Austin, Texas, June 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AUSTIN, Texas (June 26, 2012) -- Circuit of The Americas today welcomed one of the current stars of the Australian-based V8 Supercars series, Mark "Frosty" Winterbottom, to the circuit for a tour and test drive, and the popular Aussie driver gave the soon-to-be-completed facility a ringing endorsement.
"The circuit's topography, including the dramatic changes in elevation, will make for some really fun racing and a great show for fans," Winterbottom said. "While I didn't get to drive the full circuit, the sequence of turns I did sample were fantastic, and I can't wait to come back and take a lap around the finished racecourse. Circuit of The Americas will be a welcome addition to our future V8 Supercar line-up!"
Winterbottom drove a Ford Mustang GT through the back portion of the racecourse, from Turns 5-12, and played chauffeur to a few eager journalists who captured the view--and exhilarating experience--from inside the vehicle.
Winterbottom is in the United States as part of a media tour promoting his involvement with the Disney-PIXAR movie Cars 2, in which Winterbottom lent his voice to the character "Frosty" in the Australian version of the production. Winterbottom will participate in the debut of the new "Cars Land" attraction opening this month at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. He also visited with fellow Aussie racing star Marcus Ambrose during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway in Northern California on June 24.
Winterbottom made a pit stop in Austin while on the continent and checked out local eateries and entertainment hot spots, shopped for cowboy boots and hats, and even paid a call on Austin resident Jesse James, the internationally known hot rod designer and television celebrity, at James' Austin Speed Shop.
"Austin has a really cool vibe. There's lots to see and do, and I think international visitors will find the city very sophisticated, yet laid back and welcoming," Winterbottom noted. "It's a great destination for motorsports enthusiasts and their families because there's something for everyone in terms of good food, great shopping, exceptional music and entertainment, loads of parks and recreational activities, and, of course, a purpose-built Grand Prix circuit that will host some of the best auto racing in the world!"
The 2012 V8 Supercars Championship is made up of 15 championship events across Australia, New Zealand and Abu Dhabi and is the world's leading Touring Car Championship recognized by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. Circuit of The Americas is holding a spot for the series on its 2013 schedule.
About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas will be a world-class destination for performance, education and business. It will be the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of racing, from motor power to human power, and be the U.S. home to the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ Nov. 16-18.
The Circuit of The Americas' master plan features a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element will be a 3.4-mile circuit track. Other support buildings will include an expansive outdoor live music space, a conference center, a banquet hall as well as a state-of-the-art medical facility. Future proposed amenities include a driving/riding experience, a motorsports driving club, kart track, grand plaza event center and tower, and a trackside recreational vehicle park. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com.
About the V8 Supercar Championship
The V8 Supercar Championship is one of the worlds' largest and best known touring car categories, recognized internationally as a leader in motorsport and entertainment. The Championship consists of 15 events across Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East in 2011, as well as racing at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix™.
In 2011 more than 1.75 million people attended a V8 Supercar event and every race is telecast live on the Seven Network across Australia and the TV3 Network in New Zealand. SPEED TV in America televises every Championship event, selected events live. More than 17.5 million people watched V8 Supercars on television in Australia, while the official website had more than 30 million page views. V8 Supercars has more than 200,000 Facebook fans and in 2011 had 80-million Facebook newsfeed impressions. Outside of Australia and New Zealand, the United States is the largest consumer of V8 Supercars on television and digital media. In addition, more than 130 countries telecast V8 Supercars live, as live or on delay, dependent on time zone and programming. The massive SPEED TV network in North and South America and ESPN Star throughout Asia are among the major broadcasters of the sport. Ratings throughout Australia are booming and event attendance is up by 5 percent.
In 2011 the series was granted "international status" by the world governing body of motorsport the FIA, which enables V8 Supercars to race at up to six international destinations each year, elevating the sport to among the top tier of all categories worldwide. Many events attract in excess of 200,000 people. These flagship and world-renowned races include the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, Armor All Gold Coast 600 and the season-ending Sydney Telstra 500 on the streets of Olympic Park in Sydney.
Backing of the sport across V8 Supercars and its teams is at an all-time high with an estimated annual sponsorship portfolio well in excess of $150 million. V8 Supercars' major backer is Australia's largest ISP provider BigPond. Etihad Airways has recently become the official international airline of V8 Supercars, and Virgin its domestic partner.
All V8 Supercars run on 85 per cent CSR Ethanol, a renewable fuel made from the bi-product of the sugar refining process. V8 Supercars and its related entities are committed to the responsible serving and consumption of alcohol. More information can be found at v8supercars.com.au or v8supercarevents.com.au.
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