Doubters Wonder Whether Formula One Can Make It in Austin

When the announcement came this summer that Austin, Texas, was going to host a Formula One race in 2012 there was a collective "whaaaaaat?" from the racing world. No one was more shocked than the promoter of the last U.S. Grand Prix, Joie Chitwood.

"I was as surprised as anyone,'' Chitwood (pictured right) told FanHouse.com. "Everything I had heard was that it would be somewhere on the East Coast or the West Coast in some waterfront location.

"Austin is about the same size and scope as Indianapolis and there's not even a facility built. It's still hard to believe, and to be honest, I'm not even sure it's really going to happen.''

Chitwood, now president of Daytona International Speedway, oversaw the USGP from 2000-2007 as Indianapolis Motor Speedway President. And he isn't alone in his doubts about the project, even as the state of Texas has already agreed to a controversial, $25 million-a-year, kick-in for the race's 10-year contract to help fund and sustain the event.

If a Formula One grand prix didn't work in America's greatest racing town Indianapolis -- or in a dozen other previous locales -- how's it going to play out in a city there's never even hosted a major auto race?

"The common theme among cities like Indianapolis, Phoenix, Dallas, Long Beach is that F1 isn't in any of these cities anymore,'' said Chitwood, who says Austin promoter Tavo Hellmund has never contacted him despite his recent experience holding a grand prix.

"With minimal awareness in America, it's very difficult for a sport, like F1, not on the American mainstream media to be popular in this country. What has changed to make them think it would be popular now?'' Chitwood asked.

"If the state is willing to pick up the bill, I can understand a promoter going down that path. But for a politician not to do due diligence as to the challenges of this. ...let's just say, there's a responsibility to the taxpayers in that state so I would expect more scrutiny and more due diligence.

"Just approaching it from a business standpoint, I would have a lot of questions.''

His point is not lost on many Texans.

One Austin writer has started a Facebook group called "Concerned About Formula One Racing Coming to Austin." His website, AustinPost.org, and the Austin American-Statesmen newspaper have published many articles questioning the state's willingness to jump on board and commit $250 million over 10 years with so little details of the project completed and only minimal input from taxpayers.

Typically, race promoters and race track developers spend large amounts of money and time lobbying for local and state government support. In this case, the state may have to convince its citizens to move forward.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs -- a self-proclaimed fan of Formula One racing -- has been a major help in getting the project off the ground. She never attended the grand prix in Indianapolis, but went to the British Grand Prix this summer with Hellmund.

"I've been following F1 races for years,'' Combs told FanHouse.com, describing her husband as a "racing nut."

"There's the Olympics, F1 and there's soccer and I get excited about this because it puts (Austin) on a global map like nothing else does,'' Combs said. "This brands us as globally and makes extremely good financial sense.

"Basically this has dropped into our lap and the only money we're putting in is a new incremental sales tax that we wouldn't have even gotten without a Formula One race.

"It's new money from a tax, not a hit on the (state) revenue."

It's an important point considering the investment.

Hellmund, a one-time racer with about a dozen low level NASCAR regional series starts, has convinced fellow Austinite, former NBA and NFL owner Red McCombs to invest in his plan.

Last month, he confirmed construction on a 900-acre piece of land about a five-minute drive from the Austin airport would begin in December. The 3.2-mile, 20-turn track will make use of Austin's unique elevation according to Hellmund who has hired famed race course designer Hermann Tilke for the $200 million project.

It will have grandstand seating for 50,000 and Hellmund is expecting crowds between 130-140,000, which is ambitious.


Although the first US Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2000 drew about 200,000, that number dropped in half (100,000) by the controversial 2005 race when 14 of the 20 drivers refused to compete due to tire concerns. By the grand prix's last year at Indy -- 2007 -- the crowd estimates were closer to 80,000.

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has indicated that he's considering a June date on the schedule -- sometime around the Montreal stop -- one of the hottest and wettest months of the year in Austin, according to the city's own tourism website.

And with hugely successful NASCAR and IZOD IndyCar Series races at nearby Texas Motor Speedway -- only a three-hour drive away -- it's doubtful either of those sanctioning bodies would add a date in a market so near.

"Since Texas Motor Speedway opened, our crowds have rivaled and exceeded some at Indy, Charlotte and Daytona -- we are the most successful major market speedway in the country,'' said Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gosssage.

"Obviously Bernie Ecclestone and the people of F1 recognize that and want a piece of Texas themselves. That's good for racing in Texas and in the U.S."

Combs couldn't agree more.

"I'm comfortable this is going to work,'' she said. "But I realize personal enthusiasm is no substitute for sound economic judgment.''

The state of Texas is banking on that.