As a spectator

[IMSA]

I'm seriously thinking I will pass on this weekends race in Portland unfortunatly. The weather forecast is calling for highs Sat. and Sun. of 105 F. Too hot for me.

IMSA

[Adam43]

Enduring harsh conditions makes the whole experience more rewarding. Just ask Ayse about how he loves it to rain at Le Mans

I normally get very hot and am in a car with blacks seats and no air con at Le Mans. Bliss. And then to quench the thirst you reach for the last bottle of warm water. Hmmm.

Still I can see the appeal if the race is shown live. How far is the fridge from your telly?

[IMSA]

Actually I can deal with the rain living here in Oregon. The problem is that there’s very little shade at Portland International Raceway. If the temperature’s 105F, it’s going to feel like 115 F and it’s dusty. Now the weather forecasters are calling for record high heat in Portland Sat. of 107 F or higher. I was looking forward to the race but I’ll have to watch it on TV. I think it’s on live.

On a somewhat humorous note, several years ago the temperature hit 107 F one weekend in Portland. On the west coast the main freeway is Interstate-5 and it runs from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. In the entire length of I-5 there is only one draw bridge to interrupt traffic flow which spans the Columbia River between Portland Ore. and Vancouver Wa. Well on this record breaking temperature day, the Interstate Bridge steel draw bridge needed to lift for boat traffic on the river. The bridge went up just fine; lowering the bridge was a different story. Apparently due to the heat, the steel lift span had expanded from the heat just enough to keep the span from lowering into place. It took 4 hours and a fireboat spraying water on the span to cool it enough to get the span to lower back into place. Traffic was tied up for hours and those poor people were forced to sit in traffic for what must have seemed like forever in the heat.


IMSA

[jhansen]

It's been 100 plus for several days here. I was out riding on my motorcylce with all my gear on. It was hot, but worth it. Same thing goes for an ALMS race. Nothing beats being there in person regardless of the temperature.

[Mosport Fan]

Mosport 2004 was like that; bad heat and a massive power outtage to boot, nonetheless a great event.........ALMS is always a treat regardless.

[racerkeke]

Awww, come on. You know you want to. If you get too hot, go to the infield and watch from under the trees behind T11.

Anyway, what's so different about the highs for this weekend? In 2004 it was just as hot -- I was at "the point". We were sunburning under the EZ Ups and the Cold Fire extinguishers wouldn't work (they don't work well over 104F). Weather happens. You'd like it less if it rained the way it did the first couple of years.

keke

[broadrun96]

And unfortunately, to combine with the heat at the track we in the US have to deal with the crappy CBS coverage and the get to watch it a day later. Never understood how this is a boost the ALMS exposure; holding the coverage, adding some of the most moronic commentators possible that can apparently only understand that there is WOW four classes racing at once, and then cutting out almost half of the race to add their commercial barrage and cut even more race action. But at least its the last one of these for the season.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Never understood how this is a boost the ALMS exposure;

Simple, 5-8 times the people watching.

[dj choc ice]

well over here in the UK today tempreatures are nudging 100 degrees centigrade or for me the old qay of doing it 36 degrees celsius which is the hottest weather on record since 1990 and in the UK that is unheard of in the shade yesterday it was about 30 degrees in the sun it was about 32/33 degrees wonderful but its heat that actually makes you feel tired and drowsy for some reason lol

[TheNewBob]

Originally Posted by dj choc ice

well over here in the UK today tempreatures are nudging 100 degrees centigrade

I think there'd be some kinda widespread panic if temperatures reached those sort of heights!

But it has been very, very hot, yes (although I did hear that storms are due tomorrow supposedly).

[GTfour]

I say,keep the machine provided with more then enough coolingfluid,protect the body with enough sunblock and wear a hat/cap.
Mostly LeMans is searingly hot as well but this formula has kept me going no matter how hot it was(even with sleep shortage and a giant nail thrue my scull from the night before).

[Purist]

I think you mean 100 degrees Fahrenheit (spelling), not celsius or centigrade, which are both the same thing.

[GTfour]

Originally Posted by Purist

I think you mean 100 degrees Fahrenheit (spelling), not celsius or centigrade, which are both the same thing.

Right you are,and now try to imagine sitting in a closed GT with 700bhp heater in front of you,in your nomex pyama's,wearing raceoverall's and a balaclafa AND a helmet....oh,and the tarmac is very hot too...

Thinking of that,it makes it easier for me to endure the heat when watching a race.