[hellsbells]

Hey all - I am going to the race at Sonoma this weekend (First race in 5 years!!!!!!!!)

Does anyone know how much it is to rent the Racing Electronics scanner headphones?

Also, my friend got us the Garage/Pit Passes for before the race - never done this before, is there a chance of getting Autographs or meeting drivers, or do they still keep you away from them. Just wondering what to expect.

Thanks in advance,

Ken

[minitracer]

I think the basic ones are around 30-40. The basic ones are fine and are AWESOME! Have fun man I'm jealous.

[spazmatastic]

I hope you have a TON of fun! I don't know much about the scanners, but pit/garage passes should allow you to get close enough to drivers (and crews) to get AU's. From what I know and assume, you should have a great time over the weekend with those passes!
GL and have fun!!! I am also envious of your opportunity. I love watching the Infineon race on TV and would be thrilled to be there. It is just TOO far away for me to ever think about going to. That track is definitely in my top 5 of tracks I'd love to see in person (race weekend or not).
I always feel like I'm dropping the ball as a NASCAR fan when I hear about folks going to a race. I am about an hour from Martinsville, 2 hours from Charlotte, and 3-6 hours from Bristol, Richmond, Darlington, and Atlanta. Talladega and Dover would take about 8 hours to drive to.
I'd love to see the Truck race from Rockingham (aka North Carolina Speedway) lead to the Cup Series coming back to that track at least one more time. That track is about one and a half to 2 hrs. away as well.
'Dega is my fav. track on the circuit, but I don't want that to be my 1st IP experience. It is too big of a track. Bristol is my second fav. track, but with Martinsville, Darlington and Richmond being closer to me, they seem more likely for me to visit. Charlotte just seems to me like I would just be watching the new gigantic screen more than the race in front of me. I can do that from home AND drink for much cheaper.

Anyway, I'm sorry that I started rambling. I really hope you enjoy the show that happens at Sonoma. I don't know who to say has the best chance to win it. I will go with 3 drivers though.
*Ambrose - has been really good so far this year and you know he is always a threat to win a road-course race.
*Jimmie Johnson - has won there before and has been charging HARD in the points race for the last two months.
*Mark Martin - he has contended really well this year. Even racing in a MWR car, Mark is showing his intelligence & skill as a racer, as well as showing MWR what they need to put on the track to compete with the big 4 teams.

[the great 48]

I was @ MIS last week, not sure on a rental price but they wanted to hold $300 from my debit card for 10 days. So needless to say I didnt rent one, lol.
Have fun man!!!

[hellsbells]

Thanks for the info guys -

Spaz - you HAVE to go to a race - the last race I went to was the October Charlotte Busch series race. I was living in Gaffney SC at the time and drove up about an hour before the race started and bought a ticket from a scalper for less than face value. Turn 1 looking back up pit road for $20.

Don't know if you've ever seen the cars run at all, but at least go to a test session somewhere - free entry - and see/feel/hear the cars.

I've been to the Indy race at Sonoma, and will be sitting at turn 2 terrace, so hopefully we'll be able to see well. At the Indy race I even got my picture with Danica (sort of see below) - we got free tickets with the Cub Scouts and while looking through the fence at pit road near the end of the race, an Official asked me and my son if we wanted to come and sit on Pit road for the finish of the race - we ended up sitting at the back of the pit nearest the Start/Finish line, and were able to walk around pit road after the race - absolutely an awesome experience.



Will - I guess I won't be getting the scanner if they want to hold $300!! I don't even have that much for them to hold right now - maybe I'll get my buddy to put it on his card.


My wife got me the tickets for Christmas and I've been waiting impatiently for 6 months - originally I thought about taking her (she would just read a book the whole time), or my son (he would be interested for about 10 minutes and then just want to buy souvenirs and go home) - but I have a friend (fellow cub scout leader) who is a big NASCAR fan and also a Carl Edwards fan so I invited him.

He bought the Pit passes and asked if it was OK if we went about 6 hours early to wander around - I said HELL YEAH! If it was my wife or kid we would have to get there no earlier than the Green flag and probably leave early - this guy wants to check out all the activity, pits, sales haulers, etc. It is going to be a blast.

Sorry for such a long post - can you tell I'm excited about this? Will post a trip report afterwards.

Thanks for the replies,

Ken

[minitracer]

I think that is what they charge if you don't return them/it's not a hold. Look into it they are worth it! And try and go with the Racing Electronics ones,a few companies offer rentals.

[the great 48]

I think that is what they charge if you don't return them/it's not a hold. Look into it they are worth it! And try and go with the Racing Electronics ones,a few companies offer rentals.

No it was definitely just a hold. It was $50 hold last year. Dont know why they bumped it up so high this year. These werent just the scanners though, they were like the old fanview style ones with the monitors.

And if Im going to the race Im camping... I cant see going and waiting in traffic forever. Plus Id have to have a sober driver and finding one of those among my family & friends is hard We went from last Wednesday to Monday morning for $150. Thats the cheapest thing we've done this year, lol.

---

Hey I found this, click on "Rates & Options" then go to the bottom of the page. Not sure if that price is included in their deal or what...
http://www.raceawayhospitality.com/event...R-Package/

[jeffgordonracing24]

I'll be at MIS in August camping Will!! Going to the Brickyard and Chicagoland also...well, the way it stands now anyway!

As for scanners, if you know you are continue going to races, just buy one. You can get a good one for about $150 and just get frequency sheets off the net or you can even find them on the net.

[minitracer]

Well I wasn't sober at the race (NH last year) so I guess I was wrong. lol

[spazmatastic]

Last Fall, I was planning to go to a Charlotte race this past May, either the AS race or 600. I asked for advice here and most agreed with me that I should go to the AS race. However, things kinda fell apart (mostly financially) and I wasn't able to go.
I do contract jobs and the plant manager at one of my accounts went to the AS race. His son is the Jackman for Danica and so he went, along with one of his friends and his sons' wife. He told me all about his experience. It sounded like a lot of fun.
Plus, his son is actually employed by Hendrick Motor Sports. He works for Danica's car in Nationwide and Phoenix Racing's #51 in Cup Series (usually Kurt Busch).
He was in the Pit Crew Challenge as the jackman for Kahne's car. He actually had the 4th best jackman time for the entire PCC. He is considered a rookie jackman (even though this is his second year), but he beat the jackman times for both of the finalists (JJ and Hamlin). I think Dale Jr's jackman had the best overall time. It was pretty interesting learning things about the PCC that they don't cover on Speed.
Anyway, eventually I will make it to a track for a major NASCAR race. There is a track about 10 minutes from my house that NASCAR is starting to have Whelen races at. If I didn't always have to work Friday nights, I'd have been there already. Now I don't have to work on Saturday nights, so maybe I can make it to one of those races.
Anyway, I got to rambling again. Have a great time at Sonoma! I'll be watching from my couch.