F1: Austin gets 2012 Date, Construction work continues and Citizens protest paying Ecclestone a Quarter Billion smackeroos!

While 19 US states continue to record 100+ deg-f temperatures - it seemed only fitting to finally set this languishing No Fenders story free...As Austin’s current 2012 race date is a real DOOZY! As in can Y’all say HU-MID-ITY! As this isn’t exactly the best kept secret, especially since it’s been known for awhile now that COTA’s (Circuit Of The Americas) not to be Cornfuzed with that (somewhat)  epic(?) Led Zeppelin album CODA; Hya! Was preparing for a June 2012 date to “Twin” with Il Notre Dam, aka Montreal’s Kuhnadiun Grand Prix; as Oh, My, GAWD!!! The date’s been set now (awhile) for June 17, 2012, and guess what? This year on June 17^th it was a balmy, breezy (NOT!) 114deg-f; SHEISA!!! What’s that old Glenn Fry song title? THE HEAT IS ON! Yeah, that’s the ticket, baby – as Juan astute Scribe has mused;

Anyone remember Dallas 1984?

As that was the race where it was so HOT that the track’s Ash-fault literally melted and broke into multiple pieces. And its also where we saw the first of many of the Oscar winning performances of Thespian and future World Champion BLOODY NIGE, a.k.a. Nigel Mansell falter from the oppressive heat whilst trying to push his stricken Lotus racecar across the finish line...

Meanwhile, as the city of Austin was in the midst of budget cuts and firing multiple hundreds of Teachers, a spat arose over the alleged funding structure of the Austin F1 race, when State Comptroller Susan Combs agreed to GarUnTee Uncle Bernaughty (Bernie Ecclestone) a cool $25 million-a-year for the duration of the 10yr contract as the events sanctioning fee. As the money will come outta the State’s Special Events Trust fund – which several people claimed wasn’t conducted properly.

Opponents of Texas F1 race funding sue state

But of course, did they really think the Grand Prix was simply gonna vamoosh? As there’s simply too much Moohlah involved – as in Greenbacks Y’all Here! As reputedly Red McCombs, the 84yr old Texan Billionaire, thee Major Domo behind the project – is worth somewheres north of $2.1 BILLION!

And thus it appears that the Austin City Council has gone ahead with the race, albeit somehow coercing F1 to pay the yearly $4.0 million fee to host the Grand Prix; NOT to be Cornfuzed with the RIDICULOUS $25m sanctioning fee which will now only net Ecclestone a paltry $21m per year; WHAH!!! While the track has also promised to make the event more COUGH-COUGH; “Environmentally friendly” by pushing thru the points outlined in the pre-ratification vote, noted in;

A Green and Carbon Neutral Formula 1?

Meanwhile, during the most recent Grand Prix in Hungary, the Formula 1 Team Bosses were reported to be mulling over a revised 2012 F1 Calendar which would not only move Bahrain to the Back-of-the-Bus to be Twinned with Abu Dhabi, but see Austin’s USGP race date move to November 18^th, being Twinned with the Season finale at Interlagos, albeit this is just a rumoured revisal with NO official announcement having been made, especially since the Teams will need to sign off on it first...

Yet work continues at COTA, in which you can look at some slightly dated photos of the recent progress here; COTA Construction pics

And now comes word via Adam Cooper that New Jersey is eying a second US date upon the 2013 F1 Calendar with a proposed Street Race being held round the tiny suburbs of Weehawken and West New York which have a combined population of just 61,000; Aye Karumba! Keep dreaming Dudes...

Second US GP destined for New Jersey?