kitchtrips

She was a flash in my life like a bolt through the sky
We were both eighteen, learning to fly
When she told me she loved me in the back of my buddy’s truck
Oh, how the sweet smell of those summer memories fade
Sometimes I wish I, could relive those days
We laughed, we cried, we lived life wild
And when I close my eyes I see you one more time

We used to drive all night down them country roads
Chasing tail, raising hell with our brothers
Passing grandpa’s whiskey in that bonfire smoke
Telling tales and lies about lovers
Drinking one right after the other
Took a whole day and night to recover
From those American summers

– Moonshine Bandits & Burn County

Saturday 18 May 2024

What a day! The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) facility outside of Austin is the most impressive motorsports venue I’ve ever been in. Home to the United States Grand Prix for Formula One (as well as MotoGP, NASCAR, the World Endurance Championship and American Superbikes, as well as this weekend’s GT World Challenge event), you can guarantee that the racing side of the facility will be state-of-the-art because that’s what the FIA demands,

However, it’s then fan facilities that are also second-to-none. Things like easy to read signs, wide walkways, plenty of food options, comfortable seating, great sight lines from those seats, plenty of bathrooms and places to fill up up your water bottles are small but they make a long hot day – and let me tell you, it was VERY hot – much more bearable.

It also helps when the track produces such good racing. The first turn is at the top of a steep hill, starting as a wide corner only to narrow on the exit, so there’s always a hold-your-breath moment at the start or restart of any race…or generally whenever there are cars in a bunch there. Lots of fast sweeping corners, long straights and the occasional tight turn to keep things interesting.

GT cars race this circuit incredibly well, and we saw some brilliant action across a bunch of categories today, including the headline GT World Challenge race that proved to be the first win for the new GT3 Corvette anywhere in the world. So, a little history was made. We also witnessed the first GT4 endurance race, a three-hour affair that ran almost right to sunset. It cooled down enough for that race, and it was a beautiful night sitting in the grandstand on the front straight as the sun went down.

Perhaps the best thing about the GT World Challenge is the open paddock. You can walk pretty much anywhere you want, with the exception of pit road (except under some circumstances) and right into the garages, but you can nonetheless see plenty of the action in the garages. The drivers and crews are always around and seemed very happy to chat to fans. You can make fans for life with access like that being free with your $30 admission ticket. That’s $30 for ten hours both days. Insane value. If you want cars, there are cars pretty much everywhere.

My love of GT racing dovetailed nicely with the fact that a friend of mine, Ryan, calls races for the GT World Challenge TV broadcast, and it was super to see Ryan again after a year. We’ll be at the same racetrack for the next three weekends: COTA, then the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Detroit for the IndyCar/IMSA sports car double. Fun to meet Ryan’s broadcast partner, former racer Calvin Fish.

A long day in the sun, but a fun one. Drank a lot of water and not much beer, and saw some amazing racing. One episode of “Manhunt” to close the night – mercifully, a shorter one – and now off to bed. Big sleep incoming. Back to COTA tomorrow.