Texas Archives - Page 16 of 16

Opinion/Editorial

Texas Legislature Postures over $25 Million Subsidy for Formula 1 – But What Does it Mean for MotoGP?

By Jensen Beeler 04/19/2011 1 Comment

A tremendous commotion was started today, as a panel in the Texas Senate decided to cut the $25 million subsidy set aside to help bring Formula 1 to the city of Austin, Texas. Immediately this sent concerns through the motorcycling press as to what it could mean for MotoGP and the Texan GP scheduled to be held in 2013, as it seemed the State of Texas was pulling its support from the still un-built Circuit of the Americas.

The short answer to that question is nothing, as the $25 million was ear-marked to go directly into Formula 1’s pocket, not to MotoGP’s coffers. However, the long answer to the question is a bit more convoluted, as MotoGP’s running in Austin is intrinsically linked to Formula 1 coming to the Texan track, which this budgetary decision seemingly directly affects.

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Circuit of the Americas Promotional Video

By Jensen Beeler 04/13/2011 7 Comments

In case you missed yesterday’s big news, the Circuit of the Americas track (the new world class venue being built outside of Austin, TX) has signed a 10-year deal to host motorcycling’s premier racing series starting in 2013. Securing both MotoGP and Formula 1 right out of the gates is a huge coup for the Texan track, and the prospect of having potentially three American-based GP’s is tantalizing to any motorcycle enthusiast that bleeds red, white, and blue (we guess having F1 return to American soil is pretty cool too).

With less than 24 hours since its announcement, the Austin track has already thrown together a promotional video that outlines the circuit’s facilities, features, and of course whets our appetite for the 2013 Austin GP (or is it Texan GP?). Check it out after the jump, and be sure to clear out some space on your 2013 calendar.

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MotoGP Signs Austin GP with a 10-Year Contract

By Jensen Beeler 04/13/2011 10 Comments

The rumors finally came true today, as Dorna has signed on the Circuit of the Americas, the new world class facility being built outside of Austin, Texas, for a 10-year contract to host MotoGP racing. Like the Indianapolis GP, and unlike Laguna Seca, the Austin GP (unofficial name) will host all three GP classes on its race weekend, and will begin hosting MotoGP starting with the 2013 season.

This is surely good news for American race fans, as it adds another venue to the roster, which could see three stops in the USA for MotoGP racing. Rumored to possibly be replacing the Indianapolis GP, it was interesting enough to see that the famous mid-west track issued its own statement about the event, putting its full support behind the Texan venue entering the calendars, and what it could mean for American GP racing.

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Austin GP: Yes, No, Maybe So…

By Jensen Beeler 02/08/2011 12 Comments

While the Indianapolis GP has been renewed for another season, talk continues to swell regarding the Brickyard, and whether it will remain on the MotoGP calendar. While a notably historic track in the United States, and a venue capable of easily handling an event like GP racing, track conditions at Indianapolis weighed heavily on riders’ minds while contending with the midwest circuit this past season.

With members of the GP safety commission audibly displeased with the track’s layout and and changing tarmac patches, and a new GP-quality track in Austin, Texas currently being built, the writing appears to be on the wall for Indy. Playing host to Formula One US GP (which ironically used to be held at Indianapolis) from 2012 to 2021, the new track in Austin has however denied talks with MotoGP, and having the series race at its venue. But don’t believe everything you hear.

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Wild Brothers Racing Hits 278.6 MPH at the Texas Mile

By Jensen Beeler 10/29/2010 6 Comments

How fast can you go in a standing mile? Well if your name is Bill Warner, you can reach 278.6 MPH from a standing stop in a mile’s distance, and then slowdown in another half-mile of run-off. Helping Warner achieve that impressive feat is a turbocharged 1299cc Suzuki Hayabusa that makes 650hp, which Warner methodically turned the screws on until he beat the previous record at the Texas Mile of 261.5 MPH.

A tropical fish farmer and marine biologist by day, Warner is no fish out of water when it comes to going fast (we apologize for that horrible pun), setting the track records this year at the Maxton, North Carolina (272 mph), Loring, Maine (273 mph) and now Goliad, Texas (278.6 mph). If you think firing a bike off down a straight track is just a matter of twisting the throttle and holding on, we suggest you read Warner’s account of his time at Texas Mile after the jump.

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Mixed Responses from Riders over Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Renewal with MotoGP

By Jensen Beeler 08/29/2010 7 Comments

In an announcement made before today’s Indianapolis GP, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway published that it will host MotoGP again next year, as Dorna has renewed The Brickyard with a one-year contract. This announcement puts an end to the immediate chatter that surrounded the MotoGP venue before this weekend, as it was speculated that IMS would not be returning to the MotoGP calendar for the 2011 season.

However the announcement also raises some more eyebrows, specifically because of the short renewal duration (Laguna Seca also renewed its contract with Dorna this year, but will host MotoGP through 2014), and also because of the growing pressure from riders regarding the track’s surface and format.

Perhaps most vocal of his opinion about the track’s condition is Casey Stoner. The Ducati rider missed last year’s Indianapolis GP, and says that there has been a significant degradation between Indy’s inaugural conditions and those from this weekend. One of the victim’s of the bumps in Turn 6, Stoner succintly believes that there’s, “a lot of the circuit they need to have a big think about.”

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Texas Considering Allowing Lane Splitting

By Jensen Beeler 03/12/2009 8 Comments

Senator John Carona of Dallas, Texas has introduced Senate Bill 506 to the Texas State Senate that would allow motorcyclists to lane-split through traffic. This would make Texas the only other state besides California to allow lane-splitting.

The bill proposes some strict guidelines to balance the public safety and traffic flow advantages:

The operator and the passenger have to be wearing helmets. The operator has to operate the motorcycle not more than 5 miles-an-hour faster than the rest of traffic is going. Traffic can’t be going over 20 miles-an-hour and it can’t be done in a school crossing zone or somewhere where the speed limit is less than 20 miles-an-hour.

These regulations are more clear and precise than the California legislations which states that a motorcyclist must simply be riding prudently and safely (something that is often left to the discretion of the police officer). If you live and ride in Texas and have an opinion on this bill, now is the time to let your legislators know.

Source: The Kneeslidder; Photo: eschipul / Creative Commons – Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic

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