Weather might get a little wet at times (don't complain, we need the rain BAD here in central Texas), but hopefully it'll cool off a little from the upper '90's it's been for the past few months. I go every year, track is only about 20 minutes from my place. No crowds, old race cars, pit, paddock, and garage access..gotta love it.
I'll be going both days. Walking around COTA in the wet isn't much fun, but rain chances have gone down and I haven't been out to any event this year.
Entry list looks lighter than previous years, hope that's not a trend. Usually there are more old 911s and 240Zs.
Sorta of related, but some of us will be at HSR at Daytona this weekend.
A few photos from strolling around the pits on Friday:
How often do you see a DOHC in a military vehicle?
1952 Alfa Romeo "jeep" - independent front suspension (with upper wishbones), access hole for hand crank start, gas tank under passenger seat. Either a very lucky survivor or a comprehensive restoration. It was puttering around the paddock most of the day.
Under the same canopy was this BEAUTIFUL DeThomaso...something.
Such lines. Bella machina.
These Alcon calipers were on a vintage Trans-Am car. Either 3D printed, or multi-axis milled to remove excess weight (and improve cooling, I suppose). Mechanical art.
Business end of an injected big block Chevy in a Shadow. The shift linkage would have impressed Rube Goldberg.
This thing sets off seismic alarms miles away. It's glorious.
De Tomaso Vallelunga!!
I wish I was there. They only made about 60 of those cars. Very rare thing to see. Thanks for all the pics.
don't know what happened this year, usually we get easy parking and access to at least half of the track but it was mostly closed off.
In reply to j_tso :
COTA, in it's infinite wisdom, has decided to tear up most of what remains of parking lot A (the big one, nearest the entrance and the main grandstands) to put up thrill rides - roller coasters, etc.
They took over a big chunk of it nearest the grandstands a few years ago to turn into a go kart track...it's not like they didn't have acres and acres of pavement already available to use as a go kart track, they had to use the most accessible parking lot.
So, naturally, when they wanted to build a theme park, instead of using some of the HUNDREDS of acres of land surrounding the track and existing (remaining) parking lots, they decided to...tear up even more of the closest parking lot.
What a wonderful idea.
So yeah, now, the "spectator parking area" is Lot N, east of the track - accessible only by threading your way between storage containers, temporary fencing, active construction zones, looping all the way around the outside of Turn 11, weaving between forklifts, Bobcats, golf carts, and the occasional rattlesnake, all the while enjoying the free suspension articulation test provided by the (sometimes) pavement of the service road.
One interesting side effect if this is that, if you board the shuttle bus/tram/people trailer/side by side/whatever happens to stop near the entrance near the pedestrian bridge, and let it drop you off in the main paddock...nobody checks for your ticket. Or your bag. You just walk right in.
Mustang 38 in the center of the above picture is my friend Dan.
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