F1 Austin track ... drag strip coming soon too? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff]

Watching Rd 1 on ESPN3 and they were talking about Alexis DeJoria driving a Toyota Tundra around the not yet paved Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin. Went on to say that John Paul DeJoria was pushing to have a drag strip added to the venue.

With the talk typically of tracks closing rather than being built, this is at least refreshing talk.

Austin is a very cool destination city ... of course I'm not the first one to figure that out, ergo the F1 venue.

As a PSL holder for COTA I've looked at the aerial images a time or two ... I sure hope the "rest of the story" to John Paul asking for a drag strip, wasn't them saying "hey, it is way too hilling here to ask for a relatively flat 3/4 mile straight section" at this point.

Oh well, hopefully my level of hope will stay well reasoned.

 

[Butch]

(Austin is a very cool destination city) Hell us boat racers knew that decades ago.
Ever hear of the Austin Aqua Festival?

 

[vegasnitro]

Jeff, I will be there by hook or by crook for the USGP this fall.

 

[turbo ken]

Unless John Paul wants to shovel a few million dollars to the project himself to fund it there won't be a drag strip there.

 

[Rajunz]

John Paul lives here in Austin, he's one of the investors in the track, and a few million is not a big investment for that guy. I guess the biggest question is, does it make financial sense with Baytown and Ennis each just 200 miles from Austin? I would love to see it happen.

 

[vegasnitro]

John Paul lives here in Austin, he's one of the investors in the track, and a few million is not a big investment for that guy. I guess the biggest question is, does it make financial sense with Baytown and Ennis each just 200 miles from Austin? I would love to see it happen.

Indy is less than 200 miles from Norwalk and Chicago.
Concord is less than 200 miles from Commerce and Bristol.

If there is a good base of racers around to support the track week in and week out, it can work.

 

[Mike]

Did you spend your $100 to get on the waiting list for F1 tickets

 

[Rajunz]

Indy is less than 200 miles from Norwalk and Chicago.
Concord is less than 200 miles from Commerce and Bristol.

If there is a good base of racers around to support the track week in and week out, it can work.

I'm sure that if they built a track there, it would be of National Event caliber. Would NHRA be willing to grant another National Event in Texas? The San Antonio track is only 80 miles away, and it sells out for the IHRA Nitro Jam every year, so I would say that the fan base is there. However that track only seats 13,000 people.

 

[Professor Dave]

The only reason I ever went near Dallas or Houston was on the way to Austin-it is one of the four best cities in the country (the other three being Boston, New York, and San Francisco). I can tell you I know two comp cars that would be at a national event in Austin.

 

[rckymtn3]

Austin is great, just don't go into town thinking traffic is gonna be a breeze like L.A. at noon....the infrastructure isn't there to support a larger population....they need to build more roads....(and nowhere to build them, that's why most new roads are elevated, and man, does Texas have some serious elevation in their road systems tacked on in the last 20yrs) the USGP track is between Austin and Bastrop....just to the East of the newer toll road they had built so people can bypass the Austin traffic....yeah, it's a fun city, but so are most college towns....again, here's the instance where a track isn't needed, just sounds "cool".....if it goes in, Ennis or Houston will be dropped...(not really fair, again, they helped build the sport) there's only so many months you can have great track conditions, and the rest of the time it's too hot and humid....definately a tuner's state.....and there are tons of tracks there....lots of racers.....

 

[turbo ken]

I'd hate to be in traffic in Austin on the weekend of the F1 race, it's bad enough when it's just the Austinites driving around. I don't see how 95% of them can have a drivers licence with the way they drive!

 

[Jeff]

Drag racer Alexis DeJoria takes test drive at Circuit of The Americas | Circuit of The Americas - Home of the F1 US Grand Prix | Nov. 16-18, 2012 | Austin TX- Circuit of the Americas

 

[mick]

good pics of track on COTA website too - turn 1 might be really cool
to spectate from - like watching from the catch fence at vegas or bandimere
accept the cars aren't slowing, they just turn left at ungodly speeds

 

[z28]

I'd hate to be in traffic in Austin on the weekend of the F1 race, it's bad enough when it's just the Austinites driving around. I don't see how 95% of them can have a drivers licence with the way they drive!

I hate to be in Austin traffic anytime but with the track where it is off 130 there should not be a big problem. It would be a great place for NHRA to bring out the yuppie crowd and would draw folks from all central and south Texas. When the San Antonio track was built they went with IHRA cause they were guaranteed a national event. Too bad for me NHRA wouldn't do that. (15 miles from home) I dont see the investment in Austin unless NHRA would guarantee a date.

 

[Toejam]

I know a guy who went to SBSW 2years ago, said traffic was an Abortion! Worst time to be in town!

 

[Rajunz]

I drive it every day, tell me about it. One huge problem is the population growth, so many out of state license plates lately. The worst part is that I design highways for a living, and I get to witness all of the stupid political BS involved in getting new road improvements. Right now, COTA and county are still negotiating who's paying for road improvements getting into the track, with only months till race day. Therefore, the road work hasn't even begun yet.

 

[Rajunz]

Drag racer Alexis DeJoria takes test drive at Circuit of The Americas | Circuit of The Americas - Home of the F1 US Grand Prix | Nov. 16-18, 2012 | Austin TX- Circuit of the Americas

 

[Toejam]

Drag racer Alexis DeJoria takes test drive at Circuit of The Americas | Circuit of The Americas - Home of the F1 US Grand Prix | Nov. 16-18, 2012 | Austin TX- Circuit of the Americas

man if that race is 6 months away they have a Looonnnggg way to go on that track!

 

[Rajunz]

Bruton builds an entire facility in 6 months. There's an update story in today's Austin Statesman on the tracks progress, says that F1 inspections show the track is on schedule. Paving of the racing surface started earlier this week.

 

[vegasnitro]

If you guys aren't watching F1 this year, you need to be. There have been 5 races so far this season, 5 different winners from 5 different teams. Every race is more exciting than the last. Monaco is next.

I have no concerns for the COTA to be completed on time ... Korea a couple of years ago only paved the racing surface 2 weeks before the race, and the race went off without a hitch.