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111-914: Circuit of the Americas ( COTA ) is a Grade 1 FIA -specification 3.426-mile (5.514 km) motor racing track and facilities located in Austin , Texas , United States. The facility is home to the Formula One United States Grand Prix , NASCAR Texas Grand Prix , and the Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas , a round in MotoGP and the FIA World Endurance Championship with the Lone Star Le Mans . It previously hosted

222-589: A Mercedes AMG F1 W10 EQ Power+ during qualifying at the 2019 United States Grand Prix . As of November 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Circuit of the Americas are listed as: The circuit hosts minor completions such as: The track has hosted various events like the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship , INDYCAR and the X Games . COTA would have hosted the inaugural Intercontinental GT Challenge and

333-483: A landmark for the venue. The structure of the tower consists of an elevator hoist-way surrounded by a double helix staircase of 419 stairs, both of which lead to an observation platform 230 feet (70 m) above ground level. The platform provides a 360-degree panorama of the circuit, as well as views to downtown Austin, Texas. The observation platform, which is accessible to the public for an admission fee, can accommodate up to 70 visitors and features glass railings and

444-484: A 0.62-mile (1.00 km) straight back towards the pit and paddock area. This straight leads to the final sector of the lap with a heavy braking zone and a sequence of corners inspired by the arena bends of Hockenheim , to Turns 9 and 10 of Bahrain , a corner that significantly tightens in the second part, requiring drivers to brake and turn at the same time. This is followed by a downhill, multi-apex corner with limited run-off modeled after turn 8 at Istanbul Park , before

555-402: A binder. The abbreviation, AC , is sometimes used for asphalt concrete but can also denote asphalt content or asphalt cement , referring to the liquid asphalt portion of the composite material. Mixing of asphalt and aggregate is accomplished in one of several ways: In addition to the asphalt and aggregate, additives, such as polymers , and antistripping agents may be added to improve

666-454: A booking agreement with Live Nation to book major concerts at an open air amphitheater to be built at the base of the observation tower. Designed by Miró Rivera Architects, the venue opened in April 2013 with a concert by Kenny Chesney . The amphitheater accommodates up to 14,000 people with 5,240 permanent reserved seats. Another 1,700 seats can be configured on the stage-front floor or there

777-412: A centre of commerce and cultural exchange in this hemisphere. I look forward to meeting many fans and visitors who will be coming from every country.” In December 2020 Red McCombs got a corner named after him called 'Big Red'. In order for the race to take place, the Austin city council was asked to be the sponsoring municipality for the event. Through being a sponsor, the city could apply for money from

888-427: A discipline are formula racing , touring car racing , sports car racing , etc. The first prearranged match race of two self-powered road vehicles over a prescribed route occurred in the north west of England at 4:30 A.M. on August 30, 1867, between Ashton-under-Lyne and Old Trafford, Manchester , a distance of eight miles. It was won by the locomotive of Isaac Watt Boulton , one of six he said he had run over

999-409: A final pre-race inspection of the circuit for September 25, sixty days before the first race, which the circuit later passed. To ensure the demanding FIA specifications for the track were met, GPS-based 3D paving equipment was used on the asphalt paving and milling machines. The first layer of asphalt was completed on August 3, 2012. Construction began laying the final layer of asphalt on August 14, and

1110-593: A high-speed test, car handling manoeuvres can be tested such as precision drifting , donuts, handbrake turns, reversing and so on. Other disciplines of automobile sport include: The international motorcycle sport governing body recognised by the International Olympic Committee is the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Disciplines include: The international powerboating governing body recognised by

1221-591: A hill, at private and closed roadways where higher speeds and distances can be reached than at an autotesting course for example. Time attack are terms used by series that run sprints at racing circuits where competitors try to set the quickest lap time rather than racing head-to-head with others. Time trials are run by the Sports Car Club of America , amongst others. Rallysprints are mainly sanctioned and held in continental Europe. Ultimately, they are similar to other time trial sprints but originate from

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1332-582: A multi-year agreement to add the Circuit of the Americas to its calendar replacing Phoenix Raceway (then known as ISM Raceway), finalizing the IndyCar Series calendar. After hosting an IndyCar Spring Training test session, on February 12–13, COTA made its debut on the IndyCar Series schedule on Sunday, March 24, serving as the second race of the 2019 campaign, with the AutoNation IndyCar Challenge ( IndyCar Classic ), following

1443-425: A partial glass floor. In addition, a "veil" consisting of 18 bright red steel tubes runs nearly the full height of the tower, acting as a canopy for both the observation platform and the stage below. The design of the observation tower was inspired by the visual imagery of sports cars and movement, and the red color was selected to mimic the streaks of lights trailing racecars at night. On July 23, 2012, COTA announced

1554-452: A race is between competitors running head-to-head, in its International Sporting Code, the FIA defines racing as two or more cars competing on the same course simultaneously. Circuit racing takes place on sealed-surface courses at permanent autodromes or on temporary street circuits . Competitors race over a set number of laps of the circuit with the winner being the first to finish, or for

1665-606: A replica of Istanbul 's Turn Eight. Other corners were loosely inspired by the Senna 'S' at Interlagos , Turn 4 at the Buddh International Circuit and Turns 9-10 at Bahrain , the latter two tracks also designed by Tilke. A feature of the circuit is a deliberate widening of corners, to encourage drivers to follow multiple racing lines. A similar feature was used at the Buddh International Circuit in India, where

1776-464: A sealed surface such as asphalt or concrete. Notable off-road races on open terrain include the Baja 1000 desert race, organised by SCORE International . The FIA authorise Extreme E , an electric off-road series whose organisers have announced a hydrogen fuel series, Extreme H, to begin in 2025. Examples of off-road racing disciplines and series include: Drag racing is an acceleration contest from

1887-415: A series of fast sweepers modeled on Silverstone's Maggotts–Becketts–Chapel complex, which is turns 3-6 at COTA. These sweepers tighten through turns 7-9, while continuing the esses, but slowing the cars down substantially, requiring drivers to downshift to 4th gear and through a blind corner at Turn 10. This corner takes them to the far end of the circuit and a hairpin at Turn 11 where the drivers then follow

1998-493: A set length of time with the winner having completed the highest number of laps, with others classified subsequently. Circuit racing replaced point-to-point (city-to-city) racing early in the history of motorsport, for both spectator appeal and as safety concerns brought in regulation of the sport, forcing organisers to use closed, marshalled and policed circuits on closed public roads. Aspendale Racecourse in Australia in 1906

2109-399: A standing start along a short and straight course. Vehicles of various types can compete, usually between two vehicles. Winners can be the first to finish of competing pairs or by setting the fastest time, and competitions may have heats and/or series of runs. Kart racing is a form of circuit racing using very small and low vehicles not considered as automobiles known as go-karts. It is one of

2220-514: A state district court judge declined to enter a temporary restraining order against Combs preventing payments from the METF; nonetheless, Texas Comptroller Combs reconsidered and chose not to make the July 31 advance payment to FOMC/Bernard Ecclestone as previously agreed for the first year's sanctioning fee. The attorney for the project's opponents has stated that he is unsure if they will continue pursuing

2331-634: A state fund, the Major Events Trust Fund (METF), designed to attract major sporting events to Texas that would be used to pay the Formula One race sanctioning fee. This matter was complicated by opponents of the project who filed a lawsuit against state comptroller Susan Combs , claiming that she had promised the funding to the circuit without having been legally authorized to do so, though promoters have responded stating that all necessary guidelines had been followed. In June 2011,

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2442-572: A subsidiary of Austin Industries, was the general contractor. Construction began on December 31, 2010, and was due to be complete by June 2012. Following a stop-work order in December 2011, the completion date was revised to August. The first tasks were building the silt fences , taking core samples , and shredding existing vegetation. On January 21, 2011, a $ 900,000 check was posted with Travis County that permitted grading to begin. The money

2553-485: A total capacity of approximately 9,000 spectators. The seating is divided into three levels: lower level (capacity ~5400, including Loge Boxes), club level (capacity ~2900), and suite level (capacity ~750). The majority of seating is covered by a tensile fabric canopy. The primary structure is 500 feet (150 m) long, while the lower risers extend an additional 500 feet (150 m). The grandstand also contains concessions, restrooms, offices, and two lounge spaces located at

2664-453: Is a form of motorsport where drivers intentionally lose rolling traction in corners through oversteering but maintain momentum with effective throttle control, clutch use and corrective steering. In competition a panel of judges award marks on artistry and car control through the corner or series of corners. Competitions often feature pairs of cars driving together where a lead car and a chase car go head-to-head, with only one car going through to

2775-454: Is a maintenance measure that helps keep water and petroleum products out of the pavement. Maintaining and cleaning ditches and storm drains will extend the life of the road at low cost. Sealing small cracks with bituminous crack sealer prevents water from enlarging cracks through frost weathering, or percolating down to the subbase and softening it. For somewhat more distressed roads, a chip seal or similar surface treatment may be applied. As

2886-776: Is a research program by the FHWA , which is specifically focusing on long-term pavement behaviour. Asphalt deterioration can include crocodile cracking , potholes , upheaval, raveling , bleeding , rutting , shoving, stripping , and grade depressions. In cold climates, frost heaves can crack asphalt even in one winter. Filling the cracks with bitumen is a temporary fix, but only proper compaction and drainage can slow this process. Factors that cause asphalt concrete to deteriorate over time mostly fall into one of three categories: construction quality, environmental considerations, and traffic loads. Often, damage results from combinations of factors in all three categories. Construction quality

2997-498: Is called a series, and a grouping of competitions often forms the basis of a championship , cup or trophy . Not all nations have a sporting authority affiliated with the FIA, some disciplines may not fall within the FIA's remit of control, or organisations may choose to ignore the claim of the authority of others. Examples include banger racing and stock car racing in the United Kingdom which are claimed by both

3108-415: Is critical to pavement performance. This includes the construction of utility trenches and appurtenances that are placed in the pavement after construction. Lack of compaction in the surface of the asphalt, especially on the longitudinal joint, can reduce the life of a pavement by 30 to 40%. Service trenches in pavements after construction have been said to reduce the life of the pavement by 50%, mainly due to

3219-480: Is flexibility allowing the site to grow and change. The facility features a karting track that has 15 turns and is 0.63 miles long. It has wide turns, a set of S-turns and a new hairpin turn that comes off a sweeper turn. The Karting Track is located in front of the Main Grandstand. The karts can go up to speeds up to 55 MPH. In August 2017, a new soccer-specific stadium was announced to be built between

3330-473: Is found on interstate highways where maintenance is highly crucial. Asphalt concrete generates less roadway noise than a Portland cement concrete surface, and is typically less noisy than chip seal surfaces. Because tire noise is generated through the conversion of kinetic energy to sound waves , more noise is produced as the speed of a vehicle increases. The notion that highway design might take into account acoustical engineering considerations, including

3441-544: Is standing room for 2,300. The remaining general admission spots are on a sloping grass area behind the reserved seats. The venue was originally going to be called Tower Amphitheater, but under a deal closed in March 2013, was renamed to Austin360 Amphitheater, with naming rights sold to the entertainment/events website associated with the Austin American-Statesman . Beginning January 1, 2020, COTA renamed

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3552-420: Is why some agencies place the priority on preventive maintenance of roads in good condition, rather than reconstructing roads in poor condition. Poor roads are upgraded as resources and budget allow. In terms of lifetime cost and long term pavement conditions, this will result in better system performance. Agencies that concentrate on restoring their bad roads often find that by the time they have repaired them all,

3663-538: The 2021 United States Grand Prix for an event held in North America. Sunday's race final drew over 150,000 spectators to Circuit of the Americas breaking the inaugural Formula One race at the circuit attendance in 2012. This surge was due to the popularity of Formula 1: Drive to Survive in the United States and the honoring of the 2020 tickets as the 2020 United States Grand Prix was cancelled due to

3774-654: The AutoNation INDYCAR Challenge . Motor racing Different manifestations of motorsport with their own objectives and specific rules are called disciplines. Examples include circuit racing , rallying and trials . Governing bodies, also called sanctioning bodies, often have general rules for each discipline, but allow supplementary rules to define the character of a particular competition, series or championship. Groups of these are often categorised informally, such as by vehicle type, surface type or propulsion method. Examples of categories within

3885-598: The COVID-19 pandemic . In April 2011, plans were unveiled by Tavo Hellmund of Full Throttle Productions and Kevin Schwantz of 3fourTexas for the circuit to host a round of the 2013 MotoGP World Championship , with the race to be known as the Texas Grand Prix . The race was the brainchild of Schwantz, the circuit co-designer, who would serve as event promoter with his company, 3fourTexas. However, following

3996-741: The International Olympic Committee is the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM). The organisation's origins date back to 1922. The international air sports governing body recognised by the International Olympic Committee is the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). The FAI also governs non-powered air sport such as gliding and ballooning, however its motorised sports include: Asphalt concrete Asphalt concrete (commonly called asphalt , blacktop , or pavement in North America, and tarmac or bitumen macadam in

4107-631: The United States , dirt track racing became popular. After World War II , the Grand Prix circuit became more formally organised. In the United States, stock car racing and drag racing became firmly established. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), formed in 1904, is the oldest and most prominent international governing body. It claims to be the sole international motor sporting authority for automobiles and other land vehicles with four or more wheels, whilst acknowledging

4218-406: The subsoil to see how much load it can withstand. The pavement and subbase thicknesses are designed to withstand the wheel loads. Sometimes, geogrids are used to reinforce the subbase and further strengthen the roads. Drainage, including ditches , storm drains and underdrains are used to remove water from the roadbed, preventing it from weakening the subbase and subsoil. Sealcoating asphalt

4329-631: The ASNs must be obtained to organise events using their rules, and their licenses must be held by participants. Not all ASNs function in the same manner, some are private companies such as Motorsport UK, some are supported by the state such as France's FFSA, or in the case of the US's ACCUS, a council of sanctioning bodies is the national representative at FIA meetings. ASNs, their affiliated clubs or independent commercial promotors organise motorsport events which often include competitions . A collective of events

4440-431: The Americas , but made no mention of the dispute with Schwantz or any outcome of it. Prior to the 2014 Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas , the circuit announced that COTA and Schwantz had amicably settled their legal differences and reached an agreement to collaborate to promote motorcycling racing, with Schwantz taking the role as official ambassador for COTA. On September 4, 2018, IndyCar announced that it has reached

4551-462: The Americas of "undermining" him, deliberately blocking his attempts to establish a race in order to have the contract terminated and allowing them to negotiate a more-favourable arrangement with Dorna. In October 2012, Dorna Sports announced that they had come to agreeable terms with organizers of the Texas motorcycle Grand Prix, including the race on the 2013 calendar as the Motorcycle Grand Prix of

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4662-699: The Amphitheater and the Grand Plaza. A professional soccer team known as Austin Bold FC began playing in the USL Championship in 2019 until 2021. The stadium seats 5,000 people. The Austin Gilgronis of Major League Rugby was playing home games at the stadium in 2020. Official record lap times are only set during the race. The unofficial lap record is 1:32.029 set by Valtteri Bottas in

4773-564: The Austin city council agreed to allow the circuit to apply to the Texas Major Events Trust Fund but withheld its full endorsement requiring the circuit to pay the financial match normally borne by the local government sponsor. As a part of the endorsement, the sport will pay $ 15,000 in carbon offsets and $ 5 million to establish an on-site research project into environmentally friendly technologies. On July 1, 2011,

4884-919: The Australian V8 Supercars , the Americas Rallycross Championship , the American Le Mans Series , the Rolex Sports Car Series , the IMSA SportsCar Championship and the IndyCar Classic . The circuit and Grand Prix were first proposed in the middle of 2010. The circuit was the first in the United States to be purpose-built for Formula One. The layout was conceived by promoter Tavo Hellmund and 1993 Motorcycle World Champion Kevin Schwantz with

4995-608: The December 7 meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council or else risk being removed from the 2012 calendar. Ecclestone emphasized that if the Circuit of the Americas were removed from the calendar, it would not be added again at a later date. On December 7, 2011, the World Motor Sport Council released the final calendar for the 2012 season, with the Circuit of the Americas retaining its November 18 date. Further details revealed that

5106-541: The Department of Transportation to incorporate crumb rubber into asphalt paving materials. Other recycled materials that are actively included in asphalt concrete mixes across the United States include steel slag, blast furnace slag, and cellulose fibers. Further research has been conducted to discover new forms of waste that may be recycled into asphalt mixes. A 2020 study conducted in Melbourne, Australia presented

5217-506: The March 10 season-opener at St. Petersburg, FL. It was the first time since 2014 that two tracks in Texas would appear on the IndyCar Series calendar. On February 11, 2020, (perhaps as a precursor of the season to come) the opening day of IndyCar Spring Training, cold temperatures and persistent showers severely limited track time for all competitors to slow installation laps and a few experimental runs on rain tires. With improved weather, on February 12, IndyCar concluded its first open test of

5328-639: The Oshkosh and the Green Bay (the machines were referred to by their town of origin). This is examined and illustrated in detail in The Great Race of 1878 by Richard Backus, Farm Collector, May/June 2004. In 1894, the French newspaper Le Petit Journal organised a contest for horseless carriages featuring a run from Paris to Rouen. This is widely accepted as the world's first motorsport event, and

5439-690: The Oval Racing Council and the National Stock car Association, despite the claim by the FIA affiliated ASN, Motorsport UK , to be the "governing body of all four-wheel motorsport in the UK". SCORE International , National Auto Sport Association and National Off-Road Racing Association of the United States are also not members of the FIA affiliation system but may work with members for international matters. Although English dictionaries do not unanimously agree and singularly define that

5550-587: The Super Stage for the X Games Austin 2015 . The primary permanent seating at Circuit of the Americas is located within the Main Grandstand, designed by Miró Rivera Architects. Above-ground construction on the grandstand began in March 2012, and the "topping out" occurred in June 2012 with completion in time for the inaugural United States Grand Prix. The Main Grandstand is 65 feet (20 m) tall, and has

5661-495: The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland) is a composite material commonly used to surface roads , parking lots , airports , and the core of embankment dams . Asphalt mixtures have been used in pavement construction since the beginning of the twentieth century. It consists of mineral aggregate bound together with bitumen (a substance also independently known as asphalt), laid in layers, and compacted. The process

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5772-496: The United States contained, on average, 21.1% RAP and 0.2% RAS. Recycled asphalt components may be reclaimed and transported to an asphalt plant for processing and use in new pavements, or the entire recycling process may be conducted in-place. While in-place recycling typically occurs on roadways and is specific to RAP, recycling in asphalt plants may utilize RAP, RAS, or both. In 2019, an estimated 97.0 million tons of RAP and 1.1 million tons of RAS were accepted by asphalt plants in

5883-534: The United States. RAP is typically received by plants after being milled on-site, but pavements may also be ripped out in larger sections and crushed in the plant. RAP millings are typically stockpiled at plants before being incorporated into new asphalt mixes. Prior to mixing, stockpiled millings may be dried and any that have agglomerated in storage may have to be crushed. RAS may be received by asphalt plants as post-manufacturer waste directly from shingle factories, or they may be received as post-consumer waste at

5994-416: The United States. Many roofing shingles also contain asphalt, and asphalt concrete mixes may contain reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS). Research has demonstrated that RAP and RAS can replace the need for up to 100% of the virgin aggregate and asphalt binder in a mix, but this percentage is typically lower due to regulatory requirements and performance concerns. In 2019, new asphalt pavement mixtures produced in

6105-441: The asphalt to oxidize, becoming stiffer and less resilient, leading to crack formation. Cold temperatures can cause cracks as the asphalt contracts. Cold asphalt is also less resilient and more vulnerable to cracking. Water trapped under the pavement softens the subbase and subgrade, making the road more vulnerable to traffic loads. Water under the road freezes and expands in cold weather, causing and enlarging cracks. In spring thaw,

6216-571: The assistance of German architect and circuit designer Hermann Tilke , who has also designed the Sepang , Shanghai , Yas Marina , Istanbul , Bahrain , Yeongam , and Buddh circuits, as well as the reprofiling of the Hockenheimring and Fuji Speedway . In a news conference on July 27, 2010, Tavo Hellmund announced plans to build the track on about 890 acres (3.6 km) of undeveloped land in southeastern Travis County . The majority of

6327-412: The authority of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) over vehicles with one to three wheels, which FIM calls motorcycle sport. FIM and FIA are both recognised as international sports federations by the International Olympic Committee . Within the FIA's structure, each affiliated National Sporting Authority ( ASN ) is recognised as the sole authority in their nation. Permission of

6438-519: The cars and courses used in special stage rallying with the elements of navigation and itinerary removed, and not necessarily requiring a co-driver to call pacenotes . Rallying involves driving to a set itinerary, following a prescribed route and arriving and departing at control points at set times with penalties applied for diverging from the route or arriving late and early. Rallies nearly always involve routes on open roads, closed special stages are used on some rallies where competitors drive against

6549-523: The circuit widens on the approach to certain corners. The circuit was one of only a handful on the Formula One 2012 calendar to be run counter-clockwise, the others being Marina Bay , the Korea International Circuit , Yas Marina , and Interlagos . Because of this, the circuit contains more left-hand turns than right-hand ones, placing greater physical demands on the drivers whose bodies, particularly their necks, are more adapted to

6660-537: The circuit would be 3.426 miles (5.514 km) long and would be made up of twenty turns with an elevation change of 133 feet (41 m). The final plan of the circuit was released on September 1, 2010, showing a design inspired by the European tradition of sculpting the circuit to the contours of the land. The design draws from several European Formula One circuits, including a recreation of Silverstone's Maggotts–Becketts–Chapel sequence, Hockenheim's arena bends, and

6771-699: The clock, the winner having the shortest, lowest average or total time. Hillclimbing events often include classes of competition for various categories and ages of vehicle and so may be incorporated into car shows or festivals of motoring such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed . Hill climb courses can be short at less than 1 mile, or several miles long such as the 12.42 mile Pikes Peak course in Colorado , USA. Sprints are governed by national FIA member ASNs in United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, amongst other places. They are held on courses that do not climb

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6882-519: The clock. The classification of these rallies are determined by summing the times set with the fastest crews being victorious, as found in the World Rally Championship . This method is often called rally racing or stage rallying informally, whilst rallies that do not include special stages are distinctly regularity rallies . Rallies that include routes that cover terrain off-road are also known as rally raid or cross-country rallies,

6993-538: The details of the vehicles are recorded in the contemporary press, The Engineer , and in Fletcher's books. The Wisconsin legislature passed an act in 1875 offering a substantial purse for the first US motor race, which was run on July 16, 1878, over a 200-mile course from Green Bay to Appleton, Oshkosh, Waupon, Watertown, Fort Atkinson and Janesville, then turning north and ending in Madison. Only two actually competed:

7104-594: The dispute between Hellmund and Epstein was reported to have been settled out of court. A crowd of 117,429 spectators watched the United States Grand Prix in November 2012 after four years of Formula One not hosting a Grand Prix in the United States. In October 2022, the three-day Formula One United States Grand Prix event drew a record number of fans. Roughly 440,000 people attended the event, breaking Formula One's attendance record of 400,000 set at

7215-508: The end of their service life. Processing of RAS includes grinding the shingles and sieving the grinds to remove oversized particles. The grinds may also be screened with a magnetic sieve to remove nails and other metal debris. The ground RAS is then dried, and the asphalt cement binder can be extracted. For further information on RAS processing, performance, and associated health and safety concerns, see Asphalt Shingles . In-place recycling methods allow roadways to be rehabilitated by reclaiming

7326-691: The existing pavement, remixing, and repaving on-site. In-place recycling techniques include rubblizing , hot in-place recycling, cold in-place recycling, and full-depth reclamation . For further information on in-place methods, see Road Surface . During its service life, the asphalt cement binder, which makes up about 5–6% of a typical asphalt concrete mix, naturally hardens and becomes stiffer. This aging process primarily occurs due to oxidation, evaporation, exudation, and physical hardening. For this reason, asphalt mixes containing RAP and RAS are prone to exhibiting lower workability and increased susceptibility to fatigue cracking. These issues are avoidable if

7437-402: The final two corners of the circuit, a pair of left-hand bends that return the drivers to the main straight. The reception from drivers ahead of the inaugural race was highly positive. Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton both praised the circuit, suggesting that it would be considerably more difficult to learn than other recent additions to the Formula One calendar. Jenson Button described

7548-402: The first sector as "spectacular", but remarked that he felt that starting second would be better than starting first as the placement of pole position put it on a steeper incline than the rest of the grid. Mark Webber called the track "pretty good", praising in particular the track's quick first sector. Kamui Kobayashi however was less enthusiastic, claiming that he did not feel intimidated by

7659-698: The first time on May 23, 2021. The lower Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series were also added as support events. On December 11, 2020, it was announced that NASCAR would run the full 3.426 mi (5.514 km) course. EchoPark Automotive assumed naming rights for the Cup race, which dubbed it the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix. The Xfinity and Truck races were respectively named the Pit Boss 250 and Toyota Tundra 225 with title sponsorship from Pit Boss Grills and Toyota . The inaugural race weekend

7770-414: The friction course. In general, the viscosity of asphalt allows it to conveniently form a convex surface, and a central apex to streets and roads to drain water to the edges. This is not, however, in itself an advantage over concrete, which has various grades of viscosity and can be formed into a convex road surface. Rather, it is the economy of asphalt concrete that renders it more frequently used. Concrete

7881-439: The general form of time trials and sprints. Hillclimbing is the most widely known form of time-trial due to its status as the only time trial or sprint form to have international FIA championships and endorsement. Its origins begin near the start of motorsport, particularly with the trials held that tested the capabilities of early automobiles to tackle uphill gradients. Contestants complete an uphill course individually and against

7992-447: The general rule of participants completing a course individually with the intention of setting the shortest time or highest average speed. This form of motorsport can be recreational or when competitive, rules may vary slightly such as whether to include the total time of several runs, the best time set, or the average pace of multiple courses to classify competitors. Qualifying sessions for circuit races and special stages in rallying take

8103-400: The ground thaws from the top down, so water is trapped between the pavement above and the still-frozen soil underneath. This layer of saturated soil provides little support for the road above, leading to the formation of potholes. This is more of a problem for silty or clay soils than sandy or gravelly soils. Some jurisdictions pass frost laws to reduce the allowable weight of trucks during

8214-482: The increased volume of incoming traffic, but not before the running of the 2012 race. At the time of the announcement, the unstable clay soils under the road surface had caused Elroy Road to gradually buckle and shift, necessitating the upgrade. On June 13, 2012, Charlie Whiting —the FIA-appointed Race Director for Formula 1—declared himself satisfied with the circuit's construction, scheduling

8325-416: The lack of compaction in the trench, and also because of water intrusion through improperly sealed joints. Environmental factors include heat and cold, the presence of water in the subbase or subgrade soil underlying the pavement, and frost heaves. High temperatures soften the asphalt binder, allowing heavy tire loads to deform the pavement into ruts. Paradoxically, high heat and strong sunlight also cause

8436-410: The lateral g-forces of clockwise circuits. From the start line, the drivers climb a gradient of over 11% to the first corner called Big Red—the highest point of the circuit—with the apex of the corner positioned on the crest of the hill, similar to Turn 4 of India . They then take a downhill right-hander inspired by the Senna 'S' of Interlagos before climbing back up the side of the hill to navigate

8547-607: The lawsuit. In November 2011, Bernie Ecclestone expressed what he called "minor" doubt over the future of the United States Grand Prix in Austin after "disagreements inside the [management] company". These issues were later confirmed when construction of the circuit came to a halt because of a dispute between the circuit owners, promoter Full Throttle Productions, and Formula One Management. Promoter Tavo Hellmund admitted that his company had been in breach of its contract with Formula One Management since May 2011. The situation further escalated when state comptroller Susan Combs described

8658-498: The mix's rutting resistance while maintaining adequate fatigue cracking resistance. In mixes with higher recycled content, the addition of virgin binder becomes less effective, and rejuvenators may be used. Rejuvenators are additives that restore the physical and chemical properties of the aged binder. When conventional mixing methods are used in asphalt plants, the upper limit for RAP content before rejuvenators become necessary has been estimated at 50%. Research has demonstrated that

8769-582: The most famous example being the Dakar Rally . In the United States, the National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA) was founded in 1967 along with the Baja 1000 . Since the 1990s, this race has been organised by SCORE International whilst NORRA's events have closer followed the FIA regulations and standards for cross country rallies, although the association has no affiliation to ACCUS , the US's FIA member. Drifting

8880-494: The next heat or winning the competition. Autocross has multiple general meanings based on country of use. Also known as Autocross in US and Canada and Autoslalom in Continental Europe, these similar disciplines are held in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. They involve precise car control, usually but not always against the clock on very short and compact temporary courses. Rather than being

8991-425: The north side of the Grand Plaza hosts concessions, retail, restroom facilities, and entrances to spectator seating. From the southeast end of the Grand Plaza, two pedestrian bridges cross over turns 16 and 3 to provide access for visitors to other areas of the circuit complex. Circuit of the Americas features a 251-foot (77 m) observation tower designed by Miró Rivera Architects and built by Patriot Erectors as

9102-409: The number, width and length of cracks increases, more intensive repairs are needed. In order of generally increasing expense, these include thin asphalt overlays, multicourse overlays, grinding off the top course and overlaying, in-place recycling, or full-depth reconstruction of the roadway. It is far less expensive to keep a road in good condition than it is to repair it once it has deteriorated. This

9213-404: The pavement for controlling storm water. Different types of asphalt concrete have different performance characteristics in roads in terms of surface durability, tire wear, braking efficiency and roadway noise . In principle, the determination of appropriate asphalt performance characteristics must take into account the volume of traffic in each vehicle category, and the performance requirements of

9324-401: The performance aspects of RAP and RAS is to combine the recycled components with virgin aggregate and virgin asphalt binder. This approach can be effective when the recycled content in the mix is relatively low, and has a tendency to work more effectively with soft virgin binders. A 2020 study found that the addition of 5% RAS to a mix with a soft, low-grade virgin binder significantly increased

9435-405: The planned Grand Prix of America as a threat to the race in Texas, and said that the first $ 25 million payment from the state sports fund would only be made available after the first Grand Prix at the circuit, despite having previously promised to make the funds available in time for the inaugural event. Bernie Ecclestone later issued an ultimatum to the owners and organizers: find a solution before

9546-468: The properties of the final product. Areas paved with asphalt concrete—especially airport aprons —have been called "the tarmac" at times, despite not being constructed using the tarmacadam process. A variety of specialty asphalt concrete mixtures have been developed to meet specific needs, such as stone-matrix asphalt , which is designed to ensure a strong wearing surface, or porous asphalt pavements, which are permeable and allow water to drain through

9657-671: The race investors, McCombs and Epstein, had reached a new arrangement with Ecclestone, with work on the circuit scheduled to resume immediately. As a part of the arrangement, organizers paid the sanctioning fee for the 2012 race one year in advance as a show of good faith. At the time of the circuit's reinstatement, there were no reports supporting Tavo Hellmund's continued involvement under the new contract. On March 4, 2012, The Austin American-Statesman reported that Hellmund had launched legal proceedings against investors Bobby Epstein and Red McCombs, with Hellmund claiming that he

9768-562: The race picked up the renewal on the contract. The race ran as scheduled on March 27, 2022. The promoters announced on the week prior to the race that NASCAR will be returning to Austin as they renewed for one more year. It will mark the third time consecutively that NASCAR goes to Austin. On November 20, 2024, it was announced that both the Cup and Xfinity Series races would move to the 2.356 mi (3.792 km) layout starting in 2025. In an episode of Speed TV 's Wind Tunnel program broadcast on August 22, 2010, Tavo Hellmund revealed that

9879-422: The recycled components are apportioned correctly in the mix. Practicing proper storage and handling, such as by keeping RAP stockpiles out of damp areas or direct sunlight, is also important in avoiding quality issues. The binder aging process may also produce some beneficial attributes, such as by contributing to higher levels of rutting resistance in asphalts containing RAP and RAS. One approach to balancing

9990-446: The road over a longer period of time, increasing ruts, cracking, and corrugations in the asphalt pavement. Other causes of damage include heat damage from vehicle fires, or solvent action from chemical spills. The life of a road can be prolonged through good design, construction and maintenance practices. During design, engineers measure the traffic on a road, paying special attention to the number and types of trucks. They also evaluate

10101-421: The roads that were in good condition have deteriorated. Some agencies use a pavement management system to help prioritize maintenance and repairs. Asphalt concrete is a recyclable material that can be reclaimed and reused both on-site and in asphalt plants . The most common recycled component in asphalt concrete is reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). RAP is recycled at a greater rate than any other material in

10212-412: The season. However, the 2020 race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . On October 1, 2020, Indycar released the 2021 calendar with COTA dropped from the schedule unexpectedly to the surprise of many, after it was announced two years prior that they had a multi-year deal in place between Indycar and COTA. On September 30, 2020, it was announced that COTA would host a NASCAR Cup Series event for

10323-623: The second and third levels. The Velocity Lounge on the second level is approximately 7,100 sq ft (660 m), and contains a 36-screen video wall and the acrylic painting "Velocity" by Dallas-based artist Christopher Martin measuring 120 feet (37 m) in length. Both the Main Grandstand and the concessions buildings in the Grand Plaza were conceived as a modular system consisting of several components that can be arranged according to need. The concessions, with banners and deep canopies, can be expanded with restrooms, permanent seating or suites. Inherent to this “kit-of-parts” construction system

10434-398: The selection of the type of surface paving, arose in the early 1970s. With regard to structural performance, the asphalt behaviour depends on a variety of factors including the material, loading and environmental condition. Furthermore, the performance of pavement varies over time. Therefore, the long-term behaviour of asphalt pavement is different from its short-term performance. The LTPP

10545-450: The settlement of the lawsuit between Tavo Hellmund and Bobby Epstein, Schwantz announced that he would be suing Steve Sexton. Schwantz claimed that upon the resolution of the dispute between Hellmund and Epstein, Sexton moved to negotiate directly with MotoGP 's commercial rights holder, Dorna Sports , ignoring what he claimed was an existing contract between Dorna and 3fourTexas to hold the race. Circuit representatives denied that there

10656-477: The site "Speed City", but the owners originally anticipated selling the naming rights to various parts of the facility for $ 7 million. On April 12, 2011, the track's name was announced as "Circuit of the Americas" at a press conference. Red McCombs, later said: “One of the most inviting aspects of the name is the word ‘Americas’. It reflects Austin's ideal location at the crossroads of North America from north to south, east to west. Also, it speaks to our state as

10767-534: The site had been planned to be developed into a residential subdivision called "Wandering Creek". In the same news conference, Hellmund also revealed that Texas billionaire Red McCombs was the project's largest investor. The circuit homologation design was submitted to the FIA in Geneva for approval on December 17, 2010. HKS, Inc. and Tilke Engineers & Architects designed the track, and Austin Commercial,

10878-527: The sports regulated by FIA (under the name of CIK), permitting licensed competition racing for anyone from the age of 8 onward. It is generally accepted as the most economical form of motorsport available on four wheels. As a free-time activity, it can be performed by almost anybody, and as karting circuits can be indoors and not take as much space as other forms of motorsport, it can be accessible to retail consumers without much qualification or training. Non-racing speed competitions have various names but all carry

10989-404: The spring thaw season and protect their roads. The damage a vehicle causes is roughly proportional to the axle load raised to the fourth power, so doubling the weight an axle carries actually causes 16 times as much damage. Wheels cause the road to flex slightly, resulting in fatigue cracking, which often leads to crocodile cracking. Vehicle speed also plays a role. Slowly moving vehicles stress

11100-460: The steep climb to the first corner as it was no different from Eau Rouge at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps , and accusing the media of hyping it up without precedent. Bordered by the track on three sides, the Grand Plaza is a 20-acre (0.081 km) space designed by Miró Rivera Architects of Austin, Texas that includes a large reflecting pool, lawn, and varying landscape zones. A promenade along

11211-530: The use of rejuvenators at optimal doses can allow for mixes with 100% recycled components to meet the performance requirements of conventional asphalt concrete. Beyond RAP and RAS, a range of waste materials can be re-used in place of virgin aggregate, or as rejuvenators. Crumb rubber, generated from recycled tires, has been demonstrated to improve the fatigue resistance and flexural strength of asphalt mixes that contain RAP. In California, legislative mandates require

11322-634: The venue the Germania Insurance Amphitheater under a seven-year deal with the Brenham, Texas based insurance company. The Germania Insurance Super Stage is a temporary stage used for concerts that exceed the 14,000 capacity of the Germania Insurance Amphitheater. The Super Stage is mainly used for the F1 Concerts and the big acts. It is located in the infield of Circuit of the Americas between Turn 11 and Turn 12. ESPN built

11433-438: The years, perhaps driven by his 22-year-old son, James W. The race was against Daniel Adamson's carriage, likely the one made for Mr. Schmidt and perhaps driven by Mr. Schmidt himself. The reports do not indicate who was driving, since both were violating the red-flag law then fully in force. Boulton's carriage was developed from a scrapped John Bridge Adams light-rail vehicle. These were solid fired steam carriages. This event and

11544-409: Was ever a contract between Schwantz and the Circuit of the Americas, and that his dispute was with Dorna Sports. Dorna later claimed that although a contract for the race between Dorna and Schwantz had existed, the contract had been terminated in July 2012 as they believed Schwantz had failed to acquire the necessary rights from the circuit to hold the race. Schwantz then accused Sexton and the Circuit of

11655-490: Was finished on September 21. The track was officially opened on October 21, with Mario Andretti running the ceremonial first laps in a Lotus 79 , the car he drove when he became the last American to win the World Drivers' Championship in 1978 . The Grand Plaza, Observation Structure, Tower Amphitheater, and Main Grandstand were designed by Austin-based architectural firm Miró Rivera Architects. McCombs wished to call

11766-511: Was marred by rain, with the Truck race on Saturday being in wet conditions while the Xfinity event later in the day was drier. The Cup race the following day, won by Chase Elliott , was shortened as the weather worsened and caused low driver visibility. On September 15, The Athletic has reported that NASCAR will return to the circuit for the 2022 season as Speedway Motorsports , the promoter of

11877-626: Was refined and enhanced by Belgian-American inventor Edward De Smedt . Edgar Purnell Hooley further enhanced the process in the UK where the term tar macadam, shortened to tarmac was coined, after the name of his company Tar Macadam (Purnell Hooley's Patent) Syndicate Limited derived from the combination of tar and Macadam gravel composite mixtures. The terms asphalt (or asphaltic ) concrete , bituminous asphalt concrete , and bituminous mixture are typically used only in engineering and construction documents, which define concrete as any composite material composed of mineral aggregate adhered with

11988-428: Was still a part of the management company and had not been paid since September. Further details emerged, reporting that Hellmund was in the process of attempting to acquire Epstein's interest in the company, describing the condition of the circuit as of March 4 as "teetering". Epstein responded to the lawsuit by stating that Hellmund had been found to have been in breach of contract by Formula One Management. In June 2012,

12099-483: Was the first purpose-built motor racing track in the world. After which, permanent autodromes popularly replaced circuits on public roads. In North America, the term road racing is used to describe racing and courses that have origins in racing on public highways; distinguished from oval racing , which has origins at purpose-built speedways using concrete or wooden boards . Off-road racing can take place on open terrain with no set path, or on circuits that do not have

12210-645: Was the first to involve what would become known as automobiles. On 28 November 1895, the Chicago Times-Herald race , running from Chicago to Evanston and back, a distance of sixty miles, was held. This is believed to be the first motorsport event in the United States of America. In 1900, the Gordon Bennett Cup was established. Motorsport was a demonstration event at the 1900 Summer Olympics . Following World War I , European countries organised Grand Prix races over closed courses. In

12321-439: Was to be used to restore the land if the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declined to allow the project to move forward because part of the site lies in a floodplain . FEMA issued a letter on June 28, 2011, stating the project meets its floodplain management criteria. In January 2012, Travis County announced that Elroy Road—one of the two primary public access roads to the circuit—would receive an upgrade to handle

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