F1 to Austin TX for 2012 - 2021

Greg Nelson · Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 1712

Well I thought the USF1 team was going to race this year too, I'll wait to see the track and grandstands up before I make my ticket purchase.
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Lyle Clark · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 6:35 pm Post subject:

From the Austin paper

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/track-site-engineers-secured-f1-group-says-711472.html

LC
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Gordon Duax · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:54 pm Post subject:

Well, 3 months later, and it is still a go.

Turns out that Tavo Hellmund is an old buddy of Bernie Ecclestone.

http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2010/8/11133.html

Lyle Clark · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:41 am Post subject:

Gene Heagney · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 5:43 pm Post subject:

Yes, I think it might happen!

Volker Krahn · Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:40 am Post subject:

What do you think, is that new circuit now at last the new home of Formula 1 in the U.S? And is the F1 able to thrill the Americans now? Here in Europe, the F1 is extremely popular. But in the U.S.?

Volker

Aaron Witzke · Joined: 11 Oct 2012 Posts: 27

I think the track looks great, however if all the rumors are true in regards to future renting of the track I don't see it working out in the long run. They are trying too hard to be elite/above everyone else by making it seem so exclusive. You don't see tracks like Suzuka and Silverstone make it impossible for a club event/track day to happen at a reasonable cost. Sure the track cost a lot of money to build but this is ridiculous.

Jim Derrig · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:43 am Post subject:

The circuit looks like a legitimate successor to what Watkins Glen used to be. At first I thought the track was mickey mouse, but after watching a few full-speed on boards, I realize it is full of little nuances that would make it challenging to drive. The fact that turn 19 looks to typical but the drivers keep blowing it shows the track is trickier than it looks.

Can it make money without government $$$$? That's the big question.

Greg Lindahl · Joined: 13 Jan 2011 Posts: 267

It HAS government $'s from the state of Texas.
Pretty laughable from one of the "keep government out of my business" states.

Tracy Simmons · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:27 am Post subject:

All politics aside, I think the track looks great and really showed that we can compete at anything if we really try. The place was packed all three days and Im sure they made some money.

I have heard through the SCCA region that is putting on a race next March, that the rent is somewhere around $35k a day. The SCCA race will cost $700 to enter the double race weekend, and if its like other SCCA double weekends, that equals about 5 sessions on the track over the entire weekend. You will pay an extra $300 for the Friday test day. That is a pretty expensive entry fee, but I am ready to pay it and run in the FF class. Ive heard through the grapevine they expect 400 entries. If you do the math, they will come out ahead. HSR, the historic series also announced this past weekend that they will be hosting a race at COTA next fall.

Not sure the kart guys would pay those kinds of entry fee's, but then again, its a first class facility and track that we have never been on. I for one, would race with my kart if the chance came up. Im also about 1,000 miles away and wouldnt mind making the haul. I pretty much race my FF now and have not raced a kart race in a year, but would dust off the old beast for an event at COTA.