MikeJim

Chin Motorsports recently released its 2014 track schedule and Circuit of the Americas was conspicuous in its absence. This, despite the fact, Chin recently partnered with Jason Wade, who had been Manager of Track Operations at COTA.

Chin General Manager Mark Hicks explained COTA's absence from the schedule. "Unfortunately, COTA has mandated a 36 car ceiling for any track event there. That's 36 cars. Total. Given the staggering track rental fee there, and a 36 car limit, the economics are impractical, to say the least. How many enthusiasts would be receptive to a 2-day track fee of $4,000? We have a continuing dialogue going with them at the highest executive level. But, for now, there is no date scheduled in 2014."

TXE36

I had heard costs there were going to be 2x last year. Given that simply doubling the already high rental fee sounded far fetched, this is more believable.

What does the track get out of limiting the participants?

Unfortunately, until people start saying "no", the cost of COTA will continue to be unreasonable. With any luck, it will turn around in a few years, but not before they can't fill their schedule with the current fee structure.

-Mike

stuttgart46

Or until COTA management changes.

Veloce Raptor

While I have no idea exactly what the COTA rental contract says, I do believe there is a provision for more than 36 cars...at a hefty fee. BMW club has a March data there, so they somehow worked out a deal.

Bigger picture, though; IMO, the way COTA views financial success is likely different than how we view it. Word is that the biggest COTA investor is Bobbby Epstein's hedge fund. As such, and given the unusual and very rapid depreciation schedule COTA gets to enjoy (compared with other tracks), there may very well be a lot of reasons for COTA to NOT make a profit...i.e., it is possible that current operations--including the huge suite & hospitality revenue earned during F1--make for break even for COTA, and allow the investors some very hefty depreciation losses to offset other of their personal incomes. Maybe too many rentals would disrupt the way their deal operates...

Plavan

I raced at COTA in October with SVRA. Some classes had 50 car fields per race.

COTA is a great track- But management needs to be axed...Again.
Remember COTA stands for "Crapping On The Amateurs"

KaiB

Herr Scott, that is a reasonable explanation.

For the short term, this could be very well near the truth. If so, it could mean long term the track will become available to us normal folk.

Drew_K

I was lucky enough to drive COTA several times this year, and as much as I want to continue to do so, I think it'll be really hard for DE groups to rent the track if you look at it from COTA's perspective. DE groups put A LOT of cars on track, which increases the wear and tear over something like a Cadillac day that has much fewer cars and cars that aren't driven as hard.

Also, the money from renting out to DE groups 5-6 weekends a year is a drop in the money bucket for COTA. I was chatting with one of the admins and they showed me the rental schedule. They are rented EVERY day of the week for every 7 of 8 weeks. In other words, for every 2 months, they are only not rented for a week. That was in the spring, so perhaps the schedule has lightened up since then, but in the end, I think COTA believes they don't need our money and, even then, DE is too much trouble.

n2deep

I've had 4 track days at COTA and I don't think the track is that much fun. Sure it's the F1 track and the surface is smooth, etc. but it's not much fun for our cars. Six 2nd gear turns ...

multi21

I think this ^^^ and what VR posted about possible tax and revenue schedules are what's behind all this.

Is it really true that the track is not very fun for our cars? I'm thinking about doing it this year, but it would be a major undertaking and expense to do so.

Glen

It was AWESOME, and I loved it. Cant wait to have another opportunity!

ProCoach

I have been fortunate enough to drive and race on COTA's vast tarmac several times this past year. I have seen the schedule more recently and they are booked at least that much, both by manufacturer ride and drive programs and a ton of other small groups of individuals not bothered by the steep fees. They are not hurting in that department.

SVRA has a multi-year deal and I think both parties were very happy with what went on the first time. That said, the facility is SO vast and requires SO many personnel to operate, by capping the number they can control the open areas and keep operational staffing requirements to a minimum.

You know, in the end, it's their playground and they can do what works for them. I like racing on the track much better than I expected. It's also been a major help to my business because it's a tough place to go very quick at...

rlm328

I had the pleasure of driving this course. It is one of the most fun tracks I have been on with the elevation changes and actually having to drive your car, changing gears, all of it. I was amazed that at the end my tires looked new.

Veloce Raptor

Agree 100%. I have driven it a bunch in a variety of street and race cars...coached it several times...raced it...even driven the FIA Safety Car on it. Despite the 6 second-gear corners in most cars, IMO it is a hoot, and a lot more fun each time I am on it. And as Peter says, it has been very good for my business because (a) it is very hard to go really quickly there, and (b) it is 38 minutes from my house...

ProCoach

TXE36

I've been track driving since Sept of 2009 and have not driven a lot of tracks (TWS, MSRH, HHR, and COTA), but I will say that COTA exercises skills that none of those other places do. I think the gripe with 2nd gear corners is they take practice to be good at them and if you drive the three other tracks I listed, you will have zero practice at them. I finally started getting better at them back in May and we ran out of time.

Maybe it is different in other places of the country, but COTA does bring other challenges to the TX scene that aren't available at the other three tracks I mentioned.

And it's only 2 hours from my house .

(Still, TWS is Texas' little gem and that place is a hoot, plus the track management there is infinitely better than COTA).
-Mike