COTA is Trashed

"Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig" (AndySheehan-StreetsideStig) 11/03/2015 at 12:25 • Filed to: None

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , a tornado and accompanying floods tore through the grounds of Circuit of the Americas on Friday. This followed the extremely wet conditions spun off from Hurricane Patricia the prior weekend.

I arrived here last night, the guest of Trans Am driver Ron Keith. Trans Am and the SVRA will race here this weekend, despite the ruins surrounding the track.

Tents, never removed after the F1 Grand Prix, lie twisted and torn in angular heaps. Panels pulled out of the canopy for the temporary premium seating lay askew, providing views of the sky. Barrows full of uneaten catering and other refuse from the race are now brimming with rainwater. The tunnel through which our RV was supposed to pass under the track is packed with mud, so we’re waiting to find another way onto the infield.

But there’s a frenzy of activity surrounding all of it. Workers arrived early this morning to resume teardown of the temporary structures and begin to clean up the mess.

From what I’ve seen, I’m a little surprised they’re still hosting an event this weekend, but I’m glad of it. They’re going to need the revenue. The track itself seems to be in good shape, so the race is on.

More pics as I get them.

EL_ULY > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 11/03/2015 at 12:28

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FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

Tekamul > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 11/03/2015 at 12:33

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Awful. Especially after the financial nut punch that was the F1 race this year.

COTA has to be hurting

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Tekamul 11/03/2015 at 12:38

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And it’s a shame, because this is usually a really nice facility, from what I’ve seen so far. Who knows? Maybe they’ll score some nice insurance cash.

daender > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 11/03/2015 at 12:42

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Damn! Hopefully the iconic tower is fine and intact!

Ash78, voting early and often > EL_ULY 11/03/2015 at 12:43

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-JIIIIIIITTAAAAAAA!

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > daender 11/03/2015 at 12:52

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The tower seems to be intact, and it was lit up last night. I’m hoping the elevator still works, because I don’t want to climb all those stairs.

I think the only damage to the permanent structures was related to the flooding.

ttyymmnn > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 11/03/2015 at 12:53

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I haven’t heard any official reports of a tornado in the Elroy area, but that’s certainly a big mess. Bobby Epstein has really taken a bath on this year’s race, literally and figuratively.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > ttyymmnn 11/03/2015 at 12:56

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Hmm... I might be wrong about the tornado. I know there was a tornado warning, and someone here said one had come through. It certainly looks like it.

daender > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 11/03/2015 at 13:00

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If that’s the case, then the show must go on!

ttyymmnn > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 11/03/2015 at 13:00

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There was a confirmed tornado down near San Marcos, so maybe that? Certainly lots of wind that day, though.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > daender 11/03/2015 at 13:02

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Indeed. Press on regardless!

coelacanthist > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 11/03/2015 at 13:41

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No touch down, but I work just a few miles from the track and we had to take shelter twice on Friday. Wind was gusting up to 50 mph the other day. I’m sure it’s been unsafe to get out there and resume cleanup.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 11/03/2015 at 15:02

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Wow, my son races (two legs) in Austin this weekend, so I was thinking of trying to catch the races (four wheels). Plan now rethought! Thanks for the head’s up.

tromoly > Tekamul 11/03/2015 at 15:06

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Unlike the F1 financial disaster, they can claim this on their insurance.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > coelacanthist 11/03/2015 at 16:37

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Ah, okay. Thankfully, the crews are hard at work today, and the place looks better already.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > haveacarortwoorthree2 11/03/2015 at 16:38

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Well, don’t make any decisions yet. The weather today is gorgeous, and the crews have been rocking it all day. Some of the stuff is already cleaned up. By Saturday it may be back to 90%.

Stef Schrader > haveacarortwoorthree2 11/03/2015 at 22:47

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Do it. SVRA is a fun, fun time. Trans Am running with them should be extra rad.

Plus, it’s all open-paddock—more of a big club race, and less walled off. I randomly got to sit in a 908 last year because the owners saw me staring. I saw the Audi R8 (the original le Mans car) up close and personal. There’s so much win in that paddock that if you have any time to drop by, you totally should.

They’re working pretty hard this week to make sure things are at least mostly OK for that event to go on. It might not be as open to hike around, but all the cool up-close stuff in the paddock should be fair game.

Stef Schrader > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 11/03/2015 at 22:50

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FWIW, they’re still looking for help cleaning up if the Craigslist ad still being up is any indication:

http://austin.craigslist.org/lbg/5295704904…