Chicago day trip

[The Swegian]

What day??

We will be there Saturday and Sunday.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Sat. no can do. But I'll talk to PJ about a 1day road trip for Sun.

 

[FC138fan]

We will be there Saturday and Sunday.

Save a couple seats, we will be there around noon if all goes according to the plan. That is if you're in Gen admission.

 

[The Swegian]

Save a couple seats, we will be there around noon if all goes according to the plan. That is if you're in Gen admission.

Nick, we do have GA. We'll probably get there around 12:30 or so Saturday. Meeting Greg Rice there who also has GA. Kinda funny story here.

Originally when I asked Suzi if she wanted to go and she said yes, I said the pros didn't run until 5 so she's thinking we'd leave Mpls around 9am. Then I said "but I want to be there to see the Jeg's All-Stars which starts at 1". She shook her head and said "I'll just go to bed Friday night in the car so we can leave whenever you want". Gosh, I love her.

We're going to the Twins game Friday night cuz my boys' high school marching band is performing before the game on the field, otherwise we'd leave Friday right after work.

 

[nhrafan1972]

I will be there on Saturday. I am bringing my 16 year old cousin. He is a nitro virgin. I cant wait to see his reaction and face. I just wish it wasnt going to be so hot, but maybe that is better than the tornadoes we had the one year.
On another note, I am going to Denver this year for the race. I am taking a nitro virgin to that track also. My friend, the nitro virgin, is from Colorado Springs. I need to find out if they are ok or not. Fire there is nasty.

 

[FC138fan]

Gosh, I love her.

She sounds like a great gal! My wife stopped going to the races in 2001, just couldn't take it anymore. But she is going to be staying home with our 3 and 1 year old... and shes 5 months pregnant, so I am very appreciative of that.

We will be there around the same time you get there, I think we'll leave Andover at around 5:30am. I'll text you and we can sit together.

I cant wait to see his reaction and face.

Stefanie, if your groups is in GA and you want to sit with us I'd like to see your cousin's reaction to his first nitro run too. PM me if your interested and Ill send you my cell so we can text.

I remember my first nitro run. I had been going to divisional races for years before the national, and been to many truck pulls (also running alcohol) so I had been used to alcohol cars, and for a while thought they were the fastest and loudest cars out there.

I was so excited I remember the video camera shaking (I have the first run on tape).

Left Lane: Larry Dixon, Jr. Runs 5.038/246.10 Now # 8
Best prior run: 4.860/284.72 Was # 8
Right Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 4.910/288.18 Now #11
Best prior run: 4.958/281.95 Was #12

1:41 PM This is the first pass today for the
nitro-burners as we are behind schedule. Both cars launch
with the front wheels in the air. At about half track Dixon
starts to blazes the tires, while Schumacher gets loose, but
stays in it.

And my first (and only one that day) 300

Left Lane: Joe Amato Runs 4.767/300.50 Now # 1
Best prior run: 4.662/311.85 Was # 1
Right Lane: Larry Dixon, Jr. Runs 5.020/247.86 Now # 9
Best prior run: 4.860/284.72 Was # 9

Dixon starts dropping cylinders and then looses the
engine in the lights. Joe gets it down the track, looking for
the setup for tomorrow's eliminations.

Theres nothing like feeling it for the first time. No matter how many races you've seen on TV, nothing prepares you for seeing it ... more like feeling it.

 

[nhrafan1972]

I will be there on Saturday. I am bringing my 16 year old cousin. He is a nitro virgin. I cant wait to see his reaction and face. I just wish it wasnt going to be so hot, but maybe that is better than the tornadoes we had the one year.
On another note, I am going to Denver this year for the race. I am taking a nitro virgin to that track also. My friend, the nitro virgin, is from Colorado Springs. I need to find out if they are ok or not. Fire there is nasty.

I just wanted to follow up on this for the people here that know me. I talked to my friend this morning and they are safe. They are covered with ash and the blackness of the smoke engulfed them. They missed the evacuation line by one street. The firemen are heroes in my book. I know there is another thread devoted to this but I thought I would follow up here.

Nick, my cousin and I are sitting in reserved but we will probably move around and see everything that we can. That would include the GA side. Everyone have a safe trip to the track.

 

[nitronoise]

jim stop on by when you get in , Iwill be in a brown mercury van with a bright red canopy , you will smell the hickory fire doing breakfast, in cast iron skillets

while as Alen R says the alarm clock cars are running

 

[FC138fan]

We made it there and back, great trip!

Some notes:

Chicago seating and at track layout FAR superior to Brainerd
Chicago night qualifying, just AWESOME

BIR has chicago beat when it comes to food, big time as far as selection
BIR's on site camping make the experience FAR better

Leaving the track during the rush was no problem as there were a couple routes out instead of ONE entrance / exit at BIR

Definitely a good experience and will probably do it again next year.

Other notes:

Alan R.'s technical spots on the jumbotron I noticed at least 3 times on Saturday, and they were all relevant to what was going on at the track.

Larry Dixon and Melanie Troxel did the at track commentary with Bob Frye. Damn Larry Dixon sure knows what he is talking about and he sure sounds anxious to get back in the car. Melanie too a great and knowledgeable person to make the call.

Geico guys... didn't really have a problem at all with what they were doing... if I didn't want to watch them I just didn't... it didn't take anything away from anything though. The traxxas demo was insane... they were doing jumps 20 foot in the air onto the asphalt with them and they weren't breaking... I was definitely impressed. Also with how quick they are, they were pulling wheelies even as they were already moving.

Fairly decent crowd, at $50 per head I would think they might have made some money. By no means packed as there was tons of room to move around, but the stands are also gigantic. The fact that every seat had a back was great and will be sorely missed when we're in the stands at BIR.

 

[The Swegian]

We made it there and back, great trip!

Some notes:

Chicago seating and at track layout FAR superior to Brainerd
Chicago night qualifying, just AWESOME

BIR has chicago beat when it comes to food, big time as far as selection
BIR's on site camping make the experience FAR better

Leaving the track during the rush was no problem as there were a couple routes out instead of ONE entrance / exit at BIR

Definitely a good experience and will probably do it again next year.

Other notes:

Alan R.'s technical spots on the jumbotron I noticed at least 3 times on Saturday, and they were all relevant to what was going on at the track.

Larry Dixon and Melanie Troxel did the at track commentary with Bob Frye. Damn Larry Dixon sure knows what he is talking about and he sure sounds anxious to get back in the car. Melanie too a great and knowledgeable person to make the call.

Geico guys... didn't really have a problem at all with what they were doing... if I didn't want to watch them I just didn't... it didn't take anything away from anything though. The traxxas demo was insane... they were doing jumps 20 foot in the air onto the asphalt with them and they weren't breaking... I was definitely impressed. Also with how quick they are, they were pulling wheelies even as they were already moving.

Fairly decent crowd, at $50 per head I would think they might have made some money. By no means packed as there was tons of room to move around, but the stands are also gigantic. The fact that every seat had a back was great and will be sorely missed when we're in the stands at BIR.

Nick, what time did you make it home? Great to see you. Wished we had sat more with you but we hung out most of Saturday on the other side of the track.

I entirely agree with your observations about the track.

 

[FC138fan]

Nick, what time did you make it home? Great to see you. Wished we had sat more with you but we hung out most of Saturday on the other side of the track.

I entirely agree with your observations about the track.

It was nice seeing you too! After you left, we headed towards the top and noticed a huge temp difference with the breeze coming over the top, so we decided to stay there. We were liking being able to see the entire run too, as in BIR our spots were chosen to get the best sound and vibrations, not the best view. It was so nice up there, I was able to take my shoes off and spread out so it was quite comfortable. We saw that as the pros got closer, the top row seats were filling and knew if we left our ideal spot would be gone so we hung out there the entire time. As the day went on the sun dropped below the giant O'Reilley sign and gave us shade too.

Saturday on the way out we decided we should head home at noon. Thinking finals would start at 10, we had planned on coming back to see the first two rounds. Later that night checking the schedule we saw eliminations wouldn't start till 11. Still figured on going for the first round. Sunday morning we saw the rain heading in on the radar, so we decided to just head home. Our hotel was in Naperville, an hour from the track. It didn't make sense to drive an hour to the track, watch a potentially rained shortened round one, scramble to the car in a downpour, then have the extra hour added to the drive home, so we headed home from the hotel Sunday morning.

Looks like we made the right choice as I think they didn't even get all of round 1 in before the rain came. We took the toll road home. Amazing we were averaging 80 mph on that segment to WI, no chance of getting pulled over as everyone was doing that.

I got back home at around 5:00, so had time to spend with the kids before bed.

If you camp at Brainerd (HIGHLY recommended) I have a trailer I can pull with my ATV that can hold 3 or 4 more people, so if you're there you and a couple others can get the full zoo treatment. Also our typical spot in the campground is in the family section to get away from the zoo when it's time for bed. Also a good site to play bags, catch football, frizbee, barbeque, and general bull****.

 

[The Swegian]

It was nice seeing you too! After you left, we headed towards the top and noticed a huge temp difference with the breeze coming over the top, so we decided to stay there. We were liking being able to see the entire run too, as in BIR our spots were chosen to get the best sound and vibrations, not the best view. It was so nice up there, I was able to take my shoes off and spread out so it was quite comfortable. We saw that as the pros got closer, the top row seats were filling and knew if we left our ideal spot would be gone so we hung out there the entire time. As the day went on the sun dropped below the giant O'Reilley sign and gave us shade too.

Saturday on the way out we decided we should head home at noon. Thinking finals would start at 10, we had planned on coming back to see the first two rounds. Later that night checking the schedule we saw eliminations wouldn't start till 11. Still figured on going for the first round. Sunday morning we saw the rain heading in on the radar, so we decided to just head home. Our hotel was in Naperville, an hour from the track. It didn't make sense to drive an hour to the track, watch a potentially rained shortened round one, scramble to the car in a downpour, then have the extra hour added to the drive home, so we headed home from the hotel Sunday morning.

Looks like we made the right choice as I think they didn't even get all of round 1 in before the rain came. We took the toll road home. Amazing we were averaging 80 mph on that segment to WI, no chance of getting pulled over as everyone was doing that.

I got back home at around 5:00, so had time to spend with the kids before bed.

If you camp at Brainerd (HIGHLY recommended) I have a trailer I can pull with my ATV that can hold 3 or 4 more people, so if you're there you and a couple others can get the full zoo treatment. Also our typical spot in the campground is in the family section to get away from the zoo when it's time for bed. Also a good site to play bags, catch football, frizbee, barbeque, and general bull****.

I don't blame ya for leaving early Sunday. We got to the track around 7:30am. Watched 1st rd of alcohol at 9. Our intent was to be on the road by 3pm so we thought we might see, at best, the semifinals. Stupid weather people can't get it right, 20% chance of rain was what it said on the weather.com app on my phone when we left the hotel. Oh well, you had to think something was brewing for how hot/humid it was. Schumacher's unfortunate engine eruption interrupted the festivities, then they got I think two more runs before postponing things to wait out the storm. We made it to the car just before the rain started and as we're sitting there, I said "we might as well leave because it's gonna be a couple hour track drying process if it stops raining now" and that would have put it close to 3pm. So we bailed about 1:15 and got home right at 8pm.

 

[FC138fan]

Not sure if people can see this link but Ill post it anyway.

Drag Race | Facebook

#1 qualifying run from where we were sitting. Not the best or most unique video but still cool.

 

[theraceman]

Apologies to the couple who stopped by on Sunday to say hi.