Austin's F1 circuit.

[tim wood]

Doh...Not good.

Elroy Road widening won't happen before 2012 race. The hangup? Take a wild guess.

http://www.statesman.com/sports/formula1/elroy-road-to-be-widened-but-not-before-2091924.html

[tim wood]

Statesman.com: Work moving along...

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/racing/entries/2012/01/11/work_moving_right_along_at_cir.html?cxntfid=blogs_formula_austin

[texasmr2]

Hopefully that will not effect my plans and others who were given permission by a local rancher and ranch manager to stay on his 925 acres surrounding the circuit all FREE OF CHARGE!! Enough room for parking for my Miata all the way up to fullblown motorhomes. Alot of the property has the Colorado River running through it so we can fish and he even said "Firearms and hog hunting is encouraged", my kinda guy. This gentleman also has three Helipads for the more fortunately financed fans, rubbing shoulders with the 'IN CROWD' lol.

Remember sports fans it is not what you know but who you know .

[tim wood]

Following up their story from yesterday, the Statesman just posted 14 new construction photos on its Facebook page (Formula 1 Austin)...thanks dave Doolittle!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 490&type=1

[tim wood]

Hopefully that will not effect my plans and others who were given permission by a local rancher and ranch manager to stay on his 925 acres surrounding the circuit all FREE OF CHARGE!! Enough room for parking for my Miata all the way up to fullblown motorhomes. Alot of the property has the Colorado River running through it so we can fish and he even said "Firearms and hog hunting is encouraged", my kinda guy. This gentleman also has three Helipads for the more fortunately financed fans, rubbing shoulders with the 'IN CROWD' lol.

Remember sports fans it is not what you know but who you know .

If it's adjacent to the COTA property, it's not situated on the Colorado.The Colorado river is at least 5-7 miles away. Hate to be the bearer of bad news...Sorry!

[tim wood]

Here are 6 new artist's renderings just posted by Statesman.com (along with yesterday's photos and a few new ones with Bobby Epstein & Buddy Reed walking the site):

http://galleries.statesman.com/gallery/f1-...-011311/#335352

For example, a view from Turn 1:




This story was just released as well:

http://www.statesman.com/sports/formula ... 99095.html

[tim wood]

Here's some new local tv news video:


Jeff Hahn interviewed live: http://weareaustin.com/fulltext?nxd_id=209027

David v Goliath: http://www.kvue.com/news/Elroy-homeowne ... 25618.html

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/sports/kxan-aus ... king-shape

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/sports/unlikely ... by-f1-race

http://www.kvue.com/news/Update-about-F ... 89668.html

[tim wood]

I stopped by COTA & took a few photos this morning. Enjoy!!

More to come...



http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =3&theater

[tim wood]

...& here are the rest, from the other end of the circuit:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =1&theater

[tim wood]

10 new construction photos posted just a few minutes ago by my buddy at Facebook/ "Friends of Formula 1 Austin Texas":

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 878&type=1



Here's one...up to 3 stories now on the west end of the pit building:

[texasmr2]

Hopefully that will not effect my plans and others who were given permission by a local rancher and ranch manager to stay on his 925 acres surrounding the circuit all FREE OF CHARGE!! Enough room for parking for my Miata all the way up to fullblown motorhomes. Alot of the property has the Colorado River running through it so we can fish and he even said "Firearms and hog hunting is encouraged", my kinda guy. This gentleman also has three Helipads for the more fortunately financed fans, rubbing shoulders with the 'IN CROWD' lol.

Remember sports fans it is not what you know but who you know .

If it's adjacent to the COTA property, it's not situated on the Colorado.The Colorado river is at least 5-7 miles away. Hate to be the bearer of bad news...Sorry!

Its ok man I just know one of the tracts is supposedly very close. The guy also has two building he says somewhere off 7th Street that will be the main parking garages for all Fcars and other exotics which will most likely be my headquarters as he wants me to help with those logistics and security.

Tim,
Your on Fchat aren't you? If so you probably know who I am refering too, barnyard .

[scotty]

How far (if at all) behind schedule are they now at the track then?

[texasmr2]

Scotty,
I'm not sure percentage wise but I believe it was mentioned that this increased construction pace has eliminated alot of the 'behind schedule' percentage. Alot of people are still concerned about a 2012 race simply because there has been no release of info regarding ticket sales. Its still a very confusing ordeal.

[scotty]

Autosport usefully had some news on it today (link):

Austin's new Formula 1 track is on course to be completed in the middle of August, AUTOSPORT can reveal, with construction efforts now fully back on course at the United States venue.

Although there was uncertainty about the future of the race last year amid a dispute over the contract - with work at the circuit being halted for several weeks – a big push by Austin's organisers ensured it remained on the final 2012 calendar issued by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council in early December.

With its deal secure, construction resumed at the track shortly afterwards and track chiefs have confirmed that the recent delays will not have any negative effect on its November 18 event taking place.

Senior representatives from the Circuit of the Americas, including president Steve Sexton, executive vice president Bruce Knox and chief marketing and sales officer Geoff Moore are in London this week for meetings with Bernie Ecclestone to update him on progress.

Moore told AUTOSPORT: "The race is on. Construction is happening six days a week. The paddock buildings are being topped off, work on the main grandstand has started and we are looking at mid-August for completion."

Pressure on the construction efforts has been eased by the fact that the race's date has been shifted from an original June date to its November slot – where it will form a back-to-back with season finale Brazil.

Although a reported $25 million payment from local government, as part of a Major Event Trust Fund, will not be given to Austin officials in advance – track chiefs say the venue already has advanced funding in place to ensure completion of the track.

The money will be applied for after the race, once it is clear just how much tax revenue the Austin Grand Prix has generated for the local economy.

The total cost for the Circuit of the Americas is estimated at $350 million, with track chiefs hoping to attract 120,000 spectators for the inaugural event.

Starting to look forward to this a lot even though i'm not from the US, first new track i've looked forward too in years (probably since Indy came onto the calendar actually!!)

[tim wood]

They're saying now that they're on track for August completion:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97091

Of course, in that article Geoff Moore also says this:

"The race is on. Construction is happening six days a week. The paddock buildings are being topped off, work on the main grandstand has started and we are looking at mid-August for completion."

Err...construction is going on 7 days a week, and at night, and there are columns for only about half of the 2nd floor, much less the 3rd floor.