to the renown Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas for a heaping dose of road course action. COTA, which is also used by Formula 1 for the United States Grand Prix, poses several challenges for drivers used to pinning their pushrod V8 engines around a circle for hours on end. It’s an entirely different style of racing, and therefore comes as no surprise that several teams are taking this opportunity to swap out some of their drivers for outside talent. But not just any talent. One of them is none other than full-time Corvette Racing driver and four-time IMSA Champion Jordan Taylor. The other two? Former F1 champions Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button.
F1 Champion Talent For A NASCAR Road Course
Starting with Former Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen, who has previously taken the driver’s seat in the racing event. After his NASCAR Cup Series debut last August at Watkins Glen, “The Iceman” left the door open to return. According to Fox Sports, that’s exactly what he’s doing as he gets behind the Trackhouse Racing No. 91 Cup car wheel at Circuit of the Americas on March 26. What’s more, His car will be a Chevrolet Camaro, which will certainly feel completely different from the Alfa Romeo F1 car he retried from at the end of 2021. It’s bound to have more than just a few F1 faithful tuning in to see how their favorite Finn fares among full-contact competition.
Next up, 4x IMSA Champion Jordan Taylor will be making a NACAR Cup Series debut at COTA on March 26 as a stand-in for the injured Chase Elliot in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Taylor, who has been busy “coaching” the Garage 56 team, will also be behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Camaro. For IMSA fans, there’s arguably no bigger name from the racing organization to do this.
2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, also a driver for the Garage 56 Le Mans Chevrolet Camaro, will be cutting his NASCAR Cup Series teeth at Circuit of the Americas. But he won’t drive a Camaro for this race. Instead, Button will drive the No. 15 Ford Mustang with sponsorship from Mobil 1.
Jenson Button during Garage 56 Camaro testing at Daytona.
