2012 Santa Pod Main Event (1-4 June)
Discussion
crikey said:
You don't watch dag racing, you experience it.
Dag racing?
Should be more fun that that!
I've seen a video on youtube shot by a guy in the stands at a drag race, and it showed a half empty bottle of water on the bench during the race...it's like something from jurrasic park how you see the water jumping in the bottle, then the whole bottle tips up and flys off the bench! That was what first gave me an impression of what it must be like to be there - the air filled with thunder. I'm sure, as many others have attested, that it's not something that can be accurately conveyed by a video or photos, you have to BE there... which is one of the main reasons for pulling my finger out and getting tickets sorted for this year.
Drag Racing is unbeatable as a live spectacle, I've been spectating since 1973 and still I get anticipation pangs before a race.
The only possible 'elephant in the room' could be your front row seats in the stand. The view from those seats will have you watching the racing through the barrier in front of you, this may not bother you.
The photographs in this thread taken from the stands were taken higher up (Central will hopefully enlighten you more) and offer a great view.
The banking on the opposite side of the strip is 'free' enabling you to stand pretty much where you want and the freedom to move around from the startline to the finish line.
Enjoy the race !
The only possible 'elephant in the room' could be your front row seats in the stand. The view from those seats will have you watching the racing through the barrier in front of you, this may not bother you.
The photographs in this thread taken from the stands were taken higher up (Central will hopefully enlighten you more) and offer a great view.
The banking on the opposite side of the strip is 'free' enabling you to stand pretty much where you want and the freedom to move around from the startline to the finish line.
Enjoy the race !
JohnW said:
The photographs in this thread taken from the stands were taken higher up (Central will hopefully enlighten you more) and offer a great view.
The banking on the opposite side of the strip is 'free' enabling you to stand pretty much where you want and the freedom to move around from the startline to the finish line.
Enjoy the race !
I have a cunningplan....The banking on the opposite side of the strip is 'free' enabling you to stand pretty much where you want and the freedom to move around from the startline to the finish line.
Enjoy the race !
I think the front row of the stands is a pretty good place to watch particularly if you are near to the start line. The thing I would say is that some of the other classes sound pretty loud and then in TF or fuel funny the burnout will be noisy but the first time you will experience just how noisy it really is when the lights go green on one of the fuel car runs. I can tell you this involves noise you can feel and the ground shakes etc but the first one you see will still leave you shocked !
The other tip I would give is to get there early {9am or so} and have a good look around the paddock before the big classes start. The TF cars are all together and tend to fire up in the paddock from about 10am onwards {you can tell if 1 is about to fire up as the crew put on ear defenders and gas masks}, you can get close up though try to keep up wind as the nitro exhaust fumes are like tear gas. The fuel cars are started on methanol then after a few seconds start running on nitro and the engine noise becomes much louder and fiercer sounding. After it's run for a while they normally {but not always} blip the throttle which will nearly knock you over ! It will give you a feel for what the later runs will be like.
I think the big downside of drag racing is the amount of downtime you often get. It may be caused by rain or by an accident or by an oil down. If it looks like it's going to take a long time {the others in the crowd will probably know} have another good look around the paddock, look at the sportsman classes as well as some of the cars in there now are very interesting.
Bill
The other tip I would give is to get there early {9am or so} and have a good look around the paddock before the big classes start. The TF cars are all together and tend to fire up in the paddock from about 10am onwards {you can tell if 1 is about to fire up as the crew put on ear defenders and gas masks}, you can get close up though try to keep up wind as the nitro exhaust fumes are like tear gas. The fuel cars are started on methanol then after a few seconds start running on nitro and the engine noise becomes much louder and fiercer sounding. After it's run for a while they normally {but not always} blip the throttle which will nearly knock you over ! It will give you a feel for what the later runs will be like.
I think the big downside of drag racing is the amount of downtime you often get. It may be caused by rain or by an accident or by an oil down. If it looks like it's going to take a long time {the others in the crowd will probably know} have another good look around the paddock, look at the sportsman classes as well as some of the cars in there now are very interesting.
Bill
I love reading the Newbie threads
A few years ago I took a buddy of mine to the Euro Finals, who was in the “Motorsport is F1, the end” mind-set, that’s been successfully brain-washed into the population by Bernie.
He was simply blown away... To this day, he still talks about the assault on his sensations of watching 2 TF go past him at 330ft, with his guts, the ground and the air shaking…
It's an unwritten rule that it is the civil duty of every fan to preach the good word of drag racing as far and wide as possible. In my case it was job done!
I’ll be interested to hear your "first-timer's" feedback
A few years ago I took a buddy of mine to the Euro Finals, who was in the “Motorsport is F1, the end” mind-set, that’s been successfully brain-washed into the population by Bernie.
He was simply blown away... To this day, he still talks about the assault on his sensations of watching 2 TF go past him at 330ft, with his guts, the ground and the air shaking…
It's an unwritten rule that it is the civil duty of every fan to preach the good word of drag racing as far and wide as possible. In my case it was job done!
I’ll be interested to hear your "first-timer's" feedback
Another tip - make time to go talk to the drivers and teams - there are a lot of enthusiastic people out there who would love to chat (time permitting) and drag racers in general are the friendliest bunch of people. I remember wandering the pits as a spectator many times with my dad, him stop to chat or to watch a team work and then end up getting stuck in and helping out on several occasions. And after the racing has finished for the day there can be almost a "festival" atmosphere to the place, with alot of the racers who arent still working tend to meet up and sometimes have a couple of beers (obviously making sure that they are still good to race the next day). There tend to be bands on in the beer tent and of course the fun fair too.
As everyone else has said though prepare for an experience that your not going to forget in a hurry. I can still remember the first meeting I attended as im sure can most. Over the years my parents took us and our school friends (at one stage there were 2 adults and 9 teen's) and all but one of them still talk about the racing and how awesome it is. No accounting for taste on the other one lol. I remember my dad turning to my best mate from school after he watched his first top fuel run back when we were maybe 12 or 13 and asking what he thought - his response was "Christ! Dont it make your tits shake!" lol.
As everyone else has said though prepare for an experience that your not going to forget in a hurry. I can still remember the first meeting I attended as im sure can most. Over the years my parents took us and our school friends (at one stage there were 2 adults and 9 teen's) and all but one of them still talk about the racing and how awesome it is. No accounting for taste on the other one lol. I remember my dad turning to my best mate from school after he watched his first top fuel run back when we were maybe 12 or 13 and asking what he thought - his response was "Christ! Dont it make your tits shake!" lol.
The old trailer toilets on the spectator side used to be disgusting, but they built new ones (which were burned down at bug jam i believe), and then got some more new ones and now the toilets both pit and spectator side are pretty good - and they are kept as clean as possible - given the number of people using them!
JohnW said:
The photographs in this thread taken from the stands were taken higher up (Central will hopefully enlighten you more) and offer a great view.
Some of us snappers prefer the back row of the stand at big events. You can also keep an eye on the pairing lanes from there.Not to mention getting shouts/abuse from the "Podington Peas"
Warn your friends and family that on your return your behaviour will appear strange.
You will spend the rest of your life talking in numbers to a third decimal place, hang round old airfields, run towards orange fumes and be inconsolable in winter months.
Many newbies I have rounded in have been speechless well within half an hour of a session in full swing.
You will spend the rest of your life talking in numbers to a third decimal place, hang round old airfields, run towards orange fumes and be inconsolable in winter months.
Many newbies I have rounded in have been speechless well within half an hour of a session in full swing.
The first time you go drag racing and see, feel, hear and smell a pair of fuel cars on a full pass is awesome and it never gets old.
The second time you go drag racing you know a little more of what to expect which means you can play the 'spot the rookie' game. Rookies can normally be seen with their fingers jammed in their ears flinching every time something with a little bit of power nails it.
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