Take Note if you are going to The Glen Six Hours

[The Happy Track Fan]

Hello All:

Unless you want to pay through the nose for Watkins Glen's ridiculous camping fees, you WILL NOT be allowed vehicle access to the infield for the Watkins Glen Six Hour weekend. There is no infield parking access during the weekend, unless you are camping.

You will be directed to one of only 3 open lots, and will be forced to walk in to the circuit from there, and then walk everywhere from spot to spot to take in the race.

This is absolutely insane. The Glen has a massive infield with room for thousands of vehicles. Most of it will be empty except for campers in certain portions.

We had 4 people in our party excited to go. We have all decided to cancel now. We are boycotting this absolutely ridiculous policy.

Trust me. If you have never been to The Glen, you better have really, really good hiking shoes. Picture having to walk around Road America with the infield closed to cars.

[PointDSM]

I gotta say you are in the minority on this one. Just because Road America allows parking inside the track, doesn't mean people drive around from corner-to-corner (they don't....). It's widely known that if you go to Road America, to bring you hiking shoes, it's common sense.

I camp at Road America, but since most camping locations are down near turn 8/9, you have to hike a mile to get to your car anyways. Bring a bicycle or rent a golf cart (if available). IMO, fans shouldn't be allowed to cruise inside the track anyways, given the amount of alcohol consumed.

[Dyson Mazda]

Originally Posted by The Happy Track Fan

Hello All:

Unless you want to pay through the nose for Watkins Glen's ridiculous camping fees, you WILL NOT be allowed vehicle access to the infield for the Watkins Glen Six Hour weekend. There is no infield parking access during the weekend, unless you are camping.

You will be directed to one of only 3 open lots, and will be forced to walk in to the circuit from there, and then walk everywhere from spot to spot to take in the race.

This is absolutely insane. The Glen has a massive infield with room for thousands of vehicles. Most of it will be empty except for campers in certain portions.

We had 4 people in our party excited to go. We have all decided to cancel now. We are boycotting this absolutely ridiculous policy.

Trust me. If you have never been to The Glen, you better have really, really good hiking shoes. Picture having to walk around Road America with the infield closed to cars.

I feel like this is a first world problem. I have always thought that sports car racing = walking and always bring the best pair of shoes I have to walk in along with a backpack cooler and a folding chair.

[Maelochs]

For Road Atlanta I bring my alpine gear, because I will be climbing and descending all day and night.

[Fogelhund]

Watkins Glen is one of the easiest tracks to get around, and really isn't very far from one end to the other. Not a big complaint.

$175 for camping does seem pretty steep though.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

Watkins Glen is one of the easiest tracks to get around, and really isn't very far from one end to the other. Not a big complaint.

$175 for camping does seem pretty steep though.

You get two vehicle passes for that $175. Keeping that in mind, it seems to be a pretty normal deal to me. If you just wanted your car in the infield, which I totally understand even if you don't drive it, I would buy the $115 gate 7 pass which also comes with two parking passes.

[nkoske]

Originally Posted by The Happy Track Fan

You will be directed to one of only 3 open lots, and will be forced to walk in to the circuit from there, and then walk everywhere from spot to spot to take in the race.

Hmmm. Sounds like my experience at Laguna (when I don't camp), CotA, MMP, Sears Point, Long Beach, Monza, Spa, and Le Mans.

There are tracks where that doesn't happen (I guess not any more)...who knew?

How dare they make you walk .

[Mechanic Z]

While I love walking around race tracks, I can understand why some folks wouldn't want to, or perhaps be able to. For older fans and fans with health issues, not allowing cars could be a major problem.

[Limeglen]

I will be camping at The Glen, but am not sure in which section. Any suggestions?

[CyberMotor]

If you are going to watch a world-class endurance sportscar race, you are automatically expected to bring and wear hiking shoes.

Park the car and either hike it or take the shuttles.

[Maelochs]

Quite a few tracks do offer shuttles for we older/less active folks. Hopefully you will find them at the Glen.

[werner]

Pfff, when I go to Spa, we have to park the car outside the track and walk everything. and when I go to Zandvoort most people come by train, and have to walk 1,5km to get to the entrygate in the first place, and have to walk around the track through very sandy dunes.
Never mind visiting a stage-rally...

[Mac K]

Not to be "that guy" but how do you know this?

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Mac K

Not to be "that guy" but how do you know this?

Do you mean the new rules at Watkins in general?

[wdave0]

Been going to WG since 1966, the only times I ever parked in the infield was when I was involved in the event. We always camped free at what is now called Gate seven camping. Interestingly, most of my preferred viewing areas were outside the track. I can also say that the track is pretty compact for its length, my only complaint would be the small number of crossings.
If I had faith that IMSA has learned how to run a race properly again I'd be seriously looking to go to the 6, but the price of camping is quite offputting although the website does not say the gate 7 area camping does not include admission like the others - I'd look into that but kind of bet that's an oversight.

[BudLightJaguar]

Originally Posted by werner;[IMG

Pfff, when I go to Spa, we have to park the car outside the track and walk everything. and when I go to Zandvoort most people come by train, and have to walk 1,5km to get to the entrygate in the first place, and have to walk around the track through very sandy dunes.
Never mind visiting a stage-rally...

And in Finnish race tracks this is even worse...most of the tracks don't even have a parking lot. So 'parking' is on the side of the road. That's one of the reasons* I don't attend Finnish motorsports events other than stage rally. With stage rally it's a natural thing you can't park anywhere. But at least so-called road course should have some parking facilities.

*There are several other reasons

[The Happy Track Fan]

My biggest beef is that The Glen has room for thousands of cars to park in the infield, and they will not let people utilize that.

I can walk around, no problem. But my dad is 68, and simply doesn't have the strength or stamina to do it any more.

We also don't have Bernie's purse strings or manage a financial institution. To us, $175.00 is a lot of money. A lot of money.

I would be fine if they charged $25.00 for an infield parking pass like they do at Mid-Ohio. Or - heaven forbid - made parking free like at Mosport, with full infield access to vehicles.

It's just an out and out money gouge by The Glen, and the more I go there these days, the more I feel like I am getting screwed. They move race day prices at the gate from $35.00 to $75.00 for race day. (yes, I know, the series is better), but that is a massive jump. But now they add this on.

I guess I am in the minority, but I really don't like getting screwed!

[wdave0]

You are getting screwed, WG is an ISC owned track so pricing will be similar to Daytona, expect Sebring and Atlanta to match soon.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by The Happy Track Fan

...

I can walk around, no problem. But my dad is 68, and simply doesn't have the strength or stamina to do it any more.

...

I guess I am in the minority, but I really don't like getting screwed!

I am 35 and my dad is 73, and he would walk/work me into the ground these days. My fatass needs a shady spot, preferably with a cooler close by and in a place where i can see shiny cars "go fast". Having the abilities to move about a car at a car race only makes sense to me. However, that also can cause issues, some more serious than others.

I think that it really depends on your past experiences and what you have been allowed to do. Change can bring about frustration initially, but if one can find that happy balance to enjoy the show, by all means, don't lose out on a decent time at the track.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

For Road Atlanta I bring my alpine gear, because I will be climbing and descending all day and night.

Try it on a bicycle at night; terrifying and exhausting.

[optica]

Best thing I ever did for Silverstone spectating was taking a bicycle after seeing many others doing the same. Could have kicked myself for not doing it sooner as it makes getting around so much easier and enjoyable.

[Maelochs]

I hear you about $175 being a lot of money. sadly, adding that copst to a weekend budget can be a make-or-break for some people (like myself.) Adding to that doubling the race-day ticket price, and suddenly an affordable fun weekend at the track becomes a weekend at home watching on TV because the cost to go is just too high.

Doesn't mean you are getting "screwed," though. getting screwed would be if you showed up and what you got was less than what was advertised when you paid it.

Businesses raise their prices and change their products. People who really liked the old prices and products won't be happy, obviously. But ... business is business. The Glen management needs to make money and as much as they can, because that's their job. if they think they can satisfy enough customers to make the same or more profit with the new prices and products ...

Mobility seems like the biggest issue to me. I would call the track and find someone who could explain thoroughly what when and were trams were running, if at all.

The biggest problem at some tracks isn't that I have to walk, it is sometimes that either walking or waiting for trams takes so much time it's hard to justify leaving a good viewing spot, even to seek a better one.

Another thing I have learned (though it won't help your dad) is to take Ibuprofen at the start of the race, not the start of the pain.

For emphasis I quite field ofdreams79: "...if one can find that happy balance to enjoy the show, by all means, don't lose out on a decent time at the track."

[Bicknell55]

The crappy part here is we used to be able to park/drive around the track but that's no longer an option unless you want to pony up for a camping pass. While the Glen may not be that big it is still a hike from the toe of the boot to the uphill esses. Forget walking if you want to go to driver's left at the bus stop, you'll waste a good 30-45 minutes just getting there and back. It was a convenience to have a vehicle near by to keep food/drinks, shelter during summer storms, and to move quickly to other viewing areas around the track without missing much of the race. I'm sure they figure the number of campers will increase this year due to the merger, which I'd agree with, so they want the added space. It would be nice if instead they used a policy like Mid-Ohio or Road ATL where a limited number of non-camping vehicles would be allowed in the infield for a nominal fee.

[Purist]

My bigger issue would be the going back for supplies/shelter side of things. Also, though I don't mind walking quite a bit at the track, I'm not a large person, so the effort can wear on me a little more than some others as the day goes on. Having that place closer in to drop things off, or just to take a short rest, can be rather nice.

I'd say the track office could using a better cataloging/recording system, which would allow them to keep better tabs on the available infield slots so that they could open more things up. They ought to be able to manage it well enough to not need a blanket no parking policy in the infield.

I'd just like to say that I found it odd going to the Six Hours in 2012, because I couldn't figure out for the life of me where all the people were that could explain how many cars were there.

Also, we just drove up and got tickets there at the track, and they were only $20 apiece that year. Maybe, we had to pay something a little extra for parking and a program or whatnot, but the total for two of us for Saturday and Sunday was absolutely no more than $75 (and I'm thinking it was more like $60), not including food or souvenirs.