Well, the hard and dreams of Texans once again comes through. Bernie just announced this...
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/5/10824.html (http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/5/10824.html)
New track and all!
Well how 'bout that? Doesn't get any better than that. I wonder if the track may be out near the city's international airport - formerly Bergstrom Air Force base. Tons of empty land out there from the military days, plus race noise wouldn't be quite as big a deal since the airport is near by...
[bacon] [bacon] [bacon] [bacon] [bacon] [beer]Hol ly shit.
God bless Texas. *happy :'(*
[beer] [beer] [beer]
I remember before Texas Motor Speedway opened, Bruton Smith had research showing this part of the country had the largest untapped motorsports market in the US. That's still probably true since not everyone lives/breathes NASCAR.
What's also potentially very cool is that a new road course/track built to FIA specs will draw other major forms of racing, MotoGP the first coming to mind.
Even the SCCA National Run-Offs could be held there (it's a week long event with people coming from all over the country). That event has bounced back and forth between Road Atlanta, Mid-Ohio and Heartland in Topeka, KS...
Damn, if the new Austin track comes together, they're sitting on a gold mine. Very, very cool.
Should have stopped reading after the author said he'd never been to Austin... But here it is anyway:
http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/cooper-austin-texas-an-interesting-choice-for-us-gp/ (http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/cooper-austin-texas-an-interesting-choice-for-us-gp/)
And this one has the answer to the biggest question of all; funding:
http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/18154.html (http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/18154.html)
Who can it be? Inquiring minds want to know [evil]
Ha! Yep, shoulda guessed... I was thinking it was Roger Penske or the Bill France family [bang] [laugh]
now i can't get this saxophone line out of my head.... :-[
WHO CAN IT BE NOW (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbZ9xUF7sY8#lq-lq2-hq-vhq)
!!!!! amazing!!!!!
I am as excited as anybody about this; but let me go on record as saying I am just a bit skeptical. Nobody had heard ANYTHING about this until yesterday and now they have 2 years to build the entire track and have it ready for 50,000 people?
I sure hope it does happen though............
Just read that the land for this new track has not actually been purchased... And still no details on the funding. While I suppose a consortium of big-time American motorsports people could make this F1 thing possible, I got a bad feeling about this :-[
Could be Bernie Ecclestone forcing someone's hand. Maybe a power play to get the other proposed new F1 track in Monticello, New York, more motivated?
Look at it this way:
No land has been purchased;
An announcement has been made that they are going to need (I'm guessing) a few hundred acres (or more) of land "within 10 miles" of the Austin airport;
They must buy land;
WTF do you think just happened to the price of land within 10 miles of the Austin airport?????
Lets just say for the sake of argument that you own land anywhere down there and a dude that looks like Warhol shows up at your door, you are going to cut him a DEAL right????
??? ??? ??? ??? ??? [bang]
maybe the person(s) financing this deal owns the land already. ???
Quote from: fastwin on May 26, 2010, 06:44:30 PM
Good one!!! [laugh] Yeah, here's your deal! [bang]
"Here's your deal" ? More like, "Here's your sign."
Eccelestone's a wanker, historically, on "deals" like this so I can't wait to see how this one unfolds [bang]
Quote from: muskrat on May 26, 2010, 07:02:10 PM
maybe the person(s) financing this deal owns the land already. ???
I'm still betting on the city to portion-off some of the surrounding old Bergstrom air base land.
could be. maybe imminent domain is the clue here. I just hope they fix/add more lanes around that area.
The paper today said that 700 acres have been "secured" but they would not discuss the location or the price. They have also hired a track designer,
http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-tilke-designing-200m-austin-track/ (http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-tilke-designing-200m-austin-track/)
From some reading yesterday the track has already been designed as well or at least the specs. It will also be a used to help test alternative fuels
Let's not forget, too, that the state of Texas retained all its land titles from the Uncle Sam when it was annexed to the good ol US of A. So when Bergstrom was closed down, the land went back to the state. I'm sure that even Rick Perry realizes the amount of potential revenue that this could generate for the state. Hell, Texas already has the 11th largest GDP in the world. To imagine how much money this will bring to Texas from all over the WORLD?!?! Perry will make the land happen.
As for the track funding, that's definitely the big question mark. However, again...I'm sure that someone will dig out the money somewhere to make it happen. Plus, Home Depot offers cheap labor.... [evil] Sorry, that was bad.
Quote from: n2f on May 27, 2010, 03:52:08 AM
Eccelestone's a wanker
True words spoken from the prophet Lisa, amen.
settled - DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS!
Another Austin F1 tidbit...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85287 (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85287)
Enough already - Jus' tell us exactly where the damn thing is going to be built! Gesesh [bang]
I am still firmly in the “skeptically optimistic†camp.
100' elevation change, whew! I just hope the design will have decent sight lines from the grandstands.
Over-under configuration like Twin Ring Motegi would be kewl...
But I agree with Mhanis; I still think it's all pie in the sky BS from Eccelstone. Shouldn't amount to more than a power play on the track organizers in New York.
Well, here ya' go - just the facts, ma'am:
http://www.formula1unitedstates.com/ (http://www.formula1unitedstates.com/)
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85604 (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85604)
The new track is out by the old Bergrstrom Air Force Base (now Austin International). It is also good to see Kevin Schwantz mentioned as a name currently involved in the project [moto]
SWEET! Road trip!! [thumbsup]
I am now a little less skeptical and a bit more hopeful. ;D Now, does anybody know anybody who lives in Austin that can go by there and see if anything is happening out there? I am driving down to San Antonio on August 16th or 17th and I will certainly take a drive by to see.
All of my relatives live in Austin so I'm down there all the time. Next time I'll cruise out to the airport and check it out. Maybe even take a pix or two if there's anything to see.
Here's a link with the actual track lay out:
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/01/austins-f1-track-gets-laid-out/ (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/01/austins-f1-track-gets-laid-out/)
:o
"What's more, the circuit is designed to promote passing for American fans with short attention spans thanks to plenty of long straights"
are they making fun of NASCAR?
I think they might be... [laugh]
No, they are making fun of Americans.... [evil]
well NASCAR is very American. :o
I predict they will turn left.
http://www.theonion.com/video/nascar-coach-reveals-winning-strategy-drive-fast,14154/ (http://www.theonion.com/video/nascar-coach-reveals-winning-strategy-drive-fast,14154/) [thumbsup]
[laugh]
This is great news for the US.
But funny that in the same links there was a story that said Austin drivers are the worst in the nation.
More news:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88466 (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88466)
Can't wait to see this come together!
this would be super cool! I've been to 3 of them at indy, would really enjoy them in the back yard!
2012 seems so far away :-X
http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-organizers-get-construction-green-light-for-us-gp-site (http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-organizers-get-construction-green-light-for-us-gp-site)