Finish Line Grandstands (1 Viewer)

[kingcobrafan]

For me, it's Dallas and Pomona.

 

[Kelly]

To me, the best seats out of all the tracks I've been too are the finish line seats at Dallas. Right at the finish line on the pit side and its open seating.

Hmmmmm......isn't that where WE saw Capps take out Force in Round 1 last fall?

 

[none]

Standing at the line for fuel is incredible!! A friend runs top alcohol. (depending on how they're doing) we stand on the transporter just past the line for Friday Q. Seeing the action on the line, the the run, THEN the sound is incredible!! You can actually here the blower whine.

Lee
Nitroclovers

 

[Joker]

Hmmmmm......isn't that where WE saw Capps take out Force in Round 1 last fall?

Ouch, I almost had that out of my memory! Ok, thats payback for my Zindler comment earlier. Oh by the way, WHO WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP????

 

[BaldyLochs]

At HPT there's some office building at the finishline pit side almost directly adjacent to the scoreboards; I think it's a media/track offices/press area. But I was able to fannagle my way into the fenced area which surrounds it (damn I must admit....I'm very good good at fannagling), which boundries the drag strip return road. Only thing is, All I could see were the wings and the injectors on the dragsters whizzing by. Couldn't even tell who was running except from the P.A. Could only "hear" the pro stocks going by.

Bandimere Speedway ain't got no finish line seating; although there's plenty of room to add it - especially pit-side. If you see a wide shot of the pit side stands on TV or something, it looks quite strange- especially compared to the scale of the mountain it's carved into....looks like they just decided to just stop building the grandstand or something.

 

[none]

Never been to Dallas, but the finish line at Pomona is a great place to see and feel a 300+mph Pass. GA seating with only the return road between you and the track.

You`re not missing much by never having been to Ennis Bruce, I`d take Pomona anyday. The top end stands are good at the Motorplex but the rest of the place, and in particular the pasture parking lots leave a lot to be desired. You`re right about the finish line at Pomona....we had a killer view along the fence last Nov. when Force took out Capps!

 

[Dougster]

A bit to close for comfort, but a nice view I can imagine... It would just take one flying part or a mild crash to end your day though...

CJ Curtsinger

Yes indeed - and I guess that's one reason why that track isn't around any more. Add things like that to the long list of things we did when we were young and somehow survived...

 

[Murph]

Standing at the line for fuel is incredible!! A friend runs top alcohol. (depending on how they're doing) we stand on the transporter just past the line for Friday Q. Seeing the action on the line, the the run, THEN the sound is incredible!! You can actually here the blower whine.

Lee
Nitroclovers

Thats what really stood out for me, the sound of the blower whine! You don't get the header noise as much and the blower sound is really pronounced, right from the first hit at the light. I just love the sound of blowers, always have.

Hey Doug, I also remember being able to stand just behind the concrete barriers at Edmonton International speedway on the pit side. If I remember correctly they were also set back just behind steel guard rails. I remember sitting on top of the concrete for awhile until someone came by and told us it was to dangerous and we had to leave. It was pretty amazing though as it put us about 3' away from the track. I was probably around 10 yrs old at the time, had no idea of the danger.

I also seem to remember on the spectator side, they had the strip, then a bit of a ditch with grass, then the guardrail? I can remember Gary Beck going into the ditch, pedaling while in there, getting back out and back on the throttle. It was a amazing thing to see.

 

[TAFC 5 81]

A bit to close for comfort, but a nice view I can imagine... It would just take one flying part or a mild crash to end your day though...

CJ Curtsinger

In the late 70s at Atlanta (before the upgrade) you could feel the header blast from the FCs at the finish line. Its a wonder more people didn't get hurt in the crowds.

 

[MK]

when i've already walked a mile to, around and back from the pits
where i had my fill of nitro and decibels, then return to my camper
where the finish line stands are a few steps away, they are a very
welcome relief; especially when it's over 90 degrees.
i also enjoy the 'light faster than sound' effect.

No doubt, Mike. Brainerd is so cool. We always take the newcomers to the big end stands to get a feel of the speed. In the old days we camped 50 yds from our seats, could see our stuff from the seats. We walk a little further now. Can't wait.

 

[Darryl]

Ah yes, the 1000 foot club at Pomona! Sit there and rub elbows with just about every nitro tuner from the Golden Age of drag racing. Some of the lies (and true stories) swapped down there have to be heard to be believed. Almost like a Hall of Fame at the Winternationals!

 

[fifty50]

Norwalk has them just past the finish line... very cool...

Aren't they restricted though, tried to get in them at the nat'l event and they were roped off.

 

[none]

Ah yes, the 1000 foot club at Pomona! Sit there and rub elbows with just about every nitro tuner from the Golden Age of drag racing. Some of the lies (and true stories) swapped down there have to be heard to be believed. Almost like a Hall of Fame at the Winternationals!

You're right Darryl, It's a Who's Who of drag racing !!! That's one reason I love Pomona !!!
Too bad all the newer tracks don't have grandstands past half track. That's why I hate Vegas and Sears Point, the stands end at the 1/8th mile !
OCIR had some neat stands near the finish line.....:-(

 

[Brian]

Ah yes, 1000' at Pomona. Friday night qualifying at the Finals after everyone has had all year to settle on a tune up. It's not Indy but it's close.

Many years ago while sitting there, Shirley launched a blower which whacked the scoreboard, which was mounted higher than they are now. Everybody got up and moved to the back row.

 

[Hutch]

At the tracks that have grandstands at the 1000 ft mark or at the finish line, does anyone know approx. how far back from the track the first seats are situated?

 

[Bob]

Ah yes, the 1000 foot club at Pomona! Sit there and rub elbows with just about every nitro tuner from the Golden Age of drag racing. Some of the lies (and true stories) swapped down there have to be heard to be believed. Almost like a Hall of Fame at the Winternationals!

You'll find the same thing at The Strip in Vegas, past the racers' grandstands on the pit side. When I attend an event there as a spectator, I'm a rail bird leaning on the fence down by the finish line, as are some true legends of the sport. You can't get a real sense of just how fricking fast 330 mph is unless you are close to it.

Last time I was at Dallas as a spectator, the stands at the end of the track weren't general admission, which was a bit of a disappointment. ...but that didn't keep me off the fence when Cory MaC ran the first 320 mph pass.

Bandimere used to have a small seating section at the finish line on the pit side, real small bleacher seating, maybe sat 50 people. Last time I checked, it was gone. They moved or removed those seats when the Pro pits started to extend past the finish line.