Yahoo Autos Road & Track's Beyond City Limits Was an Exceptional Enthusiast Tour
We're just settling back into our desks after two days of our spectacular enthusiast adventure through the Austin area, Beyond City Limits. It was yet another great example of our Experiences by Road & Track, the magazine's flagship series of curated, car-oriented getaways that are sure to thrill any enthusiast. And if you missed this one, don't worry, there are plenty more on the way.
There's always tension at the start of these things, on the reader's end and ours. We want to make sure we provide the best possible experience and readers want to make sure that they get the once-in-a-lifetime experience they expect. To settle that nice and early, we started things off at Circuit of Americas. The track, most famous for hosting the United States Grand Prix for Formula One, was ours for a day. After introductions and breakfast, we divided into groups and set out for some closed-course tomfoolery.
The first group started with autocross and right-seat instruction courtesy of the famed Skip Barber Racing School. While some drivers honed their car control on lap after lap of the autocross course, others drove modified "skid cars" with super slippery rear ends. Pushed even moderately around a corner, those cars are designed to slide quickly, forcing drivers to refine their corrections and master countersteering. Those skills are important when you're about to set off on a 3.41-mile racing circuit designed for Formula One cars, with road car speeds getting deep into the triple digits at multiple locations.
That was the day's second rotation. In lead-follow format, the group attacked the hallowed Circuit in everything from a Lamborghini Huracan STO to an E36 BMW M3. With Skip Barber instructors leading the charge, speeds crept higher and higher as the pack got comfortable with the track, blasting down its straights and managing the tricky weight transfer of turns 3 through 7. With a few five-minute cooling breaks, the hourlong session was still enough of a workout that the paddock reeked of hot brakes by the time we were done. Yet just to show how fast this track is in capable hands, we had the Skip Barber folks talk our guests around the track at full speed in their track-prepped BMW M2, M4, and Toyota Supra.
What is a closed course for, though, if not competition? So after a catered lunch, we went back to the autocross to settle the question of who was fastest. In a relay race, teams competed to get the fastest overall time in the Skip Barber school Mustang while individuals fought to be the fastest on their team. Everyone had a great time, but there was only one winner. So when you show up to your experience, we hope you come to win.
But adrenaline isn't the only thing on the agenda. We lined up for a cruise back into Austin, where we'd be staying at The LINE Austin, a sensational luxurious stop in the heart of downtown. Led by executive editor Dan Pund, contributing editors Elana Scherr and Alanis King, and Reviews Editor Mack Hogan, the troupe set off for a night of enjoying Austin.
That night started off with solo exploration time, with guests opting for time at the pool, walks by the Austin waterfront, or music in one of hundreds of exciting bars. Rendezvous was at 8:00 p.m., at Swift's Attic, a standout in a city already known for exceptional cuisine. Over plate after plate of bacon-wrapped apricots, charred edamame, pistachio-coated halibut, pad Thai, and brown butter sour cream churros, editors and guests alike swapped ridiculous stories and contrarian car opinions while swilling craft cocktails like Tire Shine.
By the time we gathered outside The LINE the next morning, supercar keys in hand, we were all friends. Which made it all the more fun when, after a quick drive to Austin's outskirts, we landed at The Petrol Lounge. The Lounge, a private car storage location normally closed to all visitors and filled with many things sporting DO NOT PHOTOGRAPH signs, dropped just about every jaw in the group. Forget your regular supercars and base-line collectibles. This warehouse had the creme-de-la-creme.
Some highlights, in no particular order, were: An original Batmobile from the TV series that apparently runs 12s, a 2000-season Schumacher F1 car, a Ford RS200, a Zanardi Edition NSX, a Mystichrome Cobra, a Carrera GT, at least four Ford GTs, and every special Porsche you could name off the top of your head. A few guests were worried that the stop wasn't going to be worth it, but in the end we had to drag them away. Because the biggest treat was awaiting.
Alanis King, a Texas native, had curated a drive route that would stun us all to silence. A three-hour trek through endless empty hill country roads, the drive was plotted and guided through the Rallista road-rally app. We set off in groups, but this was the most freeform and flowing experience of the lot. Stick with the group and banter with editors or set off solo on a three-hour adventure through some of the best roads you'll find anywhere in the state, the choice was up to each guest.
Most stuck together, because these weren't the kinds of groups that slowed you down. On dozens of miles of flowing backroads, our group attracted every camera phone and gaping onlooker in the Austin metro area. Wherever we were, we were the main event.
Only once did this lead to any attention from the police, who pulled over a 2017 Ford GT for—get this—not having a front plate. He was let off with a warning by an officer who, in our estimation, just wanted to see his ride.
By the time we arrived in Fredericksburg, Texas, the group was buzzing. After three hours of nothing but radio contact with anyone outside the car, everyone had a memory, a moment, or an observation to share. So we sat down at Eaker Barbecue and swapped stories over smoked meats and live music, the way old friends do.
Missed it? No worries. Check out our upcoming experiences here!
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