Always Have a Plan B

Sadly, this is the update that we didn't want to be writing about.

Late last night, the Austin American-Statesman posted this update on the Red Bull F1 Showcar:

Red Bull announced early today that they are not doing a public show car event in Austin this week.

“Due to feasibility, a formal Formula One show car demonstration that is open to the public will not be executed this week,” Red Bull said in a statement. “However, in an effort to bring fans up-close and personal to Formula One, the Red Bull Racing show car will be on display in front of the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum this Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.”

We don't have any further answers to the Who? What? When? Where? and Why? of it, but don't stay in bed and sob Satuday morning...

We planned an informal meetup from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Saturday at Doc's Motorworks on South Congress. Doc's is AWESOME! They have FANTASTIC food, great drink specials, and are located smack dab in the middle of Austin on the famed South Congress Avenue.

Come join us and connect with other motorsport fans while enjoying the legendary views of downtown Austin.

We'll also have video set up for you to share your thoughts about Austin and send a message to other motorsport fans around the world.

Oh wait, did we mention:

FREE SCHWAG!

So, here's your plan:

Stop by the Austin Infiniti dealer today from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM to check out their "Infiniti Red Bull Racing F1 Car." They're located at 8140 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas.

Go down to the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum around noon on Saturday to see the Red Bull Racing F1 Showcar which will be on display for the public. Who knows who else could be there alongside the car...

After the museum viewing on Saturday, take the short 5 minute drive down Congress Avenue to Doc's Motorworks, located at 1123 South Congress Avenue. Get free schwag! Be on TV! Well, on the internet at least.

We've been very pleased with the response for our Facebook Event with 85 people RSVP'ing within 24 hours. It's clear y'all are very excited about Formula 1 returning to the U.S. We hope that you'll join us Saturday at Doc's Motorworks so that we can compile interview clips to express the enthusiasm and support for Formula 1 in Austin, with hopes that Red Bull hears the message and returns soon to give Austin a proper show.

This Week's Million Dollar Question - When Will Red Bull F1 Come to Austin?

Sunset Over Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas - by Visualist Images, John Rogers

This is the view from the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin, Texas. It hovers over Lady Bird Lake, is home to the world's largest urban bat population, and in the background, you can see the Texas State Capitol.

"Congress Bridge," for short, is where we hope Red Bull Racing will film DC's inaugural F1 drive this Saturday.

I've been keeping an eye on the City of Austin's permit filings since DC revealed his intentions to take the Red Bull Racing Showcar for a spin in Austin and LA during his summer holiday this month. We were beginning to wonder how Red Bull would shut down the main artery of downtown Austin, Congress Avenue, for such a worldly event, as it has never happened in the US before. I was convinced a vague, yet rejected, permit filed for Fox Sports Promo was going to be edited the day before the event and thereby approved, until a new revelation last night - a permit not-so-stealthly titled "F1 Comes to Austin" was filed on Friday.

David Coulthard at RBR Showcar event in Singapore - April 2011 - Image from Red Bull Racing

We believe, via numerous sources, that the Red Bull Racing Showcar expedition will be in Austin this Saturday, August 20 (and in LA on the 19th). And, that's about it. No word on time. No word on location. Their permit language is confusing in that it says: "Film crew will be shooting a Formula One Car Driving driving down Congress Avenue towards the Capitol Building and exiting towards 15th street." This could put us north of the Capitol and headed south, or on our preferred path from the Congress Bridge and heading north towards the Capitol.

Wherever we end up, this is going to be a great event for F1 in the US. We were looking forward to a weekend of F1 fun, with the SENNA movie premiere slated for the 19th. However, the release date for Austin has been pushed back a week, August 26, so you'll just have to make two trips to our fine city.

Plus, this is not Red Bull's first rodeo. They're used to creating wildly successful public events at the drop of a hat. Austin's 2007 Red Bull Flugtag competition drew the largest US attendance of over 85,000 people to the Auditorium Shores of Lady Bird Lake. Were you there?

Heads up: we also enabled hotel booking on our site last week. Why should you book with us? Because we support local businesses and invest back in the Austin community whenever possible. $2 of each hotel room rental per night will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters; having been a "Big Sister" in Central Texas since 2004, this charity is important to AGP. We can also help large groups with easy booking - contact us for assistance.

So, our question remains - Will DC and Red Bull COME AND RACE ITTM?

*We make no guarantees or assurances to the vailidity of planned events and are not responsible for cancellation or changes to revised event dates. Details provided for informational purposes only and no warranties are made or implied.