I’m usually the last person to find out about things. For example, did you know that there is an awesome race track in Austin, TX?  This is the real deal. The Circuit of the Americas is something I never thought I would see, much less in Texas. Last week, I was fortunate to spend a day at the track for the US Grand Prix. Here is a brief description about the track from their website…

Circuit of the Americas is a multi-purpose facility that hosts prestigious racing events, including the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™.  It is the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the U.S. Built around a state-of-the-art 3.4-mile circuit track with capacity for 120,000 fans and an elevation change of 133 feet, the facility is designed for any and all classes of racing. Circuit of The Americas is ideally situated on a 1000-acre site in southeast Austin, approximately two miles from Austin Bergstrom International Airport, with scenic views of downtown.

While it is not a cheap sport to watch, much less to participate in, watching it at this track is a thrill. With many vantage points for photographers and fans alike, everyone will enjoy a day at the races.

I took this image behind the paddock between curves 18 and 19. With speeds up to 200 mph on the straights, here they were only going about a 100 mph, since they were slowing down for a curve. Using a slightly slower shutter speed and panning with the car creates the blur that gives the sense of motion and speed.