COTA Austin - construction and infrastructure

[Pup]

The media building has one full wall veneered, but if you look closely you'll see that they've started putting up stone on the base of the pits also.

For the team buildings, I assume that they would pour slabs for them all even if they're not building them for the race. Otherwise, they'd have to tear up the whole paddock to put them in later.

So we won't really know if they're doing them until the framing starts.

[Pup]

I remember a section drawing from earlier this year of the way they are layering the soil for the track - does anyone have a link to that?

[WilliamsF1]

Pup that section has been removed from COTA site


HS

The county was holding on to the permits for 6 pedestrian bridges, any idea if they have been issued to COTA?

[hairy_scotsman]

HS

The county was holding on to the permits for 6 pedestrian bridges, any idea if they have been issued to COTA?

No idea. Sorry. I haven't been following construction permitting for a while. It would be great if they build even half that many bridges across the track. Fingers crossed.

Were those permits referring strictly to track pedestrian bridges, or could they have included bridges over the creek?

[Pup]

Maybe an NHRA drag strip in the future...

Alexis DeJoria visited Circuit of the Americas on Monday, saying she will be back as a spectator for the track's inaugural Formula One race in November, which falls a week after her drag racing season will be finished.

There's also a chance that, in a few years, she could return as a competitor. She said her father — hair care billionaire John Paul DeJoria, one of the track's investors — is serious about putting a drag strip on the site.

"He's been talking to the heads of the NHRA (the sport's governing body)," DeJoria said. "He's a big fan of the sport."

John Paul DeJoria, an Austin resident, was recently announced as an investor in the $300 million project. At an April "topping off" ceremony at the circuit, he told the American-Statesman that he would like to see drag racing held at the track.

There are some race tracks, including Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., that have a road course and a drag strip. But that wasn't the initial business model chosen for the 3.4-mile circuit under construction in southeastern Travis County.

NHRA officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

[Pup]

Pup that section has been removed from COTA site

So they really are almost ready for asphalt. I was thinking that there were two surface treatment layers, one being before any limestone went down.

[WilliamsF1]

Maybe an NHRA drag strip in the future...

Alexis DeJoria visited Circuit of the Americas on Monday, saying she will be back as a spectator for the track's inaugural Formula One race in November, which falls a week after her drag racing season will be finished.

There's also a chance that, in a few years, she could return as a competitor. She said her father — hair care billionaire John Paul DeJoria, one of the track's investors — is serious about putting a drag strip on the site.

"He's been talking to the heads of the NHRA (the sport's governing body)," DeJoria said. "He's a big fan of the sport."

John Paul DeJoria, an Austin resident, was recently announced as an investor in the $300 million project. At an April "topping off" ceremony at the circuit, he told the American-Statesman that he would like to see drag racing held at the track.

There are some race tracks, including Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., that have a road course and a drag strip. But that wasn't the initial business model chosen for the 3.4-mile circuit under construction in southeastern Travis County.

NHRA officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

Is it mandatory for a NHRA drag strip to be flat or can the main straight be used?

[Pup]

Less than 1% per NHRA. Strad would know more.

[thearmofbarlow]

Maybe an NHRA drag strip in the future...

Alexis DeJoria visited Circuit of the Americas on Monday, saying she will be back as a spectator for the track's inaugural Formula One race in November, which falls a week after her drag racing season will be finished.

There's also a chance that, in a few years, she could return as a competitor. She said her father — hair care billionaire John Paul DeJoria, one of the track's investors — is serious about putting a drag strip on the site.

"He's been talking to the heads of the NHRA (the sport's governing body)," DeJoria said. "He's a big fan of the sport."

John Paul DeJoria, an Austin resident, was recently announced as an investor in the $300 million project. At an April "topping off" ceremony at the circuit, he told the American-Statesman that he would like to see drag racing held at the track.

There are some race tracks, including Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., that have a road course and a drag strip. But that wasn't the initial business model chosen for the 3.4-mile circuit under construction in southeastern Travis County.

NHRA officials could not be reached for comment Monday.

Is it mandatory for a NHRA drag strip to be flat or can the main straight be used?

It's a sub 1% grade change for the racing surface itself. The braking zone can be uphill so as long as the front straight is flat up until the big left hander it should be usable.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Pavement!!! First layer of asphalt going down right now on T19-T20

[hairy_scotsman]

Pavement!!! First layer of asphalt going down right now on T19-T20

Here are some more photos we shot today, some from up above T1.

http://s1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 ... 05-1-2012/

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

[Pup]

And here are some cool panoramas of the grandstands and paving work...

http://photosynth.net/view/a4e9ca0d-d26 ... 9aece3275c

http://photosynth.net/view/ffa8d417-a5e ... ee221a57b0

[bhallg2k]

Goodness, those seats are close to the track. Damn shame they cost thousands of dollars.

Ferrari is selling all-access passes to the race in which the bearers are considered guests of the Scuderia. They go for five large. If I was going to spend as much as CotA requires for the PSL and season tickets required for such good seats, I'd just as soon give 1/3 of that money to Ferrari and then enjoy the race from right above their garage.

[WilliamsF1]

It's a sub 1% grade change for the racing surface itself. The braking zone can be uphill so as long as the front straight is flat up until the big left hander it should be usable.

[Pup]

Some additional paving photos, plus a nice write up on the paving process here...

http://circuitoftheamericas.com/article ... e-americas

Core sample...