Pirelli World Challenge 2016 @ COTA

I was there in 2015 for the PWC weekend.

There was always something going on on track. This year, there was supposed to be an endurance race with some teams from Europe and some PWC entrants, but it was just canceled this morning. It's probably too late for them to schedule another group in those time slots, so there might be a little more downtime than last year.. but it's not such a bad thing as the paddock is completely and 100% open to everyone. You can walk around and show your son the garages and cars, etc. If there's any drivers around just walk up and introduce yourself, they'll be more than happy to talk to you and your son.

I can't recommend Saturday or Sunday without seeing the schedule, but Saturday might have more action. I'm sure the PWC GT cars will be racing Sunday as well as Saturday -- but some of the smaller groups might be done on Saturday and parked on Sunday. Saturday would be a safer bet if you have to decide now.

edit: just found the schedule posted on the PWC website. it hasn't been updated with a replacement for the Endurance race, but it has everything else for each day: http://www.world-challenge.com/images/events/Copy-of-Copy-of-2016-COTA-Schedule-final-v2.pdf
-mike

 

that's a bummer about the endurance race

 

The "back half" of the track was closed to spectators last year. I found out the hard way after walking from the footbridge at Turn 3, and right past a pair of security people who said nothing to me, all the way down to Turn 11. After about 15 minutes at Turn 11, a guy in a truck arrived on the "service path" (or whatever you call the paved path that the corner workers/support staff use) and told me, politely enough, that that area was closed to the public.

So I had to trudge all the way back. Oh well, the exercise was good.

One thing that surprised me was the lack of manufacturer support in the paddock regarding fan activities. Maybe I missed something, but I only saw Cadillac and Nissan with any real presence. Just something to consider for your son. Compared to the Conti series, the PWC seems much more focused on the team participants than the fans...and that's fine, it was just different than what I expected.

The racing was really good, and since a cold rain dominated much of the weekend, it was nice to be able to sit in the main grandstands out of the rain, and to be able to watch the racing on the back part of the track on the monitors.

 

If you're only gonna go one day, then Saturday is the day, imho. COTA finally has a revised schedule up after the SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge cancellation. I'm really disappointed about that cancellation, btw. I was really looking forward to that race, & absence puts a big dent in the weekend.

Schedule - Circuit of the Americas

Friday: 5 practices, 1 qualy, 1 race
Saturday: 3 Q, 3 races
Sunday: 2 races.

Not a lot happening Sunday copmpared to the other 2 days. I'll probably skip Sunday completely.


.and yes, all the permanent grandstands will be open (Main, T15, and T1).

 

Yeah that's a helluva a walk to make only to be told to turn around & it sucks when they close that area off. That's most of the best parts of the track they're excluding the fans from. They don't want to pay to staff those areas, but they'll gladly take your money & not mention it.

 

I'd be livid if I got there and the whole facility was not open. Their management doesn't have a good record for accommodating people - racer's or fans.