This article gives you 8 actionable tips meant for new motorsports fans, regarding how to get full pleasure from attending a motor race event. Additionally, I’ve included some security tips. The objective here is to racing fans have more fun and prevent hearing damage or other issues.
Attending a motor race event is always entertaining. Getting the most from it, however, requires planning and knowledge. Motor races are no exception to this rule, and knowing exactly what happens in a motor race is vital to gaining the utmost enjoyment. Here are a few tips.
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Use ear protection
A NASCAR race car at full throttle produces about 130 decibels. Only one car. Open-wheel cars are even louder. Stadium circuits are usually noisier than road courses, with the honor of the noisiest track in America going to Bristol Motor Speedway. Perhaps at an endurance race or a backyard series, you might be able to get away with it, but anyone attending a major race series must wear ear protection. This is even more important for children.
If you’re an occasional race fan, a set of drugstore earplugs is sufficient. Consider earplugs that have a strap attached to them, as it’s easy to drop them. Another alternative is to rent or buy a race scanner with noise-excluding headphones. Wearing earplugs will prevent long-term hearing damage and stop you from leaving the racetrack with a migraine and temporary hearing loss.
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Consider the heat
Most motor race events happen in the summer, with spring and fall races happening in warm climates. Stadium circuits have some color, but general admission as well as most grandstand seats, at road courses, is often right outside in the open. Unfortunately, lots of tracks disallow outside food and beverage and then charge too for water and soft drinks. Budget accordingly.
It may be tempting to not drink to save money, but people wind up with heat exhaustion at motor race events all of the time. It tends to be hotter closer to the monitor. Gatorade is far better than water.
Emergen-C packets, which can be bought in a drug store, can easily be smuggled into the monitor and then added to a bottle of water. If you begin to get heat exhaustion symptoms like nausea, a headache or tingling then proceed immediately to the first aid station.
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Know the racetrack
Using a map of the racetrack can be quite useful after the action. These may or may not be available on-site, but can often be printed off from the racetrack’s website.
Know your racecar drivers
On the same note, printing off the entry record, particularly for second-tier races, can help you keep track of who is who. It is often possible to have a race guide that includes images of the cars.
Get there early, unless you’re going to a stadium
If you did not pay for grandstand seating, then you want to be there a few hours before the race to stake out a fantastic spot. Good spots are harder to find on road racing circuits than on permanent road courses. If you go with a group, one person may keep the spot whilst someone else in the group goes for concessions. With street circuits, the best spots are ones that have a fantastic view of the course and of a jumbotron.
Areas near the first turn are inclined to be quite popular because of the disproportionate number of wrecks that happen there. Additionally, getting to a motor race event early will permit you to catch the lower-level race, which can offer action at least as intriguing as the primary event.
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Minimize alcohol
Drinking a beer too many is always a temptation at a motor race event, but if you’re drunk, you’re most likely to enjoy the race less. If you drink too much, you’re more likely to suffer from heat exhaustion or to do something dumb. A couple of beers need to be more than sufficient and on very hot days, consider removing alcohol altogether.
Rent a scanner
If you truly want to be a part of a motor race event, rent a radio scanner when you get to the racetrack. These scanners enable you to listen in on the dialogue between the drivers and their pit crews and spotters.
Be safe
Guard your private property at all times, particularly when entering and leaving the function. Pickpockets often work in these regions. So do ticket touts, which are best avoided, and sellers of over-priced earplugs, flags, and other memorabilia.
As a result of contemporary security issues, unattended bags will probably be confiscated. Never lean against or scale the ‘catch fence’ around the track. This fence is intended to decrease the danger of debris landing in the spectator area.
If there’s a barrier set back from the catch fence, resist the urge to cross it to get a better view. For those who have a pit pass, be alert and conscious in the pit and paddock areas. Do not disturb or frighten the working pit crew or engineers.
Conclusion
If you follow these suggestions, you’ll have a terrific time at a motor race event. The excitement and noise are tough to beat and the big crowds attracted lead to a good ‘buzz’ but it’s crucial to remain alert and safe.