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GasPasserAB Champion Author Edmonton Posts:25,006 Points:886,125 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 11:58:05 AM Ignore GasPasserAB Report Abuse A clock hangs on a wall in the offices of Circuit of The Americas (Cota) in Austin, Texas, counting down to 13:00 on Sunday 18 November, when the five red lights will go off at its track, marking Formula 1's return to the US. This year's F1 US Grand Prix will be the first since 2007. About 120,000 spectators are expected to cheer on a sport with a turbulent track record in the US. Some question the viability of F1 in the US because of the phenomenally popular racing sports of Indycar and Nascar. Cota's track was left almost half completed in 2011 when F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone indicated the deal was off. But Austin now has its race, with a 10-year contract, and a share in the enormous amounts of money involved, affecting both millionaires and more humble proprietors. Visit BBC Business News for full article

GasPasserAB

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Edmonton

Posts:25,006
Points:886,125
Joined:Apr 2010

Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 11:58:05 AM

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A clock hangs on a wall in the offices of Circuit of The Americas (Cota) in Austin, Texas, counting down to 13:00 on Sunday 18 November, when the five red lights will go off at its track, marking Formula 1's return to the US.

This year's F1 US Grand Prix will be the first since 2007. About 120,000 spectators are expected to cheer on a sport with a turbulent track record in the US.

Some question the viability of F1 in the US because of the phenomenally popular racing sports of Indycar and Nascar.

Cota's track was left almost half completed in 2011 when F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone indicated the deal was off.

But Austin now has its race, with a 10-year contract, and a share in the enormous amounts of money involved, affecting both millionaires and more humble proprietors.

Visit BBC Business News for full article

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

bston Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:1,800 Points:638,275 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 21, 2012 12:45:49 AM Ignore bston Report Abuse Depends upon your hobby interests.
NedW Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:5,594 Points:1,138,245 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Nov 20, 2012 11:33:26 PM Ignore NedW Report Abuse I wonder if it'll come back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
nsdp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,117 Points:47,190 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 20, 2012 2:49:08 PM Ignore nsdp Report Abuse NHLive Free my comments were meant more to the article comments about the economics of F1 at Austin and surprise of mpg611. I have gotten to see the cars twice this year and enjoyed Montreal more. Funny how Hamilton won both times. Maybe he should pay for me to attend races. Austin is an incredible track (Istanbul is the only one close) and I loved the race. It took 4 hours to park and get to my seat. In Montreal it takes 20 minutes tops from hotel by subway and I sit in the Senna S curve (stands 11 and 12). Yes the days at Watkins Glen were golden. The hype was too much for me. My guess is that the race brought about $200 million to the area. [Edited by: nsdp at 11/20/2012 2:55:15 PM EST]
virostek Veteran Author Virginia Posts:423 Points:90,285 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Nov 20, 2012 7:17:20 AM Ignore virostek Report Abuse How many people know the difference between F1 & indy racing? Don't the cars/tracks look identical?
kkimes Champion Author Illinois Posts:1,585 Points:1,502,690 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Nov 20, 2012 1:28:49 AM Ignore kkimes Report Abuse "The Ticket Prices are ridiculous!" I'm assuming you don't have a clue as to the cost of putting on a F1 race (including paying for the right to have the race). I doubt the ticket sales came close to covering that cost. To do so, the ticket prices would have to be higher than ridiculous, they'd have to be insane!
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:11,066 Points:1,618,325 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Nov 20, 2012 12:11:05 AM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse Sad loser commentary nsdp. Too bad you spent more time whining about the attendees rather than enjoying the best racing series and cars in the world. The Canadian GP has always been a great racing experience and tradition. Too bad high finances ruined the annual U.S. GP at Watkins Glen which was a real down to earth experience with camping in the infield and down at 'The Bog'. Great times at two great tracks with great people from everywhere. It is a world get together for enjoyment of the sport. A real shame that some do not appreciate the entire experience and the diversity of the fans!
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:11,066 Points:1,618,325 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Nov 20, 2012 12:02:40 AM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse A day late and a dollar or two short GasPasser..
nsdp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,117 Points:47,190 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 11:51:31 PM Ignore nsdp Report Abuse As I said this was not an event put on for the locals. Maybe 10k out of 120k tickets were sold in Texas. Mostly to the geeks in Austin(remember the local motto is Keep Austin Wierd and it voted overwhelmingly for Obama). I would guess a lot of the tickets went to the US Ferrari group; biggest blocks were sold in Mexico which has been a F1 hot bed even after the Mexican Grand Prix got cancelled. Figure $60mill in ticket sales. Hyatt has two 1000 room resorts in the area plus two Hyatts one in SA and the other in Austin and a Grand Hyatt all sold out for the week at $800+ per night plus the Marriott resorts and hotels. Micheal Schumacher spent $20 mill I would guess for a 500 acre ranch west of Austin. I am a regular for the last 20 years at the GP of Canada and I have never seen the turnout of foreign attendees there that I saw in Austin. This looked more like Monaco than any where else. Going to the grocery store today was nearly impossible due to the flood of people from Mexico. Black Friday is going to be a let down locally. [Edited by: nsdp at 11/19/2012 11:56:07 PM EST]
lesndave Champion Author Texas Posts:3,017 Points:697,155 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 11:10:47 PM Ignore lesndave Report Abuse Wow
mpg611 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,311 Points:565,845 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 10:10:15 PM Ignore mpg611 Report Abuse The race track at Austin, Texas is beautiful and awesome. What surprised me is that a race series thats more European/Asian would have a Grand Prix in Texas, and we know the BIGTIME social, cultural, political and religious differences between Europe/Asia and Texas.
nsdp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,117 Points:47,190 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 6:58:06 PM Ignore nsdp Report Abuse md11capt prices are high so the beautiful people don't have to mix with the riffraff.
nsdp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,117 Points:47,190 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 6:51:40 PM Ignore nsdp Report Abuse It repeats at noon tomorrow 11/20 on Speedvision inHD The track is really stunning. They had a fun-run/walk one lap of the track a week before and the climb up from the start/finish line to turn one and the blind turn is the most amazing turn I have seen in autoracing. I am not sure what the reference to turn 8 at Istanbul is about. That is still the toughest corner I have ever seen in racing but Turn 1 in Austin is a close second.
md11capt Champion Author Denver Posts:3,553 Points:707,405 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 6:35:02 PM Ignore md11capt Report Abuse The Ticket Prices are ridiculous!
BlueberryFocus All-Star Author Rochester Posts:553 Points:128,085 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 4:39:31 PM Ignore BlueberryFocus Report Abuse I MISSED IT!!!!!!!
bigt61 All-Star Author Virginia Posts:652 Points:202,990 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 4:02:03 PM Ignore bigt61 Report Abuse Beautiful track - very well done. 1st class in every way - Congrats Austin.
djwhit Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,992 Points:1,204,455 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 2:03:16 PM Ignore djwhit Report Abuse THATS GREAT.........
abacus44 Champion Author Toms River Posts:3,460 Points:744,490 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:55:44 PM Ignore abacus44 Report Abuse Great to see F1 back in the U.S.!
gumbyrex Champion Author Fresno Posts:3,281 Points:755,290 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:50:23 PM Ignore gumbyrex Report Abuse Great news!
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,065 Points:2,367,370 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:49:47 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse much better then nascar
cdrrod Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:4,134 Points:779,775 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:41:17 PM Ignore cdrrod Report Abuse The more, the merrier... welcome aboard!