USA Today via Reuters
Mar 26, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell (20) during the EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix Qualifying at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Mar 26, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell (20) during the EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix Qualifying at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
The Circuit Of The Americas in Austin is one of those tracks that guarantee a good race. Yes, last year the NASCAR Cup Series race was a disaster, but it was so because of mother nature. This year, the track redeemed itself and lived up to the high expectations with a nail-biting race through and through.
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There’s a reason COTA is on the NASCAR, Formula 1, and MotoGP calendars. It is that good.
However, it is about to get better (or worse, depending on which side you’re going to be on).
It was recently announced that the track is going to build an amusement park; yes, an amusement park by 2023.
“We’re building a massive amusement park that I hope opens in ’23,” Bobby Epstein, the Chairman of the track, said. “We’ll have 30-plus rides and two mega-coasters. One of them will be the first of its kind in the country.”
“It’ll be an amusement park to rival any other.”
🎢@COTA is going to build a massive amusement park on its grounds with 30 rides and two big rollercoasters that could open as soon as 2023. – @KLyttleSports https://t.co/E7SsNh3gKH
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) March 28, 2022
The grand plans aside, this announcement turned out to be divisive for NASCAR fans.
Some of them seemed to welcome this idea of an amusement park inside a racetrack while some simply couldn’t wrap their head around this.
An amusement park with 30 rides and 2 rollercoasters to be built in less than a year? That's a HARD pass. Who wants to be the guinea pig for those quickly built rides? pic.twitter.com/2kjfFWzdUH
— Namey McNameface 🇺🇦 #FuckPutin (@daknls2006) March 28, 2022
That would be awesome to have an amusement park 🎡🎠🎢 with a nascar race together would be 🔥 pic.twitter.com/siHlyBFVzs
— Josh B (@Joshb72772233) March 28, 2022
Plz do a total resurface b4 throwing money on rollercoasters lmfao.
— PlayoffPushGordie (@gordonho560402) March 28, 2022
Oh great… more shit for their "event management" team to royally screw up…
— OXCART (@OXCART30310183) March 29, 2022
more tracks should do this
— 𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙚 ⚡️ (@LukeMotorstar) March 28, 2022
Fox camera men pic.twitter.com/T0i4VcVqjD
— JG (@JDGra10) March 29, 2022
Considering u have nascar f1 maybe indycar and sportscasters constantly visiting that’s a huge w and If it is an independent park that’s open year round 📈
— bullseyearcher1 (@bullseyearcher1) March 28, 2022
NASCAR drivers love the Circuit Of The Americas
During the recent racing weekend at the COTA, drivers Tyler Reddick and Kurt Busch expressed their admiration for the track.
“I’d like to see us do everything we can to stay here. This track should on the A list,” Reddick said.
“When you consider the Formula One races, MotoGP, all the international sports car races they’ve held here, it’s a prestigious place. COTA should be an annual stop.”
Getty
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 16: Kurt Busch, driver of the #45 Monster Energy Toyota, speaks to the media during the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 Media Day at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
While Kurt Busch believes the Texas road course track has a “European feel.”
“I drove some sports cars here years ago,” the No. 45 Toyota driver said. “I was intrigued by the place, the aura of it. The track has a lot of personalities, from technical to speed. It has a European feel.”
The veteran driver added that racing in COTA, a driver gets the sense of being in “someplace special,” that it’s a feeling that drivers don’t experience every week.
Written by
Edited by
Ankit Sharma