Anyone in daytona tell us about the crowds?

[billnchristy]

Im curious about the amount of spectators for the 24. I know it has never been a hugely popular event, just wondering if the bringing on of Cup drivers and a little extra publicity helped.

Anyone able to report on this accurately?

[TDDWEST]

There are usually just over 100,000 or so people who attend the 24 Hours of Daytona.

I have not been this week, as I am going early tomorrow morning, so I can't comment as to whether there are more people this year.

The 12 Hours of Sebring, in March, pulls a stronger audience, usually around 160,000 to 180,000


WFO

[The Badger]

I was lucky enough to get to see Sebring last year . This might help some of you people if you need accomodation . Try getting in touch with the local department of commerce at Sebring and explain that you are looking for Bed & Breakfast . The local people get in touch with them and let them know if they have rooms available for the race . It worked for me ..... good luck

[Aysedasi]

What are the transport routes (and costs) between deep space and Sebring like, Badger?

[cybersdorf]

He'll be going via Cape Canaveral I suppose.
The service has improved muchly these days:
http://mailbox.univie.ac.at/~gauglij3/warp18.jpg

With all the wireless transmission zinging through Earths atmosphere, Beaming is not advisable - you may end up coming out of a fax machine in Karachi.

[TDDWEST]

Originally posted by Aysedasi
What are the transport routes (and costs) between deep space and Sebring like, Badger?

LOL,...took me a minute to get that,...(,...from the Starship)

Costs me about 3 Bucks in gas

[vollpower]

Originally posted by cybersdorf
He'll be going via Cape Canaveral I suppose.
The service has improved muchly these days:
http://mailbox.univie.ac.at/~gauglij3/warp18.jpg

With all the wireless transmission zinging through Earths atmosphere, Beaming is not advisable - you may end up coming out of a fax machine in Karachi.

If i remember correctly the last time he tried Beaming he ended up in the fax machine of the Orange County Nick

[simon c]

Originally posted by TDDWEST
There are usually just over 100,000 or so people who attend the 24 Hours of Daytona.

I have not been this week, as I am going early tomorrow morning, so I can't comment as to whether there are more people this year.

The 12 Hours of Sebring, in March, pulls a stronger audience, usually around 160,000 to 180,000


WFO

that figure for sebring amazes me. i went last year, and whilst it was busy, it didn't seem that packed - no major crowds on the viewing banks or the paddock. mind you, i do remember that there were loads of people crashed out in the infield camping area throughout - shall we say " well refreshed"...

[Tim Northcutt]

Sebring is a huge facility...about 180,000 seems about right...

But I can't believe that the 24 hrs. of Daytona draws that kind of crowd nowadays....the place never looks very full...and Daytona holds about 175,000 or so for its capacity...

[TDDWEST]

Coincidently an article just came up about increased ticket sales of 21% for the 12 Hours of Sebring.

click here to read it

I got the 100,000 attendance figure for the Daytona 24, from an online article which I can't seem to relocate (give me some time and I'll find it and post a link),...the Daytona article was from the year 2001.

[TDDWEST]

Here is the link where I read the 100,000 figure. It was in fact from 2000 not 2001. And this is obviously not an official attendance figure, but based on my experiance it seems about right. I'll let you know, and post some photos on Monday after the race.

click here

[billnchristy]

Where do they hide em? Ive heard no more than 40k. Doesnt really matter, id say 15-20k would not be bad for GA at the moment. I will be happily watching from home!

[MulsanneMike]

I've been to Daytona many years in the past ('88-'94) and 100,000 attendance figure most definetly is bogus. In '92 I stayed in the stands all 24 hours and can tell you that they were very definetly empty. 50,000 is more like it. Double that and there would be a noticable impact on ingress and egress to the facility.

[thebear]

Originally posted by MulsanneMike
I've been to Daytona many years in the past ('88-'94) and 100,000 attendance figure most definetly is bogus. In '92 I stayed in the stands all 24 hours and can tell you that they were very definetly empty. 50,000 is more like it. Double that and there would be a noticable impact on ingress and egress to the facility.

The '04 event was much better subscribed than the '03 version. The peripheral grandstands were mostly empty. The `infield' however, was PACKED.

[Fab]

Originally posted by thebear
The '04 event was much better subscribed than the '03 version. The peripheral grandstands were mostly empty. The `infield' however, was PACKED.

That's how many people ? Do you think that 100 000 is realistic ? Or was the infield packed with teams' staffs ?

[skycafe]

I have always heard the 45-50000 figure as a high point also. This weekend's crowd looked like that to me. The stands look more empty then ususal, not surprising given the weather, but the infield was indeed 'packed.' Pretty good given the weather, which was awful!

[thebear]

Originally posted by skycafe
I have always heard the 45-50000 figure as a high point also. This weekend's crowd looked like that to me. The stands look more empty then ususal, not surprising given the weather, but the infield was indeed 'packed.' Pretty good given the weather, which was awful!

I think that 45-50k people is a reasonable number. Talk in the `tower' was that advance sales were better than expected. There were many motorhomes/campers/tents in evidence. For those who were watching on TV, I was the guy in the "checkered flag" shirt behind Mark Raffauf.

[paul-collins]

*runs back and checks tapes*

Oh, there you are!

[TDDWEST]

There was definately Not 100,000 people there this year,....although the amount of people in the Grandstands is not indicative of the numbers that were there. The infield was packed and is where most people view this race.

[The Badger]

Originally posted by cybersdorf
He'll be going via Cape Canaveral I suppose.
The service has improved muchly these days:
http://mailbox.univie.ac.at/~gauglij3/warp18.jpg

With all the wireless transmission zinging through Earths atmosphere, Beaming is not advisable - you may end up coming out of a fax machine in Karachi.

I tried that route Cybers ! Must have been the pan-galactic gargle blaster that malfunctioned !!! I must say that the Cape Canaveral hospital is cool , its the only bloody hospital in the world where you can see the Space Shuttle kick off from your hospital bed !!!

Being smart is not in your nature Mr.Cybers . I can arrange for another "FOKKER" in your garden ..... put the smile on the other side of you face then

[GP Racer]

The Speed Channel broadcast team said that the infield was far more crowded than the previous years, but they never gave an exact or even approximate amount of how many.

I saw alot more advertising this year for the race, and there definetely seemed to be more of a buzz about the event all-around. The seventeen DP cars had alot to do with that, but so did the NASCAR and IRL drivers and guys from other top series, that had come to race, along with the Ganassi entry.

All-in-all, I thought it was a pretty good show, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.

[The Badger]

Originally posted by vollpower
If i remember correctly the last time he tried Beaming he ended up in the fax machine of the Orange County Nick

Yeah well ..... That wasnt my fault !!! The food was terrible and the fruit juice was dishwater not to even mention the Orange's !!! Just dont be smart with a Bicycle cop is all ..... The tazers are differant to the ones im used to too

[billnchristy]

i hear ya, That last hour was nailbiting time!!

Cant wait til the next race! Summer needs to hurry up so I can see some live!

[The Badger]

Originally posted by Aysedasi
What are the transport routes (and costs) between deep space and Sebring like, Badger?

Pretty easy actually Ayse . I travelled from Innsbruck , Austria via Amsterdam to Detroit and then Orlando . Check out "AMTRAK" on the Internet and that will give you your train times from Orlando train station . A little less than 2 hours later you arrive at Sebring train station and wonder " am I at the correct Sebring" cuz its in the middle of nowhere ..... I mean that ! Its probably better to phone ahead and arrange a taxi . Next thing to do is to change your currancy before you get to Sebring as I had allsorts of problems regarding the EURO currency . Nobody at two banks at Sebring had ever seen a EURO before !!! Eventually I got mine changed but could have done without the hassle .

The drive from the town to the track is about 15 miles and travels through a countryside full of orange's and wild bore so be a little carefull when out walking around the woods !!! Arrive at the track and get your ticket ..... easy as that . I think I paid about 75 bucks and in my opinion money well spent . The food at the track is excellent , Pork butt on a stick and the biggest 40 foot truck trailer bratwurst grill Ive ever seen , must be for those 40 foot bratwurst then . Beer is available all over and the people are just off their heads !!! They bring everything with them ..... 50 foot cherry pickers complete with a 4 piece couch . Some bloke even brought his 25 foot boat along as his viewing platform . Oh yeah ..... then there is the "ZOO" , thats what the locals call the second camping ground . You would not believe what goes on in there at night . Even the cops leave that place alone for the race weekend .
NOTE : When walking in the dead of night through Sebring countryside , dont try looking at what is making the noise in the drainage ditch beside the road ..... it probably has more teeth than you do . Man , my bedroom had 8 Gators not 8 feet from my bedroom window , never mind the "wolf spiders" that I could hear scampering around the attic trying to get at me , and the brown recluse , didnt meet one of them though . Guess it has something to do with the name !!!
I sat outside on the porch one night with the family that I was staying with and we had a few drinks . They told me not to worry about the Gators , as their dog would know if one was lurking in their garden , GREAT I thought , just bloody teriffic !!! I got in touch with the Sebring chamber of commerce to find out if people rent out rooms for the week . They gave me a few phone numbers of local people . A quick call and a money transfer via best western (I think its called that) sorted out my living arrangements for the 4 days that I was there . But you should have a set of wheels with you cuz everything is so far apart over there , as I found out .
The race was great and the crowd were a laugh too . They do it big over there . So to sum it up ..... If you have never been to Sebring , GO !!!

[The Badger]

Oh yeah , and did I mention "spring Break" , thats when the girls get it all out for a beer , All out !!!