![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.rhinopeel.com\/sbmrl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Austin.jpg\")
<\/a>Austin<\/p><\/div>\n
Circuit of the Americas has a little bit of everything, with rhythm sections, a sharp hairpin followed by a long straight, and some technical driving through the final sector.\u00a0 The starting straight isn’t particularly long and leads into a blind lefthander for turn 1.<\/p>\n
Turns 3 and 4 keep everyone close and the field will likely stay together through the first sector.\u00a0 The exit of Turn 4 is key to a fast lap as it sets up Turn 5 and the track’s long back straight. \u00a0In the past, this straight and the approach to Turn 6 have been key overtaking zones.<\/p>\n
This is also, of cours, a prime opportunity for drivers to overcook things. \u00a0In fact, Jaap’s retirement from last year’s race was largely the result of an overaggressive attempt to catch up that ultimately cost him.<\/p>\n
After a first sector that seems relatively straightforward, the second sector feels like the highlight of the lap. \u00a0The high risks involved leave the third sector as a bit of an afterthought. \u00a0Sure, it looks as simple as the first one, but the reality is that this section of the track has caused more problems than anyone seems to remember. \u00a0There’s nothing flashy about it. \u00a0Any overtaking that occurs here feels more like one driver’s failure rather than the other’s skill, but that doesn’t mean it won’t play a key role in the race.<\/p>\n
Starting Grid<\/span><\/p>\n As this is the second race of the year, the starting grid for Austin is the reverse order of finish at Elkhart Lake.<\/p>\n As is league policy, pit selection will be in order of team standings, with ties broken by reverse order of average starting position.\u00a0 That leaves the following:<\/p>\n Austin will be Bubba McQueen’s home race.<\/p>\n Jaap and Launch have both previously won in Austin, while Sheila and Whiplash finished on the podium last year.\u00a0 Pole-sitter The Stig has fared poorly in his three attempts to handle COTA, finishing no higher than 6th place.\u00a0 However, all three previous winners have started on the front row, with two of those being on pole.\u00a0 Mater is the only driver to have multiple podiums.<\/p>\n The previous three races have seen 5 cars fail to finish.\u00a0 Ironically, it was the 2016 race with 10 cars on the grid, the largest of the three, that saw all cars make it to the checkered flag.\u00a0 Last year, Jaap and Bubba both retired early.<\/p>\n SBMRL @ Circuit of the Americas<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With one race in the books, the SBMRL stays in the United States but heads south to Austin, Texas to run Circuit of the Americas.\u00a0 This will be the fourth time in as many seasons that the league competes on … Continue reading \n
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Track History<\/h3>\n