Spectators at the ARRC / RA

G

gran racing

Super Moderator
Any idea how many spectators usually attend the ARRC?

How is the track for watching the race as a spectator?


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Dave Gran
NER ITB #13
'87 Honda Prelude si
 
I have no idea what the spectator count for the ARRC would be. As for watching as a spectator, I like it. As with almost any natural (not an oval track infield) road course, you have to move around to see the whole track. This can be a problem with the shorter races due to the amount of time it can take to move around the infield, so you should probably plan to watch each race from one "area".

The only "grandstands" type seating arrangements are drivers' left through turns 10A and 10B, and drivers' left on the front stretch.

Your view from the front stretch stands is pretty poor, but the terraces at T10 are great, affording good views from T9 through T11 (the top of the hill). There's a nice hillside driver's right at 10A that has a good view, too.

The spectator hill above turn 5 gives a great view of T3 through The Esses and T5.

There's what appears to be a grandstand outside T1 at the end of the front stretch, but it's intended for photographers, and spectators usually are not allowed out there. You have to go though the edge of the "hot" zone to get to them.

The gate between T2 and T3 is a good spot for some action but you don't see much track. It's just and exciting piece of track. :-)

Between the T3 and T4 corner stations gives a decent view from T3 down through The Esses and up to between the apex and track out at T5.

There's a gate a few feet up track from the T6 station that gives a great view up the straight to T5A and the top of the hill.

Near the T8 station gives a good view of the first part of the back straight, down to T7. Up around the T9 station gives a good view of the middle and end of the back straight.

Around the helicopter pad gives a good view of the cars coming over the hill at T11 and down through T12, but not much of the front stretch.

You can go outside of the T1 fence and get around to the big billboard. This used to be a good place to watch the front stretch action and T1. Now the underbrush has grown up a lot and it's not so good.

Due to the elevation difference between the front straight and the pit lane, there aren't any really good places to watch the front stretch. Maybe the Pirelli bridge, but security usually won't let you just hang out on the bridge.

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Doug "Lefty" Franklin
NutDriver Racing
 
For the last three years I've always been surprised at how many people I see up on the hill in T5.

As for my one favorite spot to watch, it's right by the bridge at T10. You can see a lot of passes there, and if something big is happening such as 2 or 3 cars going up the hill out of T10b side by side, you can just walk a few steps to the other side of the bridge see the outcome as they go down into T12 and on the front straight.

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Alex
#90 ITA
 
Agreed, if Panoz was smart, he'd raise that bridge and build seats that went under it...THOSE would be the best seats in the house..you could see half way up the straight almost down to turn 1.

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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
 
One of the reasons I ask is because one of my sponsors wants for me to go down there next year. He isn't really into racing and hasn't gone nor is not very interested in going to any of my local events. He really likes the Atlanta area and wants to go down there for the race. Kinda strange... I'm trying to get a feel for how many people attend this event. I would hate for his only race that he attends to be one where not many people are there as spectators. Not like it really matters as his business is in CT (a body shop). But it probably wouldn't look too good for me.

At least this way I'll "only" have to worry about getting my butt kicked. No pressure having him come down.
frown.gif


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Dave Gran
NER ITB #13
'87 Honda Prelude si
 
Road Atlanta is the best track for viewing that I've ever been to an this includes:

Watkins Glen
Mid Ohio
Laguna Seca
Shannonville, ONT
Brands Hatch, GB
Mid America Raceways
Texas World Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Road Atlanta
Hockenheim Ring

BTW, don't expect a huge crowd at the ARRC. There are fans, but not even a 10th of what you'll find at a pro race weekend.


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George Roffe
Houston, TX
84 944 ITS car under construction
92 ITS Sentra SE-R occasionally borrowed
http://www.nissport.com
 
Watching from driver’s right above turn 5 (at turn in not exit) I thought was a great "hidden" place to watch from. The view was a bit different and you could see all of the esses and turn 5 till they crested the hill at the exit.

I know this is off topic but Geo...

If you ever have a chance to go back in time and watch the Trans-Am cars run the uphill at Lime Rock in the late 80's The Audi's were great as they could do "wheelies" on command by downshifting and punching the gas. It certainly looked like those drivers were having a good time.

Also even today I think Lime Rock Park deserves some spectator applause for its ability to make great spectating views without any grandstands at all. I was disappointed this year when I saw the walkway surrounding paddock "A" was taken out.

Raymond
 
Originally posted by R2 Racing:
George - You've never been standing on the top row of Grandstand #1 at Mid Ohio, have you?
wink.gif
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Nope. I've only watched two races from grandstands:

Long Beach GP (CART) - I forgot to add this to my list. Easily the WORST track to watch a race from that I've personally been to.

Charlotte - had the choice of any seat at the ALMS race since they had about as many fans as at the average SCCA club race.

I have, however, watched races at Mid-Ohio from pretty much all the non-grandstand viewing locations. It's a great track and I love watching races there. Road Atlanta has it beat IMHO.


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George Roffe
Houston, TX
84 944 ITS car under construction
92 ITS Sentra SE-R occasionally borrowed
http://www.nissport.com

[This message has been edited by Geo (edited November 22, 2004).]
 
But Ray, the walkway surrounding paddock A limited spectator viewing. It was there only as a means to allow people who did not pay the extra pit fee a way to get to the outfield from the infield. I LOVE how LRP opened the paddock up to spectators without paying an additional fee. It allows specators to become closer to the racing. (Of course this was only used for pro racing.)

Does anyone have other pictures of the ARRC other then cars on the track? Such as the paddock, people watching the event, ect.?
Thanks!!

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Dave Gran
NER ITB #13
'87 Honda Prelude si
 
RAtlanta is very viewer friendly. Barber has lots of good spots to see more then one turn or straight so it is up there. Hell, it is up there on everything .... a great place!
Mac
 
Atlanta is a fairly large track and hilly so you could have several thousand spectators and it would still look emptespecially in light of how large some of the grandstands are (turn 10 for example). My guess is fewer than 2,000 show up as pure spectators.

However the paddock has a good crowd of fellow participants so it dosn't seem as empty as, say, a double regional weekend. But even then the grandstands in the paddock are virtually empty...gotta remember at this level this is largely a participant driven sport and not fan driven.

What I'd do is spring for overcrew passes for him and his companions so he could have unfettered access and enjoy the crowds at the socials/evening parties/awards ceremonies...and set up a private hospitality site in your pit (refreshments/table/chairs/patio umbrella/etc). Him having credentials may go a long way to stroke his ego.

[This message has been edited by grayracer (edited November 22, 2004).]
 
I think having plenty of beer on site will be key.
smile.gif


Thanks for all of the info. This will be helpful!

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Dave Gran
NER ITB #13
'87 Honda Prelude si
 
For a couple of years after the Runoffs left, the ARRC did pretty well as far as spectators. The track was more involved with the ARRC in those days as they looked at it as an event with the possibility of turning into a mini-Runoffs.

IMHO, with the beginning of the Petit LeMans and the loss of Grassroots Motorsports as the presenting sponsor, the ARRC doesn't get near as much attention as it used to.

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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
ITS Honda Prelude

[This message has been edited by bobpink (edited November 22, 2004).]
 
<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">I was disappointed this year when I saw the walkway surrounding paddock \"A\" was taken out.</font>
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Yep, that really sucks, mostly because the transporters now park RIGHT UP to the spectator fence, blocking your ability to walk the perimeter of the track. Now you've got to walk around them, increasing the traffic level on the paddock road and causing confusion and chaos.

Gotta wonder about the new management...
 
I think they had very good intentions of opening up the paddock area. The next step they should take is to make sure the teams do not park right up against the fence and allow room for people to walk in that area.

It used to be very frustrating paying $35 to get into the track then have to pay additional money to get into the paddock. I think it is great that it is opened up to the public. Did it create more chaos for the teams? Maybe. But these events should be geared for the fans.

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Dave Gran
NER ITB #13
'87 Honda Prelude si
 
I know this thread is about Road Atlanta, but to add one comment about Lime Rock... It cost additional money to take down the fence, when they could have kept the walkway and just opened up the infield to spectators... Good views/spectating and free paddock!!!

Raymond "not that we can do anything about it now..." Blethen
 
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