I must say that if that video is supposed to make me want to come to the US GP in Austin, it does just the opposite. I am sure there are many beautiful spots in Texas, but this does not appear to be one of them. Watching F1 cars charge around like cattle through the Texas sagebrush does not look like that much fun........ I am sure Bernie will be there for the deep fried armadillo fritters....
Well...the four legged Red Bull....became a four wheeled Red Bull....got loose from the ranch....hmmm sagebrush....went for a romp....thought it was well done...makes me want to be there all the more. Maybe try the beach or a mountain retreat...stay away from Texas or Pamplona where Bulls might be runnin'
That RedBull video was horrendous. F1 cars on dirt roads in Texas don't work on any level. If this race EVER happens I'll be amazed....
You cannot eat an armadillo, it's the State Mascot (and carries leprosy..) Don't worry those shots were on a ranch somewhere south or west of town. (Too flat) The track is in the more gently rolling hills of the eastside, google up the Bastrop Fire pics, it's pretty much BLACK there now.....the wildfire did not reach the site, but it was CLOSE!!! Two Hoots and a Holler played HERE last night, reminding me of all those late nights on Congress at Trophies Club, with the Betty Page bartender throwing me Bass Pale Ale. Ya'll come, all of you! Stay at my friends house, we'll tear it up!! (2000 people parked in his front yard...... )
Ya'll don't have much fun, do you???? That part was SATIRE....(although maybe a little too close to the truth about the current track status) I think it's "on"...the race in Houston was a little rough at first but you iron out the details and it gets better year over year. I had a great time building (and then running on) that downtown circuit. If they sort out site access (and the teams will chopper in for sure) this will be a lot of fun!! Broken Spoke on Thursday night!
in october....... http://www.statesman.com/news/local/road-improvements-on-fm-812-delay-vertical-construction-1877840.html
The Red Bull video clearly shows they have an enormous amount of excavation yet to do, the track is below grade in far too many areas. To get FIA approval they will need to carve down all those dirt walls and create massive runoff areas and to create the sight lines promised will require considerably more excavation. To state the excavation is complete is simply not true.
Look at these screen capture shots and tell me the FIA is going to allow these dirt walls. Ask Don Panoz how much time and money he spent at Road Atlanta to be compliant. They have a ton of earthwork to do. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I remember that. 1999, to get FIA recognition for F1, Sports Car Championship or Champ Car (remember them?). Panoz really neutered that section (the Dip) of the circuit where the tunnel went it, but moving the earthen banks away at Turns 5-7 was one of the best things ever for most people who've raced there.
they cut beneath the grade level, and are putting in a vapor barrier. You can see some of it in the video....no dirt walls....
Well isn't that a convenient excuse to prolong the stop... So why were they stopped for the previous month? This is pathetic. People will believe anything. The "delays" will continue until Texas gives Tavo the money to build.
Also, these statements are coming form the spokesman for the track. It's not like he's going to say "truth is, we are real short on cash, and desperately need the $$ from the state to keep us afloat... pray for us, because we need it". It's safe to say he is going to put whatever is the most positive spin on it in the best interests of the track, and truth would be secondary. So to believe him word for word is naive, IMO. This is no different than a penny stock deal - all the news is great news (according to the spokesman), even when it's clearly dire news The claim that they've stopped work because they are ready for vertical construction and can't do that until the roadwork is done seems like complete BS to me. As the previous poster showed, they have a LOT of work left to do other than vertical construction - so, if the holdup is the roadway, why wouldn't they continue to do grading? And I am sure there is a lot more to do other than vertical construction and grading - so they could be doing that as well. And finally, if the road work was a necessary precursor to the vertical construction, that would be known to the project planners and would be accounted for in the schedule. I think the spokesman took two unrelated events and painted a causal relationship between them to provide (what he hoped would be believed as) a somewhat valid answer as to why they are dead in the water. The tough questions are - why are you not meeting your own schedule? Do you not admit you are behind? Didn't anyone know road work wold hold up v. construction? Why aren't other tasks being done?
The money from the State isn't to build the track. It's to pay the fees to host the race. They can't just use the money for anything they want. Maybe they aren't issuing the permits until the roads are improved? Work has slowed; not stopped.... pic 1: tunnel completed recentely. pic 2: drill http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.293647057316513.88627.157330087614878&type=1 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Glad to see you're not running out of excuses... Baghdad Bob would be proud! http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/ If I get you as the secret Santa, I'll send you Baghdad Bob's latest best seller... "Excuses for any Occasion". (It's endorsed by the White House!!!)
Do you think they are going to bring the back up to where the grade is in these pictures That is 5-8 feet in many places! I have witnessed a lot of tracks being built and rebuilt, 15-18" is about the deepest I have ever seen for rock/gravel/compaction and that was in Ohio where they had severe winters and they were trying to prevent frost heaves. Whether they are taking it away or building it back up, they are ridiculously behind schedule and there is plenty of work they could be doing. If COTABATO thinks the FIA is tough from a safety standpoint, wait until they deal with the FIM/MotoGP, and riders union......the runoff areas and gravel traps are huge. Check out these pictures of another new track, Aragon, it is in a similar climate with similar elevation changes. Compare the two, you'll see just how far COTA still have to go. Something isn't right and their stories/excuses just aren't plausible for a group that has to be ready in 12 short months
One member here took a tour a few months back, and explained it a little. Believe he did say they were going down 6 feet or so. I think if you look at the pics of the pit complex, you can see parts of where it is installed?
Proved correct?? That's pretty funny Baghdad-Ben. Should I quote your posts again? http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=140787962&postcount=2424
