The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

[tigger92662]

@PaHunter, I've been out of drag racing for a while. Lets plan a dismeet at the drag strip and have some fun

 

[bama_ed]

we are constantly planning and changing plans. Plan was to drive to Ohio yesterday but decided we would drive next weekend on Sep 12 (decided this on Frida). That meant I was doing my virtual Boston Marathon Monday (today) here in Atlanta. I got break on the weather and got started at 6:15. It was definitely not the Boston I hoped for but I did it.

rumor is boston in April 2021 will be elites only so it might be a few more years before I get back there. Right now am just glad it’s done. Long runs after long drives suck.

Good for you, Kris. Glad you got that done. I'm proud of you!

Ed

 

[jbrostek]

Day one back to school is wrapping up pretty soon. Everyone fared well and we had very few technical glitches. Biggest issues was user errors, minor issue is Melissa's sound card was being glitchy. I am going to email dell, this might just be a bad card. Time will tell.

We got Melissa a new laptop this year and after working on her old one it could have done OK but not great. I finally have it working pretty well, it will be a good household backup.

 

[tiggerdad]

Meanwhile in MS...

 

[bama_ed]

So today the Alabama football ticket office notified season ticket holders (who did not opt out completely) what games they would attend, how many tickets they would receive for each game, and how much of the Tide Pride donations and season ticket expense (that we paid in back in March for a 7-game home season) would be applied to today's decision.

I got a partial season ticket package that included the last 3 home games which is what I expressed a preference for. Recall that the SEC is playing a 10-game conference only season thus there are only 5 home games in total and the vast majority of fans were offered the choice of a 2-game package (first two home games) or a 3-game package (last three home games). I got two (instead of the usual four) seats for the last three games and I'm on the shaded side of the stadium, about 30 yards more toward the 50, and 16 rows higher (top row in that section).

Alabama is only allowing 20% capacity for home games which equates to 20k people in attendance. Many fans I know opted out completely for a full refund - I'll get a partial refund for the already-paid funds not used by the 3-game package.

But the digital marketplace is very efficient. Knowing what we did about the 20% capacity and which games would be at home, how would that drive demand? Season ticket holders, sure, but what about the outside, third party market for Crimson Tide Football tickets in this pandemic era?

My 3-game package included the Auburn (in-state rival) game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Normally it's the last game of the regular season but this year we have a road game at Arkansas after that. Anyway, today on StubHub, the get-in lowest priced ticket today for the Bama-Auburn game in Tuscaloosa is $786 each. Those have NEVER been that high this close to the start of the season. And my kids want to use the tickets to go to the game! I want to sell, Sell, SELL and cash in! But DD is a senior at Bama and this would be her last home game as a student (she lost her student tickets in the do-over).

Hey, at least the SEC is gonna try to play a 2020 season. So I should be thankful for that.

Bama Ed

 

[PaHunter]

@PaHunter, I've been out of drag racing for a while. Lets plan a dismeet at the drag strip and have some fun

Well, with this crap going on most of this years schedule was cancelled. Looking at last year, I think the Bristol Weekend would be a good one. Mid June, and not too far for most folks. I would love to if they return to a normal schedule next year.

 

[WeLovePluto]

Man, I’d be in, but convincing DW we were going to Bristol and it wasn’t for the NASCAR night race isn’t going to be easy.

 

[Teamubr]

We used to go to the NASCAR Bristol race every year. 10 hour drive for a long weekend. Never mind the $500 for a "campsite" (pad of gravel or grass, no hookups) for the weekend. With NHRA at Gateway (St Louis) and Indy (3 hours), Bristol will be a hard sell.

So today the Alabama football ticket office notified season ticket holders what games they would attend, how many tickets they would receive for each game.

I got a partial season ticket package that included the last 3 home games.

You want to drive up my way and go to that Epic Mizzou/'bama (mis)match?

j

 

[WeLovePluto]

With NHRA at Gateway (St Louis) and Indy (3 hours), Bristol will be a hard sell.

I’m still mad that IndyCar and the track screwed up the race in New Orleans. It would have been awesome to be able to take the kids every year.

But the one attempt at it was an utter mess. It was poorly advertised to the point that I had trouble finding info on it despite trying. They scheduled it in early April, on the weekend of French Quarter fest. And it rained too hard all weekend, stopping just before the race.

Predictably, they ran about 8 laps on wet tires before the first person came in for slicks. They never ran 2 consecutive green flag laps after that. Henchcliff won what ended up being a timed race.

The organizers and track got into a legal battle over how to split the taxpayer money. So the 3 year contract only made it one race.

But, the paddock access you could get for really cheap prices was awesome.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Never mind the $500 for a "campsite" (pad of gravel or grass, no hookups) for the weekend.

While I had a blast in the CG at a Bristol race a few years back, you're right. I paid through the nose for a stitch of grass barely big enough for the camper and luckily 30A. The CG packed us in like sardines. The golf cart dude pulled out a tape measure and gave us like two feet plus any slides. It was a spring race though, and about 3/4 of the CG never filled up.
Either way, it was a great memory. I want to get back someday, but it's hard to justify a long weekend like that recently.

 

[Teamubr]

Sign of the times, I guess, but camping fees at the tracks haven't gone up much in the past 15 years. Last week we paid $500 for our site. It was good for a week (Monday-Monday) and you arrived when ever you wanted (same price). That was for 50 amp service. This is the same place we camped when we had season tickets to the NASCAR races at Indy 20+ years ago. The price was the same the last NASCAR race we went to (2005).

I think our Bristol camping spots (on the drag strip lots and across the street ) were about the same and they didn't have any hookups, but that was when Bristol still sold out every race. (2009 was our last year).

j

 

[tigger92662]

Some people have 'Beware of Dog' sign, others perhaps 'This house protected by Smith & Wesson'
Me, I've got this guy

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Sign of the times, I guess, but camping fees at the tracks haven't gone up much in the past 15 years.

I live about 15 miles from Kansas Speedway, so I don't really have a need for camping, but you can't get a spot without buying the whole season. The bum spots are pushing 1000 and the nice ones are unreal.

Oh well. I'm planning to follow the NASCAR west coast swing in a couple of years. I guess I'll pay what they charge...just like FW, they got me.

 

[Teamubr]

I live about 15 miles from Kansas Speedway, so I don't really have a need for camping.

I used to follow NASCAR at a very high level. We hit 10-12 races a year. That was back in the height of its popularity. In the mid-2000s I was approached with an opportunity to go road racing. Road races were always my favorite. Once I started racing, there wasn't much weekend time to catch NASCAR races. The overall racing fan base has really declined and none of it is as popular as it was. I did have a chance to watch the NASCAR race at Kansas in one of the suites. A good friend worked with one of the national sponsors and did their hospitality gigs for them. My DW and I were invited because I was a Ford sanctioned driver at the time. I have raced on the road course at Kansas and numerous times at Heartland Park in Topeka. I still have the class track records at Topeka on the intermediate and club courses.
Here was the first and only time I have been in the track suites. This was back in 2016. Pretty incredible view. And the food wasn't bad either.



j

 

[jbrostek]

Our local SCCA region just had its 'one hit wonder' season come to a close. After the shutdown and a late start, they managed to get a drivers school in at the start of August, then a double in over labor day weekend. The cancelled their October event in favor of the few SM guys that wanted convince the region to travel to VIR for Goblins Go. Sadly the board listened while most of the rest of the region have zero plans to travel (only 5 NCR region racers came to our double.)

I called the race season a wash, I spent Labor Day at home with the family. We grilled, we relaxed, we went Kayaking on the Occaquan river. I agreed to work the Porsche Club Race event later this month, otherwise, I think that will be a wrap for me at Summit Point.

 

[Teamubr]

I called the race season a wash,

It sounds like most of the amateur series had similar experiences. The people I raced with in NASA have had some good events the last half of the summer, but they lost half the season and many of the "casual" HPDE/TT participants.

I guess there is always next year. It's been a few years since I put on the helmet, but the RS is paid for and out of warranty, so a few track events might be fun next year. The car doesn't class well, so it would just be fitting in somewhere to have fun.

j

 

[jbrostek]

NASA Mid Atlantic is going strong and filling most events. Their first event was at near NASA Hyperfest levels. They have one event left, so I might have one more after this. Though we are just waiting to see at this point.

 

[PaHunter]

Some people have 'Beware of Dog' sign, others perhaps 'This house protected by Smith & Wesson'
Me, I've got this guy
View attachment 524805

Oh dude, just no no no no, set he house on fire !!!!!

 

[PaHunter]

I used to follow NASCAR at a very high level. We hit 10-12 races a year. That was back in the height of its popularity. In the mid-2000s I was approached with an opportunity to go road racing. Road races were always my favorite. Once I started racing, there wasn't much weekend time to catch NASCAR races. The overall racing fan base has really declined and none of it is as popular as it was. I did have a chance to watch the NASCAR race at Kansas in one of the suites. A good friend worked with one of the national sponsors and did their hospitality gigs for them. My DW and I were invited because I was a Ford sanctioned driver at the time. I have raced on the road course at Kansas and numerous times at Heartland Park in Topeka. I still have the class track records at Topeka on the intermediate and club courses.
Here was the first and only time I have been in the track suites. This was back in 2016. Pretty incredible view. And the food wasn't bad either.

View attachment 524820

j

I used to attend, both Pocono races, had tickets for most of the 90's, would do Michigan on occasion, Dover, a few times. But yes the attendance is not what is was for sure, and neither is the access. Loved Friday qualifying, used to be free, then it was 5 bucks, then 10, then the same price as race day. By then was not paying that cost. But have never been to a drag race.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Despite all of the gripes you all laid out about NASCAR, none of which I don't share to a point, I'm still a sucker for it. I rarely listen to anything other than the SiriusXM NASCAR channel in the car and watch the three top series each week.

Since I've moved to KS, I go to the KS races. I'd like to get out for one big race weekend a year at a new track like I did before kids and adulting arrived.