Day Four at the 2024 United States Grand Prix – Camping, Track Events, and A Few Surprises

Location: Circuit of the Americas, Austin, TX

Event: Day Two of Track Events at the 2024 United States Grand Prix

Camping out at the Circuit of the Americas for the 2024 United States Grand Prix has been quite the adventure, filled with thrilling races, unexpected turns, and some quality time under the Texas sun. Today was all about track events, but the day started early with a bittersweet goodbye.

Kristen had to head back home early in the morning to look after the kids for the remainder of the weekend. I’m endlessly grateful for her support; she’s been holding down the fort for a lot of weekends in a row now, keeping things running smoothly with the kids while I’ve been on vacations. I drove her to the parking lot where she’d left the car she borrowed (since I had her truck), and—because camping weekends always throw in a curveball—she realized she forgot her keys back at the campground! After a quick drive back and forth, she was off, and I was back to the action.

As soon as Kristen was on her way, I started thinking about the generator she’d suggested I pick up. The solar panel had stopped working, and I realized she was right—I’d need more power for the rest of the weekend. After checking stock online, I headed to the Harbor Freight in downtown Austin. In true road-trip fashion, they were sold out, but they directed me to their San Marcos location, which actually had one available. So, the first half of my day was spent on an impromptu Austin adventure, but I was able to make it back to the campground with the generator in hand. Once I set it up, the power came through, and I was ready to take on the rest of the day!

When I got back to the track, I kicked things off with the Porsche Cup, catching both the qualifying and the race from different spots. There’s nothing like seeing those cars up close and hearing the roar as they take on the COTA track. Finally, it was time for Formula 1 qualifying, which didn’t disappoint. Kristen’s favorite driver took first pole position, and my team, Ferrari (Sainz and Leclerc), managed to snag third and fourth positions.

The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the Sprint Race. Watching Ferrari secure 2nd and 4th felt like a personal win, and Norris from McLaren rounded out the top three. I’ll leave it at that regarding the first-place driver—some things are better left unsaid!

The rest of the day was packed with even more incredible races, including the Masters Legends and Masters Historic races. These classic cars brought some old-school charm to the track and added an extra layer of excitement. And as the day turned into night, Eminem took the stage as the headline performer. I watched some of his concert from the same bar on the hill as the night before—a great way to unwind after a long day.

Back at the campsite, the generator turned out to be a lifesaver. As night fell, I had lights, and I could even take a hot shower. Nothing beats ending a day at the track with a little comfort!

Day Four was one for the books, and with a bit of luck, tomorrow will bring even more thrills and surprises.