MotoGP coming to Texas!

Road trip anyone? :biggrin:

http://www.motogp.co...ounced+for+2013


http://en.wikipedia....of_the_Americas

Ok Seb, I'll start saving my pennies! w00t!

y2kvfr, on 13 April 2011 - 07:25 AM, said:

Ok Seb, I'll start saving my pennies! w00t!


It's "only" 1900 miles one way... would need 9 days of vacation to ride there and back, plus a recovery day?

Hey Lee2002, doesn't your bro live in/near Austin? :wink:

I'll be there for sure! Austin, TX is already one of my favorite places to visit and with a new race track it should be a great venue for GP racing! How can you not have a good time with motorcycle racing, cold beer, and Texas style BBQ!!!!

Rollin

Does this mean the end of Indy? Isn't the Indy contract due to expire in 2012?

SEBSPEED, on 13 April 2011 - 06:37 AM, said:

Road trip anyone? :biggrin:

http://www.motogp.co...ounced+for+2013


http://en.wikipedia....of_the_Americas


I hope they prepare this track right. If it is truly world class, it has got to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

I bet Schwantz is going to move his school to the track.

I've been waiting for this news.I've always wanted to go to F1 and MotoGP.Now I don't have to leave my state.
What I really want is to do a track day there on the RC51!

RED RUNNER, on 13 April 2011 - 11:21 AM, said:

I hope they prepare this track right. If it is truly world class, it has got to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

I bet Schwantz is going to move his school to the track.


Looks like they're going to run F1 there starting this year. That says a lot about the quality of the track, IMO!

I thought tracks had to be inspected by the riders reps to ensure safety prior to the circuit being awarded a MotoGP?

Glad to see a long term contract though, you gotta wonder how long Indy and Laguna will last as hosts.

Well Indy was a bust, attendence was lackluster, horrible surface too many riders went down and the death of that kid - it was only a matter of time before Indy was out. Laguna Seca is always strong motogp is a big event there. I have always wondered why no Barbor till recently after watching a few races there.


I was watching an indy car race at Barbor Motorsports park, just seemed like the track narrows down too much after the straits makes it hard to pass, or difficult to hold a safe pass, and some rythm sections the racers straiten out too much by going over the rumble strips - I was thinking all these cars were being held up by Danica Patrick who was having tire problems she was pushing wide, locking up the brakes and smoking the tires and there was not enough places to get around her. Made for some insane passing that would have a motogp rider crashing hard!

I read that this track was designed by a guy who has done alot of the GP tracks in europe. Some like him, some dont, but there are built in "overtaking areas". The layout looks interesting.

I will be there...

SEBSPEED, on 13 April 2011 - 07:28 AM, said:

Hey Lee2002, doesn't your bro live in/near Austin? :wink:



Ohhh, You're good. He does live in the Austin metroplex. So I'm going to say safe bet that I'll be there.

Whether I ride down or truck down is another question... Cousins like to hang with Cousins so I'll probably have family in tow.



Now, can someone work on getting Rush/Scorpion/Iron Maiden to schedule a concert at the Irwin Center that week.



For those who have never been to Austin.... You're going to be in for a pleasant surprise.... Good riding in the Hill Country, good night-life downtown, good barbeque all over. If it weren't for all the damned people it would be almost perfect. Good place to visit.

cornercarver, on 13 April 2011 - 06:27 PM, said:

I will be there...


As will I. I love Austin. I used to ride my Suzuki 380 from Dallas to Austin for Aquafest back in the 9teenhunertand7ts. They had great races that were similar to motard racing and I was hooked. No classes to speak of, just race what you brought. It was a tight course and the serious competitors were riding MX'ers fitted with street tires. Yep, I'll be there.

We'll have to set up a scenic route through Arkansas and other must see - can't miss roads!

And I probably need to get to Indy this year or next so I can say I have been to all three MotoGP US races...

SEBSPEED, on 13 April 2011 - 11:30 AM, said:

Looks like they're going to run F1 there starting this year.

Son-of-a-buck. You're really eating up my vacation, SEB. You need to remember that I'm the low man on the totem pole, I can't just get whatever I want. I've always wanted to catch a F1 race...... If nothing else, just to hear a motor play God Save the Queen or America the Beautiful, or something.

HispanicSlammer, on 13 April 2011 - 12:17 PM, said:

I was watching an indy car race at Barbor Motorsports park, just seemed like the track narrows down too much after the straits makes it hard to pass, or difficult to hold a safe pass, and some rythm sections the racers straiten out too much by going over the rumble strips



Slammer, et al:

Indy Cars at Barber are a real trip to watch! However, the Barber track was designed as a motorcycle/sports car track, not really for Indy type or large open wheel, high horsepower cars. The rumble strips were added specifically for the Indy Cars last year, as was the new high-rise spectator protective fencing.

Since I ride there quite often, I can tell you definitively that the track does not narrow at all. It is 45' wide the entire length of the track. The cameras with telephoto lenses make it seem so, but it does not. It is a 2.38 mile course and the straights are not terribly long. I get into 6th only on the back straight, even with the reduced gearing I run on my CBR600RR. It is a highly technical and challenging track on any platform. At the speeds the Indy cars run there, it is amazing to watch. I believe Will Power was running consistent 1:15/1:14 lap times last weekend. The motorcycle record is 1:23.664 by Matt Mladin. Indy Record is 1:09.455 in qualifying in 2009. Also been told that the MotoGP bikes would hardly be able to get up to speed at Barber.

From what I have heard (mostly unsubstantiated) DORNA requires significant monetary guarantees and local government involvement in their contracts. That will never happen at Barber, I think. Also, even though Barber can support large crowds and has a great system for handling the spectators, I don't think the surrounding metropolitan area could support very large MotoGP crowds in terms of lodging, etc. These are a few reasons it won't happen there. Just as for the Talladega NASCAR Races, the hotels are booked from the State line in North AL all the way south to Montgomery (1-1.5 hours away) and as far east as the Atlanta, GA outskirts. These are all issues that promoters have to deal with in getting races.

However, as much as I want SBK - MotoGP in my neighborhood, I am glad to see a new venue for MotoGP & Austin, TX. I can make....wooohoooo!

timmythecop, on 13 April 2011 - 03:34 PM, said:

I read that this track was designed by a guy who has done alot of the GP tracks in europe. Some like him, some dont, but there are built in "overtaking areas". The layout looks interesting.


[image: Posted Image]


[image: Posted Image]

This is another Herman Tilke track, he had designed pretty much every track built in the last decade.
They are often criticized for dificuly of passing but it has as much to do with a track as the design of F1 cars themselves
being so aero-dependent they can not get close in the corners due to loss of downforce,
being equal on power they can't pass on straights either. New DRS wing this year seems to facilitate some overtaking.


Both DORNA and FIA seems to have signed 10 year deals with Austin's Circuit of the Americas, starting in 2012 for F1 and 2013 for all three MotoGP classes.
as for getting it ready, I'm sure it will not be a problem, they managed to get Korea done last year, it was still being paved 2 weeks prior to the race, got certified in record time!

I will definitely put this on my calendar. I asked George Barber (while visiting his museum) about MotoGP three years ago. He desperately wants to host MotoGP, but, as was said earlier in this thread, MOtoGP requires local gov't involvement. Barber said he was given absolutely no cooperation or encouragement by local gov't.

[image: View Post]Dmitry, on 13 April 2011 - 08:55 PM, said:

This is another Herman Tilke track, he had designed pretty much every track built in the last decade.
They are often criticized for dificuly of passing but it has as much to do with a track as the design of F1 cars themselves
being so aero-dependent they can not get close in the corners due to loss of downforce,
being equal on power they can't pass on straights either. New DRS wing this year seems to facilitate some overtaking.


Both DORNA and FIA seems to have signed 10 year deals with Austin's Circuit of the Americas, starting in 2012 for F1 and 2013 for all three MotoGP classes.
as for getting it ready, I'm sure it will not be a problem, they managed to get Korea done last year, it was still being paved 2 weeks prior to the race, got certified in record time!

I'll be there!

Mark

[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on 13 April 2011 - 07:22 PM, said:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 13 April 2011 - 07:28 AM, said:

Hey Lee2002, doesn't your bro live in/near Austin? :wink:



Ohhh, You're good. He does live in the Austin metroplex. So I'm going to say safe bet that I'll be there.

Whether I ride down or truck down is another question... Cousins like to hang with Cousins so I'll probably have family in tow.



Now, can someone work on getting Rush/Scorpion/Iron Maiden to schedule a concert at the Irwin Center that week.



For those who have never been to Austin.... You're going to be in for a pleasant surprise.... Good riding in the Hill Country, good night-life downtown, good barbeque all over. If it weren't for all the damned people it would be almost perfect. Good place to visit.


Any chance he might have a spare couch after you guys move in? :goofy:

The more I think about going, the more I realize I'd have to fly in. My fault for getting my wife and son hooked on the GP racing by taking them to Indy with me last time... so would probably be a week-long family vacy for us with the highlight being the race. (and the BBQ!) :fing02:

[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on 13 April 2011 - 07:57 PM, said:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 13 April 2011 - 11:30 AM, said:

Looks like they're going to run F1 there starting this year.

Son-of-a-buck. You're really eating up my vacation, SEB. You need to remember that I'm the low man on the totem pole, I can't just get whatever I want. I've always wanted to catch a F1 race...... If nothing else, just to hear a motor play God Save the Queen or America the Beautiful, or something.


You know, I've see tractor trailers racing in Formula 1-land(Formula Ford / Renault Clio Cup / truck races @ the Nurburgring), it would make sense that I go see a Formula 1 race in tractor-trailer-land! :biggrin:

Ya know, there seems to be a definite lack of permanent seating at this track... or is it just me?

Would love to see a small grandstand on the inside of T13-14! Or anything closer to the curves, really. What's a "naturalstand"? Grassy knoll?? :comp13:

[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on 13 April 2011 - 07:22 PM, said:

Whether I ride down or truck down is another question... Cousins like to hang with Cousins so I'll probably have family in tow.

Now, can someone work on getting Rush/Scorpion/Iron Maiden to schedule a concert at the Irwin Center that week.

For those who have never been to Austin.... You're going to be in for a pleasant surprise.... Good riding in the Hill Country, good night-life downtown, good barbeque all over. If it weren't for all the damned people it would be almost perfect. Good place to visit.


Steal a trailer and tow the bike. (Leave room for mine, plz!)

Austin is an awesome place.

With any luck, one of those race events would happen the same time as the annual music fest , Austin City Limits, for some Surf n' Turf. Early Sept??

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 14 April 2011 - 06:02 AM, said:

Any chance he might have a spare couch after you guys move in? :goofy:

Be careful, last couple of trips down there: 1) Built a playscape for his kids. 2) Repaired a non-functioning air conditioning unit in his 125° attic 3) Grilled various and multiple meals for his tribe. 4) Worked on his motorcycle 5) It's been worth it every time.... nothing like hanging with your brother.

[image: View Post]huskysooner, on 14 April 2011 - 08:01 AM, said:

Austin is an awesome place.

Austin was an awesome place when I was in my Teens and Twenties. It was very cool when I was in my Thirties. It is a gridlocked, hell-hole in my Forties.



My brother says the new track is being built near Buda. He's up north, the other side of the world from Buda given Austin's horrific traffic.

I think I can handle the "working on motorcycles" part. :smile:

[image: View Post]Lee 2002, on 13 April 2011 - 07:22 PM, said:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 13 April 2011 - 07:28 AM, said:

Hey Lee2002, doesn't your bro live in/near Austin? :wink:



For those who have never been to Austin.... You're going to be in for a pleasant surprise.... Good riding in the Hill Country, good night-life downtown, good barbeque all over. If it weren't for all the damned people it would be almost perfect. Good place to visit.



Don't let this get to you. The people in Austin are some of the best parts. :cool:

My big difficulty is going to be figuring out where to stay. There are a number of options as far East as Schulenburg/Weimer and as far west as Junction.