Driveway Austin

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Coordinates: 30°15′48″N 97°39′24″W / 30.263343°N 97.656759°W / 30.263343; -97.656759
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Driveway Austin
The Driveway[1]
LocationAustin, Texas, USA
Coordinates30°15′48″N 97°39′24″W / 30.263343°N 97.656759°W / 30.263343; -97.656759
OwnerOracle Corporation
Address8400 Delwau Lane
Austin, TX 78725[2]
OpenedSeptember 2005
ClosedDecember 2021[1]
ArchitectBill Dollahite (designer)[3]
Websitehttps://drivewayaustin.com/
Short Course
Length0.7 miles (1.12 km)
Turns7
Elevation Course
Length0.95 miles (1.52 km)
Turns11
Grand Prix Course
Length1.61 miles (2.59 km)
Turns14
Race lap record1:14[4] (Scott Dollahite, Formula Atlantic, as of 2019)

Driveway Austin was a motorsports track and racing school in Austin, Texas. Former IMSA driver Bill Dollahite founded and operated the track as a racing school and motorsports retreat, educating drivers of all skill levels for 16 years until its closure in 2021.

History[edit]

Driveway Austin was founder Bill Dollahite's legacy project after his career driving the Ferrari 333 SP IMSA World Sports Car came to a close.[4] Dollahite intended to create a European-style, Formula 1-inspired track that operates purely as a racing school.[5] He spent two years looking for the site,[6] and in 2003 settled on 50 acres (20 ha) of riverbank where Walnut Creek joins the Colorado River in east Austin.[3] The site was formerly earmarked for an industrial site that never materialized and had become a landfill.[5][7]

Bill Dollahite co-founded the track with local investors JB Hager and John Korioth,[8][9][10] with further investment from 25 others.[7] Dollahite designed every aspect of the track, drawing inspiration from internationally renowned circuits such as Imola, Monaco, and Road Atlanta.[11] The initial "Short Course" was complete by September 2005 at which point development on the rest of the track started,[12] including three years of engineering and planning.[13] Construction of the "Grand Prix Course" and all other configurations began in 2008[13] and was completed by year's end.[14] After almost five years in development, the Driveway was fully complete.[5] It was the first road course of its kind in the Austin area,[4] the "Short Course" opening before Harris Hill Raceway in San Marcos. Early on, the track mostly held autocross and karting events. Over the years, the training program taught everyone from teenagers and first responders to professional racing drivers.[15][16][7]

Driveway Austin got its name after an incident with a city inspector, who visited the track while Dollahite and friends were running laps on the first layout of paved track. Dollahite fibbed that it was not a race track but merely a driveway to the existing 1954 home on the property.[4]

It served as a school but also a retreat for auto enthusiasts.[16] The track has been used for performance driving, manufacturer testing, and media sessions (including film and photography).[17] Sebastian Vettel lapped the track while in Austin for the 2015 Formula 1 USGP.[18] RADwood, a show highlighting 1980s and 90s cars, took place at the track in 2019 and 2020.[19][20]

In 2019 when asked about the future of the Driveway, Dollahite expressed his gratitude in sharing the track with the community over the years, stated that the track has matured to have a life of its own, and mentioned his inevitable retirement.[4]

Driveway Austin closed in December 2021[21] after operating for 16 years.[1] Dollahite sold the property to Oracle Corporation on December 28, 2021[22] in a deal with the City of Austin. Oracle purchased the land in exchange for permission to expand its campus to an additional 9 acres (3.6 ha) of city-owned land along Lady Bird Lake.[23] Oracle will give the Driveway to the City of Austin who will add it to the surrounding parkland, likely remaining intact as a place for cycling and walking.[24]

Track facility[edit]

Driveway Austin is a scenic tree-lined road course elevated from the river on its south border and surrounded by greenbelt including a perimeter hiking and biking trail.[10][16] With its designation as a racing school and hosting no sanctioned races, the track lacks grandstands and the amenities of a major race track,[5] instead opting for training facilities.[3] The only way to drive the track was as a student[4] or for entertainment—not for competition.[9]

The track, which is run counterclockwise,[4] has three main layouts focusing on different dynamic elements.[25][26]

  • L1, the 0.7-mile (1.1 km) 7-turn "Short Course", was inspired by Fiorano and tests flat surface handling, mostly under 80 mph (130 km/h). The most technical course, it has sweepers, double apex, and late apex turns.
  • L2, the 0.95-mile (1.53 km) 11-turn "Elevation Course", features varying elevation and features a Laguna Seca type corkscrew and a "bus stop" switchback.
  • L3, the 1.61-mile (2.59 km) 14-turn "Grand Prix Course", emphasizes high-speed driving with corners taken from the Nürburgring and Road America. Most cars top out over 100 mph (160 km/h), especially on the longest straight of 2,500 ft (760 m).[17]

In accordance with FIA safety specifications, the track is outfitted with gravel pits, soft walls, and hard walls to contain out of control cars.[15]

Driveway Series[edit]

The track is home to the Driveway Series, a popular weekly bicycling race held Thursday evenings[2][7] comprising 32 races from April through October each year.[27] The criterium consists of several high intensity laps varying in length depending on skill category.[28] The event has been held since 2006 and grown in popularity over the years.[29] Over 200 riders competed in 2012[27] and about 400 riders took part as of the 2020 season.[30]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Farago, Robert (January 14, 2022). "A farewell to Austin's (not-so) secret race track, with the man who made it happen". Hagerty Media. Archived from the original on 2022-11-01.
  2. ^ a b Maher, John (December 25, 2007). "A need for speed". Austin American-Statesman. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Driveway Austin". Visit Austin. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Warren Madsen, Lane Skelton, Art Cervantes (February 25, 2019). "Bill Dollahite (Ex-IMSA Racer and Owner of Driveway Austin) - #433". Driving While Awesome (Podcast). Hagerty Media. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06.{{cite podcast}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b c d Whittaker, Richard (July 9, 2010). "Austin at Very High Speed". Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2013-05-23. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  6. ^ Hackett, Thomas (January 16, 2009). "Playing Through". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2015-10-05.
  7. ^ a b c d Maher, John (December 25, 2007). "Racing: Driveway Austin project rolling right along". Austin American-Statesman. p. C7 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Founders". Driveway Austin. Archived from the original on 2010-09-14.
  9. ^ a b Schroeder, Per (May 27, 2010). "Texas Toasted Tires: Part 1". Grassroots Motorsports. Archived from the original on 2011-06-23.
  10. ^ a b Maher, John (March 30, 2011). "City, driving club at odds over land". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on 2022-07-05.
  11. ^ "About Us: What We Do". Driveway Austin. Archived from the original on 2010-07-24.
  12. ^ "Bill Dollahite". LinkedIn. Driveway Austin Sep 2005 -
  13. ^ a b Benson, William (January 9, 2020). A Fast Passion (Documentary). Archived from the original on 2023-02-09 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ Light, Ryan (December 10, 2009). "Campus Expansion set for 2009". Driveway Austin. Archived from the original on 2010-08-12.
  15. ^ a b Shiekhi, Derek (December 12, 2013). "A different drivers' ed". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on 2022-08-07.
  16. ^ a b c "Bill Dollahite of Driveway Austin". Produced by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon. Austin American-Statesman. August 18, 2018. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. ^ a b "About". Driveway Austin. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  18. ^ Golden, Conner (October 30, 2015). "Watch Sebastian Vettel Take Us for Hot Laps in a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta". Motor Trend. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03.
  19. ^ Garcia, Jesus (March 1, 2019). "Radwood Keeps ATX Weird at Driveway Austin". txGarage. Archived from the original on 2019-05-03.
  20. ^ "Radwood 2020 Keeps Austin Weird: Mega Gallery". Motor Trend. Words by Billy Rehbock; Photos by Taylor Kempkes. March 4, 2020. Archived from the original on 2022-07-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  21. ^ "Driveway Austin has retired". Driveway Austin. Archived from the original on 2021-12-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^ "Property | 766579". Travis Central Appraisal District. 8400 Delwau Rd, Austin, TX 78725. 2022. Deed History. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  23. ^ Foy, Nicole (November 2, 2021). "Austin's Prop B: Voters easily approve city's land swap plan". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on 2021-11-05.
  24. ^ Thompson, Ben (2021-11-04). "With Proposition B's passage, this property could become Austin's next waterfront park". Community Impact. Archived from the original on 2021-11-04.
  25. ^ Cramton, Michael (December 9, 2017). "Driveway Austin Track Tour with Scott Dollahite". Photographed and edited by Shaun Davenport. Capital Media; Camera 4. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03 – via YouTube.
  26. ^ "Track". Driveway Austin. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03.
  27. ^ a b Ura, Alexa (May 4, 2012). "Weeknight races unite Austin cyclists". The Daily Texan. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-02-10 – via Issuu.
  28. ^ Darragh, Patrick (July 5, 2012). "Gearing Up Your Cycling at Austin's Driveway Series". Austin Fit Magazine. Archived from the original on 2022-08-18.
  29. ^ Dollahite, Bill (March 14, 2010). "Crit Races starts Forth [sic] Season". Driveway Austin. Archived from the original on 2010-07-20.
  30. ^ Dreier, Fred (June 26, 2020). "Inside the Austin Driveway Series' return to racing". Velo News. Outside Interactive. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03.

External links[edit]

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