Being a Gearhead Is Alive and Well Across the World

The American Grand Prix was held at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin last weekend. Automobile enthusiasts in Texas should embrace this curvy new addition to our quarter-mile lives.

As a lover of all things post-horse driven, I decided to take my son to Formula 1 this past weekend. Formula 1 is the Super Bowl of auto racing. It has the best cars, with the best drivers, with a ton of European money backing the best men driving the cars.

Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Nico Rosberg on the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, which has dominated most of the 2014 F1 season with 14 wins (10 of those going to Hamilton), finished first and second respectively in the Grand Prix. We were there from Friday morning until Sunday, and Hamilton looked like he had it from his third practice lap. He was spot on.

What amazed us was the diversity. Right in front of us were the most jet-setting of Europeans, mingling with the rancher or farmer, we all spoke the same language, and it isn't English. We met people from across the globe, and there was this core belief beyond borders and languages: Being a Gearhead, Petrolhead or however the Italians say it is alive and well across garages and televisions spanning the entire globe.

If you love four wheels, a motor and noise, throw yourself into curves instead of that straight line and make your way to the F1 races in Austin next year.