US GP in Austin Discussion and Speculation...

Track is coming along quite well.

 

Per the agreement with Austin, CoTA will put in about 800 trees. However, we don't plant trees in Austin during the summer -- the summer heat is too much stress for them, and you have to water extensively just to keep them alive. So trees get planted in the fall, when they can establish over the mild winter and start to grow in spring.

I suspect trees will go in around Sept-Oct.

 

Track is looking fantastic! Going to be a nice new venue to host historic races in the future

 

I agree and hopefully that will happen.

 

I believe they're having historics race this year in conjunction with f1

 

If this is true I gotta get my rear in gear and buy my GA ticket!!

 

http://www.historicgrandprix.com/schedule.htm

http://c279842.r42.cf1.rackcdn.com/4fe8cec1c3308Historic%20Grand%20Prix%206%2022%2012%20FINAL.pdf

Tis true.

Yes, you better buy tickets What's to loose? You don't wanna be kicking yourself next year if MSC retires, and all you can say is 'I'm glad I didn't go, traffic must have been bad....'

 

Who me worry about traffic, I live in Houston lol! Still unemployed but hopefully not for much longer and one way or the other I will get the money even if I have to sell my body!

 

Yeah I came to the same conclusion. I just ended up booking with ludus tours, they had everything covered and priced cheaper than what I could do myself. Then again I'm flying in from Oregon so it was just easier.

 

work security......don't know if you've seen this yet, but they're hiring for the weekend.

http://www.stadiumpeople.com/Securityjobs.htm

 

Since this will be my first F1 race (hopefully) I do not want to work and miss it. I will soon be getting my armed security license so I should be able to purchase my GA ticket in the next few months.

Thanks for the lead though.

 

Plenty of trees "in Austin" or along the Colorado River, all thru Texas.

But this is Elroy Texas, formerly a cow pasture, so....no trees.

See "UT Campus" or "Texas Capitol" or "Treaty Oak" for a better idea.....

 

I'm planning to buy tickets for the Turn 11 West Granstand, looks like a pretty good spot.

My question is, are there screens so we can see the action going on around the rest of the track? I've never been to an F1 race before

 

I bought a pair of tickets for Turn 11 West Granstand for me and my father.
We think it should be a pretty good spot as well and it will be our first F1 race to attend.
The problem now is getting a place to stay as the hotels are either sold out or charging insane prices ie: rooms that normally go for $129.00 a night are $800.00 a night.
My parents live in Texas but in Springfield which is up near Dallas so it is a bit of a haul to drive to Austin each day, about a 4 hour drive I am told.
So we are trying to figure something out.
Goodluck.

 

In the latest email I recieved from COTA it mentioned:

Over 5,000 hotel rooms are still available in the Austin area, including great accommodations in Marble Falls, Round Rock, San Marcos, New Braunfels and San Antonio.

 

I'm not surprised: If they block out these dates nobody can book them.

 

Try and find a room for race weekend, you will see that is simply not the case.

 

Good thing I know someone up there I don't have to deal with all of this...

But flights are expensive because of Thanksgiving.

 

I assumed that was the case but I just thought I would mention it. Fortunately if I am able to make the race I already have a place to stay at a friends house.

 

Some info on hotels from the FIA site. I think they are rooms held for media, but I'm not sure if there is any way they can really tell. Perhaps you run a blog?

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2012/Pages/usgp-hotels.aspx

 

I just paid my deposit for a really nice RV that is designed to sleep seven, altho it's going to be only 4 of us. I'll park it as close to the entrance as possible and then just use the shuttle to Down Town Austin and back.
I looked and looked and asked and asked all around and thought about so many different possible ways of attending and having a good time without selling one of my organs and reached the conclusion that the RV option will work the best for me.

 

Send a pm to barnyard as he is offering free RV accomodations/spaces for FChat members. This is where the after practice/quali/race parties will be at, I would rather camp/RV than stay in a motel/hotel anyway.

 

Only Historic F1/GP will be there I hear and of those guys only a handful really put the hammer down. I know the guy who owns the 6 wheel Tyrrell who has a few other hot F1 cars who lives in Texas. You can bet he and one other of his car will be up front.

I was at Road America a few weeks back supporting customers for the Brian Redman vintage race where the Lola T70 was featured marque. Now thats a Historic/Vintage Race, Historic GP cars were only a small part of it being one of 12 different race groups.

Here's a photo I took on Pit Lane of my buddy Paul Brown in Historic CanAm race class
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

It looks like Ferrari Challenge will also support the race.

 

Sounds fun Do you have any idea about the schedule for it yet? They haven't said much on their websites, other than that they will be there