Dear gentlefolk, learn me about Houston TX from a motorsports perspective (and other stuff)

It looks like I'll be going to interview with a potential employer in Houston. While the job sounds interesting there's the big question what it is like for non-NASCAR style motorsports. Obviously there is COTA about 2 1/2h away and I read that there is a track out at College Station, but I also heard a rumour that someone wanted to turn that track into a housing development or somesuch?

We had a poke around Zillow already but it looks like we'll have a hard time finding a house we'd like (1920s or older with a decent size lot, or something quirky on a lot of land with lots of garage space in commuting distance). Are we looking in the wrong places or is it that hard to find old houses out there?

Well, most 1920s and older houses are RAGING PILES OF E36 M3 which is why most of them are long gone. It would be like living in a model T while you restored it, except roomier and nobody makes parts for it. But if you're one of the rare souls that has that passion, good on ya because the ones that get fixed up end up pretty cool.

As far as houston motorsports, my first advice to you would be to read all of Mazdeuce's threads and tell me whether or not that is enough fun for you.

(Putting on flame suit)

At the risk of offending the Texans on this forum, you may want to spend some time in Huston, particularly in the dead of summer, July and August, to see if its a place that you would actually want to live.

I'm from the Philly region, and I thought that our summer air quality was about as bad as it could get in the US, I was wrong.

Sadly, Huston us the only part of Texas that I've been too, I'd like to visit other parts of the state someday.

Most of the older homes I've seen around central Texas would be put to shame by the build quality of a cheaply made 1982 mobile home.

Two story with 2x6 joists' somewhere around 2' on center with no foundation to speak of just sitting on randomly placed blocks, bricks or logs roughly 8-15' apart.

No thanks.

I did a LeMons event at MSR houston 5 years ago. pretty fun track. No trees to threaten run-off cars (that I remember).

I have never lived in Texas but it seems the car scene is actually quite robust for just about whatever you're into.

As an added bonus, i would venture to guess there are fewer AC-deleted used cars....

HappyAndy wrote: (Putting on flame suit) At the risk of offending the Texans on this forum, you may want to spend some time in Huston, particularly in the dead of summer, July and August, to see if its a place that you would actually want to live.

Yeah, the more research I do the more concerned I become about the climate there. I don't so much have a problem with heat (well, as long as it doesn't exceed 100F too often), but the combination of heat, humidity and possible thunderstorms is a massive migraine hazard for me.

Basically, if the summer weather is anything like Florida (say, around GRM headquarters) in the summer, I can nix the idea pretty much straight away as I'll be eating migraine meds like candy.

Our corporate office is in Houston and I'm pretty sure they told us that it was over 100 for more than 30 days straight last year. And being so close to the gulf I'm sure it's pretty humid too.

Houston is the gulf coast. People think Texas and cactus's, but that's wrong, it's more like Louisiana and alligators. And yes, I've seen alligators within 20 miles of my house, they were closer to downtown than I am.
But you asked about motorsports, here things are good. Vibrant club racing scene at MSR Houston with SCCA, NASA and the Porsche guys. COTA is close, MSR Cresson is in Dallas, TWS is close, but is probably closing. SCCA runs monthly autocross year round. BMWCCA runs 10 events (I think) taking the summer off. PCA is up and running again with four events in our season. SCCA rallycross is running an eight event season and another group west of town is running 6-8 in their season. We've hosted the rallycross national challenge for our region the past two years. Also they have pro solo and an autocross national tour event in College Station which is and hour and a bit away. There are gas kart and electric karts and cars and coffee and drag racing and more circle tracks than you can wrap your head around. Whoever is is who runs Indy car stuff now holds the Houston Grand Prix here as well. If you can't find something automotive to do every weekend of the year, you're not trying.

They also run some events at Harris hill which is about 175 miles west. Texas A&M have some interesting autoX at a retired air field. Not always the best run but it is there. You also have a few good drag strips and Texas Motor Speedway in Ft Worth (about 4ish hours) that run some events too.

I would strongly recommend spending a long weekend there in july before committing. It is a different heat. The humidity is strong. I find it worse than anywhere I've been in Florida. The only comparable is New Orleans

from what you've said houston will make your head explode.

I live in Houston. Yes, the summers are awful. And they are long. If you couldn't handle Florida you'll be miserable here. I consider AC in the garage a necessity, not a luxury.

Motorsports are good, there are several tracks around the state-- MSR south of Houston and Eagles Canyon and Motorsport Ranch closer to Dallas. Texas World in College Station is likely to go away, but not for a few years, anyway. There's also Hallett up in Oklahoma, which is not far away by Texas standards. Lots of SCCA, PCA, NASA, HPDE LeMons, what's your poison?

Eventually I'll say it's not that bad, but I also leave from the middle of June until the middle of August because I can't handle it and I drive 1500 miles north. I firmly believe this is the best way to live in Houston.

As a transplant from the Chicago area, the hardest part of getting used to anywhere in Texas is the fact that summer is 10 months long. At least it seems that way. Houston has all the heat and twice the humidity of Dallas where I live.

Oh come on.....It's only 9 months long. :)

I have to get up every morning at 4:30 to get my runs in now because it's too hot after work now.

As stated above but I'd add that the Motorsport scene is as good as anywhere in the US. Here in Dallas there are 5 active AutoX clubs ER, SCCA, PCA, LSBMW, and NTAXS), Houston has 2-3, Austin has one too (Spokes). Road racing has MSR Houston, MSR Cresson, TWS (for 6 months anyway), Eagles Canyon, Harris Hill COTA and TMS. And the best of all Hallett OK is about 7 hrs from Houston but an awesome track that is unknown to those outside of our area. Oh, and NOLA which is another fantastic track in New Orleans about 3 hrs from Houston. SCCA, NASA, PCA, BMW and Vintage (my favorite) orbs like CVAR and SVRA all have races. Agreed that Houston sucks in the summer but the winters are great unlike the North which is the opposite. If you are looking for a place to live, I hear The Woodlands area is nice but not historic.

Basil Exposition wrote: I live in Houston. Yes, the summers are awful. And they are long. If you couldn't handle Florida you'll be miserable here. I consider AC in the garage a necessity, not a luxury.

Ewwww . If Houston also tends to get a lot of thunderstorms like Fla, I'm basically berkeleyed.

Hmmm. Makes me wonder if it's even worth flying out there for the interview.

Yeah, you are berkeleyed. Thunderstorms galore. Maybe not as many as Florida, but there is no such thing as a gentle rain here, or at least so it seems.

I live in The Woodlands. You'll not find old houses or large lots, but it is one of few places that has trees.

Garden Oaks near Hobby Airport would fit your description. Large lots, old houses. Downside is a quite a few of those houses are returning to Mother Earth. I've got a friend that lives in the area in an old home he inherited and he has remodeled. Lots of room for his hobby cars. Downside is the thumbs up he gets from Southwest pilots skimming his roof while checking out his collection. Says he's got used to that and doesn't even notice it any more.

Yeah, typical (sub)tropical thunderstorm = insta-migraine.

The Woodlands had been mentioned to me as a possible area to live in, but we need/want the space. We're currently on an acre here and I don't really want to downsize to a small lot. If I wanted to live on top of the neighbours I could've kept my house in Britain .

It's been pretty well covered, but there is plenty of motorsports related activity in and near the Houston area. And when you say Houston, you are talking about an area roughly 80 miles in diameter with 6+ million people. Yeah it's starting to really be summer here now, but really hasn't been extremely hot yet, only in the low 90's and about 80% humidity. August will be summer in full affect with high 90's for both heat and humidity. Afternoon thunderstorms are a way of life in the subtropical gulf coast climate.

But for the summer weather and the mosquitoes, it has it's good sides - if you like food there are lots of great places to eat, I have some favorite Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, and Mediterranean places. Well the food is about it for good sides... LOL Actually, cost of living is not bad and Texas is the place to be for employment now. If you like things drier and less humid check out the Texas hill country west of San Antonio, not sure on employment opportunities, but the Hill country has very nice scenic roads (some of the best in Texas, Hwy 16 and the Three Sisters/Twisted Sisters). There is also Bryan/College Station north of Houston (where some of my family lives) is far enough away from the Gulf Coast that it more like Dallas with a drier climate and less rain fall.

Houston Cars and Coffee is one of the largest in the nation and held in Vintage Park now because it's the only place that could really fit all the cars...roughly 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles. There are some pretty interesting and unique cars there from the times I've been, Ferrari and Lamborghini of Houston even bring their race cars out from time to time.

BoxheadTim wrote: Yeah, typical (sub)tropical thunderstorm = insta-migraine. The Woodlands had been mentioned to me as a possible area to live in, but we need/want the space. We're currently on an acre here and I don't really want to downsize to a small lot. If I wanted to live on top of the neighbours I could've kept my house in Britain .

It all depends on where you work, what commute you want to tolerate, and how much you can/want to spend on a house. There are a lot of places with land in Magnolia and south Montgomery County, which is hilly by Houston standards, but it is a long trek into town from there. I commute from The Woodlands to the Galleria area every day and it is typically 1 1/2 hours each way. I would have to add another 1/2 hour if I lived in Magnolia, for example.

I have also lived in Pearland on a half acre lot for a number of years. That's more accessible, but the larger lots are getting harder to find as that area is getting developed. It also isn't a very pretty place to live and is much more vulnerable to flooding and Hurricanes.

Everything about houses is going to be dependent on location. Is the job actually in Houston or one of the 6 thousand suburbs? Downtown? How much of a commute are you looking for and what price range of house?

Live in Houston? I think I'd rather commit seppuku.

And from what you've said, you wouldn't dig it. The air quality is miserable, it's hot, humid....ugh.

I Love Texas, having lived here since 1990. It is a great state filled with great people and a great culture but I have to admit, I wouldn't live in Houston. Austin, DFW (where I live), Hill Country, even west Texas are great to live in but the weather in Houston would kill me. But, if you want cheap housing, a great economy and genuinely nice people Texas is the place to be.

I went to Houston for a long weekend ~10 years ago. The thing that struck me was that it cost $12 in tolls to get anywhere. Maybe I'm just spoiled by living in TN where there aren't any tolls. I'd put toll plazas one notch below traffic cameras on the list of things that need to go away. There are plent of states with great highway infrastructure and no tolls.

I don't really mind the heat, but it is intense. Went to Galveston for a day, and found a hypodermic needle on the beach.

The best memory I have is doing Rockfords on the beach in a rental Prius.

Austin or San Antonio would be preferable, but I'll agree with TxCoyote: Texans are typically great folks. You'll find that across much of the Southeast, though.

It's really only unbearable for 2-4 months depending on the summer. Really, it's like a reverse winter. All you guys in the Midwest, you remember this winter and how people were trapped indoors by sub zero cold? It's like that, except even in the hottest parts of summer I still get an hour or two in the morning and maybe an hour in the evening where it's bearable. Other than that, you just go house-car-work-car-house which is just like the northern winter.
The upside is cheap housing and pretty exceptional economic opportunity.