New races announced for COTA (Houston, Austin: live, floor, centers)

[scm53]

I knew the MotoGP thing was just a part of the divorce with Tivo, but didn't know the American LeMans race was official.

Indy Car on a road track would be awesome. Was in Baltimore last week and the are getting ready for Indy Car on the streets near the Inner Harbor and Camden Yards.

MotoGP back on in Austin? - Austin Business Journal

[BevoLJ]

I think you have explained this to me in the past, but can you again?

MotoGP = Motorcycles
F1 = Fast Race Cars
LaMans = is like 4 groups of cars? From the Nascar types to the Fast race car type? Which one would be in Austin? The Nascar or Race Car?
Indy Car = Race Car type too right?
Ausie One = (I forgot the name?) is more of a Nascar type mixed with demolition derby type racing? Basically what you would expect from those loony Aussies? lol

What is the difference in the different fast race car types? Like the Indy Car, LaMans, and F1?

[scm53]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

I think you have explained this to me in the past, but can you again?

MotoGP = Motorcycles
F1 = Fast Race Cars
LaMans = is like 4 groups of cars? From the Nascar types to the Fast race car type? Which one would be in Austin? The Nascar or Race Car?
Indy Car = Race Car type too right?
Ausie One = (I forgot the name?) is more of a Nascar type mixed with demolition derby type racing? Basically what you would expect from those loony Aussies? lol

What is the difference in the different fast race car types? Like the Indy Car, LaMans, and F1?

Not a problem

You're right - MotoGP is motorcycles. 500cc. Interesting link is that one of the first Americans to do well, Kenny Schwantz, is from Houston and now lives here.

Indy Car are the open wheeled cars that run in the Indianapolis 500. They are all built on the same mandated chassis, and have turbocharged 2.2L engines. Right at 700 HP. Run both oval and road tracks, almost all here in the US. Runs at FW at TMS.

F1 are all built on different chassis, by different manufacturers. Normally aspiraed, 2.4L. Also around 700 HP. All road tracks, usually only one in each country.

American Le Mans is five races all going on at the same time. The three prototype classes are all closed wheel, open or closed cockpit. One class is custom built, one is slightly modified, one is all the cars are the same. The GP class are slightly modified production sports cars - Corvettes, Porsches, BMW M3s, etc. The other class is all Porsche 911s.

Aussie Super V8 - I've never seen. I think it is just a Australian version of NASCAR - HIGHLY modified from the floor pans up. Kinda look like production cars, but that is about it. I don't think they have ever raced in the US. Where is Michael Googlé when you need him?

If all of this happens, we will be one of the top tier motorsport centers in the US.

[atxcio]

It is just amazing to me that other tracks which have spent decades as historically important motorsports venues in the US would kill to get all these top-tier series... yet in 18 months, some billionaires build a track in Austin and get them all to come here.

I guess it's what tons on money can do.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by atxcio

It is just amazing to me that other tracks which have spent decades as historically important motorsports venues in the US would kill to get all these top-tier series... yet in 18 months, some billionaires build a track in Austin and get them all to come here.

I guess it's what tons on money can do.

Maybe I'm not that cynical to think it is only money. First, it was Tivo Hellmund's contacts, having grown up in racing. He knew Bernie Ecclestone, the chairman of F1, and he knew Kenny Schwantz, who is obviously well known in Moto GP. I think the Tilke design - the first Tilke public road course in the US - made this a place people want to race (and I think they will also want to test/practice here as well).

Once they got F1 and MotoGP, Indy and American Le Mans were a natural. It will be interesting to see if a different crowd comes here for Indy Car on a road track than goes to FW for it on the high speed oval. Then, does that attract a different crowd than F1?

The Aussie thing, I have no idea about.

So, I think it is the Tilke track, a central US location, Tivo's connection, and Austin's rep as a cool destination as much as it is Red McCombs' money.

[JohninAustin]

I think Tivo Hillmind started this.... but it was the big bucks of Rid McCombs and others that made it a reality.

[BevoLJ]

Thank you SCM.

As to why all those races want to race COTA, I obviously know little to nothing about racing, but I would think it is COTA as much as anything. Having a world class facility to race at, that is different than what else is out there.

Like I have tried to watch little bits of a few of the nascar races on TV. And to me I just really don't see much of a difference in those tracks. I'm sure to y'all who know a lot more about them, those differences maybe really big. But what I see is one circle is pretty much like the next. lol. And COTA doesn't look like any of those circles. It has many turns and hills and stuff. I look at those turns it has and they look absolutely crazy. I don't think I would take some of those turns at more than 15 mph in my car or my scooter. Although it sure would be fun to try on my scooter! I don't even want to guess at the sort of crazy speeds they plan on taking those turn at.

Anyway, I have been invited to the F1 by friends who say they are in the main area so it should be fun. My eurosnob friends have been telling me the atmosphere at those races are wild and I will love it even if I don't care for racing.

I have been thinking the one I would like to see is the Aussie one. I saw a youtube someone posted and they looked fun and wild, and I kinda have a thing for Aussies. They always seem to me like the Brits Texans.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

Thank you SCM.

As to why all those races want to race COTA, I obviously know little to nothing about racing, but I would think it is COTA as much as anything. Having a world class facility to race at, that is different than what else is out there.

Like I have tried to watch little bits of a few of the nascar races on TV. And to me I just really don't see much of a difference in those tracks.

COTA has several things going for it. Most importantly, it is the first new road track in the US, in almost 40 years. The advancements in safety through proper design are enormous in that time, and are things that can't be retrofitted into old tracks. As a consequence, F1 won't run on most of them. That's why the US F1 race was taken away from Watkins Glen. Also, COTA is designed by THE hot designer, the German Hermann Tilke.

Second, most of our road tracks are in the middle of nowhere. Road America - middle of Wisconsin. Watkins Glen - middle of upstate NY. Road Atlanta, Laguna Seca, Sears Point are exceptions, but the last two are all near SF. Rest of the country? Not do much. COTA is fifteen minutes outside one of the most attractive cities in the US from a tourism standpoint, with a decent sized a/p ten minutes away. That is huge, since F1 moves around the world on air freighters - 747s, Antonovs, etc. Easy access from ABIA.

NASCAR - not my cup of tea, nor is Indy Car on the ovals (but, the Indy 500 should be on everyone's bucket list - it is unmistakably a Midwest iconic event). The tracks are chiefly owned by one of two groups - One of which owns NASCAR. The new ones are all cookie cutter designs. Check the Speed Network listings for the next F1 race and see the difference. I know the Italian GP is always the second w/e of September, and I think there is one before then. One of the big differences is the length - NASCAR goes at least three hours (filling an entire prime time evening, not by chance). My ADDness likes the 1.5 length if F1

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

Thank you SCM.

As to why all those races want to race COTA, I obviously know little to nothing about racing, but I would think it is COTA as much as anything. Having a world class facility to race at, that is different than what else is out there.

Like I have tried to watch little bits of a few of the nascar races on TV. And to me I just really don't see much of a difference in those tracks.

COTA has several things going for it. Most importantly, it is the first new road track in the US, in almost 40 years. The advancements in safety through proper design are enormous in that time, and are things that can't be retrofitted into old tracks. As a consequence, F1 won't run on most of them. That's why the US F1 race was taken away from Watkins Glen. Also, COTA is designed by THE hot designer, the German Hermann Tilke.

Second, most of our road tracks are in the middle of nowhere. Road America - middle of Wisconsin. Watkins Glen - middle of upstate NY. Road Atlanta, Laguna Seca, Sears Point are exceptions, but the last two are all near SF. Rest of the country? Not do much. COTA is fifteen minutes outside one of the most attractive cities in the US from a tourism standpoint, with a decent sized a/p ten minutes away. That is huge, since F1 moves around the world on air freighters - 747s, Antonovs, etc. Easy access from ABIA.

NASCAR - not my cup of tea, nor is Indy Car on the ovals (but, the Indy 500 should be on everyone's bucket list - it is unmistakably a Midwest iconic event). The tracks are chiefly owned by one of two groups - One of which owns NASCAR. The new ones are all cookie cutter designs. Check the Speed Network listings for the next F1 race and see the difference. I know the Italian GP is always the second w/e of September, and I think there is one before then.

Another difference is the length. NASCAR goes 3 hrs minimum. My ADDness likes that F1 is typically 1.5 and has to stop at 2, over concerns for the physical demands on the drivers.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by scm53

So, I think it is the Tilke track, a central US location, Tivo's connection, and Austin's rep as a cool destination as much as it is Red McCombs' money.

Not just central US, but central to America as a whole. Or at least I had heard they were expecting/hoping for rich Mexicans/Central Americans as well as the Europeans/Middle Easterners/etc.

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by scm53

Aussie Super V8 - I've never seen.

The Pursuit Special...the last of the V8's!!!