Circuit of the Americas Development Updates

[electricron]

Originally Posted by hookem

Seriously, y'all should try to go next year even just for the practice/qualifying days. The track atmosphere is amazing. I dare say more electric and exciting than ACL or SXSW. I've been to races at Indy and Nascar TMS, but this is my first F1 race, and so far it's been beyond my wildest expectation.

I'll definitely be going to V8 supercars and MotoGP because the track is just that fun. I'm sure that won't be the same excitement as F1, but the tickets are a heck of a lot cheaper too.

I don''t think sitting on a blanket much fun. At least at TMS, everyone sits on a bleacher seat at least. Looks like half the crowd at COTA are sitting on blankets.

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by electricron

I don''t think sitting on a blanket much fun. At least at TMS, everyone sits on a bleacher seat at least. Looks like half the crowd at COTA are sitting on blankets.

Do you really think it's half the crowd? Would be interesting to know how many. Maybe many people choose to do that.

Lots of helicopters flying over my area of north central Austin, about one every 3 minutes for the last hour. Not sure where they're coming from or going.

I wonder if some of the naysayers have changed their minds about F1 in Austin. I was sort of neutral, but am really excited about it now and will plan to go to the next race.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

I wonder if some of the naysayers have changed their minds about F1 in Austin. I was sort of neutral, but am really excited about it now and will plan to go to the next race.

My problem with most of the naysayers of the F1 tracks is that they seem to be naysayers about everything that happens in Austin. I personally don't care about the F1 tracks... I'm indifferent to the race itself, but I can see the benefits it has on Austin's economy.

[DougRockstead]

I saw way more people sitting on blankets at the ACL Fest, and ACL is going to have two weekends of concerts next year. I think it's an Austin thing.

Originally Posted by electricron

I don''t think sitting on a blanket much fun. At least at TMS, everyone sits on a bleacher seat at least. Looks like half the crowd at COTA are sitting on blankets.

[KevinFromTexas]

I would sit on a blanket. In fact, I'd lay on the grass without one (and have). But it was cold this morning, so I might want one to cover up with.

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

Lots of helicopters flying over my area of north central Austin, about one every 3 minutes for the last hour. Not sure where they're coming from or going.

Same here in South Austin. I was assuming they were flying in from that office building on South Mopac and out to COTA. I saw one a little while ago headed north toward downtown. They've seriously been non-stop today.

[hookem]

Originally Posted by electricron

I don''t think sitting on a blanket much fun. At least at TMS, everyone sits on a bleacher seat at least. Looks like half the crowd at COTA are sitting on blankets.

I've watched races from a corporate suite at TMS, and I would bet sitting on the grass at COTA is more fun. The track is really fantastic -- incredible sight lines, almost no bad view in the whole place. It's already got a feel and personality to it, and the dang thing isn't even really done. All I can say is that it's exceptionally well designed --the way the grand plaza, tower and other things are all laid out, it invites you to wander around and watch from all the different areas of the track.

And F1 really lives up to its billing as a higher tier of Motorsport than NASCAR or Indy. There is really no comparison.

[BevoLJ]

Originally Posted by electricron

I don''t think sitting on a blanket much fun.

Have you been to many events in Austin?

[KevinFromTexas]

^Laying down or sitting on a blanket or even without one on the grass for an outdoor event, is just an Austin thing to do. I've done it many times. Go to Blues on the Green sometime and watch people (men and women) walk barefoot through the grass. I did it, too. I always LOVE the vibe at Blues on the Green. So many different people, their kids, their dogs, people meandering around on bikes. People sitting there or laying there talking and listening to the tunes. I suspect it's similar at COTA.

Don't people from far away visit places to get a feel for that place? To experience it? I saw a photo in the American-Statesman of a guy at Allen's Boots on South Congress who is here from Toronto, Canada. He was looking at boots. I think people will see how Austinites operate and take their cue to kick back and enjoy the race. I think it's one reason Austinites have been so reluctant through the years about getting a sports team and any sports facility is because they're so rigid and impersonal.

Anyway, I've heard about a dozen helicopter ferries fly over in just the last 30 minutes.

[KevinFromTexas]

My sister and brother-in-law live 2 miles from the track, and they can clearly hear the cars racing today. They shot some video from their front porch, and you could easily hear the cars.

[austlar1]

I gotta say that the impact on traffic, at least IH 35 and Mopac, has been minimal. I am very pleased about that since I have to commute back and forth on race weekend at some odd hours. i expected a backup on 35 downtown last (Sat.) night, and there was none. What has traffic been like out on 71 near the track? Looks like those predicting disaster were getting ahead of themselves. The race planners seem to have done a good job arranging transportation to the track from town.

[Downtown_Austin]

Originally Posted by austlar1

I gotta say that the impact on traffic, at least IH 35 and Mopac, has been minimal. I am very pleased about that since I have to commute back and forth on race weekend at some odd hours. i expected a backup on 35 downtown last (Sat.) night, and there was none. What has traffic been like out on 71 near the track? Looks like those predicting disaster were getting ahead of themselves. The race planners seem to have done a good job arranging transportation to the track from town.

agreed. the city and cota coordination was good. traffic downtown was no worse than any normal weekend.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/conte...formula_austin

Hamilton wins inaugural Austin Grand Prix

By Dave Doolittle | Sunday, November 18, 2012, 02:44 PM

UPDATE, 2:44 p.m. : McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton defended his U.S. Grand Prix title in Austin on Sunday, crossing the finish line ahead of Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel at Circuit of the Americas.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished third, about 40 seconds behind the leaders.

Hamilton had been pushing Vettel throughout the race and overtook him on lap 42. The McLaren driver won the last U.S. Grand Prix five years ago at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

More F1 coverage from American-Statesman.

F1/Austin Racing
http://www.statesman.com/s/sports/formula1/

[KevinFromTexas]

Lewis Hamilton celebrates his victory Sunday at the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Photo credit: Rodolfo Gonzalez - http://www.statesman.com/gallery/spo.../g6W8/#2885806

Photos:

Formula One Fan Fest, 11.17.12


Formula One, day one, 11.16.12


Formula One, day two, 11.17.12


Formula One, Race Day, 11.18.12


Aerosmith plays Austin


Enrique Iglesias, 11.17.12

[KevinFromTexas]

This would officially make it the largest sporting event ever in Austin wouldn't it? This number is for today only, not the 3 day total. Friday saw 65,000 fans and 82,000 on Saturday.

Final count for U.S. Grand Prix: 117,429 people

[migol24]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

This would officially make it the largest sporting event ever in Austin wouldn't it? This number is for today only, not the 3 day total. Friday saw 65,000 fans and 82,000 on Saturday.

Final count for U.S. Grand Prix: 117,429 people

Longhorn Stadium seats 100,119 people... so quite frankly those F1 numbers aren't entirely impressive if they drew in 117,000 in two days.

[hookem]

Originally Posted by migol24

Longhorn Stadium seats 100,119 people... so quite frankly those F1 numbers aren't entirely impressive if they drew in 117,000 in two days.

No, that was only today. Total attendance was over 265K. And I gotta say, it really seemed like more. Even Saturday sure seemed like a lot more people than any UT game I've attended, which are supposedly over 101K. (BTW -- it's Darrel K Royal Memorial Stadium, not Longhorn Stadium)...

I thought maybe they even lowballed the attendance #s on purpose since their "Mass Gathering Permit" was only for 250K over the whole weekend.

Here is a great article from one of the early skeptics of the race in Austin. He describes the facility well, like I experienced it. If you recall, Autoweek even published an "open letter" warning Austin that getting in bed with F1 was certain failure. That tune has changed:

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20121118/F1/121119829

[Armybrat]

Originally Posted by migol24

Longhorn Stadium seats 100,119 people... so quite frankly those F1 numbers aren't entirely impressive if they drew in 117,000 in two days.

That 117,000 count was for today. With the three day total being 264,000 fans attending.

No matter which way you cut it, the US Grand Prix at COTA was a spectacular success. The organizers exceeded expectations, so kudos to everybody involved.

[migol24]

Ok, I see. I was under the impression that the number was added from Friday and Saturday.

[KevinFromTexas]

Here are the totals:

Friday track attendance: 65,360

Circuit officials: F1 qualifying drew more than 82,000 spectators

Final count for U.S. Grand Prix: 117,429 people

So 265,499 for the three day event. Austin's population in 1970 was "only" 251,808. By 1980 Austin had 345,496.

[Owlhorn]

people sit on grass berms at pretty much every hilly natural terrain road course.