Circuit of The Americas is a proud part of the Austin community – and now, one Austin resident has made COTA a part of her home.
South Austin resident Lisa Weinberger has created an impressive replica of COTA in her backyard lovingly dedicated to her late husband as the Driven to Care Memorial.
COTA held an incredibly moving memorial service for Lisa’s late husband John in 2020 that included a victory lap around the track in his hearse. The couple have intensive ties to motorsports and automobiles. They landed in Austin in 2012 as a result of COTA’s inaugural Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.
COTA’s Chairman Bobby Epstein visited the replica and provided the surprise of a lifetime for Lisa by gifting her an original track core piece from Turn 12. Lisa and her late husband sat at Turn 12 during the first USGP at COTA in 2012 and the location is an incredibly special memory she carries with her. It is also the place where Lisa lovingly spun out her husband’s hearse during her victory lap at his memorial service.
Now, the track core is placed at Turn 12 of Lisa’s replica to forever tie her memorial with the heart of COTA’s world famous racetrack. “We’re trying to be part of the community, and this is Austin, and this is the community, and to see it embraced like this is beyond what we’d expect,” said Epstein.
