Without former driver-turned-race-promoter Tavo Hellmund, there would have been no Formula One race in Austin. Without his friend, former 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz, the MotoGP would never roar across Central Texas. Both men have now been cut out of the Circuit of the Americas, although Schwantz has been a little less quiet about his exit (word is that recently management forcibly ejected him when he visited friends during testing). However, the roar of his fight with COTA management will be drowned out this weekend as the world’s leading road circuit motorcycle sport takes to the track for its inaugural Austin race. The three-day event starts with testing on Friday morning, but culminates on Sunday afternoon with three big races: Moto 3, Moto 2, and the MotoGP event itself. After the season opener in Qatar, 2012 champion Jorge Lorenzo leads the pack and will test his 500cc Yamaha beast against the Circuit’s infamous Turn One. Get there Saturday afternoon to see the top contenders of the future lineup for the Circuit’s first-ever bike race – the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

Fri.-Sun., April 19-21. Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., 301-6600. $89-179, three-day passes; $59, race day general admission. www.circuitoftheamericas.com.

This article appears in April 19 • 2013.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.