Weekend Features Something For Everyone with On-Track Action, Car Show and More at the Mission Foods Austin SpeedTour
AUSTIN, Texas (November 2, 2022) – The Mission Foods Austin SpeedTour will take on Circuit of The Americas (COTA), November 2-6, marking the final SpeedTour event of the 2022 season. With championships being decided for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda (FR Americas), Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda (F4 U.S.), Sports Car Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), as well as the coveted Bell Racing Gold Helmets being awarded in SVRA’s Sunday competition, the weekend will be packed with some of the most significant on-track contests of the season. Located just 220 miles from Mission Foods’ U.S. Headquarters in Irving, Texas, the Mission Foods Austin SpeedTour is a “can’t-miss” event.
FR Americas and F4 U.S. took to the track on Wednesday for practice and qualifying, and will contest their races on Thursday and Friday. Both series will decide their 2022 champions while at COTA, with two drivers in the running for the FR Americas title, and four drivers left to battle it out for the F4 U.S. championship.
On Friday, fans will get to see practice and qualifying for all SVRA groups, as well as catch a glimpse of Trans Am with testing sessions scheduled for the afternoon.
The action will really heat up on Saturday as more SVRA qualifying gives way to feature races to determine the 2022 SVRA champions in their final points races of the year. With International GT also scheduled to race and Trans Am set to practice and qualify, the day will be filled with on-track action.
In addition to the competitive track activities, car enthusiasts will be delighted to find the Hagerty Cars and Caffeine Car Show and Corvette Invasion. Scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in the Grand Plaza, the car show will include everything from classic and muscle cars to rat rods and motorcycles. Offering a Corvette-only experience, the Corvette Invasion will take over Lot C with models representing 56 years of Corvette history.
On Sunday, SVRA competitors will race for the coveted Bell Gold Helmets. An annual tradition, SVRA has held its annual U.S. Vintage Racing National Championship at COTA every fall since 2013. Last year, 25 helmets were distributed to winners across the various classes.
“The Gold Helmets are about more than just that race—it’s about all the years, the time, the dedication that it takes to get to that point,” explained Tony Parella, CEO of SVRA, on the significance of the limited-edition commemorative Bell Racing Gold Helmets. “Some competitors have worked years to get their car and their race craft to where it is today to be able to win that Gold Helmet. I’ve heard of racers who’ve taped a picture of it to their bathroom mirror so they would look at it every day and know that’s the goal. To be in a race with 40-50 cars and know that you’re the one who won that helmet—that’s a big deal.”
Capping off an excellent season with exciting competition and impressive growth, Trans Am will crown its champions following its final feature races of the season on Sunday. With the National and Western Championships joining forces, more than 80 Trans Am cars are expected to compete at COTA this weekend. Chris Dyson has already locked up the TA Class and Billy Griffin has earned the GT Class in the National Championship, but battles remain as four drivers duke it out for the TA2 title, and a father-son duo race for the SGT Class championship. Western Championship titles will also be decided as two drivers race to become the TA2 champion, and trophies are awarded in SGT competition.
In all, about 900 cars are expected to be featured at COTA this weekend, whether competing on the track or showcased in the car show. Spectators are welcome Friday through Sunday, with tickets available at the gate or online at SpeedTour.net/Austin.
For more details about SpeedTour, including the 25 events planned for the 2023 race season, visit SpeedTour.net, or our individual race series’ websites at SVRA.com, GoTransAm.com, FRAmericas.com and F4USChampionship.com.