San Jose Grand Prix Feedback...
07-31-2005, 06:41 PM
#1
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San Jose Grand Prix Feedback...
The idea was great...the track SUCKED...the visibility from the general admission areas sucked...the fact that they only had one footbridge to get around the track SUCKED...I can't wait for Infineon in August....
Please post your feedback...maybe the event planners will take some notes as to how to improve this event next year.
1. Walkways were too narrow is spots.
2. The track was too narrow.
3. Not enough pedestrian access points to view the track.
4. The extra bumps broke at least 30% of the cars suspensions.
5. The grandstand tickets were over $100!!!!
What do you guys think?
Please post your feedback...maybe the event planners will take some notes as to how to improve this event next year.
1. Walkways were too narrow is spots.
2. The track was too narrow.
3. Not enough pedestrian access points to view the track.
4. The extra bumps broke at least 30% of the cars suspensions.
5. The grandstand tickets were over $100!!!!
What do you guys think?
07-31-2005, 06:47 PM
#2
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Here is some footage from Friday. (Subie Footage)
I think its kick *** that they have it in SJ.
video is of the Subie not making a turn and going into the tire area:
http://www.safradin.com/Subie/subaru1.mov
I think its kick *** that they have it in SJ.
video is of the Subie not making a turn and going into the tire area:
http://www.safradin.com/Subie/subaru1.mov
Last edited by brucelee; 08-01-2005 at 12:25 AM.
07-31-2005, 07:12 PM
#3
The Seventh Sister
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Yeah, the walkways were WAAAAYYYY too narrow for the masses of people trying to move through while others had set up camp there to watch the race. I get claustrophobic in crowds and couldn't handle it. We wound up going all the way around on the outside of the fence, and re-entered at the next gate.
Our seats really sucked!! We had $100 tickets for section 3a on turn 3 (which thankfully were free to us, or I would feel really ripped off just about now), and found our seating to be located directly BEHIND another grandstand, at the end of the runoff. View of the cars on the track was NIL, except for the big screen located right in frot of us!
We had paddock passes, but never made it there. It was just too much of a trek trying to fight our way through the crowds. We wound up leaving about 1/2 hour after the race started and headed down to a sidewalk pub/cafe on San Pedro with a big screen outside, which provided more enjoyment than being at the actual event.
Oh well, if we're going to attempt this next year, maybe a suite in one of the adjacent hotels is the way to go!
Our seats really sucked!! We had $100 tickets for section 3a on turn 3 (which thankfully were free to us, or I would feel really ripped off just about now), and found our seating to be located directly BEHIND another grandstand, at the end of the runoff. View of the cars on the track was NIL, except for the big screen located right in frot of us!
We had paddock passes, but never made it there. It was just too much of a trek trying to fight our way through the crowds. We wound up leaving about 1/2 hour after the race started and headed down to a sidewalk pub/cafe on San Pedro with a big screen outside, which provided more enjoyment than being at the actual event.
Oh well, if we're going to attempt this next year, maybe a suite in one of the adjacent hotels is the way to go!
Last edited by pleiad7; 07-31-2005 at 07:15 PM.
07-31-2005, 08:48 PM
#7
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I went in expecting it to be crowded so that was no surprise. The track seemed too narrow to get much action going on. At least from where I was standing (areas around turn 1,2 & 4). And I swear the cars were getting airborne around turns 1 and 2 b/c of the tracks.
I was pretty disappointed from the vantange points for general admission, but I guess that's why it's called general admission. If only I had climbed up the trees like the other folks. Luckily, the friends that came along made the venture more enjoyable.
Next time, I'm getting a suite in one of the hotels. It's just not worth it to pay to be stuck in a sea of people and not see much racing going on.
ryan
I was pretty disappointed from the vantange points for general admission, but I guess that's why it's called general admission. If only I had climbed up the trees like the other folks. Luckily, the friends that came along made the venture more enjoyable.
Next time, I'm getting a suite in one of the hotels. It's just not worth it to pay to be stuck in a sea of people and not see much racing going on.
ryan
07-31-2005, 09:16 PM
#9
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Umm...
I second Pleiad's opinion. I could have organized a better event myself than they did.
1. Turn 3. Section 3a had NO view of anything but the palm trees in front, and a peek-a-boo view of the corner when the cars turned in...all in all, you could see the cars for about .5 seconds each if you were LUCKY.
2. The walkways. They made them about 20 ft. wide, and they had a better view than the grandstands. It was where the general admission folks decided to set up camp (folding chairs and all) to block the fenceline for about 5 ft., therefore there was only about a 15 ft. wide walkway. There must have been at least 3000 people at any given time in that 15 ft. wide walkway in less than 1/8 of a mile distance. We were packed in like sardines, and were wriggling our way through. It made for some interesting incidental contact, though
.
3. Vending. 3 bucks for a 16 oz. bottle of water? Geez. You had to go outside the venue, snake your way around a maze of fencing, and finally arrive at the main enterance in order to find any real vending going on.
4. Paddock - where the hell was the paddock? They made sure to hide it, because we walked damn near all the way from one end of the venue to the other. There was NO SIGNAGE pointing us in the direction of the paddock where the cars were.
I'm certainly glad I didn't PAY for those tickets. The best view of the day came when I had come down from the grandstands, and was headed toward the cattle herd of a walkway:
1. Turn 3. Section 3a had NO view of anything but the palm trees in front, and a peek-a-boo view of the corner when the cars turned in...all in all, you could see the cars for about .5 seconds each if you were LUCKY.
2. The walkways. They made them about 20 ft. wide, and they had a better view than the grandstands. It was where the general admission folks decided to set up camp (folding chairs and all) to block the fenceline for about 5 ft., therefore there was only about a 15 ft. wide walkway. There must have been at least 3000 people at any given time in that 15 ft. wide walkway in less than 1/8 of a mile distance. We were packed in like sardines, and were wriggling our way through. It made for some interesting incidental contact, though
.3. Vending. 3 bucks for a 16 oz. bottle of water? Geez. You had to go outside the venue, snake your way around a maze of fencing, and finally arrive at the main enterance in order to find any real vending going on.
4. Paddock - where the hell was the paddock? They made sure to hide it, because we walked damn near all the way from one end of the venue to the other. There was NO SIGNAGE pointing us in the direction of the paddock where the cars were.
I'm certainly glad I didn't PAY for those tickets. The best view of the day came when I had come down from the grandstands, and was headed toward the cattle herd of a walkway:
07-31-2005, 10:13 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by gooder77
Roo, that can't be the only pic you got of that. Don't hold out on us!!! LOL!
And thank (insert deity of choice) for split body Nikon cameras. She never knew. My head was facing down, watching the screen...while the lens was facing up...watching the...well...you GOT the picture!!
Last edited by Roo; 07-31-2005 at 10:16 PM.
07-31-2005, 10:16 PM
#13
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LOL, nice Roo, nice....I'm just hoping that this may open up the possibility for the city to bring a track back to the immediate area, that us locals can go to and race our cars at. Like Baylands used to be....That alone would cut down on street racing alot around here. If the city wants to stop Street racing, they need to realize that a local track where everyone can go to and LEGALLY race would be a key feature......Now maybe SJ will be more inclined to think like that since teh race was here, and they could see first hand how popular racing is around these parts.
-Ted
-Ted
