Track near Austin?

p-streets · 12-03-2012, 09:12 AM

Looking for a 1/4 mile or a track in the Austin area that are open around this time of the year

IL8Apex · 12-03-2012, 10:34 AM

What about Circuit of the Americas, where they just held the F1 race.

jphughan · 12-03-2012, 11:49 AM

^ CotA events should start in Q1 of next year. The next nearest track would be Harris Hill in San Marcos, then Texas World Speedway in College Station. From there the tracks in Houston and Dallas are pretty equidistant.

Of the other two, Harris Hill is a slower but more technical track. That plus the fact that it has really nice, gentle runoff areas in most places that make it unlikely that you'll damage your car if you find yourself off-roading make it an ideal venue for working on driving technique especially if you're a beginner. TWS is a pretty fast track that rewards high horsepower cars. It still has enough challenge to teach you driving technique, but between the higher speeds and the fact that TWS has some seriously harsh runoff terrain in some areas (including areas where you actually are more likely to go off), it's even more true there than elsewhere that it's up to you as a driver to remain within your own limits.

I'd also recommend checking out The Driver's Edge. They're a popular HPDE group around here because they're awesome. They used to run Harris Hill but stopped because their events got too large to run well on that track. However, they run TWS and MSR near Houston and MSR Cresson in, you guessed it, Cresson. They've run other tracks in the past and may return to those as well. But it's great to run with them because you can try out various (semi-)local tracks while always having a consistent experience since you're with the same group. That means instructors can look at your past progress with them before each event so they know what to work on with you upfront at each event, learning progression in class is better, and you see a lot of familiar faces each time. They also always do 2-day events, which makes traveling farther away more worthwhile, helps you retain what you learn better, and gives you more track time and fun for your dollar.

bigjae1976 · 12-04-2012, 11:27 AM

Lol...he said drag strip!

San Antonio Raceway
Little River Dragway (might be closed)

jphughan · 12-04-2012, 12:21 PM

He said drag strip or track.

bigjae1976 · 12-04-2012, 01:39 PM

doh...both.

p-streets · 12-04-2012, 05:07 PM

I herd of the lil river one but the SA might be a lil to far for me font really want to spend all day there then drive 2 hours to get home just being lazy lol but thanks for all the info fellas

NotEnoughTime · 02-11-2013, 04:12 PM

I'd love to take my M3 around COTA. I had the good fortune to drive a Mini around the circuit for 6 laps during the opening day ceremonies in Oct. The track is incredible...hopefully it will become the long-term home for F1 and a premier event for Grand-Scam/ALMS and WEC. If you live near Austin and have the chance to drive it...do it! And please send links to your GoPro videos ;-)

12-03-2012, 09:12 AM	#1
p-streets M3NTAL 19 Rep 300 Posts Drives: 09 E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: LAND OF THE LOST TEXAS iTrader: (1)	Track near Austin? Looking for a 1/4 mile or a track in the Austin area that are open around this time of the year
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12-03-2012, 10:34 AM	#2
IL8Apex Private First Class 12 Rep 175 Posts Drives: 2009 E92 M3, 1999 E36 M3 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Diego iTrader: (7)	What about Circuit of the Americas, where they just held the F1 race. __________________ 2009 E92 M3 / DCT / AW / Black Extended / Akrapovic Evolution / BPM Engine+DCT Tune / Dinan Stage I + Camber Plates / HRE C20 / Valentine One by Alekshop
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12-03-2012, 11:49 AM	#3
jphughan Brigadier General 594 Rep 4,488 Posts Drives: '16 Cayman GT4 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	^ CotA events should start in Q1 of next year. The next nearest track would be Harris Hill in San Marcos, then Texas World Speedway in College Station. From there the tracks in Houston and Dallas are pretty equidistant. Of the other two, Harris Hill is a slower but more technical track. That plus the fact that it has really nice, gentle runoff areas in most places that make it unlikely that you'll damage your car if you find yourself off-roading make it an ideal venue for working on driving technique especially if you're a beginner. TWS is a pretty fast track that rewards high horsepower cars. It still has enough challenge to teach you driving technique, but between the higher speeds and the fact that TWS has some seriously harsh runoff terrain in some areas (including areas where you actually are more likely to go off), it's even more true there than elsewhere that it's up to you as a driver to remain within your own limits. I'd also recommend checking out The Driver's Edge. They're a popular HPDE group around here because they're awesome. They used to run Harris Hill but stopped because their events got too large to run well on that track. However, they run TWS and MSR near Houston and MSR Cresson in, you guessed it, Cresson. They've run other tracks in the past and may return to those as well. But it's great to run with them because you can try out various (semi-)local tracks while always having a consistent experience since you're with the same group. That means instructors can look at your past progress with them before each event so they know what to work on with you upfront at each event, learning progression in class is better, and you see a lot of familiar faces each time. They also always do 2-day events, which makes traveling farther away more worthwhile, helps you retain what you learn better, and gives you more track time and fun for your dollar. __________________ '16 Cayman GT4 (delivery pics, comparison to E92 M3 write-up) Gone but not forgotten: '11.75 M3 E92 Le Mans \| Black Nov w/ Alum \| 6MT (owned 5/2011 - 11/2015) Last edited by jphughan; 12-03-2012 at 03:33 PM..
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12-04-2012, 11:27 AM	#4
bigjae1976 Major General 1570 Rep 8,075 Posts Drives: 11 E90 M3 Individual Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (22) Garage List 2004 BMW M3 [4.50] 2011 BMW E90 M3 [5.25] 2013 BMW 328i [5.00]	Lol...he said drag strip! San Antonio Raceway Little River Dragway (might be closed) __________________ 2018 F30 320iX Melbourne Red 2011 E90 M3 Monte Carlo Blue 2004 E46 M3 Imola Red 2000 E36/7 Z3 Steel Blue
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12-04-2012, 12:21 PM	#5
jphughan Brigadier General 594 Rep 4,488 Posts Drives: '16 Cayman GT4 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	He said drag strip or track. __________________ '16 Cayman GT4 (delivery pics, comparison to E92 M3 write-up) Gone but not forgotten: '11.75 M3 E92 Le Mans \| Black Nov w/ Alum \| 6MT (owned 5/2011 - 11/2015)
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12-04-2012, 01:39 PM	#6
bigjae1976 Major General 1570 Rep 8,075 Posts Drives: 11 E90 M3 Individual Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (22) Garage List 2004 BMW M3 [4.50] 2011 BMW E90 M3 [5.25] 2013 BMW 328i [5.00]	doh...both. __________________ 2018 F30 320iX Melbourne Red 2011 E90 M3 Monte Carlo Blue 2004 E46 M3 Imola Red 2000 E36/7 Z3 Steel Blue
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12-04-2012, 05:07 PM	#7
p-streets M3NTAL 19 Rep 300 Posts Drives: 09 E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: LAND OF THE LOST TEXAS iTrader: (1)	I herd of the lil river one but the SA might be a lil to far for me font really want to spend all day there then drive 2 hours to get home just being lazy lol but thanks for all the info fellas
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02-11-2013, 04:12 PM	#8
NotEnoughTime New Member 0 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 M3 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Redmond/Bellevue, WA iTrader: (0)	I'd love to take my M3 around COTA. I had the good fortune to drive a Mini around the circuit for 6 laps during the opening day ceremonies in Oct. The track is incredible...hopefully it will become the long-term home for F1 and a premier event for Grand-Scam/ALMS and WEC. If you live near Austin and have the chance to drive it...do it! And please send links to your GoPro videos ;-) __________________ Delivered 9/4/11: 2011 E90 M3, Le Mans blue, ZCP/ZCV/ZP2, DCT, Premium sound; BMW Performance Exhaust, CF Splitters, and "Black chrome" kidney grills.
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