2023 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) champion Ryan Blaney and his wife, Gianna, enjoyed Austin’s culture Wednesday in advance of the Feb. 28 – March 2 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
The newlyweds opened their visit with lunch at Cuantos Tacos, a standout taqueria that serves genuine Mexico City-style street tacos from its signature bright yellow trailer in Arbor Food Park. Cuantos Tacos is recognized as one of Texas’ finest taco trucks, earning Michelin recognition with a 2024 Bib Gourmand and voted Best Taco Spot in Texas by Yelp.
The couple then headed to South Congress Ave. – or SoCo – that is well known for being one of Austin’s best shopping districts. The Blaneys visited Tecovas for custom cowboy boot designs and fittings, which included Gianna getting Ryan’s No. 12 car number branded on her boots. Founded in 2015, Tecovas has since played a major part in revitalizing the Western industry and bringing cowboy culture to the mainstream market, including crafting heritage-made products with a customer-first lens.
Next up was dinner at Terry Black’s BBQ, well known for perfecting Central Texas-style BBQ in the heart of the Austin food scene. Black’s BBQ has earned a reputation as a top-tier barbecue joint that has garnered Michelin recognition as a recommended restaurant and owns a spot on Texas Monthly’s 50 Best BBQ joints.
The Blaneys culminated the whirlwind tour by taking in a University of Texas men’s basketball game against the University of Arkansas at Moody Center.
On track, the NASCAR at COTA weekend will feature both the NCS and Xfinity Series (NXS) along with the IMSA-sanctioned VP Racing SportsCar Challenge (IMSA). The NXS will compete Saturday, March 1, at 1:30 p.m. with the Focused Health 250. IMSA will stage two 45-minute races that same day, one at 8:40 a.m. and the second at 5 p.m. The weekend will culminate with the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on Sunday, March 2, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Click HERE for the full weekend schedule.
Tickets:
Three-day NASCAR at COTA race weekend tickets start at just $79. Tickets for children ages 12 and under are just $10 for the March 2 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NCS race and free for the March 1 NXS Focused Health 250 and IMSA-sanctioned VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. For individual tickets, weekend packages and camping, fans can visit NASCARatCOTA.com.
The NCS and NXS will return to the Lone Star State along with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for a May 2-4 visit to Fort Worth and Texas Motor Speedway (TMS). Fans can take advantage of the “Texas Two-Step” promotion between NASCAR at COTA and TMS. Speedway Motorsports will offer ticket purchasers of either NCS race a 20 percent discount if they would like to attend both. Click HERE for more information on the “Texas Two-Step” promotion or to purchase tickets.
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