Optima Street Car Challenge: a spectator perspective?

[badazz81z28]

For those spectators like me, what did you think? I honestly thought other than the brake challenge it was not very spectator friendly. I actually left early yesterday and didn't bother going today. I remember the Parump location where you kind of right "there". This year (bigger than last) seemed like I was trying to watch something I wasn't supposed to watch. Standing on barriers, looking over bushes and chain link fences.....watching the road course from a good distance away...I know it's probably not geared towards a spectator type of show, but I guess for $30 admission I felt something was missing?

Maybe more vendors? Food? Areas to actually check out the cars? Heck I couldn't even see auto cross times .

[groho]

You want an up close hands-on personal experience. . .volunteer at OUSCC events. They're always looking for help, and ask for volunteers on this board. I've done three this year, and loved each one; set up on friday, flag on sat, little or no setup on sun depending on the track. The track and race officials dictate how close spectators get. The problem is the course sometimes limits where they have to watch due to fence lines, barriers, etc. It's allot of work, but unforgettable fun. Here's Fontana just a few weeks ago.

[vintageracer]

We chose not to go to LVMS as I have been there before and knew the layout would NOT be spectator friendly at all especially for the $30.00/person/day price of admission! For god sakes that's $5.00 MORE per person than it cost attend SEMA for all 4 days!

We could not spend the day at LVMS therefore "working" the event was not an option my daughter and myself. It just goes to show you that autocross and track events are a PARTICIPANT event and not SPECTATOR friendly events. Especially when the ONLY thing you are paying for by purchasing a "ticket" to the event itself is "racing" activity you can barely see due to all the track and other restrictions! WAY OVERPRICED in my opinion however I am absolutely positive the promoter will have a different opinion as he/she is the one footing the bill and has to depend upon someone to pay the bills!

It makes the Goodguys $20.00 admission price look like a BARGAIN in comparison as when you get BORED watching other people have fun autocrossing you also have many other things to look at, enjoy and or spend your hard earned money upon!

[hotrodalex]

I watched as a spectator last year and chased cones this year - volunteering was definitely more interesting (and free).

It also makes things more interesting when everyone gets lost on the course and tries to either run you over or head back to the finish line and collide with the next driver while you wave the red flag as fast as possible.

[badazz81z28]

Volunteering would be something I'm interested in, but I just don't have that much flexibility. I don't get a lot of time to breathe, I thought going to Optima would be a time to relax and watch/see some cool cars. I just need to button my car up ;)

[chevelletiger]

I helped out at Fontana on Sat. in October,and really did mostly traffic control till the end when chuck taught me how to flag cars in and out of the autocross.its a lot of work but your really up close.
Phil

[Project92rs]

We were there to help crew a car so we spent a lot of time near one car. We also know a lot of the other drivers so stopping to talk to people in grid and the pit area was an option when not working on the car.

But I do agree with you that the layout is not spectator friendly. The portion of LVMS they use for the event isn't set up for spectator events so bleacher areas don't exist for most of the area. If you do it again and want to get close to the cars, walk up to them during breaks and talk to the drivers. Most don't bite and are pretty enthusiastic about talking about the car and event. Just avoid the ones that have mounds of tools next to the car and have their hands elbow deep in something. They might be a bit distracted.

[rchaskin]

Come to Charlotte.

On Saturday, you can set in the bleachers at Zmax Dragway to watch the speedstop, and then walk 30 feet and see the whole autocross course.
If you set with us, you can set in the shade.....

On Sunday, when I was not on track, we sat in the deck behind pit road to see everyone cross the start / finish, and brake to enter the roadcourse.
It would be hard to see the entire Roval course unless from the grandstands.

There were no food vendors much, but there was tons within 2 miles of the tracks.
The oval and dragstrip are basically right across the road from each other.

Come on down, and we will roll the carpet out for ya!!

[badazz81z28]

Come on down, and we will roll the carpet out for ya!!

Didn't see that coming....apparently my innocent inquiry offends people?

[mpozzi]

Didn't see that coming....apparently my innocent inquiry offends people?

How so? Randy wants to give a different perspective on USCA events and extended an invitation to one at Charlotte that sounds like it is a bit more spectator friendly. Each venue has its own challenges, both for the competitors and spectators.

Mary Pozzi

[rchaskin]

Didn't see that coming....apparently my innocent inquiry offends people?

No offense taken...
When we go to race, we compete, but I also like to meet new people with the same interests.

If I knew you were coming, we would roll the carpet out for you.
Rolling the out carpet in NC means, shade, snacks, Sundrops and plenty bench racing.

Like I said, come on down.

[badazz81z28]

That's a cultural sane I wasn't familiar with. In California that would be considered a sarcastic comment. My apologies, I understood it the wrong way.