2 friends and I will be attending the Rolex 24 Sat and Sun (Jan 27/28). First timers ... Can anyone give advice on where to go? Or just wander about? I attended the 1995 Daytona 200 AMA Superbike race, so I'm generally familiar with the facility, but that was long ago. Rode our motorcycles into the infield but didn't go inside anywhere.
Thanks ...
I will be there, been going every year since we moved down. I personally like to go on the start/finish line right before the start. They open up the area shortly before the race. I always bring whatever friend or daughter that goes with me so they can stand on the banking and appreciate the angle. Then they open the stairs on the high side of the track and we go into the stands and go all the way to the very top, to watch the start and early part of the race. The new stands are so high you can see the entire track. It is awesome getting a birds-eye view watching them dive down into turn 1.
Before the race and during, I meander around the garages. I also meander thru the parking lots and see the cool cars (and cool/weird camping situations). I spend a decent amount of time in the Porsche corral (turn 4) since that is where my car is parked (with my cooler, of course). Turn 3 is really good to watch (at least for me), and it is right nearby. I also usually walk over to the track at turn 7 (I think that is the number). The part between Nascar turn 1 and 2. Standing there it looks like the cars are virtually vertical. It isn't ultra exciting, just faster cars passing on the high side, but it is mesmerizing to my primitive brain. I usually also back to the stands at some point to the very lowest area of the stands on the front straight, stand at the fence at the wall, to get a feel for the speed and the sheer noise, and to watch the different lines and brake points they take into turn 1.
I have no idea how folks can sleep at the track, especially in the tents. And Sunday morning is also a unique feel. Roaring engines, hazy campfire smoke, smell of rubber, brake pads, and bacon, and people in pajamas walking around with a Miller Lite. On Sunday morning I like to go in the garage areas and watch the team work on cars and try to get them back on track.
There is a little patio thing on top of the garages. I also go up there for a little while and look down over the garage areas.
You can also walk behind the hot pit area, where the teams are with their tons of monitors. You can't go in there (chain link fence, and they usually have tarps blocking you from seeing in there), but you can often randomly find a decent view into some of the team areas and see the tons of data they have. It is cool to see what goes on at the pit wall.
I might not have the best watching plan, but I am a simple man and I have fun.
I suggest ear protection. Noise-cancelling headphones are great. You will not regret it.
Text me on Saturday and we can hook up. I stay til late, but drive home to sleep and come back in the morning.
See you there