Austin WEC in doubt

Rennen · 20 Jan 2014, 21:25 (Ref:3356401)

I wanna book my tickets to go watch this race...but I hear there's some sort of issue between the Organisers and the Circuit owners!

Suggest you Sportscar fans Stateside put some pressure on to get this sorted!

deggis · 20 Jan 2014, 21:34 (Ref:3356404)

(Dec 1) http://sportscar365.com/wec/future-u...wectusc-event/

Rennen · 20 Jan 2014, 22:21 (Ref:3356421)

Quote:

Originally Posted by deggis

(Dec 1) http://sportscar365.com/wec/future-u...wectusc-event/

Doh! So.....Endurance racing isn't popular in the States then! Ah well LeMans 24hours it is for me again then!

Dyson Mazda · 20 Jan 2014, 22:34 (Ref:3356424)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rennen

Doh! So.....Endurance racing isn't popular in the States then! Ah well LeMans 24hours it is for me again then!

They picked a stupid time of year to hold the race there going up against the University of Texas's football team. That is kind of like scheduling a street race in Manchester when Chelsea is in town. There are quite a few circuits that consistently draw 60k plus.

Breitling24 · 20 Jan 2014, 23:08 (Ref:3356437)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dyson Mazda

They picked a stupid time of year to hold the race there going up against the University of Texas's football team. That is kind of like scheduling a street race in Manchester when Chelsea is in town. There are quite a few circuits that consistently draw 60k plus.

Although, the bigger crowd was Saturday, and the football game Saturday evening... Hung over Sunday?

Beetle · 20 Jan 2014, 23:08 (Ref:3356438)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rennen

I wanna book my tickets to go watch this race...but I hear there's some sort of issue between the Organisers and the Circuit owners!

Suggest you Sportscar fans Stateside put some pressure on to get this sorted!

Certainly Le Mans is of higher priority for endurance racing fans (especially if you live in Europe)... but I still suggest you come down to Austin. Even if the WEC race gets cancelled (which I strongly doubt), there's still a massive United SportsCar race that'll have over 60 cars. It's a doubleheader weekend... it'll be awesome fun, c'mon!

Breitling24 · 20 Jan 2014, 23:15 (Ref:3356442)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beetle

Certainly Le Mans is of higher priority for endurance racing fans (especially if you live in Europe)... but I still suggest you come down to Austin. Even if the WEC race gets cancelled (which I strongly doubt), there's still a massive United SportsCar race that'll have over 60 cars. It's a doubleheader weekend... it'll be awesome fun, c'mon!

+1, great city, great food!

Beetle · 20 Jan 2014, 23:34 (Ref:3356450)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breitling24

+1, great city, great food!

It's a fabulous city, indeed... 6th St. has become a bit dodgy over the years, though, and food can be just the same. My personal favorite neighborhood is right around the Austin City Hall. Clean, modern, and safe.

I'd recommend the W Hotel (adjacent from the City Hall), the Hyatt Place Austin Downtown (adjacent to the Convention Center), or the Omni Hotel Downtown. The W Hotel is very chic to the point of avant-garde, but very nice; a lot of the drivers stay there.

Hope I can help bring you to Austin!

Gingers4Justice · 21 Jan 2014, 00:37 (Ref:3356475)

I'd love to see a sportscar race in the US. Sebring, Daytona, Petit, or whatever the WEC round is...it's an ambition of mine.

But given that I can't even make the Silverstone WEC race which is a 40 minute drive away without sponging off my parents, I think Austin may be out of the picture in 2014.

Beetle · 21 Jan 2014, 00:55 (Ref:3356478)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I'd love to see a sportscar race in the US. Sebring, Daytona, Petit, or whatever the WEC round is...it's an ambition of mine.

But given that I can't even make the Silverstone WEC race which is a 40 minute drive away without sponging off my parents, I think Austin may be out of the picture in 2014.

You could practically walk then......

Maelochs · 21 Jan 2014, 01:09 (Ref:3356484)

Nothing wrong with sponging off the parents when racing is involved.

And I don't know much about England, but I'd be more tempted to hitchhike than walk--and I live in America, where all the bad things happen.

.

Gingers4Justice · 21 Jan 2014, 01:18 (Ref:3356488)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beetle

You could practically walk then......

Should make it in time if I set off now!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Nothing wrong with sponging off the parents when racing is involved.

And I don't know much about England, but I'd be more tempted to hitchhike than walk--and I live in America, where all the bad things happen.

.

Always wanted to give hitchhiking a go, but it kind of doesn't count in any journey when you can ring up a mate to help you out...

Bandicoot17 · 21 Jan 2014, 11:39 (Ref:3356629)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rennen

Doh! So.....Endurance racing isn't popular in the States then! Ah well LeMans 24hours it is for me again then!

Just not as popular in the South US I'd imagine.

Maelochs · 21 Jan 2014, 12:04 (Ref:3356640)

Daytona and Sebring are both pretty far south.

I'd say WEC isn't that popular in the U.S. Surprising, considering the enormous promo program and the readily available TV broadcasts ...

Brake dust · 21 Jan 2014, 12:36 (Ref:3356659)

Quote:

I'd say WEC isn't that popular in the U.S. Surprising, considering the enormous promo program and the readily available TV broadcasts

Just think it needs some time - particularly at COTA. No history of sports car racing there. Would like to see the event moved to Mid-Ohio. Long tradition of supporting sports car racing and it's been left out in the cold with the TUSC series. Believe the crowds would be huge a Mid-Ohio (but wish they would expand the size of the circuit - better for long distance racing).

jeast · 21 Jan 2014, 12:45 (Ref:3356663)

Sebring is a great experience even if it's just a NASCAR race now.

Maelochs · 21 Jan 2014, 13:00 (Ref:3356674)

Yeah dude. I can see you know a lot about Sebring, and NASCAR.

When I am there this March I will be sure to enjoy all the NASCAR racing.

First, I have to enjoy the 24-hour NASCAR race at Daytona this weekend. And I will.

TF110 · 21 Jan 2014, 20:13 (Ref:3356829)

Do we really need that here? Its already in the daytona thread and both tusc threads.

Nick Woodbury · 21 Jan 2014, 20:45 (Ref:3356847)

If the WEC Austin race is in doubt, why not Laguna Seca?

Yes I know this will pose a few "what the hell are you talking about" questions but let me explain myself.

- Laguna is, in my opinion, one of the top tracks in the US, in terms of facilities and overall track condition/upkeep, behind of COTA of course.

- Yes I understand it is one of the shortest tracks that the WEC would race on but lets be honest, it would add yet another unique venue to the calendar.

- Pit space would not be a problem since the ALMS and Grand-Am have been running with 30-35+ cars there for years. Track size (width) would not be a problem either.

- A strong sports car tradition surrounds Laguna Seca and I would hopefully expect the WEC to receive a strong attendance rating at the track if in fact they were to establish a date.

- MotoGP used to run there

, why not the WEC?

- The WEC would run separately to the USCC at a different time of year, as a combined weekend would be utterly impossible due to the sheer number of feature race entries and support series entries.

- Laguna has proper pit side garage stalls (I think it was for MotoGP) for any WEC team that cannot set up a transporter tent.

Now a strong counter-argument against running the WEC at Laguna would have to be that the track itself is not FIA Grade 1 approved, however Sebring wasn't either.

Well, that is about all I can think of for a sports car racing fan that lives on the other side of the country from Laguna. What do you think?

Rodger Davies · 21 Jan 2014, 21:53 (Ref:3356871)

Laguna is too logical. I agree with you, it would be ace and, to me, the best choice when the field will be likely under 30 cars, it has endurance racing history and it's in a lovely location. The slot that the ALMS used to use at the end of the season just makes too much sense.

Which is why it won't happen.

Breitling24 · 21 Jan 2014, 22:41 (Ref:3356879)

Laguna would work really well, for me... and I enjoyed liked COTA.

LagunaSnaka · 21 Jan 2014, 23:53 (Ref:3356892)

+1
Laguna would be a great choice for a WEC event. They have a history of holding intl events...FIA GT in the late 1990's etc -- more recently Moto GP

The long format ALMS races were a big draw at Laguna. Sadly fans won't get that with TUSC this year.

Additionally, Laguna Seca as a track is "down" 2 events in 2014 losing Moto GP and the Grand-Am weekends.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Woodbury

If the WEC Austin race is in doubt, why not Laguna Seca?

Yes I know this will pose a few "what the hell are you talking about" questions but let me explain myself.

- Laguna is, in my opinion, one of the top tracks in the US, in terms of facilities and overall track condition/upkeep, behind of COTA of course.

- Yes I understand it is one of the shortest tracks that the WEC would race on but lets be honest, it would add yet another unique venue to the calendar.

- Pit space would not be a problem since the ALMS and Grand-Am have been running with 30-35+ cars there for years. Track size (width) would not be a problem either.

- A strong sports car tradition surrounds Laguna Seca and I would hopefully expect the WEC to receive a strong attendance rating at the track if in fact they were to establish a date.

- MotoGP used to run there

, why not the WEC?

- The WEC would run separately to the USCC at a different time of year, as a combined weekend would be utterly impossible due to the sheer number of feature race entries and support series entries.

- Laguna has proper pit side garage stalls (I think it was for MotoGP) for any WEC team that cannot set up a transporter tent.

Now a strong counter-argument against running the WEC at Laguna would have to be that the track itself is not FIA Grade 1 approved, however Sebring wasn't either.

Well, that is about all I can think of for a sports car racing fan that lives on the other side of the country from Laguna. What do you think?

Dyson Mazda · 22 Jan 2014, 01:56 (Ref:3356913)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bandicoot17

Just not as popular in the South US I'd imagine.

Road Atlanta (Georgia), Sebring (Florida), and Daytona (Florida) are probably all in the Top 10 of highest attended sports car races in the World.

schmidder · 22 Jan 2014, 02:18 (Ref:3356916)

fingers crossed that it would be Laguna seca. would be a dream come true...

Lagunaseca_4life · 22 Jan 2014, 02:45 (Ref:3356920)

Damn right! That would be amazing.

It's what laguna seca needs after losing champ car, motogp, and now alms/grand am. With the Rolex historics being its only major event now and the tusk draw yet to be known. I really worry for lagunas future as it is not a privatly owned track but a part of the monterey county park system.

Unless Mazda pays more or both Rolex and tusk have big draws at higher prices, laguna seca will need atleast another big attendance event like wec or Indy car....

Wec at laguna would be really nice, or even at road America.has there been any updates to the wec/cota delema?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
if in doubt, ask the marshals!	CookieMonster	Marshals Forum	6	16 Jul 2005 18:40
To all who doubt Jacques...	andrew_marsden	Formula One	45	23 May 2002 20:41
Paging Dr. Austin, Paging Dr. Austin....enemas needed STAT	stretch51	IRL Indycar Series	1	5 Apr 2002 00:41
Is there any doubt...	Heeltoe6	Sportscar & GT Racing	9	13 Feb 2001 18:08