Just how long is the COTA straightaway? A reference guide

Circuit of the Americas presents NASCAR drivers with a whole new challenge this weekend, most notably its 20 twists and turns and numerous elevation changes throughout the monster 3.4-mile circuit. But one overlooked portion of the track is the behemoth straightaway between Turn 11 and Turn 12. Just how long is it? We sent our finest researchers* to investigate.
[*Editor’s note: This is completely made up.]

The straightaway measures at 0.62 miles, which is about 1 km, if you’re into that sort of thing. In other words, it’s a long stretch of track — especially for a road course.

If the track map wasn’t helpful, here’s an artist’s illustration of the straightaway.

Pocono Raceway, in all its triangular glory, has what’s often referred to as the longest frontstretch in motorsports, measuring in at nearly three quarters of a mile. For reference, COTA’s straightaway is almost as long. And, let us remind you again, it’s a 20-turn road course. (What Turn 21?)

The straightaway is longer than the entirety of the 0.533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway.

It’s actually the same length as many receipts from your favorite drugstore. Wow!

Austin Cindric is probably the tallest driver to ever climb into a stock car. Want to put that into perspective? The COTA straightaway is over three Cindrics long!

At the end of the straightaway, cars will reach an excess of 170 mph. If a 1:24-scale die-cast were to reach those speeds, that’s over 4,080 mph at scale! Don’t ask us how; it’s just science.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway pagoda is 153 feet tall. That means the COTA straightaway is just more than 21 pagoda-heights long! (Be sure to remind @nascarcasm of this; he loves photos of the pagoda.)

Perhaps most remarkable of all — and we really had to get our fact-checkers working overtime on this one — the 0.62-mile straightaway is exactly as long as a 0.62-mile-long piece of string. Incredible!