USGP Texas Style

[Brickman]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/2D1F929E-3430-4DE0-A8E1-F1C00CAE33AE-696-00000067C8CF817F_zps28ec7a9f.jpg

Off site parking $10 and a school bus shuttle.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/CD70F163-69F5-4EE7-BB67-D5780EC68835-361-00000037B648C76C_zpsa8a14b7e.jpg

We'll marked aisles...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/489A78C8-61EC-48D7-9791-7E282B8C9179-696-00000067EC4D3E53_zps060db1b2.jpg

After shuttle drop off, you have a 3/4 mile walk to entrance AKA Grand Plaza, next to it a 15000 seat amphitheater, note tower above it.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/44BEAC78-4A90-4BC4-8D44-50D3130F789C-696-0000006898646CF3_zps3066c3e2.jpg

A walk across the concrete Pirelli bridge... Between T15 & T16 takes you down to the racing level.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/836E089D-09FA-4515-87AF-97256CC6513F-696-0000006875B98735_zpsbf96d94f.jpg

Puts you under the 251 foot tall tower with glass floor/ that sits above amphitheater.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/98DC292E-8754-4DEE-A144-3C2471AAC394-696-00000068A18E3BF8_zps059ffbad.jpg

Cross the Fly Emirates bridge and you have crossed the track twice to the outside downhill from turn 2 and 2 suites.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/1576561B-C787-4126-B5D9-1B7644C0E002-696-0000006904896A9F_zps00208b7b.jpg

Looking back over bridges, turn 2 to your left...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/4403BE5B-297E-45F8-AE57-B5FAAE78871F-696-00000069102B01FE_zps4bac87bc.jpg

[Brickman]

Move up the hill to turn one... Looking down at turn two suites.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/03AE9482-18E8-4294-BEA7-6A47A38CC2D2-696-000000693355249A_zpseefbc3b2.jpg

Looking down to front straight from turn 1.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/50607E74-6DE7-41F0-9BA6-0DE5B9A8B91A-696-000000692C9786EE_zps459a19af.jpg

About 1 mile walking distance from base of tower to turn 1. Coming out of turn 1 is like the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca, but more hairpinyyy. Not as fast feeling as Laguna Seca.

[Brickman]

Walking back to the track to turn 11.


After T2

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/184266AB-503D-4237-B633-32CF8E1BC34C-696-000000693BD591DD_zpsf50269f6.jpg

The Esses...


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/CD282FE6-509F-4C2C-AF90-FC85F36C5B1E-696-000000694C7BCCD2_zpsaf02fc40.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/473C5F53-BBBD-44C6-97E7-DF3906B3E440-361-0000004AF7AD4315_zps4445d5f2.jpg

Coming out of 10 (note large TV screen) reminds me of Mid-Ohio with less grade drop.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/9AB1B56E-EDD2-46C6-BF79-799EA6B48141-361-0000004B0FFB652C_zpsf9a2cd1c.jpg

Popular viewing before T11

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/06AB0FAB-062F-4D15-A079-089C77D96E6E-696-0000006985D643B8_zps5b43fcc0.jpg

Turn 11

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/3B763DB6-DCC5-4955-A23D-FB8206FBE729-696-000000697B6C9405_zpse5862e44.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/68EE9FB6-EBF6-4DE1-8893-BF6800868E5D-696-000000698E9A0701_zps8a9f352e.jpg

Reminds me of a reverse Turn 7 Sears Point... Cars seemingly crawling.

Distance traveled from Grand Plaza, up to T1 and back around perimeter of track to plaza, aprox 3-3/4 miles.

[Brickman]

Race day:

Chose turn 11 parking.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/EA3140F9-73BD-44E1-8CF0-2D0332CEC042-361-000001E3B308D5D1_zps8d0d550a.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/701E9822-C6DB-4426-8EC1-18D53D5847DB-361-000001E3A9345C34_zpsef8b5df8.jpg
How close is the parking to the track?

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/22FFEB4B-2111-4675-B35E-7CB4F5758C89-361-000001E3929963A4_zps09542bb6.jpg

T11 Grandstands

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/1B199429-46BD-41A9-924F-A86C45138A5D-361-000001E39DEEFBB2_zpsa851eca1.jpg

Four hours before the race.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/4A2F88E0-1CD6-4503-94E6-89D25AFE36A5-361-000001E373AE344E_zps11b9d9a9.jpg

T11 Stands

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/D7D90CF7-79DC-4448-A323-7C9DA55DF635-361-000001E35AE314A8_zpsc8b268f7.jpg

Prepared

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/7100CAB9-3F24-481F-A76F-26A6FC8E4473-361-000001E3676A8AFB_zpsa2dd12f7.jpg

Easy 1 mile tram ride available (air conditioned)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/BCF87B29-E59F-4F15-968B-3C59A2F2C903-361-000001E3827BB9CF_zpsa1b7f3c8.jpg

[Brickman]

Grand Plaza entrance

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/5D5A7DEC-BD9C-4E7D-8172-9605C2C2DF5D-361-000001E347C38714_zpsc2b80492.jpg

Favorite photo spot

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/A8C87C83-7700-41C1-9216-E84930AF6BA4-361-000001E328888216_zpsd9f99633.jpg[/quote]

[Brickman]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/8AAD0D24-6C9C-44FE-9666-DC2DF7C6647A-148-000000073AE5BB1E_zps5753c895.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/AB36F3A8-AF14-4D46-9B82-DD7ED41BDB3B-148-000000071C2393C6_zps064ab576.jpg

SC

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/275C7FB8-3F08-4D82-B419-0AD28DDC36CA-148-00000006CFAAAD93_zps7a17c0c3.jpg

Austin in background

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/97B96ADE-37A0-4639-9445-C8886CB82467-148-00000006A08AC00D_zps77f17fdf.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/2D1A4414-57E6-4963-91D0-A52AE52A3264-148-000000067E59F7FB_zpsfa100ad6.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/F614395C-EA87-46D2-A2C2-E572C85230EB-148-000000064016D369_zps2cf73b35.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/5E75B435-AFB8-49C1-BD40-17486104978D-148-00000005E7D43399_zps11cbb718.jpg

Sucking down pints in the heat.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/bucketOphotos/6A504322-5476-4B7E-A7A0-774232A2D39B-148-00000005B5DC9BBB_zps99c99da2.jpg

[G.]

Sigh, next year.

Couldn't even watch, TV coverage pre-empted by tornadoes.
:(

[opinionated ow]

Interesting photos but is it just me or are all Tilke circuits really ugly to look at? The grass is such an important part of making a racetrack photogenic. No amount of red tarmac makes up for that.

[Wheel-Nut]

Interesting photos but is it just me or are all Tilke circuits really ugly to look at? The grass is such an important part of making a racetrack photogenic. No amount of red tarmac makes up for that.


Almost ALL of Texas is in a severe drought currently. The Austin area has had very little rain the past couple years.

Grass is hard to grow in the area when rainfall is sufficient.

[TravelGal]

Thanks Brickman. Good to see you're doing something worthwhile with your time these days. ;) This photo essay gave me a real feel as to what it's like to be there and walk the track. I always used to love to do that. Sigh.

[mueber]

Sigh, next year.

Couldn't even watch, TV coverage pre-empted by tornadoes.
:(

I couldn't watch it live, so I recorded it. Missed the entire second half of the race because of tornado coverage. Mind you, this outfit has five over the air channels, one of which is weather radar. You'd think they'd put their tornado coverage there, but you'd be wrong.:mad:

[G.]

Thanks Brickman. Good to see you're doing something worthwhile with your time these days. ;) This photo essay gave me a real feel as to what it's like to be there and walk the track. I always used to love to do that. Sigh.

+1

[chop456]

Wouldn't that time have been better spent championing the earl? :gomer:

[Brickman]

Thanks Brickman. Good to see you're doing something worthwhile with your time these days. ;) This photo essay gave me a real feel as to what it's like to be there and walk the track. I always used to love to do that. Sigh.

Thank you Marge.

I had a wonderful talk with Steve Machett here in Austin airport while waiting for my delayed flight... :mad: Hmmm can you... Oh never mind. ;)

Yes walking tracks and looking for the nooks and cranies of track view excellence is what I have always loved about road courses. Unfortunately the stands are well guarded, so no photos them or from behind the sun shade wrapped grandstands. GPS really helps keeping track of the miles, just used my walking program did the trick!

[Brickman]

Wouldn't that time have been better spent championing the earl? :gomer:

Remind me to tell you about my first marriage.:o

Fortunately life goes on.

[Mary]

Love the pics, thanks!

Mary

[nissan gtp]

good photoblog, thanks ! :thumbup:

[Brickman]

Review for Tickmaster:
The USGP was a great race to attend. The atmosphere was simply fantastic. Great off site parking delivers you after a 5 minute, 2 mile school bus ride (3.2km) to a 3/4 mile (1.2 km) gradual up hill walk to the "Grand Plaza", you have arrived. This is like entering Disney World... the bag checkers and ticket scanners were fast and friendly...

Once inside you have multiple directions to explore, the atmosphere is great. The mix of fans made the event cosmopolitan, with gear head talk a plenty. Raise a pint in the Mexican Cantina located at the base of the tower. For $35 you can take the elevator up to the observation deck of the COTA Tower.

Food and alcohol can be pricy, but choose wisely and you can enjoy Tamales $10, a basket of hot wings $13 that can be both filling and satisfying. An air conditioned Tram delivers you (5 minutes) from the Plaza to the farthest corner (Turn 11) or put on your hiking boots and cross the pedestrian bridges to the outside of the track and explore! With two practice sessions on Saturday you can definitely cover some miles and take in some great track views.

[NismoZ]

Couldn't help but notice the empty seats. (during the race) How many attended and how close to sellout would you estimate? Wondering if it was a financial success...you know, for people other than BE.

[TravelGal]

Couldn't help but notice the empty seats. (during the race) How many attended and how close to sellout would you estimate? Wondering if it was a financial success...you know, for people other than BE.

I also noticed the aluminum. I heard 80,000 but don't know how that compares to last year or a "sell out."

[cameraman]

The announced numbers were:
2013
Friday 58,276
Saturday 78,886
Sunday 113,162

2012
Friday 65,360
Saturday 82,710
Sunday 117,429

This year they added more higher end grandstand space while at the same time the number of GA ticket sold increased greatly.
Combine that with a overall drop of 4,000 and you will get bare metal in the less popular bleachers.

It didn't take long for people to figure out that GA was a much better deal than the least expensive stands.

[Mary]

Makes me look forward to the New Jersey race (if it ever happens). I know the tickets, etc., will cost a real pound of flesh. Won't be able to do it every year, but will go all out (or semi-out) once! Can't wait---hope I don't have to....

Mary

[Rogue Leader]

Makes me look forward to the New Jersey race (if it ever happens). I know the tickets, etc., will cost a real pound of flesh. Won't be able to do it every year, but will go all out (or semi-out) once! Can't wait---hope I don't have to....

Mary

Its already off the schedule again

[NismoZ]

I had a NJGP post all ready to go then trashed it. I guess it came across as anti F-1 but I'M NOT! We all remember how The ED just HAD to have races in North America, then he didn't NEED them, at least in the US, then we had TWO (almost)...:saywhat: ...and the one we have SEEMS to be headed downhill? Of COURSE the GA tickets are the best deal!!...if the US GP was across the street from MY HOUSE I wouldn't be able to pay for a good seat (or I WOULDN'T) let alone FLY in and back or spend a small fortune in gas, hotels and food! There may not be enough INTERESTED people in the US to support even ONE US GP? Watching on the big screen having a sit-down breakfast or grilled lunch is working for me...just fine! Signed..."Old Guy":) Love the COTA, though...hope I can get there some day.:)

[NismoZ]

Forgot to thank you for the pics...very nice but I think I see part of the problem! It looks like women were banned or perhaps had to be smuggled in? The ratio looks to be near 100-1! I guess they were all up in the suites with the (really) rich guys? If women were allowed in at 1/2 price they may have cleared 200,000 on race day!:D Probably would have made up the difference in concessions alone. Kids under 12 free? A Sprint Cup Chase companion event!?:rofl:

[Hard Driver]

Thanks for the photos Brickman. I enjoyed the narration too. Did give a sense of being there.

[G.]

Forgot to thank you for the pics...very nice but I think I see part of the problem! It looks like women were banned or perhaps had to be smuggled in? The ratio looks to be near 100-1! I guess they were all up in the suites with the (really) rich guys? If women were allowed in at 1/2 price they may have cleared 200,000 on race day!:D Probably would have made up the difference in concessions alone. Kids under 12 free? A Sprint Cup Chase companion event!?:rofl:

To hear him tell it, they were all hanging out with Spicoli. :)