US Race Visit Advice

Hi all A friend and I are planning on visiting the US from the UK next year. What we are hoping to do is go to the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on the 15 - 18 October 2003 and the Busch/Winston Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway on the 26/27 October 2003. Has anyone got any advice for us? What should we not miss? What should we miss? What are the places to visit & what are the places to avoid? Where should we stay? etc etc It's probably going to be the only chance we get of seeing both ALMS & NASCAR & we want to make the most of it. Cheers Lee

Atlanta is a pretty nice city from what I've experienced there. It shouldn't be too expensive to stay right outside (where it's also VERY nice) since real estate is dirt cheap even with easy access to Atlanta. There's also a go-karting place called "Andretti's Speed Lab" The location makes it seem like an average concession karting place, but they have real 6.5 hp race go-karts on an indoor track. You use rental helemts, and they feel pretty fast when you drive on the limit. Thanks, Alex "Lee Ward" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:_gSw9.8553$[email hidden]... > Hi all > > A friend and I are planning on visiting the US from the UK next year. What > we are hoping to do is go to the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on the 15 - > 18 October 2003 and the Busch/Winston Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedwayon > the 26/27 October 2003. > > Has anyone got any advice for us? > > What should we not miss? What should we miss? What are the places to visit&

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> what are the places to avoid? Where should we stay? etc etc > > It's probably going to be the only chance we get of seeing both ALMS & > NASCAR & we want to make the most of it. > > Cheers Lee > >

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>A friend and I are planning on visiting the US from the UK next year. What >we are hoping to do is go to the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on the 15 - >18 October 2003 and the Busch/Winston Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway on >the 26/27 October 2003. > >Has anyone got any advice for us? >

Spend whatever it takes to get a seat with a good view of the pits at the NASCAR race. Bring binoculars. Not to be missed. >What should we not miss? What should we miss? What are the places to visit & >what are the places to avoid? Where should we stay? etc etc Atlanta is like any big US city - there are neighborhoods you don't want to be in, especially after dark. A decent grade hotel downtown or a bed and breakfast are the best options if you don't know much, a cheap motel the worst. Get a good guide book. > >It's probably going to be the only chance we get of seeing both ALMS & >NASCAR & we want to make the most of it. >

"Lee Ward" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:_gSw9.8553$[email hidden]... > Hi all > > A friend and I are planning on visiting the US from the UK next year. What > we are hoping to do is go to the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on the 15 - > 18 October 2003 and the Busch/Winston Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedwayon > the 26/27 October 2003. > > Has anyone got any advice for us? > > What should we not miss? What should we miss? What are the places to visit& > what are the places to avoid? Where should we stay? etc etc > > It's probably going to be the only chance we get of seeing both ALMS & > NASCAR & we want to make the most of it. > > Cheers Lee Bring or buy the following when you get here: 1. Bring sunscreen 2. Bring binoculers 3. Bring/rent a scanner 4. Bring raingear 5. Bring lots of water, especially if you're going to the practices, etc. Lots of beer too of course<g> 6. Bring warm clothes. 7. Bring lots of food. If you can swing it via a rental car, go up to Charlotte and tour the race shops. It's not that far really. Atlanta's fairly upscale, so hotel, etc. shouldn't be a problem. But make your reservations asap. John > >

Thanks very much, Bob Lee <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > >A friend and I are planning on visiting the US from the UK next year.What > >we are hoping to do is go to the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on the15 - > >18 October 2003 and the Busch/Winston Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedwayon

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> >the 26/27 October 2003. > > > >Has anyone got any advice for us? > > > Spend whatever it takes to get a seat with a good view of the > pits at the NASCAR race. Bring binoculars. Not to be missed. > > >What should we not miss? What should we miss? What are the places to

visit &

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> >what are the places to avoid? Where should we stay? etc etc > > Atlanta is like any big US city - there are neighborhoods you > don't want to be in, especially after dark. A decent grade hotel > downtown or a bed and breakfast are the best options if you don't know > much, a cheap motel the worst. Get a good guide book. > > > >It's probably going to be the only chance we get of seeing both ALMS & > >NASCAR & we want to make the most of it. > > >

Thanks John Lee "John Pancoast" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > > "Lee Ward" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:_gSw9.8553$[email hidden]... > > Hi all > > > > A friend and I are planning on visiting the US from the UK next year.What > > we are hoping to do is go to the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on the15 - > > 18 October 2003 and the Busch/Winston Cup races at Atlanta MotorSpeedway > on > > the 26/27 October 2003. > > > > Has anyone got any advice for us? > > > > What should we not miss? What should we miss? What are the places tovisit

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> & > > what are the places to avoid? Where should we stay? etc etc > > > > It's probably going to be the only chance we get of seeing both ALMS & > > NASCAR & we want to make the most of it. > > > > Cheers Lee > > Bring or buy the following when you get here: > > 1. Bring sunscreen > > 2. Bring binoculers > > 3. Bring/rent a scanner > > 4. Bring raingear > > 5. Bring lots of water, especially if you're going to the practices,

etc.

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> Lots of beer too of course<g> > > 6. Bring warm clothes. > > 7. Bring lots of food. > > If you can swing it via a rental car, go up to Charlotte and tour the

race > shops. It's not that far really. > > Atlanta's fairly upscale, so hotel, etc. shouldn't be a problem. Butmake

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> your reservations asap. > > John > > > > > > > >

On Sat, 2 Nov 2002 15:34:12 -0000, "Lee Ward" <[email hidden]> wrote: >What should we not miss? I haven't been to Atlanta in years, but a good touristy place to visit at least once is the underground. It's basically a shopping mall, but seeing the remains of the old city firsthand is pretty cool. There's also the sports center around the Omni, where you could probably catch a minor league hockey or NBA game for fairly cheap. There are occasionally exhibits and such in the convention center as well, which is part of the Omni complex IIRC. Jason

On Sat, 2 Nov 2002 15:34:12 -0000, "Lee Ward" <[email hidden]> spewed forth these words of wisdom:

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>Hi all > >A friend and I are planning on visiting the US from the UK next year. What >we are hoping to do is go to the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on the 15 - >18 October 2003 and the Busch/Winston Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway on >the 26/27 October 2003. > >Has anyone got any advice for us? > >What should we not miss? What should we miss? What are the places to visit & >what are the places to avoid? Where should we stay? etc etc > >It's probably going to be the only chance we get of seeing both ALMS & >NASCAR & we want to make the most of it. > >Cheers Lee >

A "not miss" is the World of Coca-Cola in downtown Atlanta. -- Peace, love and Monkeemobiles, Galley

I was just there for the NAPA 500. We were in the turn 4 seats which gave a great view of the action in turns 3 and 4 and the first part of the dogleg, and pretty decent views of the rest of the track. Not a particularly good perspective of pit road though. Seats on the front stretch are better for that, but are slightly more expensive, and also sell out earlier. Try to sit as high as possible for the best view. Plan on sitting in traffic for a long time after the race is over. We got back to our truck around 6:30 or 7:00 and did not move until about 10:45. We had planned for this, brought a nice barbecue dinner etc, but it was still very tiring waiting to leave, especially after sitting at the track all day. Once we started moving, we got back to downtown Alanta within a 1/2 hour or so, so the log-jam appeared to be getting out of the track itself... There is no package beer for sale in Georgia on Sundays, so if you want to bring your own to the track (MUCH less expensive that way, plus you get to pick something besides Budweiser) you need to pick it up before race day. Road Atlanta is on the complete opposite side of Atlanta from Atlanta Motor Speedway, so plan your accomodations accordingly. Buckhead is a "trendy" area near downtown with lots of inns and restaurants (and nightlife, if you are into that). Andretti Speed Labs is pretty cool. Helen, GA is not far from Atlanta, and its Oktoberfest should be in full swing while you are here. There is a lot more to do in the area, get a good travel guide and knock yourselves out! Gerald "Lee Ward" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<_gSw9.8553$[email hidden]>...

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> Hi all > > A friend and I are planning on visiting the US from the UK next year. What > we are hoping to do is go to the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on the 15 - > 18 October 2003 and the Busch/Winston Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway on > the 26/27 October 2003. > > Has anyone got any advice for us? > > What should we not miss? What should we miss? What are the places to visit & > what are the places to avoid? Where should we stay? etc etc > > It's probably going to be the only chance we get of seeing both ALMS & > NASCAR & we want to make the most of it. > > Cheers Lee

Once again, thanks very much. Building up quite a good picture now. Lee "Gerald Moore" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> I was just there for the NAPA 500. We were in the turn 4 seats which > gave a great view of the action in turns 3 and 4 and the first part of > the dogleg, and pretty decent views of the rest of the track. Not a > particularly good perspective of pit road though. Seats on the front > stretch are better for that, but are slightly more expensive, and also > sell out earlier. > > Try to sit as high as possible for the best view. > > Plan on sitting in traffic for a long time after the race is over. We > got back to our truck around 6:30 or 7:00 and did not move until about > 10:45. We had planned for this, brought a nice barbecue dinner etc, > but it was still very tiring waiting to leave, especially after > sitting at the track all day. Once we started moving, we got back to > downtown Alanta within a 1/2 hour or so, so the log-jam appeared to be > getting out of the track itself... > > There is no package beer for sale in Georgia on Sundays, so if you > want to bring your own to the track (MUCH less expensive that way, > plus you get to pick something besides Budweiser) you need to pick it > up before race day. > > Road Atlanta is on the complete opposite side of Atlanta from Atlanta > Motor Speedway, so plan your accomodations accordingly. Buckhead is a > "trendy" area near downtown with lots of inns and restaurants (and > nightlife, if you are into that). > > Andretti Speed Labs is pretty cool. > > Helen, GA is not far from Atlanta, and its Oktoberfest should be in > full swing while you are here. > > There is a lot more to do in the area, get a good travel guide and > knock yourselves out! > > Gerald > > > > "Lee Ward" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<_gSw9.8553$[email hidden]>... > > Hi all > > > > A friend and I are planning on visiting the US from the UK next year.What > > we are hoping to do is go to the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on the15 - > > 18 October 2003 and the Busch/Winston Cup races at Atlanta MotorSpeedway on > > the 26/27 October 2003. > > > > Has anyone got any advice for us? > > > > What should we not miss? What should we miss? What are the places tovisit & > > what are the places to avoid? Where should we stay? etc etc > > > > It's probably going to be the only chance we get of seeing both ALMS & > > NASCAR & we want to make the most of it. > > > > Cheers Lee

Something I just remembered on "divided by a common language" -- last time I was down South I found that alcohol/booze was sold in "package stores", not "liquor stores" as in the rest of the USA. Helps to know the local jargon when you ask for directions... > "Gerald Moore" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > > There is no package beer for sale in Georgia on Sundays, so if you > > want to bring your own to the track (MUCH less expensive that way, > > plus you get to pick something besides Budweiser) you need to pick it > > up before race day.

Doesn't that depend on what county you are in? I haven't been to Atlanta for a long time, but last time I was there I remember that we couldn't get beer to the west of Atlanta but we could in other areas. "Gerald Moore" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > > There is no package beer for sale in Georgia on Sundays, so if you > want to bring your own to the track (MUCH less expensive that way, > plus you get to pick something besides Budweiser) you need to pick it > up before race day.

"Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:aq6qbg$786i2$[email hidden]... > Doesn't that depend on what county you are in? I haven't been to > Atlanta for a long time, but last time I was there I remember that we > couldn't get beer to the west of Atlanta but we could in other areas. > Dunno about GA, but a funny story about this past Sunday near Rockingham (NC). We pull off US 1 near Southern Pines to let the lady go wee before we get into the track area and a couple of non-knowing Virginia-ites are pulling cases of beer from the cooler in preparations to purchase them and then scatter them in their ice filled cooler outside. As I realize what they are about to do, I begin to snicker, the clerk then realizes what is happening and yells back to them "No beer sales in NC before noon on Sundays fellas". The look of pure terror that fell on their faces was hilarious. I felt bad for them as noon was right at the time for the pre-race activites and to wait until noon to buy the beer and THEN get to the track would have surely meant missing the first �-� of the event...we loaded quitely back into the SUV and gently patted on the cooler of ours, filled with our favorite brew duly purchased the night before from a local Food Lion. Moral: It pays to know the local laws regarding alcohol sales on Sunday when attending a NASCAR race. In NC we affectionately call it the 'blue law'. I should tell y'all the one about the guys looking for beer at the Martinsville race a couple weeks prior. The moral to that story is that SOME counties where they hold NASCAR races are 'dry' and packing in your own brew is the ONLY way to get any :).

"Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<aq6qbg$786i2$[email hidden]>...

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> Doesn't that depend on what county you are in? I haven't been to > Atlanta for a long time, but last time I was there I remember that we > couldn't get beer to the west of Atlanta but we could in other areas. > > > "Gerald Moore" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > > > There is no package beer for sale in Georgia on Sundays, so if you > > want to bring your own to the track (MUCH less expensive that way, > > plus you get to pick something besides Budweiser) you need to pick it > > up before race day.

According to my friend who lives there, it is the entire state, except for this one little hole in the wall place in downtown Atlanta that was grandfathered in. Best to check in advance, in any case. Gerald