|| *Comments on Circuit of the Americas:* View the most recent comment <#70> | Post a comment <#post> 1. RaceFanX posted: 01.28.2012 - 11:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This track was built specifically to host the 2012 revival of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix It is also scheduled to host the first-ever V8 Supercar race in the United States the following year. 2. dion posted: 03.05.2012 - 5:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) when is the race? 3. Ed posted: 06.30.2012 - 8:44 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The race is scheduled to conflict with the Ford 400, hope F1 enjoys having shitty ratings for the USGP. 4. Tay posted: 11.17.2012 - 1:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The attendance at the track is what matters most, and it is going to be really high. 65,000 watched PRACTICE. Just think how many will actually be there on race day. 5. RaceFanX posted: 11.19.2012 - 12:22 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) To answer that question over 117,000 people actually, quite a good draw for a new track in a country where F1 isn't the highest series for interest. 6. CBASS posted: 11.20.2012 - 7:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #3 F1 doesn't care for ratings like NASCAR does, it's all about attendance and whether the track can put up the money to hold the race. The first race was a huge success, and I can't wait to see more races here. I hope that the Cup Series can shoehorn their way to hold an event here. Probably one of THE best "modern" road courses out there. 7. RaceFanX posted: 11.21.2012 - 2:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The frontstretch runs uphill before a tight turn 1. The turn 1 area was quickly dubbed Phil Hill during the track's first race weekend after the USA's first Formula 1 champion. 8. rob posted: 11.21.2012 - 4:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) you know f1 has 10 times as many fans as nascar right???? you must be a nascar only fan.................... 9. Kelford posted: 11.28.2012 - 11:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Actually, CBASS, Formula One's television deal is substantial enough that an event turns a profit if not a single fan shows up the entire weekend (see: Korea). Attendance becomes an issue only if the track cannot raise enough sponsorship money to cover the cost to Bernie. Formula One doesn't drop races because they lose money, they drop races because they don't make *enough* money. 10. Biscuits In A Red Bull posted: 01.18.2013 - 3:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A fantastic circuit, now scheduled to hold loads of major events (WEC, Grand-Am, V8 Supercars). Shame Indycar are missing out on this! 11. Anthony posted: 03.03.2013 - 12:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The quality of the F1 and Grand Am races at the track should entice IndyCar to get a race next year. It would be way better than a place like Sonoma. 12. RaceFanX posted: 11.08.2013 - 8:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sadly it looks like the V8 Supercars races here might be a one-off. They ran four races over two days with Jamie Whincup winning races 1, 2, and 4 while Fabian Coulthard won the other. 13. Cornys posted: 11.23.2015 - 6:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Doing some quick math here, but F1's record qualification time here is 96.067 seconds (Rosberg, 2014). Indy Lights (and the other tiers of the Road to Indy) just finished a two day test yesterday and their top time was 114.224 seconds (Kyle Kaiser). That's a 18.9% disadvantage that the Indy Lights have on F1's pole record. Indy Lights and IndyCar last qualified on the same weekend at a road Course in Mid-Ohio. IndyCar's pole time was 64.581 seconds, and Indy Lights was 72.958 seconds. That's a disadvantage of 13% on IndyCar for the Indy Lights. By that calculation, F1 would qualify around 61.361 seconds at Mid-Ohio, and IndyCars are 5.25% slower than Formula 1 on Road Courses. Today's IndyCars would lap CotA at around 101.100 seconds. 14. Cornys posted: 11.24.2015 - 9:12 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) Apparently CotA and the State are arguing over funding. CotA has yet to pay the $33,000,000 sanctioning fee to F1 for this year's race, and the state cut about 7 million off their assistance package this year that was $25,000,000. The kicker is, the state and CotA don't have a contract at all. Here's one of the articles on it: http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/organizers-us-grand-prix-yet-pay-f1-fee-2015 15. RaceFanX posted: 03.22.2016 - 11:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This track hosted the X-Games in 2014 and 2015 and will again in 2016. ESPN originally contracted with the track to host again in 2017 but Austin's high heat summers and need to move the event to the spring to avoid them led ESPN to move the event elsewhere. 16. RaceFanX posted: 06.05.2016 - 2:07 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The track did indeed host the 2016 X-Games although weirdly ESPN dropped four-wheeled motorsports from the program that year. 17. James posted: 03.04.2017 - 11:31 am Rate this comment: (1) (1) Track should have a NASCAR race. 18. Alex posted: 09.04.2018 - 10:43 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hosting an IndyCar event in 2019. 19. Corey posted: 09.04.2018 - 12:32 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The Circuit of the Americas will be hosting an Indycar race for the first time on March 24th, 2019. This will become the second longest track in the schedule behind Road America. A new deal with the Texas Motor Speedway removed a radius clause that prevented COTA from obtaining a race sooner. 20. joey2448 posted: 09.04.2018 - 7:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Awesome to see IndyCar join F1 as another major open-wheel series at CoTA. I think this will be a big hit for the series and for the track. 21. @Statscrash posted: 09.27.2018 - 1:14 am Rate this comment: (1) (1) Awful boring track, NASCAR should stay as far away as possible. 22. 1995 Subaru WRX Sti posted: 11.21.2018 - 9:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) If NASCAR were too ever race here they shouldn't use the full circuit. Caution laps would take forever since NASCAR doesn't do local yellows. The National Circuit is 2.3 miles long would still have plenty of passing spots. Of course this wouldn't happen since Texas Motor Speedway would lose their minds if they did. Though NASCAR could just add the track and not take a date away from Texas. 23. Wil posted: 06.08.2019 - 7:26 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm embarrassed to admit that I've been a student at the University of Texas (in Austin) for 4 years and never been to this track. I do not have an excuse it seems to be a fantastic facility. 24. German500 posted: 10.06.2019 - 1:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The pole and race speed columns in Formula One table are interchanged. The pole is the higher value. 25. David posted: 10.06.2019 - 1:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't think so, @24. The pole is the lap time in seconds, the speed is the average speed of the race winner in kilometers per hour. 26. Canadianfan posted: 05.21.2020 - 12:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) From Adam Cooper: Major events are set to be outlawed in Austin until the end of the year, making life difficult for @COTA (and the USGP.). 27. RaceFanX posted: 07.24.2020 - 10:41 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The 2020 United States Grand Prix was scheduled to be run here but ultimately cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. All rounds in the Americas were cancelled due to the global pandemic. 28. joey2448 posted: 09.21.2020 - 5:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Announced today that COTA will host a NASCAR Cup series race in 2021. This is meant to replace one of Texas Motor Speedway's two points races (although TMS will host the 2021 All-Star race). 29. Corey posted: 09.21.2020 - 5:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm curious at which race that is. Either they are doing a doubleheader with Indycar or they are replacing the F1 race. The two Texas races always took place either within the week or the same da as the COTA events. 30. possum posted: 09.21.2020 - 7:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @29 - odds are it'll be in the spring. COTA has faced unending grief from the locals for scheduling the F1 race during football season (with UT drawing 100000 fans it makes hotels an issue). They've also faced grief for scheduling against SxSW so if NASCAR is smart they'll look for a later spring date. 31. Canadianfan posted: 09.21.2020 - 7:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @29 Robin Miller was saying earlier in the year that the IndyCar race is pretty much dead. Just didn't make enough money to keep going. I would say it will be the first race I don't think SMI wants to lose its playoff date. 32. TheDewCrew posted: 09.30.2020 - 9:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't like it tbh. It's in a big market, and yes it's a road course, but it's not that great of a track, racing-wise, and doesn't produce memorable moments. I would've much rather had Mid=Ohio and Canadian Tire, than COTA and Road America 33. racefangurl posted: 10.21.2020 - 2:30 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 31, so they're replacing the Indy race? It's a track for racecars <2000 pounds and for bikes only due to the 3 tightest turns. JMO 34. Jimmie4life posted: 10.21.2020 - 8:04 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) I think Road America is such a unique track because it is both way bigger than any other NASCAR track, but it also is so big, it could pour on one side and be sunny on the other, which could throw a wrench into a rain tire strategy. If it was in a slightly bigger market, the racetrack could be great for fans to travel to. But, it's kind of like North Wilkesboro, off in the middle of nowhere. 35. JSPorts posted: 10.21.2020 - 9:05 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) A lot of fans still travel to the track. Assuming COVID restrictions are lifted by the time this race comes up in the schedule, we'll probably see a great turnout for the track's first Cup race in 64 years. 36. Canadianfan posted: 10.24.2020 - 10:08 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) From Jayski: XFINITY and Truck Series joining Cup at Circuit of the Americas in 2021. 37. TTaylor944 posted: 11.19.2020 - 3:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series, sanctioned by IMSA, has been added to the NASCAR weekend at COTA. 38. Canadianfan posted: 12.11.2020 - 1:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) From Bob Pockrass: For the COTA races, NASCAR will use the 3.41-mile long (full F1) course. Still TBA on number of laps. 39. Corey posted: 02.25.2021 - 12:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The Cup and Xfinity races have a names Cup: Echopark Texas Grand Prix Xfinity Pit Boss 250. I do find it odd that the went ?Grand Prix? that always seems like term for Open Wheel racing, not stock cars. 40. RaceFanX posted: 02.25.2021 - 5:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A NASCAR race serving as Grand Prix? AWESOME! It makes hilarious sense that the Texas Grand Prix would actually be a NASCAR race. This is gonna rock. 41. possum posted: 02.25.2021 - 7:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @39 - at one time Grand Prix was pretty much only used for F1 races (which made sense - since that was the top series, they got the "big prize")(*). In recent times it's become common for many kinds of road course races, which is probably what the Texas people had in mind. (* in motorsports, that is. There have been many other Grands Prix (**) in other fields of competition.) (** that's the correct plural. It's French, they can't spell.) 42. RaceFanX posted: 02.25.2021 - 11:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Many American series have used Grand Prix through the years. The NASCAR race even gets to revive a long dormant title as the Texas Grand Prix used to be a USAC Champ Car race at the now defunct Texas World Speedway oval in College Station back in the mid-1970s. 43. racefangurl posted: 02.26.2021 - 5:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 39, the track's for open wheel cars. 44. Corey posted: 02.26.2021 - 5:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @43 and yet the MotoGp, IMSA, and Australian Super cars have raced there previously. 45. possum posted: 02.26.2021 - 7:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @44 - well, MotoGP are effectively open wheel, so that doesn't contradict @43's point. And it's perhaps noteworthy that aside from F1 and MotoGP, only IMSA scheduled more than one race date, perhaps suggesting the track doesn't work so well for bigger, heavier cars. 46. Corey posted: 02.26.2021 - 8:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @45 MotoGP are motorcycles and are raced entirely different the 4 wheel cars. They are not essentially open wheel vehicles and nobody considers them so. The Supercars were supposed to race at COTA in 2014 but a scheduling conflict with the X games led to no races in 2014. The contract was terminated for 2015. 47. Canadianfan posted: 02.26.2021 - 8:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @44 Somewhat surprisingly Supercars ran the short course when they ran here skipping the long straightaway. 48. racefangurl posted: 02.26.2021 - 10:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 44, MotoGP's lightweight, so they can handle an open wheel track. I just don't think it's good for the heavies, like NASCAR cars. 49. possum posted: 02.27.2021 - 7:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @46 - MotoGP are far closer to F1 cars than to any of the other series you mentioned. 50. Yeet posted: 03.02.2021 - 1:23 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) COTA is holding a tire test today with Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliot, and Martin Truex Jr. to collect data for the upcoming debut of NASCAR on the famed circuit. Goodyear selected these three because they wanted the strongest road racers of each manufacturer. 51. Corey posted: 03.02.2021 - 6:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brad K was saying they were hitting 185 at the end of the backstretch and had to slow down to about 30 to make the corner(Turn 12). 52. racefangurl posted: 03.19.2021 - 7:30 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 51, that's why this track's unsuitable for NASCAR. 53. NevadaGamblerMan posted: 03.19.2021 - 9:02 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Out of 22 major league auto races held at this track since its interception, the furthest any winner has ever started is 3rd. Weird statistic but if the 4th place starter wins the cup race, I can already hear the announcers talking it up as a big thing saying he came further in the field today to win than anyone's ever done in the history of The Circuit of Americas 54. Mile501 posted: 03.19.2021 - 9:36 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @53 - Colton Herta won the lone IndyCar race here after starting 4th. Still, I wonder if that's a sign that it's very hard to pass here, or if it just reflects the types of series that have raced here. Past races at COTA have primarily been F1 (where a few teams win nearly all the poles and races) and sportscars (where the top class only once had more than 10 cars). I'm not sure COTA has ever had a race with a field with as much competitive depth as we have in NASCAR. Between the three NASCAR races scheduled for that weekend, I feel certain at least one of them will break that record. 55. RaceFanX posted: 03.19.2021 - 10:40 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @53 That's just in the series this website tracks. Alex Rins won the MotoGP race here in 2019 after starting seventh...although back to your point Marc Márquez won this race from the pole the first five years it was run (2013 to 2017) and again from fourth on the grid in 2018. It is indeed odd to see such a high percent of at the front starters win but some of that might be the nature of modern racing in this track's primary series; this course was built for F1 and Mercedes has been leagues ahead of everyone there since 2014. NASCAR's visits here should indeed shake that up because its tours tend to have more competitive teams each season that most formula or road racing series. 56. racefangurl posted: 03.23.2021 - 7:34 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 55, that's why NASCAR doesn't belong at this track. If it was built for F1 and Mercedes how can NASCAR have a race, not a demo derby in the tightest turns? 57. Corey posted: 03.23.2021 - 9:52 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @56 NASCAR will be fine. They've put on good races at other ?F1? tracks. COTA will be no different. 58. Canadianfan posted: 04.05.2021 - 8:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) From Bob Pockrass: Speedway Motorsports is adding ?turtles? to the inside of turns 4, 5 and 6 at COTA because of the width in these areas. The turtles will encourage drivers to drive the course. 59. possum posted: 04.06.2021 - 6:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @58 - good for them! One of the things that's really degraded road course racing (for all series, not just NASCAR) over the past decade or so is the tendency of tracks to add asphalt outside the corners, with puny little curbs that the drivers just ignore. Let's hope this is a start of a movement to force drivers to drive the course everywhere. 60. Canadianfan posted: 04.09.2021 - 9:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) There have been discussions that they could use COTA as a replacement event this year for Formula e. 61. Canadianfan posted: 04.16.2021 - 3:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) From Adam Stern: A Miami announcement could come this weekend at Imola with Liberty CEO @GregMaffei on hand, per @JoeSaward. - "Texas is not proving to be F1 country, and the word is that at least two other venues may be bidding for the deal: Las Vegas and Indianapolis." From Nate Ryan: If this pans out and #F1 leaves Austin, one of the biggest motorsports plot twists in recent memory will be that a few hundred million dollars ultimately were spent constructing COTA only for it to become a #nascar venue. 62. Corey posted: 04.16.2021 - 4:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @61 It's the American way. Get someone else to pay for it. 63. RaceFanX posted: 04.16.2021 - 5:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) If F1 leaves Austin they will never get another permanent venue built for them in the USA again. Nor should they, the Texans built them an incredible track and they leave after a decade? 64. 1995-Subaru-WRX-Sti posted: 04.16.2021 - 8:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ^ It has everything to do with the people running F1. Liberty Media is doing its best by making the worst choices. 65. Ferret posted: 04.17.2021 - 7:07 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) So my question is... Indianapolis, alright, it's hosted the USGP before, but 2005 still casts a dark shadow over things. Las Vegas. As darkly amusing as it'd be to bring back the Caesar's Palace parking lot track, I'd assume that'd be a street race, but I don't trust F1 to put on a neat, economic street race with their love of miles of run off areas and fixation on the generic long straight leads into hairpin mindset. Austin is a fantastic track and has hosted everything from MotoGP to the then V8 Supercars to WEC though, so my question isn't can COTA survive without F1, arguably, yes. It's more can Liberty Media actually put on a decent, economically viable street race that doesn't sprawl over many, many city blocks, if it does turn out to be a street race? I don't think the drivers would want a series of 90 degree bends really, though....they can't exactly rip up the pavement and redesign a city to suit F1. Same deal for Miami 66. Canadianfan posted: 04.17.2021 - 8:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @65 I would bet it being Indianapolis and Miami next year. Jean Todt has been seen touring Indy with Roger Penske not long ago. Chicago was discussed after the New York race failed but ultimately Chicago wasn't interested in how expensive it would be. Long Beach had an opportunity to switch back to F1 but ultimately they extended the IndyCar contract. And let's be honest I don't think any of us here want to see what Tilke would have to do to (insert your favourite USA road course here) modify it to FIA Grade 1. I think it's quite clear Liberty has very little interest in permanent circuits and wants the spectacle of a street course. They want a bunch of Baku's. Personally I think Baku is massively overrated. Without its massive straight it would suck almost as bad as Monaco. 67. Corey posted: 04.17.2021 - 9:35 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @65 Indy was more of a victim in all that. I don't think it would be used against. A lot of the elements that went into that situation have largely been resolved, so you wouldn't get a repeat incident. They've since built on top of the location of the Caesar's Palace track. It currently has two high-rise hotel with other amenities. 68. Canadianfan posted: 04.22.2021 - 7:22 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) From Dieter Rencken: (Article excerpt about Miami race.) There is talk that the Texas Big Event fund, which indirectly sponsors Austin's race via tax rebates and refunds, could be reduced going forward, so a distinct possibility exists that the F1 race is no longer viable. 69. Canadianfan posted: 04.22.2021 - 12:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) From Nathan Brown: A fascinating wrinkle to @COTA's deal w/ the state of Texas that has pitched in $25M annually for the track to host the annual F1 race... COTA has to be the ONLY U.S. F1 race. For 10 yrs, starting in '22, that won't be. COTA's deal expires this year. 70. possum posted: 04.22.2021 - 7:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @69 - I think the esteemable Mr Brown has mis-read the relevant rules. COTA gets reimbursed by the state from what's called the "Major Events Reimbursement Program" (basically the idea is the state pays over the sales tax collected during the event, or at least that's the theory). The rules for the program say to be eligible "the event will not be held more than one time in any year" - which could be read as "an F1 race will only be held at COTA once per year", or "a US GP can only be held once per year" or several other ways. The Texas legislature has to approve the reimbursement each year, so they could read it for or against COTA depending on how they feel about the track (but, the track puts thousands into legislators re-election funds, so odds are they're pro-COTA...they always have been in the past). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: