Circuit of the Americas Development Updates

[turn1]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

They are running out of money yet theres billions of dollars that the owners have and yet they won't put any of their money in it. We need a total shakedown.

I am quite sure Dale Jr. knows about the Circuit. I wonder if he would have taken a spin around if it was possible.

Kurt Busch already ran a Cup car at COTA. I was on site at a neighboring property to shoot pics & video, & we promoted it on Twitter and Facebook. Huge promotional opportunity for COTA, and they just blew it off and kept the track closed to fans.

[turn1]

Very intriguing.

Penske & V8 Supercars CEO Warburton teaming to bring V8SC back to U.S. & Mexico after 1-year absence?

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226841473037

Warburton adds that there are 4 years remaining on the Austin contract, which he intends to honor:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2014/03/01/...pansion-talks/

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by turn1

Kurt Busch already ran a Cup car at COTA. I was on site at a neighboring property to shoot pics & video, & we promoted it on Twitter and Facebook. Huge promotional opportunity for COTA, and they just blew it off and kept the track closed to fans.

Kurt Busch is my favorite driver. I wish I could have seen that!

[turn1]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Kurt Busch is my favorite driver. I wish I could have seen that!

That was before I got a good camera and may have even been just phone pics & video, but I'll see if I can remember where I put it. There was a V8SC out there too.

[turn1]

Ah...found some phone video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adDaCODZy_Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozUbiGMFMGE

[turn1]

WEC appoints Andrew Craig to help COTA promote the Austin round of the WEC and get the brand out to North America.

http://www.statesman.com/weblogs/for...t-austin-race/

By Dave Doolittle
Andrew Craig, the former head of CART who now runs a sports business and politics consultanting firm, has been appointed as the World Endurance Championship's North American representative and will work to support its race in Austin, officials said today.
Craig will also look for other opportunities to support the global sports car series in the United States and Canada, officials said.
"We would like to welcome Andrew Craig to the WEC team," series boss Gerard Neveu said in a statement. "His immediate responsibility is to help establish the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas event in Texas and also to promote the WEC brand across North America, which is an extremely important territory for the ACO, the WEC and its partners."
The announcement was made by France's Automobile Club de l'Ouest, the organizing body behind the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Paris-based Federation Internationale de 'Automobile, the governing body of global motorsports.
Craig, originally from Great Britain, from 1994 to 2000 was chairman and CEO of Championship Auto Racing Teams Inc., better known as CART, the American open-wheel series that ultimately became part of IndyCar in 2008 after bankruptcies and other difficulties.
He is now CEO of the Craig Co. LLC, a Detroit-based firm that advises cities and governments on how to win the right to host the Olympic Games and other international sports events.
The World Endurance Championship is set to return to Southeast Austin's Circuit of the Americas for a six-hour race in September.
Last year's race was paired with the American Le Mans Series, a North American sports car series that merged this year with Grand-Am to form the Tudor United SportsCar Championship.
Three-day attendance for last year's event was announced at 33,591, well below the116,851 that had been estimated in an economic impact study filed months before the race.
Series spokesman Jeff Carter last year told the American-Statesman that he he wasn't disappointed with the series' first foray into the United States.
But, Carter said, "We probably have to do more to take the cars to the people. We have to do more to raise awareness."
The second sports car weekend is set for Sept. 19 and 20, with both series racing on Saturday.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by turn1

Ah...found some phone video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adDaCODZy_Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozUbiGMFMGE

Awesome! Thank you.

[turn1]

I'm still editing my photos, but here's one shot of the @AudiR18_1 testing out at Haywood's Hill near COTA T10-11...

[turn1]

Finished my pics from yesterday's R18 testing at COTA.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7614878&type=1

Here are a few:

[turn1]

COTA has finally put the WEC on it's schedule of events, and now Atherton has come out & talked about it, too.

http://racer.com/index.php/component...f-the-americas

Atherton also reports the meeting included steps to increase visibility and attendance for the lone North American stop for the WEC cars as well as the TUDOR Championship.
"The track is completely switched on for this," he added. "We spent two days with every department at COTA to go over our shared objectives; no one was happy with last year's turnout, and I think it's justified based on the quality of what's racing there, so everyone is committed to growing the event and putting on the best show possible.

Google Translation from Corporate Legalese to English:

"COTA barely promoted this event last time around so now, like the WEC who hired a special liaison to make sure the race gets promoted, we're holding their hands and walking them through it step by step. They better be "switched on" & get it done this time around, or there may not be a next time."

[turn1]

OBTW y'all. It looks like Porsche will be out there next week Tues - Thurs. We think they'll be testing the Porsche 919.

[turn1]

Turner Motorsport leaving IMSA/Tudor USC for World Challenge?

http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-cha...th-bmw-z4-gt3/

There might not be much left in the Tudor Series by the time they get to Austin.

[Jdawgboy]

Looks like the COTA owners are finally getting serious about better promotion and more aggressive ticket sales. Lets hope this is the beginning of a much needed turn around for racing events at the circuit.

[turn1]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Looks like the COTA owners are finally getting serious about better promotion and more aggressive ticket sales. Lets hope this is the beginning of a much needed turn around for racing events at the circuit.

I've seen some advertising. What are you seeing that looks like better or more aggressive promotion? Just curious.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by turn1

I've seen some advertising. What are you seeing that looks like better or more aggressive promotion? Just curious.

Well not much just yet but with a Andrew Craig and his company involved now, hopefully that means that we should start seeing some positive results in the next couple of months.

[hookem]

I'm starting to see some indication on social media that COTA's new staff is starting to "get it" with regards to car clubs and fans. Plus, a bombshell today:

http://www.cyclenews.com/663/24180/R...A-Make-Up.aspx

Kevin Schwantz an "official ambassador" for COTA.. wow, who saw that coming?

I'm sure turn1 has some better info on this. But if it's a sign of the attitude of new management, or start of change in the old thinking, it is good news indeed.

[hookem]

I know it's close to April 1, but this just seems like bizarro world. When they said Kevin Schwantz and COTA had mended fences, I guess they weren't kidding:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1419693&type=1

What's next, Bobby and Tavo performing "I got you babe" at the F1 race in November?

[turn1]

COTA releasing USGP ticket prices. Looks pretty similar to last year.

$169 for 3-Day GA
$299-1300+ for 3-day GS

~$200 for parking

If Formula1.com is a good indicator, it looks like the 2 T11W GSs are gone. They suck & were practically empty this year anyway.


http://circuitoftheamericas.com/medi...rcuit-of-the-a
http://tickets.formula1.com/en/3320-united-states-fom/

[turn1]

Originally Posted by hookem

I know it's close to April 1, but this just seems like bizarro world. When they said Kevin Schwantz and COTA had mended fences, I guess they weren't kidding:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1419693&type=1

What's next, Bobby and Tavo performing "I got you babe" at the F1 race in November?

Ha! Don't hold your breath!

[Jdawgboy]

Im going to mention this but I kinda figured they were just kissing ass at the time but weren't they supposed to plant at least 500 trees around the track per city of Austin agreement? That area looks so bleak and kinda ugly. no offense to those who live there but they really need to plant some trees and lots of them at least around the parameter. Having F1 televised internationally, it doesn't exactly show the true beauty of the Austin area and compared to most of the other tracks landscaping and surroundings (Granted ours is only a couple years old), ours is lackluster. Great track, not so great surroundings.

I do see that they have planted some trees around the parking lots and along the new roads so that is good but they should plant more trees behind the stands and viewing areas to give it a nice green look.