[Mallee Boy]

Its practice day in Adelaide, South Australia, opening round of the championship series.
Casey Stoner has made his debut in the "feeder" series (or Nationwide Cup if you need a comparison).....qualified 8th of 30 after first practice session.
Casey Stoner On V8 Supercars Debut

Any want a beer on Casey making his debut in the big league in Texas ? (assuming the rules allow for that)....wouldnt that add another element of interest in Texas.

[pickles]

As we own a C63, we're interested in the Mercedes, & it was a "tough day at the office" for them yesterday, qualifying 23,24, & 28, out of 28 cars.
They're VERY short on R/D, so the first few rounds will be as much about testing for them as anything else.
Cheers, Pickles.
We'll be in Wyche in around 10 days or so, for the night, on our way to Adelaide.

[Mallee Boy]

Pickles....I think all yesterday proved was how fast "your" (regardless of make) car could go around the track for a handful of laps. Today and every day hence is a whole new story to be told.
Casey looked very good until his flat and scrape with the wall and you certainly have to admire his attitude to the whole thing.

[Mallee Boy]

As we own a C63, we're interested in the Mercedes, & it was a "tough day at the office" for them yesterday, qualifying 23,24, & 28, out of 28 cars.
They're VERY short on R/D, so the first few rounds will be as much about testing for them as anything else.
Cheers, Pickles.
We'll be in Wyche in around 10 days or so, for the night, on our way to Adelaide.

If you go to Adelaide via the shortcut (Mangatang > Ouyen > Pinnaroo > Lameroo > Karoonda > Murray Bridge > Adelaide......wave as you go through Karoonda ....I gew up there.

[ChipB]

I was at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this Friday and Saturday for the Grand Am races (Rolex Series and Continental Tire series) - some great racing was seen by a (relatively) small group of attendees. I walked around the entire track (3.41 miles) scoping out different viewing sites. There's an above track crossover/walkway close to turns 4-5 that offers some good perspectives (you can't stop in the middle, but you can photograph from the ends), at the far end of the track is turn 11 (about a 135 degree corner) and there's some good viewing looking down both sides of the turn, but, personally, I think the best overall viewing is from the stands to the left of the main entrance in front of turn 15, overlooking part of the back straight and turns 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Here's a couple of photos of the main grandstand and pit area...........

[Colbyt]

Chip that first shot is such an interesting perspective.

[ChipB]

Chip that first shot is such an interesting perspective.

That was taken early in the PM on Friday - about 55 degrees out with a cold wind. I was basically all the way to the left, or west, end of the stands looking east right along the front straight.

Friday was mainly practice and some qualifying - not a lot of folks showed up - I heard the attendance was about 9200 with around 27000 on Sat for the racing.

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Last edited by ChipB; 03-03-2013 at 07:33 PM. Reason: corrected the degree number

[Mallee Boy]

Thanks Chip, that will be a big help to anyone thinking of going. I have seats booked in a grandstand at Turn 1....which from looking at your shots appears to be non - existent, but I am guessing it is just out of shot to the right in your first photo.

Season is underway here with a big weekend in Adelaide, South Australia where (& I'm pretty sure I heard this right) some 250 -260,000 fans attended over the three days with over 100,000 on the final day. Apparently just shy of the record crowd.

Sadly a Holden won it (its sold in the US as Chev)....so we Ford fans have to wait another week . We are a very patient lot.
Thanks again, appreciate you doing this.
Grant

[ChipB]

Grant, you're correct - just out of the pic. I went through my photos and don't have a single one that shows the turn 1 stands.

Due to the low turnout, we were able to sit anywhere we wanted. I had reserved a seat in the main grandstand, but we spent allmost all day Sat in the turn 15 stands. So, depending on turnout - and with an unknown series in the US it's a crapshoot - you might be able to sit where ever you wish.

If you have any questions about Austin and/or the surrounding area I'll be happy to answer - or at least attempt to answer. Feel free to either PM me or ask in this thread.

Oh, here's a couple more reasons to enjoy the races.

[Mallee Boy]

I am hoping that that will be the case Chip ....a smallish crowd that will allow us to go pretty well anywhere. Although I note a lot of the hotels have limited or no vacancies for that weekend so something is happening.

As for the eye candy.....yeah well....thats all it is these days....eye candy. If they saw me coming towards them one would ask the other..... whose Grandpa is this ?!!!

If the chance was there to catch up I would be in for that. A PM may be the way to arrange something if your not going to be at the track. We arrive Thursday night (late) from Australia and leave Monday afternoon around 5pm and are staying out near the airport. Depending how we pull up from jetlag we may spend Friday doing a bit of touring, my travel buddy is a motor bike collector, Nortons & Indians and we have heard of a motor bike museum at Vanderpool and a car museum at San Marcos so may spend Friday having a look at these and the general sights. Otherwise we will spend a quiet day at the track.
Cheers
Grant

[pickles]

The "odds" are, that a Holden will definitly win in Texas too.....but NOT if Betty has anything to do with it?
Cheers, Pickles.

[Colbyt]

As for the eye candy.....yeah well....thats all it is these days....eye candy. If they saw me coming towards them one would ask the other..... whose Grandpa is this ?!!!

or

"Quick. Let's run to the food court. There's a security guard there."

[ChipB]

If the chance was there to catch up I would be in for that. A PM may be the way to arrange something if your not going to be at the track. We arrive Thursday night (late) from Australia and leave Monday afternoon around 5pm and are staying out near the airport. Depending how we pull up from jetlag we may spend Friday doing a bit of touring, my travel buddy is a motor bike collector, Nortons & Indians and we have heard of a motor bike museum at Vanderpool and a car museum at San Marcos so may spend Friday having a look at these and the general sights. Otherwise we will spend a quiet day at the track.
Cheers
Grant

Grant, I've been to Dick's Classic Garage in San Marcos and it really is a neat place!! Well worth the time. I've not been to the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum in Vanderpool, although I've been to and through V. Looks like a pretty neat place also. Figure it's about 3-3 1/2 hours to get there from the Austin airport. If you decide to do both, I'd suggest going to the motorcycle museum first, then come cross county to San Marco (your nav system will probably try to take you down to San Antonio then back up Interstate 35 to San Marcos - AVOID SA - too much crazy traffic!!). Take RR 337 across to Medina, catch Highway 16 there, then at the "Y" intersection take Texas 46 to New Branfuls, catch Interstate 35 and go north to San Marcos and the car museum. Should be a great day trip!!

As far as getting to Vanderpool, I'd go straight west on Highway 290 (71 in front of the airport becomes 290 going west) to Fredericksburg then catch 16 to Kerrsville and 27/39 (you want to end up on 39)to RR187 and on down to the museum.

[Mallee Boy]

As for the eye candy.....yeah well....thats all it is these days....eye candy. If they saw me coming towards them one would ask the other..... whose Grandpa is this ?!!!

or

"Quick. Let's run to the food court. There's a security guard there."

Mate.....they would be safe, no threat here. damn it!

[Mallee Boy]

The "odds" are, that a Holden will definitly win in Texas too.....but NOT if Betty has anything to do with it?
Cheers, Pickles.

Hey Pickles.....no, I wouldn't put money on any of them at the moment, there is, according to the astute observers of the sport, just so much more left in these cars and by all reports it is expected that big improvements will come from ALL quarters...and quickly. The few gearbox issues that emerged will no doubt be quickly sorted out, along with the wheel nut failures on the Fords. Take note that that cost Frosty 14 secs.....he finished some 7-8 secs behind the winner. Would that have converted to a margin on the track? hard to say.

I love the fire in the belly of the Erebus Team, they wont take that result lying down and the Nissans showed some moments of speed that has a few people scratching their heads and remembering the last time Nissan were here.

Of course my bias is well known....but in the interest of fairness rest assured I dont care who beats the Holden/Chev....just as long as someone does!!
Cheers.