CoTA sounds like it sucks

[elfenix 34,744]

24 hours of cota starts at 11:30 am tomorrow, also free to attend. 

https://www.24hseries.com/2019/24h-cota-usa-2019/start

Edited November 15, 2019 by elfenix

[wood 11,763]

11 minutes ago, elfenix said:

24 hours of cota starts at 11:30 am tomorrow, also free to attend. 

https://www.24hseries.com/2019/24h-cota-usa-2019/start

Yep, & they run from 8am to 9pm Sunday. I think I'll take the boy out for that bit. 

[wood 11,763]

Stream: https://www.24hseries.com/2019/24h-cota-usa-2019/start

[Updawg 2,384]

How late does it go today?

[wood 11,763]

18 minutes ago, Updawg said:

How late does it go today?

10:30 I think. 8am to 9pm tomorrow.

[Updawg 2,384]

I might try and go TMR at some point

[utee94 16,079]

Kids' soccer teams kept winning yesterday so it's all day soccer tournament today too.  Which is, of course, great, but...

 

...it woulda been really cool to get out there.  I watched it live streaming some yesterday and it was pretty interesting,

[wood 11,763]

Yep. It's good racing. Took the boy for the last 3 hours of the race. It's a good series with legit,  fast race cars, run very professionally ... more so than some other series in some ways. I don't understand why it's not a bigger deal than it is or what the distinction is that makes it a series where nobody goes even when it's free. These are real racing teams fully supported with large crews of mechanics, numerous engineers, etc.

We saw maybe 15 other fans the entire time we were there, and we roamed freely everywhere  - Main GS, Paddock, the Tower, both bridges, and we went all the way out to T9.  The only thing I wish they'd do differently is breaking it into 2 days, but that's not a deal breaker.

Edited November 18, 2019 by wood

[utee94 16,079]

Yeah in the wide shots, the granstands were all completely empty.  Like, 100% empty.  But it looked like a dozen or so collected on the bridges at any given time, which would be a cool view since we're not allowed there during other racing series.

[faps 818]

I went out there yesterday for an hour or so. Backed my truck into one of the camper spots on the straight and watched them go by for a bit from the bed. Then we drove around the track and watched from the truck at a couple of spots.

[wood 11,763]

WEC Race At Interlagos Cancelled, CoTA Replaces Brazil

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2019/12/02/wec-race-at-interlagos-cancelled-cota-replaces-brazil.html

[elfenix 34,744]

i should go this time.

Edited December 2, 2019 by elfenix

[wood 11,763]

Yeah it's good. Hopefully it won't be freezing ass.

[wood 11,763]

Tickets Now on Sale for Lone Star Le Mans - https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/tickets-on-sale-for-lone-star-le-mans/

Ticket holders will receive access to the main grandstand, paddock and Turns 1-3 for the event

WTF?

[elfenix 34,744]

closing down most of the track? 

[wood 11,763]

That's shitty even by COTA's shitty standards.

[wood 11,763]

So ... $49 for Sunday-only, which is the same as the last Lone Star Le Mans ... but with barely any track access, and no IMSA, no Ferrari Challenge, no World Series V8 3.5, and no F4. 

Edited December 10, 2019 by wood

[utee94 16,079]

Wow that sounds really crappy. 

[wood 11,763]

COTA sells amphitheater naming rights to insurance company - https://goo.gl/alerts/rCEBk

[wood 11,763]

No COTA for 2020-21 ...

Monza, Kyalami join WEC calendar for 2020/21 https://racer.com/2019/12/12/monza-kyalami-join-wec-calendar-for-2020-21/

[wood 11,763]

On 12/10/2019 at 11:24 AM, utee94 said:

Wow that sounds really crappy. 

Yeah I'm not giving them my money for that shit.

[wood 11,763]

Same shit for World Challenge...

http://circuitoftheamericas.com/gt-world-challenge/tickets

[Armybrat 41,388]

The F1 US Grand Prix race at CotA is cancelled?

[wood 11,763]

22 hours ago, Armybrat said:

The F1 US Grand Prix race at CotA is cancelled?

Hadn't heard that. Where did you hear it?

[Armybrat 41,388]

I thought that is what the link in your post #470 said.

[wood 11,763]

Just now, Armybrat said:

I thought that is what the link in your post #470 said.

Oh, no. It shows the calendar for the 2020-2021 WEC season, with no COTA race  listed.

[Armybrat 41,388]

Thanks,I got a bit confused,

[wood 11,763]

1 hour ago, Armybrat said:

Thanks,I got a bit confused,

No worries AB.

[wood 11,763]

COTA put out this map for WEC ...

[wood 11,763]

Skip Barber today and tomorrow at COTA. That looks to be it for December, then Audi Driver Experiences start back up on January 11 ... so that leaves a 24 day window for repairs. Not a lot of time for anything major.

Edited December 17, 2019 by wood

[utee94 16,079]

9 hours ago, wood said:

Skip Barber today and tomorrow at COTA. That looks to be it for December, then Audi Driver Experiences start back up on January 11 ... so that leaves a 24 day window for repairs. Not a lot of time for anything major.

I thought it was supposed to be a couple months or something?

I guess we'll see.

[wood 11,763]

2 hours ago, utee94 said:

I thought it was supposed to be a couple months or something?

I guess we'll see.

Epstein said "most of December and half of January". I shoulda known that would be an exaggeration.

[wood 11,763]

More bump grinding, a few days ago.

The first equipment started arriving about the 19th.

[Pasken 1,310]

2 hours ago, wood said:

More bump grinding, a few days ago.

The first equipment started arriving about the 19th.

I thought the grinding was a temp solution and they were doing something more extensive?

[wood 11,763]

56 minutes ago, Pasken said:

I thought the grinding was a temp solution and they were doing something more extensive?

Yeah grinding is not a long-term fix and generally makes things worse long-term. They said they'd be doing more than that. I dunno. Trying to find out. 

[wood 11,763]

nm

Edited December 29, 2019 by wood

[utee94 16,079]

They said something along the lines of "extensive track resurfacing."  Grinding bumps doesn't sound like extensive track resurfacing.  I guess I'll just wait and hope for the best.

[wood 11,763]

36 minutes ago, utee94 said:

They said something along the lines of "extensive track resurfacing."  Grinding bumps doesn't sound like extensive track resurfacing.  I guess I'll just wait and hope for the best.

Yeah Epstein said they'd resurface about 40% of the track in conjunction with drainage system repairs, which makes me think they're only gonna do any serious resurfacing in areas where they have to dig up the track to do the drainage repairs. He also said the track would be closed for most of December for repairs, but it was open through the 17th and the dumptrucks didn't start showing up until the 19th, presumably for the grinding ops.

[wood 11,763]

Vance took this pic this a.m. Looks like more bump grinding between 9 and 10. Can't see any signs of other work being done.

Edited December 30, 2019 by wood

[wood 11,763]

IndyCar tightens COTA track limits https://racer.com/2019/12/30/indycar-tightens-cota-track-limits/

Quote

 

Starting next February at the Spring Training event held on the sprawling 20-turn facility, IndyCar officials will install a new timing line at the exit of high-speed left-hand corner. With the electronic monitoring loop in place, drivers will be required to cross over the timing line to the left of the curbing in order to trigger the system.

The only way to miss the new timing line is to run wide at Turn 19, which will create an alert for IndyCar’s timing and scoring staff to investigate the reason for straying from the intended track limits by reviewing on-board or trackside video.

It’s believed IndyCar’s race control team will void any qualifying laps at COTA where the Turn 19 timing line is missed. In the race, violations and unique circumstances, such as drivers going side-by-side where the outside driver is forced into the runoff area, will be reviewed before some form of penalty is assessed.

 

 

[utee94 16,079]

Good,  that's the one thing I really didn't enjoy about the indycar race at COTA last year.  Turn19 is a critical one to set up entry to Turn20 and grabbing a good line on the front straight, and I didn't like them cheating that corner and making it easier.

 

 

[wood 11,763]

Happy New Year everyone!

As of New Year's Eve, lots of track grinding had been done at COTA, but that's all, as far as I could see.  Turn 1, between Turns 9 and 10, the back straight, and Turn 19 have been ground. This is likely the 40% of the circuit that Epstein has referred to. Maybe some on the esses as well?

No heavy equipment & no sign of any below-grade work going on or having been done. No sign of drainage work or any "pipes coming out". Nothing at all happening that day & only 2 weeks left in the window Epstein described. It seems, at least right now, that the "extensive" repairs will consist of grinding these areas and resurfacing them.

 

 

[faps 818]

Weak. Putting a bandaid on the gunshot wound.

[wood 11,763]

4 hours ago, mcbrisket said:

Weak. Putting a bandaid on the gunshot wound.

Reminds me of Massive Headwound Harry ...

[Pasken 1,310]

Contract letting is in June for the Txdot work on new Overpasses and frontage roads on 71 at ROSS ROAD & KELLAM ROAD. Work should begin this year.

[wood 11,763]

Went out to COTA again. Still zero sign of drainage work. No more grinding since New Year's Eve, either, from what I could see. They've sealed T1 and were paving T18-19. Nothing more has been done to T9-12, including the back straight.

This pic is from a Facebook user...

No work's been done to the front straight other than the approach to 1.

Edited January 9, 2020 by wood

[wood 11,763]

Best we can tell, only grinding and re-paving is taking place, and only in certain areas. The only areas that have been worked on are the braking zone of T1 down to maybe T2. Unsure where that work stops. Then the short stretch between T9 and 10 where that really hard bump is, the back straight, and T18 & 19.

Looks like they've now done the sealant from the exit of 11 down to 12.

[wood 11,763]

I've been told now by a civil engineer that the coat I referred to as sealant is a "tack coat",  a binder that is applied prior to the new asphalt to ensure that the new surface adheres to the underlying pavement. I was wondering if that coat was some kind of coat like what a painter would call a 'primer coat'. I guess it is...

[Updawg 2,384]

The SCCA Pro Racing-sanctioned Super Lap Battle returns to Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, for the COTA Time Attack Challenge, Feb. 15-16, 2020. The event will see competitors from around the globe taking on the Grand Prix course.


The best from Australia, Asia, and Europe are coming to battle North America’s fastest drivers, and the clock, while winding through the challenging 3.4-mile, 20-turn circuit. The Elusive Racing Integra out of Melbourne, Australia, driven by Brett Dickie, is confirmed, as well as fellow Aussie Barton Mawer, known for driving the fastest time attack car in the world, the PR Technology Porsche RP968. All will be chasing the Lyfe Motorsports Nissan GTR and Cole Powelson, who is back to defend his crown.


The event also features the GridLife Touring Cup, Lone Star Drift demo & ride a longs, and car show.

https://racer.com/2020/01/09/cota-time-attack-challenge/

[wood 11,763]

LOL. OK.