Got some questions about COTA, for those of you with experience there. I'm taking my 9-year old son to the race, leaving from Houston, and we'll be staying in a hotel on Sunday night (maybe Saturday, too). Should we plan to drive over on Saturday evening, or will we be able to catch enough pre-race stuff if we leave on Sunday morning?

Any particular area where you'd suggest staying? I'd rather not go all the way into Austin. A friend mentioned Buda, but I don't know much about that. Also, how does parking/transportation work? Are there shuttle buses (like park and ride) we can take? How's parking there? My wife surprised us with seats in the grandstand area, if that makes any difference.

I'd appreciate any tips y'all can give, given that I've never been there and have no idea what to expect.

Race starts at 2:30. Up to you on Saturday night hotel but given how close we are to the race I'd say finding one in Bastrop or south/east of Austin will be either impossible or very expensive.

Last year we had parking passes for Lot A (Main Grandstand parking) but the track just opened it up for anyone. Looks like this year those are for purchase only and sold out.

You can park off-site at Del Valle High School and shuttle over. There are tons of lots all around the facility and they have shuttles that will get you from your lot up to the track area. Parking wasn't too bad but lines to get in to COTA always take a while. Plan accordingly.

Since it's a road course the track area to move around is huge. To the right of the main grandstand will be some haulers but last year most of the stuff you and your son would want to see is the Grand Plaza area. The walk from the main grandstand is not bad at all and we did it multiple times throughout the weekend.

The Grand Plaza last year had a few huge carnival rides, massive ferris wheel, all of the trailers/haulers for merchandise whichever driver your son likes or picks to like on race day. Other activities over there too.

If you don't have scanners of your own and want to rent a scanner and headset there's a new rule that you can't do it on race day anymore but must rent in advance and then you pick it up at the Racing Electronics trailer.

For you 2 I would recommend the scanner + Easy Talk Intercom system headsets from this link so you both can talk to each other while listening to various teams.

https://racingelectronics.com/collections/rentals/products/copy-of-circuit-of-the-americas-rental

If I'm you I would want to be up IN/AT the track by 11:00 or 11:30 so you have plenty of time to go do stuff before the green flag. You can always walk around mid-race as well.

There's a go-cart track right behind the main grandstand if your boy wants to get on it.

You can also purchase tickets to go up to the huge observation deck. $20 for you, $10 for kids. He'd probably get a kick out of that view.

We're thinking about doing Track Pass this year which is $60/person and gets you access to the pits/circuit to be up close for driver intros, etc.

Map from last year below:

Thank you. This helps a lot.

I've actually already reserved the scanner system you recommended, and grabbed some track passes. I saw the Observation Tower info and was wondering how that is; I think we'll do that, too.

I might come up with more questions, if you don't mind answering more in the near future.

Sure thing. Last year the line for the observation tower looked pretty long so I would try to do it first thing you get inside, or at least scope out how long the line is.

Looks like you were right about hotels on Saturday. They are available, but perhaps too expensive, so might have to rethink Saturday night and just go with Sunday. It looks like it's about 2.5 hours from my house to Del Valle HS, which isn't too bad. If we were at the school to park by 10-10:30, do you think that would get us to the track by 11-11:30? Any idea how much parking/shuttle from the school is?

I heard the shuttles were a nightmare last year but I'm assuming NASCAR has done a lot to improve that all since it was year 1 and they didn't even have a crew in place at COTA to manage everything leading up to it.

That said, I've read great things about this guy and I think we're going to use his lot...it's $35 for 1 day and you can buy it in advance. Not too far of a walk to turn 1/main grandstand:

https://christaylorracing.com/collections/circuit-of-the-americas-parking/products/circuit-of-the-americas-parking

Thanks. That looks great. It looks like it's south of the track, according to Google Maps, still about 2.5 hours away. It has me taking 71 to 21, and coming in what I assume is the back way. Any idea if that would help miss a lot of the traffic further on 71 and near the track? I know absolutely nothing about the area, and want to make it as easy as possible.

Yes - if you did 71 to 21 to fm812 that would be the ideal way to do it.

The toll road wasn't too bad last year (45) but everything going west/north of the track is a mess.

45 and turning in on Elroy Rd or FM 812 from that side is where it's bad.

It looks like I can use points and get a hotel in Bastrop for two nights for a fairly good deal. I might go ahead and do that. Do you have any experience with staying in Bastrop for races, traffic, etc?

What time do the gates actually open on Sunday? Trying to figure out what time to get to that Chris Taylor lot if we do stay in Bastrop.

I love the bastrop area. Traffic shouldn't be too bad from there at all.

No clue when gates open but usually it's early so the merch trailers and fan interactive stuff can be all up and going. I think the trackpass says 12:30 to go down there but I'd even wager that's open earlier than 2 hours before green flag so that may just be an arbitrary time on the ticket. We're planning to be out there around 10:30 or 11.

coppertop said:

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It looks like I can use points and get a hotel in Bastrop for two nights for a fairly good deal. I might go ahead and do that. Do you have any experience with staying in Bastrop for races, traffic, etc?

What time do the gates actually open on Sunday? Trying to figure out what time to get to that Chris Taylor lot if we do stay in Bastrop.

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https://www.nascaratcota.com/schedule/

10 a.m.
Gates Open (Main Grandstand, Grand Plaza, Gates 1 & 3)
10 a.m.
Suite/Paddock Lofts Open
10 a.m.
Fan Zone Open

Thanks! I appreciate you both. Looking forward to a fun day at the race.

Do you have any idea of concession stands in the Main Grandstand area? My son has a food allergy. I've emailed the COTA folks, and they did say that there should be safe items for him and that I can bring in packaged food for him just in case. But I'm trying to figure out what there might be in advance, and I can't find any info on the COTA website about stands in that area.

coppertop said:

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Do you have any idea of concession stands in the Main Grandstand area? My son has a food allergy. I've emailed the COTA folks, and they did say that there should be safe items for him and that I can bring in packaged food for him just in case. But I'm trying to figure out what there might be in advance, and I can't find any info on the COTA website about stands in that area.

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I know around turn 1 they had your general junk food. Hot dogs, pizza, nachos ect

I think they have a food truck area though in the main fan center on the other size of the facility

Yeah pizza has been my go to in the Main Grandstand area.

In years past they've had pretty good burgers inside but they didn't have any food inside the club on Friday of F1 last fall.

They had food in the club last year for nascar. Chicken strips/basic concession food.

The website seems to be conflicting, one spot says snacks in a backpack are ok and another says no food allowed. Anybody have experience with this? Unfortunately, "no alcohol can be brought in" seems to be consistent which is very anti-NASCAR!

Code Maroon 12 said:

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The website seems to be conflicting, one spot says snacks in a backpack are ok and another says no food allowed. Anybody have experience with this? Unfortunately, "no alcohol can be brought in" seems to be consistent which is very anti-NASCAR!

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When we went last year we couldn't even bring a damn water bottle in. Its uppity F1 culture there, not nascar. Most tracks let you bring in a cooler and as long as there's no glass or weapons, its fine. We used to bring in plastic handles and take shots with the folks around us

AstroAggie15 said:

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Code Maroon 12 said:

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The website seems to be conflicting, one spot says snacks in a backpack are ok and another says no food allowed. Anybody have experience with this? Unfortunately, "no alcohol can be brought in" seems to be consistent which is very anti-NASCAR!

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When we went last year we couldn't even bring a damn water bottle in. Its uppity F1 culture there, not nascar. Most tracks let you bring in a cooler and as long as there's no glass or weapons, its fine. We used to bring in plastic handles and take shots with the folks around us

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Thats what I was afraid of. Went to Talladega last year and they didn't care at all about what we brought in lol

Code Maroon 12 said:

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AstroAggie15 said:

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Code Maroon 12 said:

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The website seems to be conflicting, one spot says snacks in a backpack are ok and another says no food allowed. Anybody have experience with this? Unfortunately, "no alcohol can be brought in" seems to be consistent which is very anti-NASCAR!

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When we went last year we couldn't even bring a damn water bottle in. Its uppity F1 culture there, not nascar. Most tracks let you bring in a cooler and as long as there's no glass or weapons, its fine. We used to bring in plastic handles and take shots with the folks around us

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Thats what I was afraid of. Went to Talladega last year and they didn't care at all about what we brought in lol

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quick story for ya.

Ive been going to NASCAR since i was a kid. Used to mow lawns to pay for my ticket to the TMS spring race. We used to bring a cooler filled with fried chicken, water and beer. It was great.

Once i convinced all my idiot college buddies to go is when things got interesting. Camel backs filled with jack and coke, handle of whatever...but one trip a friend brought a guy who didnt have any binoculars so he took his leupold of his deer rifle and walked up to the gate at the track with a handle of taka & his ticket in one hand, a rifle scope in the other. They scanned his ticket and told him to have a good time. God bless NASCAR

Haha these new cars are waaaaay louder down the main straight this year.

What was that fighting in armor?

PJYoung said:

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Haha these new cars are waaaaay louder down the main straight this year.

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Definitely louder. Hot fun day. Ready for tomorrow

Did you use the Chris Taylor lot today? I reserved a spot there for tomorrow. Curious about the process.

Just rolled into the hotel in Bastrop. Ready for a quick dip in the pool, some college basketball, and a good sleep before the big day tomorrow.

I was there but he was gone spotting for the 12 truck. His sign said park anywhere if you prepaid. Seemed fine.

Thanks. Plenty of room to find a spot? Easy in and out? I assume it will be more crowded tomorrow, just curious about getting there from Bastrop and traffic around the lot.

Yeah it was really easy. There's another lot right near the entrance of lot A that was $20 today and had tons of spot too. It's all easy access

Thanks. This noob appreciates your help. I'll buy you a beer if I see you at the track tomorrow.

Bunk Moreland said:

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PJYoung said:

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Haha these new cars are waaaaay louder down the main straight this year.

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Definitely louder. Hot fun day. Ready for tomorrow

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Yeah I jumped on stubhub and bought main grandstand tix for today. Way too hot for me to sit in the sun and bake for 9 hours.

I put $10 on the truck and xfinity races and wouldn't you know Zane Smith won me $150 in a crazy ending and Ross Chastain was in it til getting wrecked out in 2nd late.

We went over to the Ford stage and took part in a small Q&A with him and Deegan and a couple of other drivers.

Bunk Moreland said:

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PJYoung said:

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Haha these new cars are waaaaay louder down the main straight this year.

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Definitely louder. Hot fun day. Ready for tomorrow

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That front stretch is a concrete canyon between the paddock and the grandstand. Loud. Shakes the fillings in your teeth. Great day of racing today. Way to go AJ!

Can't wait to get up there! Should be a beautiful day… hope the 5 can bring it home this afternoon

I went last year and really enjoyed it despite the crap weather. Glad it's a sunny for the race today. Y'all at the track have fun.

It's a blast so far. My son got his diecast signed by Almirola and got a picture and short convo with Marty Smith.

Checking in from Turn 1. GA is the way to go. Showed up early and dropped our bag chairs off and then went down to the fan plaza and enjoyed all the pomp and circumstance. Still sucks you can't BYOB at cota

Rat face Joey Logano!