How to build a full Austin race weekend beyond the circuit

A trip to Austin for race weekend is rarely just about Sunday afternoon.

The 2026 United States Grand Prix runs from October 23 to 25, giving fans three days of track action and plenty of time to experience the city around it.

Practice begins on Friday, qualifying takes centre stage on Saturday and the Grand Prix follows on Sunday. But once the sessions finish, many visitors face the same question: what comes next?

For fans staying in Austin for the full weekend, the answer usually involves heading downtown. Restaurants, music venues and nightlife districts give visitors plenty of opportunities to turn a day at the circuit into a much longer experience.

Start with the racing

The main attraction is, of course, the action at Circuit of The Americas. Fans can follow the full weekend through the official 2026 United States Grand Prix schedule, which includes practice on Friday, final practice and qualifying on Saturday and the Grand Prix on Sunday.

GPFans also has a dedicated United States Grand Prix hub bringing together race information, schedules and the latest Austin-related coverage. That gives travelling fans a clear structure for the daytime part of the weekend. The evening is where the itinerary can become much more flexible.

Downtown Austin after the track

East 6th Street is one of the obvious destinations for visitors heading back into the city after a day of motorsport.

For the Friday and Saturday nights of race weekend, LoneStar Casino will be hosting an independent activation at The Studio on East 6th Street.

The October 23 and 24 events will combine music and nightlife with a Spin the Wheel leaderboard running throughout both evenings.

It gives eligible adults another activity to consider once the day's track schedule is complete. The promotion is independently operated and is not part of the official United States Grand Prix or its organisers.

Three rounds every night

The leaderboard is divided into three separate rounds on each of the two nights. The schedule is:

• 9 PM to 10 PM
• 10 PM to 11 PM
• 11 PM to midnight

All rounds operate on Central Time. That creates six individual competitions across the weekend rather than one continuous leaderboard.

Each round begins from scratch. Points earned during one competition do not transfer into another round or carry over from Friday to Saturday. Eligible registered players receive five free spins that may be used in any round.

Registration for a LoneStar account is free, and no purchase is necessary to receive the five free spins. Additional qualifying spins may also count toward the relevant leaderboard in accordance with the Official Rules.

Five prize positions per round

Each round has five winning positions based on the final leaderboard when the competition closes.

The five highest-scoring eligible players in each round receive prizes, creating a total of 30 prize positions across the six competitions.

The prize lineup includes technology and lifestyle products such as a smartphone, smart glasses, wireless earbuds, an instant camera and earplugs.

Leaderboard standings are displayed at the venue using Player IDs.

Once a round closes, winners are determined using the platform records and announced at the venue. Anyone claiming a prize must remain physically present and provide their Player ID together with valid government-issued photo identification.

Prizes must be claimed in person by 1am on the same night as the relevant competition. Participation is restricted to eligible guests aged 21 and older and remains subject to the full Official Rules.

Building Friday and Saturday around the schedule

One advantage of a multi-day race weekend is that every day has a different rhythm. Friday gives fans their first look at the cars on track before leaving the evening open for exploring Austin.

Saturday builds toward qualifying, one of the biggest competitive moments before race day, before attention shifts back toward the city that evening. For visitors looking to add the downtown activation to their plans, LoneStar has published more details about the Austin Big Race event.

Because the leaderboard consists of three individual evening rounds, visitors do not necessarily need to structure their entire night around one long competition. Each round has its own start, finish and results.

Then Sunday belongs to the grand prix

Friday and Saturday provide opportunities to combine the track with the city. Sunday is different.

The grand prix itself becomes the centre of attention, with the 56-lap race at Circuit of The Americas providing the main event of the weekend.

That balance is part of what makes Austin such a distinctive stop for travelling motorsport fans.

There is a clear separation between the sporting experience at the circuit and the nightlife and entertainment available downtown.

Fans can spend the day following lap times, qualifying positions and on-track storylines, then experience a completely different side of Austin once they return to the city.

For those making a full weekend of the trip, that combination can be just as important as any single session. The racing provides the reason to travel. Austin provides everything around it.

This promotion is independently operated by LoneStar Casino and is not sponsored by, endorsed by, administered by, or associated with Formula 1, Circuit of The Americas, any race organiser, any venue or any other third party. 21+ | No Purchase Necessary | Void Where Prohibited | T&C Apply

Written by

Dan Ripley - Global Editor

I've been a massive F1 fan since the mid 1990s and continue to study the history of the sport long before that. As an experienced motor sport reporter covering F1, MotoGP and the LeMans 24 Hour race, being part of GPFans has allowed me to work with a diverse team with all sorts of different backgrounds in watching the sport and given me a greater appreciation of F1.

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