Austin, Texas, Sept. 5, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Circuit of The Americas today announced that it is teaming with Shell to ignite excitement around the 2013 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX by offering Austin Fan Fest fueled by Shell, an interactive, four-day festival presented free to the public Nov. 14-17. The lively street festival, now in its second year, will feature an expanded footprint encompassing most of downtown Austin's renowned Warehouse and 2nd Street entertainment districts.
"We enjoyed a remarkable response to our inaugural Austin Fan Fest last November with 220,000 guests attending over three days and look forward to building on that foundation this year with the help of our new presenting sponsor, Shell," Circuit of The Americas President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Sexton said. "We're creating a larger festival footprint this year with more diverse activities and entertainment options, and we're opening one day earlier to accommodate arriving race fans. Whether you're a racing enthusiast, casual sports fan, music lover--or just looking for an interesting way to experience the Austin entertainment scene--Austin Fan Fest fueled by Shell will appeal to you. A key focus will again be live music, with six stages scattered throughout the festival area, as well as a number of interactive fan-engagement zones and lots of activities for race fans and families."
Austin Fan Fest fueled by Shell will showcase 12 activity zones over 12 square blocks bounded by San Antonio Street (west), 5th Street (north), Congress Ave. (east) and 2nd Street (south). The four-day Grand Prix party offers something for everyone, including
Dozens of interactive and educational displays, including racing simulators and unique experiential areas by Shell;
- Six entertainment stages, featuring some of the country's most talented performers;
- An X Games-style action sports zone;
- Activities for kids and families; and
- Offerings from local restaurants and pubs, food trucks, artisans and retailers.
Additionally, superstar drivers competing in the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX will meet with fans at the festival during the weekend.
"Shell has competed in Formula 1 for years; and Austin Fan Fest is a way of connecting people, passion and performance around Formula 1's spectacular, cutting edge innovations," said Shell Oil Company President Marvin Odum. "We're about better, more efficient, ever cleaner fuels and lubricants for our customers. There are few better places to show that off than at a Grand Prix in our own back yard."
Austin Fan Fest fueled by Shell runs Nov. 14-17. Daily hours of operation are as follows (all times CST):
- Thursday, Nov. 14: 5 p.m. to midnight
- Friday, Nov. 15: 10 a.m. to midnight
- Saturday, Nov. 16: 10 a.m. to midnight
- Sunday, Nov. 17: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
A detailed event schedule, including performance times and line-ups for specific music stages, will be released in the coming weeks.
About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, is a world-class destination for premium sports and entertainment. It is the first racing facility in the United States purposely built for Formula 1™ racing and is designed to host a variety of sports and entertainment events. The Circuit is home to the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX, which was named the 2012 "Sports Event of the Year" by SportsBusiness Journal/Daily, and is the new North American host of the summer edition of ESPN's X Games. Additionally Circuit of The Americas welcomes spectators from around the world for some of the most prestigious national and international motorsports series, including MotoGP™, V8 Supercars™, GRAND-AM Road Racing™, American Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championships.
Circuit of The Americas' 1,500-acre campus includes a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and sporting use. Its signature 3.4-mile, 20-turn undulating racetrack features remarkable elevation changes and a number of challenging turns patterned after some of the world's iconic Grand Prix tracks. The Austin360 Amphitheater is an expansive outdoor live music space, featuring the largest permanent stage in Central Texas and the capacity for 14,000 guests. The Circuit's iconic 25-story Observation Tower has a viewing platform offering 360-degree views of the venue, downtown Austin and Texas Hill Country. The 44,000-square foot Event Center offers an expansive convention and banquet space that doubles as an international Media Center during sports and entertainment event. The Event Center includes more than 30 broadcast booths, an internal café and dedicated news conference room. The Circuit's massive Main Grandstand features permanent seating for 9,000, a variety of well-appointed suites, and the Velocity Lounge and hospitality area. Circuit of The Americas also offers a state-of-the-art on-site medical facility, parking for 25,000 vehicles, taxi and shuttle bus depots and a permanent heli-stop. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com, www.Austin360Amphitheater.com or the Circuit's dedicated FTP site, media.circuitoftheamericas.com.
About Shell
Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with 90,000 employees in more than 80 countries. Shell delivers a diverse range of energy solutions and petrochemicals to customers worldwide. These include transporting and trading oil and gas, marketing natural gas, producing and selling fuel for ships and planes, generating electricity and providing energy efficiency advice. Shell also produces and sells petrochemical building blocks to industrial customers globally, and is investing in making renewable and lower-carbon energy sources competitive for large-scale use. In the United States, Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 20,000 people delivering energy in a responsible manner. For more information, visit www.shell.us.
Shell motorsports technical alliances around the world provide a testing ground for fuel and lubricant technologies and products in the harshest racing environments to gain insight and develop technology that can be used both on-track and in consumers' vehicles. The knowledge Shell gains through these and other alliances help address tomorrow's mobility challenges with efficient solutions that power and protect motorists around the globe.
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