Vintage Racing Championship At COTA

They weren’t kidding when they said, everything is bigger in Texas. If you’ve never been to the new Circuit of the Americas (COTA) track outside Austin, it is a massive experience. During the first weekend of November the SVRA held the U.S. Vintage Racing National Championship at COTA.  Over 500 cars in 12 different race groups ranging from severely vintage on up to contemporary Trans Am series cars were in the paddock and on the track.

A enjoyable component of vintage racing is stumbling across rare cars one ordinarily wouldn’t see, like this red and white 1961 Huffaker Genie.  All SVRA events have open paddocks, the public can get up close to the cars and the drivers are quite hospitable.

The state of the art facility was a fine location for all this fabulous vintage old horsepower. Each of the drivers we spoke to enjoyed the track and commented on the awesomeness of this new facility.

SVRA U.S. Vintage Racing Championships at Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

Just four short years ago, at a cost of $400 million, FIA Certified Grade 1 track was built, for one thing in mind, racing, everything else was ancillary. Built for speed and heavy breaking. Right out of the gate you need rocket-ship mode as you accelerate up, up and up to the top of the hill before the hairpin of turn one. Elevation changes, increasing and decreasing carousel turns, quick turns back and forth send and that huge back straight make for quite the exciting ride. All at super high speed is why there are no fat Formula 1 drivers, a body’s gotta be in shape for this.

• 3.4 miles long
• 20 turns
• counterclockwise direction
• 133 feet elevation change

COTA is one amazing modern race track, which works as a superb venue for vintage cars.