Santa Pod day out with 7 year old
Discussion
Hi All,
I was just wondering if anyone has been to Santa Pod with a young child and if they'd recommend it.
Just thinking about things to do with my oldest who has a good interest in cars but wanted to check on opinions of people who may have been.
Is it reasonably easy to park there and walk round and see various events? Is it worth adding grandstand tickets to the day ticket?
Anything else I should be considering?
Many thanks in advance.
I was just wondering if anyone has been to Santa Pod with a young child and if they'd recommend it.
Just thinking about things to do with my oldest who has a good interest in cars but wanted to check on opinions of people who may have been.
Is it reasonably easy to park there and walk round and see various events? Is it worth adding grandstand tickets to the day ticket?
Anything else I should be considering?
Many thanks in advance.
If it’s a Top Fuel meeting then your child should be prepared for literal ground shaking and deafening experience. Dependant on child’s age and previous experience of being trackside, it could be overwhelming for some kids. Sponge ear deafenders in ears AND headphone defenders is my advise.
My advice, do not simply wear ear defenders.
tell your child to literally push their fingers into their ears a little as if you were right next to Concorde taking off these things are brutally loud.
And watch the lights carefully, they can go from quiet to insane very quickly.
Maybe stand on the top of the bank if you only want to do ear defenders, do not be right next to the strip.
tell your child to literally push their fingers into their ears a little as if you were right next to Concorde taking off these things are brutally loud.
And watch the lights carefully, they can go from quiet to insane very quickly.
Maybe stand on the top of the bank if you only want to do ear defenders, do not be right next to the strip.
Parking is in a huge grassland , no problem with that. It’s sometimes hard to pinpoint your car on return, so make notes of structures or something fixed to help find the car.
Deffo ear defenders and probably ear plugs if the fuel cars run.
I’d say get a seat as well.
Be aware, you tend to do a LOT of walking at SPR.
It can be a good long walk from the car park round to the pit sides, plus you then will walk the length and breadth of the pits.
All the pit areas are open access, you can watch the guys rebuilding stuff etc. All the teams are more than happy to chat, as kings as they aren’t thrashing to get the car/bike ready.
Be aware of moving vehicles in the pits, especially electric bikes.
It’s a great day out, but I’m always shattered when I get home.
Hi and hopefully enjoy it, you may find it addictive…..
Deffo ear defenders and probably ear plugs if the fuel cars run.
I’d say get a seat as well.
Be aware, you tend to do a LOT of walking at SPR.
It can be a good long walk from the car park round to the pit sides, plus you then will walk the length and breadth of the pits.
All the pit areas are open access, you can watch the guys rebuilding stuff etc. All the teams are more than happy to chat, as kings as they aren’t thrashing to get the car/bike ready.
Be aware of moving vehicles in the pits, especially electric bikes.
It’s a great day out, but I’m always shattered when I get home.
Hi and hopefully enjoy it, you may find it addictive…..
I took my nephew a few times from the age of about 6 to around 10.
It wasn’t the noise level from the nitro cars that shook him as much as the suddenness of the noise. If you’re in the wrong/right place, you really can feel the pulses from the exhausts hitting your chest.
So as advised above, I’d recommend grandstand seats.
If you do go to a meeting with nitro cars, be careful in the pits/paddock area. It’s a great place to be, but the exhaust gases from nitromethane engines are nasty. I wouldn’t want to subject a kid to that, so keep your distance.
The drag racing community tends to be extremely friendly and kids are often lifted into cars for a photo by dad etc.
It wasn’t the noise level from the nitro cars that shook him as much as the suddenness of the noise. If you’re in the wrong/right place, you really can feel the pulses from the exhausts hitting your chest.
So as advised above, I’d recommend grandstand seats.
If you do go to a meeting with nitro cars, be careful in the pits/paddock area. It’s a great place to be, but the exhaust gases from nitromethane engines are nasty. I wouldn’t want to subject a kid to that, so keep your distance.
The drag racing community tends to be extremely friendly and kids are often lifted into cars for a photo by dad etc.
Edited by Tony1963 on Tuesday 2nd May 20:25
Edited by Tony1963 on Tuesday 2nd May 20:26
I will just warn you about something I witnessed this weekend. As a racer of an open header car I always make my best effort when warming up to kinda make it obvious thats what we're doing. But I happened to notice a young lad (probably 4 or 5) walking with his dad through the pits and he got utterly startled by a racer starting up.
Basically just be aware of your surroundings when walking through the pits, both of moving vehicles and off engines starting up. The poor lad seemed pretty shaken up by it.
The flip side of the coin for having such close access to the cars is also sparking that potential new racer from being by or sitting in a car! Either way, I hope you enjoy your time at the track and so does the 7 year old.
Basically just be aware of your surroundings when walking through the pits, both of moving vehicles and off engines starting up. The poor lad seemed pretty shaken up by it.
The flip side of the coin for having such close access to the cars is also sparking that potential new racer from being by or sitting in a car! Either way, I hope you enjoy your time at the track and so does the 7 year old.
https://youtu.be/B7QGmsomid8
Go to about 30 secs from the end....... volume up, heavy metal is like a whisper 😉
Go to about 30 secs from the end....... volume up, heavy metal is like a whisper 😉
As a old time drag racing fan (1975 first visit) i can say there is not a thing on earth like the blast of a pair of Top fuel or AA/FC cars on full chat, they literally are trying to rotate the planet, first timers are totally unprepared, however i would advise caution for children, its not just the racing, the pits are open access unlike any other motorsport i know of, standing next to these monsters is gut wrenching, the noise is totally beyond anything else and likely to damage hearing and Nitromethane being burned produces tear gas, I kid you not.
The noise goes through you
Access to the pits is included in entry, crews are welcoming so long as they arent busy, hero cards are usually given out
Have fun.... take ear plugs and ear defenders....
Dont forget though it is a dry weather only sport, i believe now tickets are solely sold online
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoL6S20xW3o
The noise goes through you
Access to the pits is included in entry, crews are welcoming so long as they arent busy, hero cards are usually given out
Have fun.... take ear plugs and ear defenders....
Dont forget though it is a dry weather only sport, i believe now tickets are solely sold online
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoL6S20xW3o
Edited by Upatdawn on Tuesday 9th May 21:51
Edited by Upatdawn on Tuesday 9th May 21:52
SpydieNut said:
We’re there with the family at the end of May. Saturday through Monday and camping on site. I can’t wait - 30 years since I last saw drag racing in person - and I can still remember the assault on all the senses.
Ear defenders all round
You will see a lot of differences, first.... no barn, then vastly different classes, the fields in TF and F/C are down but Nostalgia Funny car is increasing, Pro Mod ahs been THE class for a few years, blown alky doorslammers (watch out for Fast Freddy fagerstrom in what was (i kid you not) his dads old builders truck, 1/8th mile burnouts, 80mph reversingEar defenders all round
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7atc89HM5M0
Hell, tempted to go myself, last went 2017
Edited by Upatdawn on Tuesday 9th May 22:02
Upatdawn said:
You will see a lot of differences, first.... no barn, then vastly different classes, the fields in TF and F/C are down but Nostalgia Funny car is increasing, Pro Mod ahs been THE class for a few years, blown alky doorslammers (watch out for Fast Freddy fagerstrom in what was (i kid you not) his dads old builders truck, 1/8th mile burnouts, 80mph reversing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7atc89HM5M0
Hell, tempted to go myself, last went 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7atc89HM5M0
Hell, tempted to go myself, last went 2017
Edited by Upatdawn on Tuesday 9th May 22:02
cheers mate 
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