America, let's race!

Come November 18, 2012, Circuit of The Americas, the proposed home to Formula One in the US will host its first-ever F1 race, and the sheer size and scope of the project is an indicator of what F1 means to the nation. Considering the Americans' love for the automobile, an authorised US venue for a global motor sport as rich, evolved and loved as F1, has been a long time coming. But as the cliché says, better late then never.

The racing facility, located on a site covering roughly 970 acres in Austin, Texas, is being conceived with the help of 16 Texas-based companies including HKS Sports and Entertainment Group, Walter P Moore and Austin Commercial. Once constructed, Circuit of The Americas will be the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the US for any and all classes of racing, from F1 and MotoGP to the V8 Supercars Championship. Master planners are ensuring that Circuit of The Americas will offer everything that the petrolhead hoped for on a local track and more. The 5.4-kilometre circuit, with a capacity for 120,000 fans, is being built by Tilke Engineers and Architects, considered to be the world's best and the name behind the race track in Abu Dhabi. Future amenities will include a motor sports driving club and a trackside recreational park. The track is owned and managed by Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. The business partners include Full Throttle Productions LP, McCombs Partners and Prophet Capital Management Ltd.

New Jersey gets a new track

The racing circuit is also set to visit New Jersey in June 2013 with a race along the Hudson River shoreline. New Jersey's Governor, Chris Christie said at a press conference last month that the track will be called the Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial. Although officials have not confirmed the race, Bernie Ecclestone recently told BBC Sports that the New Jersey race marks the culmination of 40 years of attempts to establish a race in or close to New York. "[Double 1960s world champion] Graham Hill and I tried to do it in Central Park — that's how long ago it was," said Ecclestone. "It's going to be perfect. We need another two [races], it's a big country."

According to media reports, organisers expect the three-day event to bring 100,000 fans a day to the venue, and also plan on introducing the hugely popular NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) races on the track.

At a glance

Circuit of The Americas

Location: Southeast Austin, along the SH 130 corridor near FM 812, two miles from Austin Bergstrom International Airport

Track details:

Length: 3.7 miles (roughly 5.4 kilometres)

Width: 39ft-52ft

Top speed: 200 mph (about 322 kmph)

Max elevation change: 133 feet