The cruel might joke the crowd at the Circuit of the Americas for Friday practice bettered all three years of V8 Supercars’ failed Abu Dhabi experiment.

Nonetheless, it was an encouraging welcome to the United States for Australia’s leading motorsports category.

Officials won’t tally and release crowd numbers until after the final day of racing, but there were at least a couple of thousand on track for the V8s’ first four practice sessions on American soil.

On a state-of-the-art circuit with serious race fans – including an estimated 2000 travelling from Australia – and a curious contingent of locals, the V8s’ debut gave hope a beachhead will be established for the sport’s international expansion by the time racing finishes on Monday (AEST).

The real test will come when racing starts on Sunday, and a larger crowd will be hoped for.

Early media coverage, both locally and nationally in the motorsport press, has been encouraging and substantial.

“Wow! What a show,” wrote respected trade and car enthusiast publication Autoweek of opening day practice.

“The V8s produce a sophisticated and subdued engine note, certainly quieter than a NASCAR engine.

“What they lack in decibels, they more than make up in handling. The cars are nimble, twitchy, spectacular kerb-hopping, road racing mega-machines.”

One of the few grumbles was parking – a whopping $US30 a day on track.

Shuttle buses from downtown Austin, or the park-and-ride nearby for far less, were much better options for the hip pocket.

But with ticket prices at a reasonable $US69 for a three-day pass, $US49 for a single race-day, and $US8 for an ice-cold – full strength can of beer rather than footy’s plastic-cupped lolly water – the V8s have so far made more friends than enemies.