Circuit of the Americas would like a NASCAR race

I've always found COTA Boring in F1 but i know that doesn't say much...
I think the track wouldn't be fun even with stock cars because it has both really High downforce corners and really tight harpin and that would brake the flow of the race in my opinion because cup cars wouldn't be abie to go full throttle in those long and high downforce corners nor go at a reasonable speed in the thight harpins (way more thight than last corner at Sonoma). Watkins glen and Sonoma work because have a nice flow and corners with balance between speed and downforce needed and they nave less run off Areas. A big track like Cota would make cup cars look slow i think and his design would break the flow of the race and make for a really Boring one.
 
I've been to both tracks...every major event at TMS and 4 F1 races and 9 other race weekends at COTA. Will be at both tracks multiple times this year. Their pricing and policies are much different for various reasons.

Parking...TMS...free, COTA...$20+ per day for minor events, more like $50 per day for F1
Bringing food and drink into the track...TMS...anything but glass, COTA...one unopened bottle of water, nothing else
Concessions at the track...COTA is about 1.25-1.5 times the cost of TMS, food and drink quality and selection are comparable
Tickets...TMS...cheapest for a Cup race are about $50, COTA...cheapest for their minor events is about the same price and F1 is about $150-175
Camping for the weekend...TMS...starts at $75, COTA...pretty sure its $400 for F1
 
Someone I know went to went to an F1 race at the track and he said you can see multiple corners from the seats, good views.
 
RayinTX said:
I've been to both tracks...every major event at TMS and 4 F1 races and 9 other race weekends at COTA. Will be at both tracks multiple times this year. Their pricing and policies are much different for various reasons.

Parking...TMS...free, COTA...$20+ per day for minor events, more like $50 per day for F1
Bringing food and drink into the track...TMS...anything but glass, COTA...one unopened bottle of water, nothing else
Concessions at the track...COTA is about 1.25-1.5 times the cost of TMS, food and drink quality and selection are comparable
Tickets...TMS...cheapest for a Cup race are about $50, COTA...cheapest for their minor events is about the same price and F1 is about $150-175
Camping for the weekend...TMS...starts at $75, COTA...pretty sure its $400 for F1
Click to expand...

Wow, I have never been to a race track where I had to pay for parking and couldn't bring in whatever I wanted. Ridiculous.
 
29-4 said:
Wow, I have never been to a race track where I had to pay for parking and couldn't bring in whatever I wanted. Ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Its F1, the rich playboy's motorsport. They wouldn't want the plebes to just be able to walk in, now would they? Maybe Eddie Gossage is right, they don't understand NASCAR or their fans. Then again, neither do the France's.
 
Gee ... yeah. Let's not think about trying something new and different.

Mr. Gossage is protecting his turf which needs no protection because he has 4 years left on a 5 year contract that forbids a race at COTA.
 
I mean you could race in a Walmart parking lot and have the same race with all the run off area
 
aunty dive said:
Gee ... yeah. Let's not think about trying something new and different.

Mr. Gossage is protecting his turf which needs no protection because he has 4 years left on a 5 year contract that forbids a race at COTA.
Click to expand...
Any smart person in business is always protecting their turf. And although extremely unlikely, if somehow COTA landed a race, it would severely impact the attendance at TMS.
And for all the Gossage bashing, let me ask you this...where do you think TMS ranks in attendance and purse for the 36 race season? Top 5 for sure yet some continue to think TMS losing a date would be a good thing for the sport.
 
I'm not one of those. Neither have I bashed Gossage ... if he has to, he'll lean on his contract. He won't have to.

That aside, I'd like to see a Cup race there at some point. I've actually seen the place.
 
RayinTX said:
Incorrect...probably more like top 3rd in purse and 2-4th in attendance.

13 or 14? So laughable and uninformed...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Don't care about either in this context. I watch plenty of road racing. You don't need to tell me what I do or don't know.
 
29-4 said:
Wow, I have never been to a race track where I had to pay for parking and couldn't bring in whatever I wanted. Ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Kentucky has restrictions on what you can bring in but it is a state law and nothing to with the track I believe. Not sure about the parking as I've always camped when I went to the race.
 
kkfan91 said:
I mean you could race in a Walmart parking lot and have the same race with all the run off area
Click to expand...


The elevation changes wouldn't be quite as impressive.

I will say this:

COTA is the only Tilkedrome that I would like to see NASCAR race at... then again it's the only Tilkedrome in the US soooo....
 
DUN24 said:
Really? I love COTA...
Click to expand...
COTA isn't much more interesting than a Utah or NOLA type to me.

Places I would rather see a NASCAR race...Road America, Road Atlanta, Mosport, Montreal, Sebring, Mid-Ohio, Barber, Lime Rock, Laguna Seca. Probably Portland and VIR too. I will give it that it would be a better option than most infield road courses.
 
RayinTX said:
You don't think the purse and attendance are relevant to COTA getting a race or TMS losing a race? But the fact that you watch road races is?
Click to expand...
Sticking in my two cents, I don't think either purse or attendance are guarantees of hosting an entertaining race.

I don't know if anyone's tested a Cup car there, but it strikes me as too technical for those cars to run in a fashion that would entertain me. I anticipate they'd either run slower than they do at other RCs so they can stay on the course, or run off a lot. (Actually, that sounds a lot like the Xfinity RC races that have been run in the rain in recent years.)

But we won't know until someone tries it.
 
FLRacingFan said:
COTA isn't much more interesting than a Utah or NOLA type to me.

Places I would rather see a NASCAR race...Road America, Road Atlanta, Mosport, Montreal, Sebring, Mid-Ohio, Barber, Lime Rock, Laguna Seca. Probably Portland and VIR too. I will give it that it would be a better option than most infield road courses.
Click to expand...
I expect we'll see an infield used before a new track. Using an infield doesn't require shifting race dates around.

And if there's any track that needs its infield used, it's Indianapolis. Making that change would kill two birds - adding a new RC and dropping the most boring oval on the circuit; with the added benefit of remaining at the historic venue.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
I expect we'll see an infield used before a new track. Using an infield doesn't require shifting race dates around.

And if there's any track that needs its infield used, it's Indianapolis. Making that change would kill two birds - adding a new RC and dropping the most boring oval on the circuit; with the added benefit of remaining at the historic venue.
Click to expand...
I think we'll see some more testing done this season and a switch next year. I think one of the 1.5s will be the first to do so.
 
RayinTX said:
So you don't care about pertinent facts and you watch road races. Congrats.
Click to expand...
I think IMO purse and attendance don't matter in this context, in the context of F1 it didnt matter Zero because Bernie would pull out from a track if the sanctioning fee wasn't met or track upgrades not done. Brazil-Interlagoos, France, and Monza are an example of threatened to leave or left all together. For NASCAR it didn't matter, North Wilkesboro being an example of attendance didn't matter one iota.
 
Bring Cup up to Mosport in Canada so we can see another driver getting tackled, haha. Hopefully the Charlotte Road Course or Kansas Road Course will be used soon.
 
29-4 said:
Wow, I have never been to a race track where I had to pay for parking and couldn't bring in whatever I wanted. Ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I guess you have not been to Iowa Speedway. Water only.
When I went to KY Speedway (Before the ownership change and cup races), they also only let me bring in water, though i'm guessing that policy has changed.
Super Dirt Week at the Syracuse in mile didn't even allow water! And the cheapest food item was $6 hot dogs...
I've even been to multiple short tracks that don't let you bring any food or drink, and NO RE-ENTRY (they wanna trap you inside so you can't go out to your car and eat...)

I'm not excusing COTA, because it's a **** policy. But it definitely isn't exclusive to COTA. Needs to be stopped at every track...
 
toledo47 said:
Super Dirt Week at the Syracuse in mile didn't even allow water! And the cheapest food item was $6 hot dogs...
I've even been to multiple short tracks that don't let you bring any food or drink, and NO RE-ENTRY (they wanna trap you inside so you can't go out to your car and eat...) ... Needs to be stopped at every track...
Click to expand...
I can excuse it for tracks that host only regional or non-touring local series. Concessions are a huge part of their income. On the rare occasions I'm able to attend one, I make a point to buy their stuff.

Ditto your local drive-in. Sure, they'll let you bring in a cooler, but show them some love if you want them to continue being there.:wub:
 
Charlie Spencer said:
I can excuse it for tracks that host only regional or non-touring local series. Concessions are a huge part of their income. On the rare occasions I'm able to attend one, I make a point to buy their stuff.

Ditto your local drive-in. Sure, they'll let you bring in a cooler, but show them some love if you want them to continue being there.:wub:
Click to expand...

If they put out decent food at a reasonable price, then i'm willing to buy it.
I went to a World of Outlaws late model race in Georgia this year and hot dogs were $4. Tickets for the race were $40.
They let you bring in food (actually you parked your entire vehicle within a gated area after you bought your ticket. so you could bring literally anything).
So, I can't complain since I could eat my own food. But I can't stomach giving anyone $4 for a crappy hot dog. Its not gonna happen, if I have to sneak food in to avoid doing that, then that's what i'll do.. Usually the places that don't let you bring your own food have pricing like this or higher...
Toledo Speedway in Ohio, hotdogs are $1.50 (used to be $1 til a few years ago), a bottle of Faygo soda is around the same price. Thats more than reasonable, i'll buy it everytime.
I won't buy it if I feel like i'm getting screwed.
 
I've been to quite a few tracks and TMS does it the best as far as marketing / race day / taking care of customers. Even the camping they have three tent lots - one family, one normal and then the best one the spot out by the retention pond where short of killing somebody you can pretty much do anything you want.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom