This week marks the return of NASCAR to Austin and Circuit of the Americas with the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix. Campgrounds at COTA open on Thursday, with action at the track starting on Friday. The weekend features races from IMSA, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the NASCAR Cup Series.
The race is highly attended by fans from the Austin area, as well as fans from across the country. The race, the third on the NASCAR calendar, marks the first road course of the year, and provides an opportunity for NASCAR drivers to showcase their talents at a world-class racing facility. Shane van Gisbergen will be looking for his first win at COTA, and other drivers like Connor Zilisch, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, William Byron and Kyle Larson will be trying to keep him from another dominating road course performance.
NASCAR always brings a big crowd to the race track, and this year will be no exception. People staying in Austin may head to the track for the show each day, and they need to make sure they plan ahead to ensure they have a sober driver or ride back from the track. Austin and Travis County law enforcement agencies will be extremely aggressive in looking for impaired motorists in and around the circuit.
If you are stopped and suspected of drunk driving, make sure that you protect your rights. If you are stopped by police, know that you can refuse to engage in field sobriety tests. If police do decide to make an arrest, do not speak to them until you have had a chance to talk to your attorney. Once you say anything to the officers you will have a much more challenging time fighting back against whatever charges you may be facing.
In the event that you are charged with DWI, know that the case can impact you whether you live in Texas or live out-of-state. You need to take the allegations seriously and consult an experienced Austin DWI lawyer as soon as possible to begin building a defense.