F1 Austin... Best news this week

[mike]

Got some links to any of that evidence?

[mike]

RV spots for F1 race weekend going for top dollarddoolittle@statesman.com07/27/2012 9:30 PM

By Dave Doolittle

Monaco has its yachts. Circuit of the Americas will have a small sea of RVs.

At the racetrack under construction southeast of Austin, track-side RV parking spots will be among the most prized places from which to watch the Formula One race planned for November.

The spots — 78 along the back straightaway — will offer people a familiar place to stay throughout the race weekend without the worry of getting stuck in post-race traffic, which organizers have estimated will take race-goers two to three hours to clear.

And like the Monaco harbor, where multimillion-dollar yachts are anchored at track-side berths that can cost $100,000 and more during races, the RV spots at Circuit of the Americas won't come cheap: $15,000 a year, with two- to three-year terms.

"There's been a huge amount of interest since the inception of the project," circuit spokeswoman Ali Putnam said of RV parking. "The demand is there. It's something people are looking forward to — watching the race from that perspective — so that's something we wanted to offer."

Circuit organizers have begun contacting people on a waiting list who have expressed interest in RV parking, Putnam said.

Camping in RVs and tents at racetracks is a time-honored tradition. Many U.S. racetracks offer RV camping within the venue, including spaces along the track.

In Europe, thousands of fans camp in tents and RVs near circuits that host F1 races, such as Monza in Italy and Silverstone in England.

"It's a great way to experience 100 percent of an event. You really feel like you're in the middle of the action," said Andrew Booth, a spokesman for Florida's Daytona International Speedway, which hosts NASCAR and other races. "Usually, the one constant thing is it's always festive, almost like you're tailgating during the entire race."

Daytona is one of 13 American racetracks owned or operated by International Speedway Corp. The company also runs Watkins Glen International, a road course in New York that hosted F1 races from 1961 to 1980, and Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, a mecca for RV-driving NASCAR fans.

At Circuit of the Americas, $15,000 buys a secured RV spot for up to four races a year and eight tickets to each race, which will allow access to the RV spots, general admission and common areas, Putnam said.

The spots will have water and power hookups, and people will have access to washrooms, restrooms and laundry facilities, Putnam said. The price also guarantees priority status to buy tickets to concerts and other events, she said.

Don Goodson, general manager at Buda RV dealer Camper Clinic II, said he expects the spaces to be filled with high-end RVs and campers pulled behind pickups, many of which are longer than 40 feet. Prices start at about $90,000 but can exceed $250,000, he said.

"These are comparable to a $1.5 million home because of the interior components — wood cabinets, fancy paint jobs, humongous storage space underneath," Goodson said. He said the high-end models have appliances that run on electricity instead of propane.

Austin circuit officials are "flexible when it comes to future plans for (more) RV parking and camping," Putnam said.

RV parks near the circuit said they've seen high demand for the inaugural race, scheduled for Nov. 16 to 18. M.J. Ralph, the manager at Oak Forest RV Park off Decker Lane in eastern Travis County, set aside 15 spaces for race week.

"We gave them all the sites we could possibly give," Ralph said, who added that her park stays "99.9 percent full."

The park, which is near the Travis County Exposition Center, charges slightly higher rates for big events, including the Republic of Texas Biker Rally and Rodeo Austin. For Formula One, the rate is $125 a night. Normally, without discounts, a spot costs $44 a night for two people, she said.

"Every event that comes up, we always try to make room for those events, because it's good for Austin," Ralph said. "But we still get calls (for F1), and I just transfer them to where I know they might have room."

Other parks have not begun taking F1 reservations.

Midtown RV Park, near Airport Boulevard and Texas 71, will start taking reservations Nov. 1, manager Patty Smith said.

"I don't know how many spaces I'll have available," Smith said. "We have a lot of demand for those dates, probably over 50 calls or more since they announced tickets for sale."

Contact Dave Doolittle at 445-3671; Twitter @statesmanf1

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[Mercury264]

Originally Posted by mike

Got some links to any of that evidence?

Evidence of what ? F1 history is littered with stories of that prick Bernie pulling the plug on races - mainly because he didn't get his pound of flesh.

I want to be wrong as I want to go to Austin to watch an F1 race one day but until F1 cars hit the track for that first practice, I'll still be somewhat skeptical.

[shrineclown]

Originally Posted by Mercury264

Evidence of what ? F1 history is littered with stories of that prick Bernie pulling the plug on races - mainly because he didn't get his pound of flesh.

I want to be wrong as I want to go to Austin to watch an F1 race one day but until F1 cars hit the track for that first practice, I'll still be somewhat skeptical.

I have to concur with this sentiment. However, I think the Austin deal has a better chance than the Weehawken, errr NYC deal. Bernie is potentially the shrewdest little man on the planet. You have to get up, (or probably skip sleeping at all), very early to stay ahead of his shenanigans.

It is going to be a great GP track even if Bernie does knife them.

He is pretty freaking old.....he can't last forever.....or can he?

[EvilGenius]

I'm not up on the history, but would they not have legal ground to sue him if he pulls the plug?

[shrineclown]

Originally Posted by EvilGenius

I'm not up on the history, but would they not have legal ground to sue him if he pulls the plug?

Bernie's lawyer's write the contracts. You have no choice but to sign if you want a date. While not public record, it seems he leaves himself plenty of out's if he wants to exercise them. He seems to execute his game plans without faltering over and over again.

As you can see, being a track constructor is not for the weak of heart. I don't see how they capitalize, pay F1 the exorbitant fees, and still stay above sea level. There will be much to this saga before it is over. I am looking forward to it playing out. Bernie has never played the game with cowboys before.

[EvilGenius]

Originally Posted by shrineclown

Bernie's lawyer's write the contracts. You have no choice but to sign if you want a date. While not public record, it seems he leaves himself plenty of out's if he wants to exercise them. He seems to execute his game plans without faltering over and over again.

As you can see, being a track constructor is not for the weak of heart. I don't see how they capitalize, pay F1 the exorbitant fees, and still stay above sea level. There will be much to this saga before it is over. I am looking forward to it playing out. Bernie has never played the game with cowboys before.

I see...

[Mercury264]

Originally Posted by EvilGenius

I see...

Bernie always has an opt-out clause that he can use (and has used) to get out of running a race at a particular race track should he want to.

[JohnDavid]

[wannaklr]

Everything will be fine for the first two years. Then the attendance falls for the race and the promoters start realizing they are never going to get their investment back. The state money has dried up because a new group of politicians have been elected that want to show how fiscally conservative they are, and why are the good people of Texas paying for a bunch of multi-millionaires to ride around in cars. So the track and the promoters are losing money, lots of money, for every event. They ask Bernie to lower the sanctioning fee during the next round of negotiations. He tells them to pound sand because he doesn't need the Austin track since he has the NY/NJ guys salivating or the Moscow track ready to go. Eccelstone has said many times that F1 does not need a US race.

Then Austin loses the date like Indy did, and Bernie is off chasing a night race in Vietnam. So it can be shown in prime time in Europe.

Just my thoughts.

What were the attendance figures for Indy F1?

I'm just debbie fucking downer today!

[shrineclown]

Originally Posted by wannaklr

Everything will be fine for the first two years. Then the attendance falls for the race and the promoters start realizing they are never going to get their investment back. The state money has dried up because a new group of politicians have been elected that want to show how fiscally conservative they are, and why are the good people of Texas paying for a bunch of multi-millionaires to ride around in cars. So the track and the promoters are losing money, lots of money, for every event. They ask Bernie to lower the sanctioning fee during the next round of negotiations. He tells them to pound sand because he doesn't need the Austin track since he has the NY/NJ guys salivating or the Moscow track ready to go. Eccelstone has said many times that F1 does not need a US race.

Then Austin loses the date like Indy did, and Bernie is off chasing a night race in Vietnam. So it can be shown in prime time in Europe.

Just my thoughts.

What were the attendance figures for Indy F1?

I'm just debbie fucking downer today!

To be more accurate, the Michelin debacle at Indy created a pall that was difficult to recover from. In the US, if you don't deliver you are toast, there are many other things to do. It was just a cosmic misfortune on many counts after that.

The Austin track will be far more entertaining. Bernie is yanking it about not needing NA. Austin is close enough to pull Mexico too. It is a double win for F1. Not so much for Texas if they don't go home afterwards.

[JohnDavid]

[EvilGenius]

That's quite an elevation change.

[yellowbirdrs]

just received my tickets & my hotel confirmation

[pacman1]

You guys may have already seen these, but I'll cross post them here just in case.