First timer (spectator) at Drag Racing - any tips?

First timer (spectator) at Drag Racing - any tips?

Author
Discussion

F12MAD

34 posts

108 months

Monday 28th March 2016
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Saw this tread and thought of this:
https://youtu.be/yaMTkz0mkoo

RWJ

251 posts

180 months

Monday 28th March 2016
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Excellent stuff. Thank you. Several others in a similar vein follow it.

Here's one we like: Anita Mäkelä warming her motor in the pits at Hockenheim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7QGmsomid8

Gareth1974

Original Poster:

3,408 posts

138 months

Monday 28th March 2016
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We had a good day out on Friday, we were lucky to pick the day with the best weather. My son coped quite well with the noise - ear plugs with ear defenders over the top helped a lot.

RWJ

251 posts

180 months

Monday 28th March 2016
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Thanks. That's good to hear. We were quite worried for you.

Hope you will visit again.

monty999

1,113 posts

104 months

Monday 28th March 2016
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Gareth1974 said:
We had a good day out on Friday, we were lucky to pick the day with the best weather. My son coped quite well with the noise - ear plugs with ear defenders over the top helped a lot.
Glad you enjoyed your day, I'm sure you now understand all the hype around Top Fuel ! Santa Pod also put on some great supporting entertainment and I hope you got to see some of the trick riders and driving in the all-action arena. All in all I'm sure you'll agree great family entertainment and atmosphere.clap

threadlock

3,196 posts

253 months

Tuesday 29th March 2016
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RWJ said:
If you have any further comments or observations about your Santa Pod visit, good or less good, we are always keen to hear.
Hiya,
I'll give you some feedback since you asked so nicely.
We had a great day on Friday! I know we were particularly lucky with the weather but the event was good too. The vendors' pricing was reasonable, the place was well organised, the atmosphere was inclusive.
I can think of only two things to improve. A map of the site would have been useful, since we tried twice to find the BMX arena and couldn't. Maybe it didn't run on the Friday in the end, but a map of the site in the handouts might have helped. Secondly, the grandstand we were in didn't seem to have the seating row letters showing anywhere which meant our (back-row) seats were occupied when we arrived. Took some negotiation to get the people in them to believe that their seats were the row in front. (And I couldn't find the row letter on our tickets either!)
Oh, and more top-fuel cars please. biggrin The two runs we saw made my wife giggle and my kids go slack-jawed so maybe I'll be able to persuade them to go to the Main Event as well.

Overall, thank you! We had a great time.

RWJ

251 posts

180 months

Tuesday 29th March 2016
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Thank you for posting your comments. We appreciate that you have taken the time and trouble to do so. And we are pleased that you and your family enjoyed your day.

A site map is published in the event programme and there are also A-frame boards deployed around the property displaying maps and timetables -- sorry if you didn't spot one. Obviously Santa Pod is keen to sell programmes, but we believe they represent genuinely good value at £5. They are a mine of information about the event, the various race classes, the facilities and the supporting bill. Last weekend's issue covered 34 pages and the FIA event programmes run to 40-plus, and we take considerable care to maintain the quality.

I am informed that contractors had been doing maintenance work on the grandstand immediately before the event and that the mix-up in row lettering and numbering that you encountered was rectified in time for Saturday and Sunday. We're sorry that this oversight caused you and your family difficulties on Friday. Should you choose to pay Santa Pod a visit again for The Main Event at the end of May (we hope you will), we trust nothing will mar your enjoyment. And yes, there will be more Top Fuel Dragsters, and this time competing, not just testing.

Again, thank you for your comments. It's always nice to hear the good stuff as well as any less good. If you make it to The Main Event, please let us know how it all goes.

Tet

1,196 posts

203 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
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RWJ said:
And yes, there will be more Top Fuel Dragsters, and this time competing, not just testing.
FWIW, I'm expecting a field of I think 6 or 7 Top Fuel Dragsters at The Main Event. Sadly unless a sponsor suddenly appears in the next few weeks, it doesn't look like I'll be among them. I'll be coming out to play later in the season, though.

uk_vette

3,336 posts

203 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
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bungle said:
Went there today - first time at Santa Pod! Really enjoyed it, and kids loved it - they want to know when we can go back... looks like Main Event for us in May biggrin

The noise and the smell cloud9
Yeah,

but 40.00 a ticket is a bit much I think.

monty999

1,113 posts

104 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
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uk_vette said:
Yeah,

but 40.00 a ticket is a bit much I think.
Full day's entertainment (weather permitting rolleyes )featuring numerous 8,000 hp dragsters, top fuel funny cars and more monstrous V8's than you can shake a stick at as well as all the side-show stunt driving, Red Arrows etc. All that and you can take your kids (up to 3 of 'em) for free- Compared to a couple of hours at the footy for a family, I think it's pretty good value in modern entertainment terms. Camping over 2 or 3 nights is even better value- about £80 for me , my son and his mate - try getting a camp site for that alone !

NitroWars

661 posts

210 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
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Best value in Motorsport in my opinion.

Big go'75

58 posts

172 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
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uk_vette said:
Yeah,

but 40.00 a ticket is a bit much I think.
But bought in advance it is only £32 a ticket, i.e. a 20% discount which seems a bit of a no brainer. You still get rain off values etc and can get the advance price up to a week before the event! I can't think of anything that is much better value.

37chevy

3,280 posts

155 months

Friday 1st April 2016
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£40 is great value..racing from 10am-6pm with all the side shows.

how much is a game of football these days to watch 90 minutes of pansies running around kicking a pigs bladder?

firewalker

366 posts

180 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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Will people stop using the F word please.

I see the prices have gone up but the advance prices particularly for more than one day are still money well spent, if you've got it.
Book early and its excellent value.


Edited by firewalker on Tuesday 5th April 13:13


Though they should be knocking 25% off for the loss of 320ft worth of racing wink
And another 50% for the erosion of spectator viewing areas over the last few years.
Coat on.

Edited by firewalker on Tuesday 5th April 21:55

monty999

1,113 posts

104 months

Wednesday 6th April 2016
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firewalker said:
Will people stop using the F word please.

I see the prices have gone up but the advance prices particularly for more than one day are still money well spent, if you've got it.
Book early and its excellent value.


Edited by firewalker on Tuesday 5th April 13:13


Though they should be knocking 25% off for the loss of 320ft worth of racing wink
And another 50% for the erosion of spectator viewing areas over the last few years.
Coat on.

Edited by firewalker on Tuesday 5th April 21:55
Ahh , the great smell of burning rubber and nitro methane in the barn......happy days ! yes until H & S took over the world frown

bungle

1,874 posts

239 months

Sunday 1st May 2016
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Any best day to go the Main Event (with the family)? I assume not a lot of difference between Sat-Mon, but less on on Friday (much cheaper)? Kids looking forward to it already biggrin

Justin Stage

52 posts

151 months

Monday 2nd May 2016
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If you are looking at going for only one day (shame) then the Sunday may be your best option. Final qualifying for the "professional" classes and first round of eliminations for some of the "sportsmen" racers.

Gastech

26 posts

130 months

Monday 2nd May 2016
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Good entry for Main Event, no jet cars entered so fr though which is unusual. Martin Hill is OK I hope.

monty999

1,113 posts

104 months

Monday 2nd May 2016
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Justin Stage said:
If you are looking at going for only one day (shame) then the Sunday may be your best option. Final qualifying for the "professional" classes and first round of eliminations for some of the "sportsmen" racers.
Agreed yes Sunday best day for most action plus Red Arrows display on the Sunday. I normally go for 3 days but leave after semi finals on the Monday as the queues to get away after the top fuel final late on is pretty chaotic. Great day Sunday though as all the campers are stopping so no big rush getting away. Enjoy !thumbup

chris285

811 posts

131 months

Friday 6th May 2016
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I got to santa pod about 3 times a year normally but for VW shows normally, so don't tend to see too much from the drag cars but action is a little better as you get a flavour of what they can do and thats just the slower ones running 6-8secs which are still silly quick

Seen the jet car loads and it's loud but a high pitched noise that hits your ear drums, mate of mine at springfest who is in the RAF responded in a rather un RAF manor as we were between 1/8th and 1/4 mile mark when it went by and i just laughed having seen it many times

Keep saying i want to see the top fueled ones though, like i say had a flavour at action and the thunder through your chest on the start line is something else