Anyone here been to the Calif. 500?

[scottmandue]

Okay, I know we have closet NASCAR fans are out there so help me out (please).

I got handed tickets for this Sundays Calif 500 and one of my friends is a BIG fan so I am going to give it a shot.

Questions:
I believe the race starts at 12:30, how early should I get to the track?
I have a parking pass however if it were up to me I would take the train into the track to beat traffic, how bad is the traffic getting in and out?
How much is beer at the track?

Thanks for your support.
(now bring on the requisite NASCAR bashing)

[KevinP73]

I've gone the last three years and it's great. I take the train from San Fernando around 8:00 am and get there in about a half hour. Going home is just as easy. Leaving last year I was in Burbank by the time my buddy was getting onto the freeway. Wouldn't do iit any other way. Beer like everything is too expensive, but what can you do?

[KFC911]

Originally posted by KevinP73
.... Beer like everything is too expensive, but what can you do?

Ummm...take a small cooler, particularly if you're taking the train!

[Cdnone1]

I have been for the past 6 years.
We rented a front row spot with a motor home and my brothers would fly in for the weekend. We had hot pit and garage passes so between the freak show in the infield and watching the races from the pits it made for a fun weekend. The race usually sucks, as it's not a good track and the field just gets spread way out with little or no passing.

The traffic is surreal. Take the train if at all possible. It would take several hours to get out of the infield. Be WARNED the last train leaves the station something like 45 minutes after the race ends, so you have got to get there or be stranded!

Get there as early as possible. It gets insanely crowded. I have always found the best part of a NASCAR event is not the racing but the freak show that goes on around it. Lots of mullets, tatto(on the women), people paying $400 for a Junior jacket, etc. It's great for people watching but not much of a race.

NASCAR lives on beer!. You can buy a beer every three feet. Just be prepared to pay a lot of money for a watered down draft. We had our own beer in the infield so I don't know if they will let you bring coolers with plastic bottles into the stands anymore. Probably not because every thing the Frances do is to make them more$$$$.

Oh and bring some sun screen because there are only a few seats in the shade.

You will probably have a good time if you don't mind lots of crowds and so so racing

Steve

[KevinP73]

Originally posted by KC911
Ummm...take a small cooler, particularly if you're taking the train!

Can't do it here, especially if you come in on the train.

[KFC911]

The attendance would be sparse if they had that approach in the south

[TerryH]

We went the second year, 1998? We boarded the Amtrak in Fullerton and were surprised to find out we had to go to Union Station in LA before heading back in the opposite direction to the track! It was my first train ride, so I didn't mind the extra 60 miles or so.

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by KevinP73
I've gone the last three years and it's great. I take the train from San Fernando around 8:00 am and get there in about a half hour. Going home is just as easy. Leaving last year I was in Burbank by the time my buddy was getting onto the freeway. Wouldn't do it any other way. Beer like everything is too expensive, but what can you do?

\

What is the color of the line that leaves from San Fernando (so I can look it up) I am south of Los Angeles so is there a good train stop just west of the track I can use?

Seeing as I am driving AND supplying tickets my friend said "I will buy the beer"

[KevinP73]

Originally posted by scottmandue
\

What is the color of the line that leaves from San Fernando (so I can look it up)

Go to California Speedway dot com and buy your train tickets thru them. They will provide route and schedules. You will get a train directly to the speedway.

[scottmandue]

Wellll, train tix are $25+$10 handling fee so I just dropped $70 to miss the glorious traffic jam in and out of the race (hope it is worth it).

My friend is going to be real happy about getting up at 8:00 to catch a train.

I hope you NASCAR folk realize this will give me rights to piss and moan about NASCAR as much as I want because I have been to a race gosh didily darn it!

[dd74]

Originally posted by scottmandue
Wellll, train tix are $25+$10 handling fee so I just dropped $70 to miss the glorious traffic jam in and out of the race (hope it is worth it).

Ah, it's worth it. Once the race ended, it took us over an hour to get out of the parking lot.

Never been, huh? Do you have your headphones, earplugs, scanners, portable TV, and transistor radio to listen to the race in English and Spanish?

Bring aspirin, too.

[KevinP73]

scottmandue lets find a place to meet and I'll buy you your first NASCAR beer.

[dd74]

Just keep your hands off him, Kev. We know how you get.