CoTA sounds like it sucks

[wood 11225]

Red flag in the Moto 3 race after a single rider crash, then a big multi rider crash on the back straight. Another red flag. 5 Moto 3 ;laps to be completed after MotoGP.

[faps 806]

https://streamable.com/3ntfqo

Can't believe everyone walked away from that one. 

[wood 11225]

4 hours ago, faps said:

https://streamable.com/3ntfqo

Can't believe everyone walked away from that one. 

Yep. Bad move that could have easily gotten 1-3 people killed. 2 launched airborne & over their handlebars at speed, & 1 almost hit. One of the scariest things I've seen in Moto racing. 2 race ban for Oncu.

[wood 11225]

Heads up. More last-minute COTA bump grinding incoming.

It seems like Masi doesn't understand where the bumps actually are at COTA. In addition to most of the east side of the track which hasn't been resurfaced, T1, T2, 10, 12, & 18 are all still problem areas even after resurfacing.Austin being altered before F1 race after MotoGP controversy https://the-race.com/formula-1/austin-being-altered-before-f1-race-after-motogp-controversy/

Quote

 

Two years ago several F1 drivers complained about the bumps that had appeared around the Austin circuit, with Max Verstappen describing some of them as “ramps” that led to the cars briefly leaving the ground.

Parts of the circuit were resurfaced afterwards, including the run up to Turn 1 and the first part of the Esses, the back straight, and most of the final sector.

This was done to “counter some of the issues we saw in 2019” according to FIA race director Michael Masi.

However, large bumps have still been reported since – including through the sweeping Esses in the first sector – and it was a hugely controversial issue at the recent MotoGP round.
...

F1 race director Masi says he was in contact “all weekend” with officials from MotoGP governing body the FIM “to get a true understanding of the entire situation”.

“The areas that were raised by the bikes are different areas to those that were resurfaced,” he said.
...

“They’ll grind some bumps and so forth,” said Masi.

“But we’ve got some time to do it. So, they’ll do what they can within the timeframe.”

 

 

[utee94 15817]

Picture of the new T10 bridge going in.  Some complaints on the Facebook post from T9 grandstand ticket holders, who are afraid it will block some of their views of T10 and T11.  And from the positioning in the photo, they're probably right.

Edited October 15, 2021 by utee94

[wood 11225]

23 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Picture of the new T10 bridge going in.  Some complaints on the Facebook post from T9 grandstand ticket holders, who are afraid it will block some of their views of T10 and T11.  And from the positioning in the photo, they're probably right.

Yep, they're probably right, and the view from that GS is just awesome. Most underrated, under the radar GS at COTA ... but the racing fans are lowest on the totem pole at COTA. The concert crowd is more important to Bobby.

[utee94 15817]

4 minutes ago, wood said:

Yep, they're probably right, and the view from that GS is just awesome. Most underrated, under the radar GS at COTA ... but the racing fans are lowest on the totem pole at COTA. The concert crowd is more important to Bobby.

Honestly I'm worried that this will cause more problems for gaining access to the concert.

IF they force everyone across the bridge, instead of opening the two gates in the fence underneath the T9 grands and allowing people to walk across the track as they have in the past, then it's going to be a much larger choke point than we've ever experienced there before.

Perhaps they'll be smart and do BOTH things? Allow fans across the track AND across the bridge?  COTA does smart stuff sometimes, right???

But right now I'm thinking trying to enter from the normal infield would be better than trying to come across at Turn9/10, if they're allowing it.  It's a longer walk for me coming from the RV Lot N, but I'd rather be moving freely, than standing in a cattle pen and herded through a tiny opening 2 at a time or whatever.

[wood 11225]

3 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Honestly I'm worried that this will cause more problems for gaining access to the concert.

IF they force everyone across the bridge, instead of opening the two gates in the fence underneath the T9 grands and allowing people to walk across the track as they have in the past, then it's going to be a much larger choke point than we've ever experienced there before.

Perhaps they'll be smart and do BOTH things? Allow fans across the track AND across the bridge?  COTA does smart stuff sometimes, right???

But right now I'm thinking trying to enter from the normal infield would be better than trying to come across at Turn9/10, if they're allowing it.  It's a longer walk for me coming from the RV Lot N, but I'd rather be moving freely, than standing in a cattle pen and herded through a tiny opening 2 at a time or whatever.

They did a few smart things during Katja Heim's time there. But she's gone now (RIP).

[utee94 15817]

Yeah and that was a looooong time ago.

I really only worry about getting there into the concert.  A couple of times, for the really big ones like Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake, it took forever to get in, because they closed down all exterior gates on the backside but one, and forced everyone through it.  And then, people didn't realize there were two different gates open to cross the track, so they sheepled into one long line, and got angry when I blew past them because I knew there was another gate on the far side.

On those occasions, it seemed like the people coming in from the front side, through the infield, were in better shape.

Egress is no big deal.  I have no problem buying a couple of extra beers to wait around while the crowds dissipate.

Edited October 15, 2021 by utee94

[wood 11225]

1 minute ago, utee94 said:

Yeah and that was a looooong time ago.

I really only worry about getting there into the concert.  A couple of times, for the really big ones like Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake, it took forever to get in, because they closed down all gates on the backside but one, and forced everyone through it.  And then, people didn't realize there were two different gates open to cross the track, so they sheepled into one long line, and got angry when I blew past them because I knew there was another gate on the far side.

On those occasions, it seemed like the people coming in from the front side, through the infield, were in better shape.

Egress is no big deal.  I have no problem buying a couple of extra beers to wait around while the crowds dissipate.

It seems like the bridge will be open all day, so people can go over early. They're gonna have some rides or some shit in the infield. That could relieve a lot of the early queing up. 

Edited October 15, 2021 by wood

[utee94 15817]

Just now, wood said:

It seems like the bridge will be open all day, so people can go over early. They're gonna have some rides or some shit in the infield.

Yeah that's what I think, too.  But it still doesn't solve the concert problem, when 50,000 people show up, that weren't there for the racing action during the day, and are all trying to get to the same place at the same time.  That's why I'm hoping they'll allow folks to cross the track as they always have, in addition to the new bridge.  IF they try to keep those track-crossing gates closed, and force everyone through the much narrower bridge access, it's going to be a disaster.

[wood 11225]

5 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Yeah that's what I think, too.  But it still doesn't solve the concert problem, when 50,000 people show up, that weren't there for the racing action during the day, and are all trying to get to the same place at the same time.  That's why I'm hoping they'll allow folks to cross the track as they always have, in addition to the new bridge.  IF they try to keep those track-crossing gates closed, and force everyone through the much narrower bridge access, it's going to be a disaster.

Yep, so that's what they'll probably do. It also helps Bobby's visuals for the Governor.

[utee94 15817]

Just now, wood said:

Yep, so that's what they'll probably do. It also helps Bobby's visuals for the Governor.

Indeed.

I mean, I can only blame myself, because I DO have the option to hang around inside the fences from 5-7:30 and be first in line or whatever.

What we normally do is split the circuit after the last on-track action, head back to the RV to cool off, grab some cheap beverages, and have dinner.  And then head back in for the concerts.  There's nothing FORCING us to do that, other than saving some $$$ on food and drink at dinnertime.

It's possible I've also, occasionally, caught a quick nap in between race events all day and the concert at night. 

Or turned on the TVs and caught some college football, if it's Saturday.

But again that's my choice and I could solve the problem by just staying inside the fence.

 

[utee94 15817]

For those concerned like I was, here are the details on the concert/lawn entrances.  Looks like they'll have entrances from the "backside" at turn9, the bridge at turn10, and also a little further down toward turn11.  This is good.

http://circuitoftheamericas.com/f1/super-stage?fbclid=IwAR0BlM5s9R8k6RaoMKgN_i84hidWgCUW8NbT_My58yZe8L9sHp_ip3Zg-i4

Also, I did find Gus's fried chicken on the COTA app, it'll be there over by Turn3 as usual, so my worse fears are alleviated.

Now, if Ricciardo and Fred could finish on the podium, and one of the Ferraris, I'd be super-happy, so let's make it so.  Thanks in advance. 

[elfenix 34234]

bridge there also provides access to onederland

 

i forget and i'm pretty sure the answer is 'no, of course there's not,' but there's no in-out for us wristbanders, right?

Edited October 19, 2021 by elfenix

[wood 11225]

9 minutes ago, elfenix said:

bridge there also provides access to onederland

 

i forget and i'm pretty sure the answer is 'no, of course there's not,' but there's no in-out for us wristbanders, right?

There has been in the past. They just haven't had anything to scan on the wristbands. But if you walk to a get with a wristband on, you'll get. Hell, they probably won't even check for it.

[utee94 15817]

38 minutes ago, wood said:

There has been in the past. They just haven't had anything to scan on the wristbands. But if you walk to a get with a wristband on, you'll get. Hell, they probably won't even check for it.

Yeah I don't think it matters because there's nothing to scan. Go in and out as much as you like.  The assumption is that the wristband can't be transferred, so it's not much risk for fraud.

That may or may not be true, of course. I've seen people just climb the fence at Turn 4 at 8:30 in the morning.

I've seen people throw backpacks of stuff over the fence at Turn 4, then go through the security line, and then retrieve their stuff on the other side.  Not sure what they were slipping past security, but since there were no terror attacks that day, I assume it was drugs or booze rather than guns or bombs.

[wood 11225]

1 hour ago, wood said:

There has been in the past. They just haven't had anything to scan on the wristbands. But if you walk to a get with a wristband on, you'll get. Hell, they probably won't even check for it.

*gate

*get in

Jesus, what an abortion of a post.

Edited October 19, 2021 by wood

[elfenix 34234]

i've never thought to go in-out before but i'm going on friday for the first time so might keep some stuff out in the car

[utee94 15817]

1 hour ago, elfenix said:

i've never thought to go in-out before but i'm going on friday for the first time so might keep some stuff out in the car

We sorta go in and out all day, with the RV so handy. Well, that's true at least on Friday when we tend to stay on the backside for a lot of the time.

Every now and then it's nice to take a break from the $12 beers and have a $1.50 beer from my own ice chest.

 

[wood 11225]

Turn 10 grinding. 10 was the first turn to be resurfaced back in 2019.

[elfenix 34234]

58 minutes ago, utee94 said:

We sorta go in and out all day, with the RV so handy. Well, that's true at least on Friday when we tend to stay on the backside for a lot of the time.

Every now and then it's nice to take a break from the $12 beers and have a $1.50 beer from my own ice chest.

 

we're parking at L, you up at heywood's?

[wood 11225]

28 minutes ago, elfenix said:

we're parking at L, you up at heywood's?

Haywood's closed down. Don passed away, and his widow decided to stop running the camping & parking.

[Goofyboy 3288]

I thought it was for sale a while back.

[utee94 15817]

58 minutes ago, elfenix said:

we're parking at L, you up at heywood's?

Lot N RV Parking, we're typically directly outside the Turn 3 gate.

[elfenix 34234]

14 hours ago, wood said:

Haywood's closed down. Don passed away, and his widow decided to stop running the camping & parking.

rip

[elfenix 34234]

13 hours ago, utee94 said:

Lot N RV Parking, we're typically directly outside the Turn 3 gate.

do i just run around yelling 'muledick' to find y'all?

[utee94 15817]

Just go to every RV in the lot, and say "I'm from the internet.  Muledick."

What could possibly go wrong?

 

[wood 11225]

13 minutes ago, elfenix said:

do i just run around yelling 'muledick' to find y'all?

Yep, that'll work. Be sure to get people's puzzled reactions on video to show us later...

[elfenix 34234]

when i was trying to find @RGBIII for astros opening day upstairs at biggio's, i approached a couple of promising looking tables and said, "this may sound weird, but i'm from the internet," to puzzled looks

[Amos Moses 795]

Question for you veterans- insulated backpacks with sealed water bottles ok or nah?

[XYZ 2154]

COTA most definitely fucking sucks.

[Deej 76761]

2 hours ago, XYZ said:

COTA most definitely fucking sucks.

Bulldoze that shit and put in some DR Horton homes. 

[Atxracer 797]

4 minutes ago, Deej said:

Bulldoze that shit and put in some DR Horton homes. 

Please no to this. That’s what they did to Texas World Speedway (which was awesome) and what I hear they are doing to MSR Houston (which is also awesome).  

[Guest]

Yeah, it's weird, the track layout seems great, and it's a good time to have F1 in the backyard, but many there is a lot of crummy stuff from a fan perspective.

Today -- 86 degrees. It felt like 96. There's hardly any shade at all for that many people. Misters? Nah. Cooling stations? Nah. There are a few places to fill up water bottles, but not many. Water is $4 a pop. Concessions are an unbelievable gouge. Saw a slice of pizza for $12. 

And if you're going to have people drive and park, why are all the lots seemingly so far away from entrances or main plazas? Shuttles seem to be useless as they barely seem to run. If you have any sort of mobility issue at all, you can't go to a race. You won't make it.

Went, had a great time. Glad I'm only going Friday. Likely won't go again next year.

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by FirstTimeCaller

[wood 11225]

6 hours ago, Amos Moses said:

Question for you veterans- insulated backpacks with sealed water bottles ok or nah?

We snuck in 6 frozen water bottles for the 3 of us. Had cold water all day.

[wood 11225]

2 hours ago, Deej said:

Bulldoze that shit and put in some DR Horton homes. 

Ha! That's basically what Bobby was originally going to do with the land. Originally, most of the land he had was down in the floodplain, and he was going to build a development with hundreds of houses that would most definitely have flooded multiple times by now. It was going to be called Wandering Creek. No shit. You can't make this shit up. Neighborhood wouldn't stand for it, then he met Hellmund, found a use for his shitty land, and effectively stole the race rights from him.

Edited October 23, 2021 by wood

[wood 11225]

1 hour ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Yeah, it's weird, the track layout seems great, and it's a good time to have F1 in the backyard, but many there is a lot of crummy stuff from a fan perspective.

Today -- 86 degrees. It felt like 96. There's hardly any shade at all for that many people. Misters? Nah. Cooling stations? Nah. There are a few places to fill up water bottles, but not many. Water is $4 a pop. Concessions are an unbelievable gouge. Saw a slice of pizza for $12. 

And if you're going to have people drive and park, why are all the lots seemingly so far away from entrances or main plazas? Shuttles seem to be useless as they barely seem to run. If you have any sort of mobility issue at all, you can't go to a race. You won't make it.

Went, had a great time. Glad I'm only going Friday. Likely won't go again next year.

 

Yeah the lack of shade out there is one of the worst things about it. One of the hottest-felling days of my life was the WEC race a few years back where it was like 90. Felt more like 9000. When you have absolutely no escape from it for hours on end, 90 in direct sun is hot AF.

Re: the mobility issues, yesterday when they pushed all of us Pit Lane walk Attendees TRESPASSERS  out of the pit lane early, they made everyone exit toward T20, across the track, and up the stairs into the main gs. There was a man there at the stairs with a walker who could barely stand,  and they were telling him he had to go that way. He and his family were beyond livid. 

It seems like for every 1 thing they do right out there, they do 10 things half-assed or completely fucking wrong. And yeah, those old-ass amusement park shuttle fucking suck, and not having one that picks up behind the T9 Grandstand, among other places,  is beyond stupid.

[Tex48 840]

Has anyone taken the Formula 1 drop and walk shuttle?  It's $20.  How long did it take to leave the race after saturday qualifiers?

[AUS-97HORN 11758]

Cota says oops, hundreds of buses that were scheduled, didnt arrive... its covid's fault ya know.

 

a hundred buses dont just "cancel" at the last moment.   

Thats a case of someone scheduling the buses 7 months ago, not checking back in with the companies despite hearing about massive shortages countrywide for anyone with a CDL license, and then acting surprised that your scheduled buses didnt show up. 

 

typical COTA assholes. 

[wood 11225]

1 hour ago, AUS-97HORN said:

Cota says oops, hundreds of buses that were scheduled, didnt arrive... its covid's fault ya know.

 

a hundred buses dont just "cancel" at the last moment.   

Thats a case of someone scheduling the buses 7 months ago, not checking back in with the companies despite hearing about massive shortages countrywide for anyone with a CDL license, and then acting surprised that your scheduled buses didnt show up. 

 

typical COTA assholes. 

Este. My reaction as well.

[wood 11225]

COTA's facebook page is absolutely getting blown up with irate complaints, tons of people saying they'll never be back, and many saying they won't be back today,. despite having tickets.

[blacklab 11928]

5 hours ago, AUS-97HORN said:

Cota says oops, hundreds of buses that were scheduled, didnt arrive... its covid's fault ya know.

 

a hundred buses dont just "cancel" at the last moment.   

Thats a case of someone scheduling the buses 7 months ago, not checking back in with the companies despite hearing about massive shortages countrywide for anyone with a CDL license, and then acting surprised that your scheduled buses didnt show up. 

 

typical COTA assholes. 

I'm guessing it went more like this:

Transportaion/Logistics person: "We need 110 busses to get the crowds in and out in a timely manner"

Cota: "we'll do 10 and then issue a press release saying 100 canceled on us"

 

[wood 11225]

46 minutes ago, blacklab said:

I'm guessing it went more like this:

Transportaion/Logistics person: "We need 110 busses to get the crowds in and out in a timely manner"

Cota: "we'll do 10 and then issue a press release saying 100 canceled on us"

 

Ah, I see you're familiar with the ways of the COTA.

[XYZ 2154]

I guess COTA doesn’t give a shit because $$$.

[wood 11225]

4 minutes ago, XYZ said:

I guess COTA doesn’t give a shit because $$$.

T'was ever thus.

[wood 11225]

The only way they care about the fans is in terms of how much money they can gouge us them while they produce the needed crowd visuals to keep getting that big annual subsidy from the State.

[Guest]

I always heard people complain about COTA and never really thought much of it. After being there on Friday and hearing the stories this weekend, I think I'm done with it until for quite a while.

Even on Friday my wife said "You know, I always wondered about the Peppermint Parkway for the kid. After hearing what some people said about it last year and seeing how everything here is at ridiculous prices, I have no interest in doing it." 

Edited October 25, 2021 by FirstTimeCaller

[TonyTexas 10510]

That press release was funny. It essentially said “We fucked up but patrons should thank us”

[utee94 15817]

Fan flow into and out of the concerts on Friday and Saturday was the best I've ever seen it.  And the Billy Joel show was packed, even moreso than Taylor Swift several years back.