Austin Moto GP 2013 | Page 7 | FerrariChat

Austin Moto GP 2013

Discussion in 'Motorcycles & Boats' started by Mule, Oct 16, 2012.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Page 7 of 7
  1. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 25, 2003
    3,752
    Alaska
    Full Name:
    Mule
    #151 Mule, Apr 23, 2013
    Left SA around 8:00 and kind of followed two couples on a Moto Guzzi and Honda touring bikes. A yellow Ducati came up, but quickly moved on kind of impatiently. Stopped at Bucky’s (Buc-ees?) and got to Lot P around 10:00. Passed all the local $10-25 parking lots/lawns/fields on our way to our $60 spot in Lot P. Kind of smelled like Lot MJ, though. From the south to Lot P, driving and parking was easy in and out.

    Went in and walked around clockwise to about the RV parking. It was pretty remote out there, so we came back, crossed the bridges, and met Schatten (Randy) and his group on top of Turn 1. Some vendors seemed lonely, some seemed crowded with lookers, and some may have sold stuff. Lots of helmets for sale, but I only saw one guy who bought one. The Ducati tent was silly crowded and confined, with a door man/bouncer. Programs were overly available, and $10 is fair. Didn’t buy anything else. Food vendors seemed state fair stuff.

    Sat for a while at turn two, because there weren’t too many fire ants, spiders, scorpions, rattle snakes, bugs, tornadoes, floods, cows, etc. Wish they had mowed the grass, though. Walked around some more, and thought to myself, “look at this character walking by. He looks familiar.” So, I stopped him and asked if he was Alan, and we did the intros.

    Saw the replay again today, and saw myself on TV at turn 2 (bright orange shirt helped).

    Overall, good day, but a big hole without KS there. I didn’t see or hear of any other past American GP stars there. Spencer, Roberts, KR Jr., Mamola, Rainey, Lawson? Seemed like a great race, but kind of missing the big names and big feel.

    You Texans are great hosts; need to pass that to the COTA people when they start thinking ticket pricing and planning again. You are saving them with the smiles, friendliness, and courtesy.
     
  2. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 25, 2003
    3,752
    Alaska
    Full Name:
    Mule
    #152 Mule, Apr 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  3. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 25, 2003
    3,752
    Alaska
    Full Name:
    Mule
    #153 Mule, Apr 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  4. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 25, 2003
    3,752
    Alaska
    Full Name:
    Mule
    #154 Mule, Apr 23, 2013
    One thing that really was cool: While walking around turn 6, I looked over the infield to the back straight from turn 11 to 12, and the bikes were like missiles going right to left at over 200 MPH.
     
  5. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 25, 2003
    3,752
    Alaska
    Full Name:
    Mule
    #155 Mule, Apr 23, 2013
    We should have followed you to the bar. Would have loved to have met him, and BSed a bit with everyone.

    Off for now...
     
  6. hairy_scotsman

    hairy_scotsman Formula 3

    Apr 3, 2013
    1,134
    Austin, Tx.
    Full Name:
    Tim
    #156 hairy_scotsman, Apr 24, 2013
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2013
    I went to UT. Didn't go to Crockett, but would have had we not moved to Houston in 7th grade. I went to Bedicheck M.S. You say he's in AFD? Are his initials "S.P.T."? If so, he's probably a guy I used to work with at Station 35 who is a big bike fan, esp Isle of Man. Is that him with you in the pics at the Gypsy? Kinda looks like that guy. I was there for the race and a little while after, but I left about 5ish.

    Kevin was cool. Good down to earth guy. Seemed a little down compared to the Qatar watch party, imho. Understandable.


    BTW, great pics. Thanks! Were these on Sunday? Crowd looks even thinner than I thought. Their attendance claims are total bs.
     
  7. hairy_scotsman

    hairy_scotsman Formula 3

    Apr 3, 2013
    1,134
    Austin, Tx.
    Full Name:
    Tim
    #157 hairy_scotsman, Apr 24, 2013
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2013
    Glad you enjoyed the weekend. There are a lot of great people working out there, and they take pride in being gracious hosts, as we all generally do here in Austin. The problem is higher up.

    ETA: re: the lack of stars from the past...these guys don't care about any of that. You know, the history, the people the sport was built on, etc. They don't "get" it. If they did, then they never would have missed the huge opportunity they had with KS. They could have doubled that crowd with him as the face of the race, promoting it all over the place.
     
  8. kiesan

    kiesan Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 21, 2003
    1,455
    Seattle
    Full Name:
    Kie Robertson
    #158 kiesan, Apr 24, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  9. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,218
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    #159 BigTex, Apr 24, 2013
    Yep, that's him!!!

    It was only "crowded" at the Main Plaza, and Turn 1, in my walkabout, but I didn't get over to the permanent bleacher area where they'd put the Ducati Club , and Honda fans..
     
  10. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,218
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    #160 BigTex, Apr 24, 2013
  11. hairy_scotsman

    hairy_scotsman Formula 3

    Apr 3, 2013
    1,134
    Austin, Tx.
    Full Name:
    Tim
    #161 hairy_scotsman, May 1, 2013
    Last edited: May 1, 2013
  12. Monch

    Monch Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 29, 2012
    87
    #162 Monch, May 1, 2013
    The hotel thing is inaccurate. I booked a room for the Moto GP through Expedia. Upon arrival was notified that the hotel was overbooked and no rooms were available. I was on the phone with Expedia for over an hour and could not find a single hotel room in all of Austin, or within 60 miles. 22 people walked into the hotel lobby while I was on the phone looking for a room, and were turned away. I had to spend the night on the floor of a friend's apartment... And I had a confirmed reservation!!
    I don't see how Austin could have accommodated more people. Poor planning; Moto GP, MS 150 bike event and the festival on the same weekend. Brilliant!!
     
  13. hairy_scotsman

    hairy_scotsman Formula 3

    Apr 3, 2013
    1,134
    Austin, Tx.
    Full Name:
    Tim
    #163 hairy_scotsman, May 1, 2013
    Last edited: May 1, 2013
    There was a lot more going on, too & Reggae Fest is a big event in its own right & accounted for a lot of the smaller-than-expected hotel sales bump. The Statesman got those numbers from the hotel industry who have no reason to understate them.

    Even with all the other events going on, the total increase in hotel revenue was about half COTA's projected increase from MotoGP alone.
     
  14. hairy_scotsman

    hairy_scotsman Formula 3

    Apr 3, 2013
    1,134
    Austin, Tx.
    Full Name:
    Tim
    #164 hairy_scotsman, Jul 19, 2013
Page 7 of 7

Share This Page