Not everyone is happy with Formula One

AUSTIN (KXAN) - While many are praising Formula One’s American re-birth here in Austin, there’s a growing group coming out against the race track.

Using Facebook and Austinpost.org , Stefan Wray is trying to spread the message that Formula one is not right for the Austin area.

“Basically, it just doesn’t seem to fit with Austin. It doesn’t connect to what Austin is all about,” Wray said.

Wray created a Facebook group called, "Concerned About Formula One (F1) Racing Coming to Austin."

The virtual group has almost 200 members.

“One of my principal arguments is the fact that there hasn’t been any public involvement in the process,” Wray says.

The public did let the city of Austin know how they feel about Formula One coming to Austin.

Eliminating funding for F1, even though no city dollars are going to the track, ranked second in a recent online budget survey .

While the Mayor's office says he still supports the track, no one from the city was at today's much anticipated press conference.

“I don’t think there is anything realistic about Formula One in Austin, Texas,” said Chris Lehman with the Austin Chapter of the Lone Star Sierra Club .

Lehman wrote an article that he said has received a lot of positive feedback for the organization's July/August newsletter .

“The concerns about bringing a race track to Austin, Texas, that’s totally invested in the outdated internal combustion engine - like Formula One - is that it’s going to glamorize and promote excessive consumption and pollution,” Lehman said.

Red McCombs, who is investing in the project, said the track, when not being used for Formula One, will be used as a green-technology laboratory.

But critics aren’t buying that, citing Formula One's decision to abandon hybrid cars after only a year of testing.

For now, the critics say they will continue to speak out about the lack of public input and their environmental concerns.

They’re hoping they have enough time to make a difference before the track is scheduled in 2012.