Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix race at Circuit of the Americas should be faster, shorter and more fan-friendly, NASCAR race officials say.

NASCAR Cup Series season opened with two of its fastest speedways and two of its biggest stars -- William Byron and Christopher Bell -- taking early season wins to assert themselves as among the drivers to beat.

NASCAR finally moves away from the pack-racing chaos for the road course maneuvers at Circuit Of The Americas this weekend in Austin, Texas. The truncated COTA layout will provide for a shorter track and more turns (read: more chances at physical racing) than the original layout,