That's a good idea to get a reserved seat instead of GA since it's the same price. I'm glad I read this post before buying tickets!
I went to F1 last year, with general admission, and it was so crowded, I was pretty much stuck in turn 1 for the race.
I'm really looking forward to parking at the track and staying in an Austin motel at a reasonable rate for this race.
This is video I took form the F1 race, the first half of which shows views from turn 1, the esses section, and the turn 18-19 area.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62RwGlZJvC8
And for BBQ, there's lots of good places in Austin. Franklin BBQ is generally considered the best in Texas, but they're only open a few hours a day, and can get huge lines. Rudy's is also great, even though it's attached to a gas station. Both are paper plate, picnic table style which is the way to do it. I plan on hitting up Rudy's while I'm there.