I am going to my first NASCAR race on August 5th to Pocono Raceway for the Pennsylvania 500. It is about two hours away so my dad and I will be driving there and back on the same day (Sunday). We do not plan on going Saturday to the Busch race.
I have some questions for all of you who have been to NASCAR races before...
1. I want to buy the tickets today but I am not sure what seats would be good. Can someone give me some suggestions? http://www.poconoraceway.com/tickets
2. What items should we bring with us to the track?
3. How early should we get there? The NEXTEL race starts at 2:00.
Section 3 - $80.00 / ticket
This Grandstand offers the best view out of all the Grandstands. This section has 15 rows and runs from Section SA-SZ (Start/Finish - Turn 1) and NA-NDD (Start/Finish - Turn 3).
Section 6 - $50.00 / ticket
The Concourse Vista Section puts you right near the Track surface. This grandstand has 5 rows and runs sections S1-S22 and N1-N24 (S1 and N1 are at the Start/Finish Line). Family Area available with no smoking and no alcoholic beverages permitted.
I'm debating if it would be more enjoyable to sit up right close to the action and see less, or sit up higher and see more... any ideas? The price does not matter to me as long as it is below $150 per ticket.
i've never been to pocono but i have heard it is a disaster to get in and out of. i have heard of people thinking they were an hour ahead of time but because of traffic not getting to their seats for the start. there is only one road into the place.
as for where to sit, i always think it is nice to be able to see pit stops because a lot goes on there. bring binoclulars even for the pit road you can see more of whats going on. also if you watch a race with a scanner you may enjoy it more, but they can be expensive. if you don't have one you can rent them at the track but again you'll want to be earlier. sometime it is just as good to use a head set radio and listen to the mrn broadcast of the race. it is in formative and the head set blocks out a lot of the noise. if you have neither bring ear protection for sure.
Last edited by williamwilman on June 21st at 7:29 AM.
Check the cooler policy. Take bottled water in if you can. You don't want to pay $2 for a bottle of water.
See if you can take any bags in. Some tracks allow only clear bags.
Watch what you buy outside the track (ticket gates). Some of it can not be taken into the track (beyond the ticket gates).
Take cheap ear plugs. You will have them if you want them. Kids usually need them if kids are in your group.
Take plenty of cash for die casts, T-shirts, and caps. It's part of the experience.
Leave for the track four hours before the race is scheduled to start. Miss traffic. Get there early. Tailgate, shop, play games in the parking lot, do activities outside the track, eat, drink, be merry.
Stay and listen to the speaches after the race. You aren't going anywhere whether you think you are or not. Be the last person out of the stands. You aren't going anywhere whether you think you are or not. Shop, do activities outside the track, tailgate, play games in the parking lot, eat, drink, be merry, laugh at everyone sitting in there cars not going anywhere whether they think they are or not.
Laugh at the drunks walking. Report the drunks driving.
Been to the Labor day race at Fontana a couple times. Listen to Falcon. Get there early. Pack a cooler to enjoy before going in. Eat what you bring before you go in. That will save you some money. Most tracks will allow a soft sided cooler if not too big. Some tracks allow adult beverages to be brought in. Pocono Speedway should have a website that will give you all the details. Most of all get there early.I live close to Fontana and leave about 9;00 am for a 4:00 pm race.
Scanners are great...I plan on having /renting them at Daytona...is there somewhere you can get them on the outside? Did not know that if they are. Lots of money if you like racing..lol! A digital camera and a smile! Hugs!
falco your right on i forgot sun screen like i always do. thats the reason i got married (one of the many). and i gotta tell you about the best experience i had was at bristol with my brother. after the race let out we went back to the car and fired up the portable bbq. threw some hamburgers on there and watched the traffic go by. every car going by was offereing money for something to eat or drink. one car of hotties even offered to "show you our ####" for a bite. well lets just say after the race if you have food and drink you will be the envy of everyone.
Last edited by williamwilman on June 21st at 9:27 AM.
AK....I like the turn coming off the backstretch....you can see cars three wide, a truly memorizing thing. Also, you can see pit row from there.
Bring coolers of beers, digital scanners, cash (think scanners rent for pretty cheap) a cell phone so you can call ur frineds and say "listen to this" as the cars zoom by, a visor, and ear plugs.
They don't allow backpacks, so keep that in mind. Coolers have to be soft-sided and you need to ceck the dimensions of what they allow. Don't forget to wear your #20 Smoke shirt.
Have a blast, and check out all the drunks...it can't be as bad as it was in Dega, but it's still fun to watch the people.
do you think it is better the closer i can get to turn 3? what if i can get on the very edge of the grandstand right off of turn 3, would that be the best?
Shorty and Falcons has the best suggestions as well as the others..As with any of the larger tracks, your viewing area is limited especially at POCONO.
This is my ideas. Ge the cheap seats in turn 4. Lot of #### for the buck. HA
High seats in the front stretch offer the best view. Low seats offer the least amt. of viewing.
Given the configuration of the track, other areas are some what limited to that one specific spot. As far as the back stretch no.. Most areas will have big screen TV showing the back stretch.
You may be able to get in one of the suites on Pit Side but they are hefty in price and may come with attachments like signing up for a season pkg.
Hard to get in there so take the Penn. Turnpike to Lake Harmony exit or turn left onto Penn. Highway to 940 to Blakeslee. Turn right on to Penn Highway 115 and follow that to the speed way. A lot of people just take I 80 but that is congested. Take out you Penn State map and you will see what I mean.Depends on where you are in Penn. Still consider getting there very very early...
It is probably too late to get reservations but arriving on Sat. and staying at a motel might be the best idea. That way you are rested up for the race..Well probably not.. Quite a bit of partying goes on at the motels. I have stayed at the Best Western in Blakeslee off Penn. 115 and is OK but pricey for that week..
Enjoy the race there but do not buy a ticket for turn 4 from any scalpers.. You will definitely be out in left field...HE HE..
i hit refresh on pocono's online ticket thingy about 500 times until i got the seats i wanted. mostly the only seats left were in the 6 and 7 area on the map, but every 200 refreshes 1 better option near the turn would come up
so yea!!!!!!! i think i got good tickets.. should be able to see the turn and the pits
Be sure to get there SEVERAL hours early. I'd say leave at 3 am or so to be at the front gates by 6 am.
Bring: a straw-brimmed hat, sunscreen, PLENTY of water, an iPod to listen to your favorite tunes, a change of clothing (you'll be sweating a LOT), loose, light clothing, and a tall Igloo filled with ice water. Be sure you get plenty of rest the night before (you can always sleep on the way there and on the way home).
Bring:
Sunscreen-Bullfrog spf 50
Boda bag, filled with adult beverage
TP
Small camera
Good attitude
Patience
Leave yesterday for the track
Be nice to strangers and someone may have pit passes.
Nice Avatar. That's Timmy stuck in the grill. Great news story.
The closer to the action the better. Especially if you're sitting where they come off a turn. Get there as early as possible to enjoy alll the free stuff at the sponsor trailers and to avoid the last second rush and traffic. After the race, have a good cooler stuffed with sandwich fixings and tailgate after the race to give traffic a chance to leave. If you do that, you'll have a great time. Have fun my man and we'll look foward to a great blog about it.
Definitely check the website for Pocono to see what is allowed. Here in Daytona they are strict about the size of the cooler/bag you can take in. And souvenir bags have to be clear. Have an awesome time -- I look forward to seeing a race at Pocono someday. Most important, don't forget your #24 hat, shirt, bag, etc. Go Jeff - show 'em how it's done!
Don't let the wife see the picture of you with the Godaddy.com girls and try to explain that you just had the picture made so you could scan it and put it on the blog so photo could see it.
