The Main Event - top tips?

[Felters]

Never been to the main event before... just wondered what the story is on the best days, where to camp, is it worth getting tickets for the grandstand etc. Any/all tips appreciated.

Cheers
Mike

[Tet]

Best day is Sunday. It's the last day of qualifying, and all those that haven't made the cut yet are desperately trying to put in a good run to make it through to eliminations on Monday. Yes, it's probably worth getting grandstand tickets. Arguably, you can get a better view on the banking at half track, but it tends to fill up for the FIA events, so unless you're tall, you may not fare so well there.

Edited by Tet on Sunday 3rd February 22:47

[HouseBros]

Don't buy grandstand-tickets in advance.
Since they placed the second "new" grandstand, there's plenty of seats available on raceday.
Still wonder if this is the effect of a bigger grandstand or the sky high price of a ticket.
You don't have the risk of losing your money when it starts raining.
Been there ,done that.
Main Event 2007,Monday-eliminations 6 tickets in advance, 48 Pounds down the drain....

[veryoldfart]

Tet said:

Best day is Sunday. It's the last day of qualifying, and all those that haven't made the cut yet are desperately trying to put in a good run to make it through to eliminations on Monday. Yes, it's probably worth getting grandstand tickets. Arguably, you can get a better view on the banking at half track, but it tends to fill up for the FIA events, so unless you're tall, you may not fare so well there.

Edited by Tet on Sunday 3rd February 22:47

take 3 pallets, stack em up, stand on them...

or some tennis umpire chairs

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WILSON-Stadium-Court-Tennis-...

or a viewing platform

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ALUMINIUM-SCAFFOLDING-LADDER...

Edited by veryoldfart on Monday 4th February 18:19

[MotorPsycho]

get to the banking early with a folding chair, set up somewhere between the tree and 330ft and in my opinion thats the best place to watch from

when it gets busy you'll have to stand for the pro classes, but always got the comfy seat for oil downs or sportsman racing when theres less people about and not stood up

[Felters]

Thanks all - that takes care of the spectating bit. Not sure how much scaffolding I can strap to my bike but I'll have a go.

What is the story on camping at SPR please?

[Dnac]

Felters said:

Thanks all - that takes care of the spectating bit. Not sure how much scaffolding I can strap to my bike but I'll have a go.

What is the story on camping at SPR please?

Camping at the pod, it can be lovely or it can be horrible lol!!

All depends I guess on if you wanna party the night away, or have a quite night. Personally I have only ever camped on the pits side, so can't speak from experience of the carpark side, but it must be ok, thousands do it every year.

Best advice I think I can give you is, if your eating food bought at the pod bring plenty of cash. Bring both really warm clothes and shorts and sun block (the pod always seems either blisteringly hot or freezing cold), and don't leave it too long in the morning before you get up to go to the loo.

Think that covers it.

[MotorPsycho]

family camping (round the pit side) is quiet and you can get a decent nights sleep...when you get to bed anyway, thats personal preference

if it's dry then all is fine, if not then prepare for everything to get muddy

[JohnW]

Got to agree with Dnac, camping can be pleasant or horrible, depends who your neighbours are. One tip, use your earplugs whilst sleeping, keeps some of the outside noise out.

[veryoldfart]

hire a van for the weekend, transit,etc, chuck a mattress in the back, or get an inflatable, forget camping, roll up, handbrake on, go walk round the pit

if you wanna be flash, buy a van, fit an awning, get all the gear

ive done the camping bit, and the "lets kip in the car" bit too, its ok till you wake up floating in the tent, or with a crick in your neck from sleeping in a corsa

ive seen some things on them campsites since 1975, thats before the hells angels were barred, it could get a little scary sometimes back then

take yr warm gear, wet gear, dry gear, food, heating, lighting, shower gear (if its 3 days, dont bother if its not, and suncream, i always get either burnt or soaked at santapod.

earplugs or defenders (esp for kiddies, too late for me) toilet rolls, cash, and more cash........and cash

i just saw the prices for the ME and EF's, ive paid less for return tickets to barca for my holidays.......

Edited by veryoldfart on Tuesday 5th February 11:10

[MotorPsycho]

veryoldfart said:

hire a van for the weekend, transit,etc, chuck a mattress in the back, or get an inflatable, forget camping, roll up, handbrake on, go walk round the pit

if you wanna be flash, buy a van, fit an awning, get all the gear

ive done the camping bit, and the "lets kip in the car" bit too, its ok till you wake up floating in the tent, or with a crick in your neck from sleeping in a corsa

ive seen some things on them campsites since 1975, thats before the hells angels were barred, it could get a little scary sometimes back then

take yr warm gear, wet gear, dry gear, food, heating, lighting, shower gear (if its 3 days, dont bother if its not, and suncream, i always get either burnt or soaked at santapod.

earplugs or defenders (esp for kiddies, too late for me) toilet rolls, cash, and more cash........and cash

i just saw the prices for the ME and EF's, ive paid less for return tickets to barca for my holidays.......

Edited by veryoldfart on Tuesday 5th February 11:10

flights to barcelona don't inlcude 4 days of drag racing though

really don't think £14ish a day (for weekend advance ticket) is expensive at all

[timtime]

Felters

You might want to have a look at fellow photographer Pete Roberts excellent website, his panorama's include

Muddy camping Main Event 2006 http://www.podlook.co.uk/panocamping.html

Early morning http://www.podlook.co.uk/panofog.html

Tent city http://www.podlook.co.uk/pano11.html

It will be nowhere near as full as the Bug Jam picture which is a mega camping weekend.

A few people have mentioned suncream, I often get burnt when its not even particularly sunny and even managed it at Flame and Thunder last year.

As Tet mentioned Sunday is probably the most exciting day and I would try to have a look round the pits between sessions it is quite an inspiration.

Tim

www.timtime.co.uk Proud to be supporting Team Turboville again in 2008

[Eurodragster.com]

veryoldfart said:

ive done the camping bit, and the "lets kip in the car" bit too, its ok till you wake up floating in the tent, or with a crick in your neck from sleeping in a corsa

I stopped camping at SPR in 1980 when a very drunk person fell on top of my tent (and thus me) at 2:30 in the morning. And I think everyone knows what happened to stop me sleeping in the car any more

[veryoldfart]

MotorPsycho said:

veryoldfart said:

hire a van for the weekend, transit,etc, chuck a mattress in the back, or get an inflatable, forget camping, roll up, handbrake on, go walk round the pit

if you wanna be flash, buy a van, fit an awning, get all the gear

ive done the camping bit, and the "lets kip in the car" bit too, its ok till you wake up floating in the tent, or with a crick in your neck from sleeping in a corsa

ive seen some things on them campsites since 1975, thats before the hells angels were barred, it could get a little scary sometimes back then

take yr warm gear, wet gear, dry gear, food, heating, lighting, shower gear (if its 3 days, dont bother if its not, and suncream, i always get either burnt or soaked at santapod.

earplugs or defenders (esp for kiddies, too late for me) toilet rolls, cash, and more cash........and cash

i just saw the prices for the ME and EF's, ive paid less for return tickets to barca for my holidays.......

Edited by veryoldfart on Tuesday 5th February 11:10

flights to barcelona don't inlcude 4 days of drag racing though

really don't think £14ish a day (for weekend advance ticket) is expensive at all

1. it will be warmer at barca
2. all things are subjective

[veryoldfart]

Eurodragster.com said:

veryoldfart said:

ive done the camping bit, and the "lets kip in the car" bit too, its ok till you wake up floating in the tent, or with a crick in your neck from sleeping in a corsa

I stopped camping at SPR in 1980 when a very drunk person fell on top of my tent (and thus me) at 2:30 in the morning. And I think everyone knows what happened to stop me sleeping in the car any more

in about 1976 a group of us camped out, 1 lucky swine had a rather fetching filly with him in his 1 man ridge tent with A frame, which was also collapsed by a drunk at about 2am, she had marks across the top of her thighs to prove it

our mate piped up "2 minutes earlier and it woulda broke my neck"......

shocking behaviour

[veryoldfart]

why can never get round to the pitside camping?

and why have spr never built a 2nd exit route?

[ian feltell]

mmm a nice bypass for a 2nd exit wouldn't go amiss.

[Ian7]

I always go on my bike, makes getting out so much easier, keep an eye on the weather forecasts if its going to rain or has rained a lot don`t camp unless you`ve got a good set of knobblies on your bike, you`ll never get out of the mud. Get your tent as far away from the fairground as poss, the shite music that blasts out from here will drive you nuts! On a fine weekend its great, never had any probs.

[TheMighty]

One tip:

The Power of Premier TravelInn

[veryoldfart]

TheMighty said:

One tip:

The Power of Premier TravelInn

except every day you have to travel in.......and out.........

or is that "travel INN"?....

nah, minniwinniwhinniebagowinniebago 30 feet of mobile home

i agree that the music from the fairground and the camping opposite it is annoying, but i cant get round the other side so i end up with the teeny weenies away from mum for the first time with 3 cans of black label per car load....