My Trip to Mid-Ohio for ALMS and IndyCar action - NOW WITH VIDEO (56k warning)

[FoolKiller]

Before I start: All images are hotlinked. So click them for full size images.

So, I see where ALMS is teaming up with IndyCar and Champ Series on all of these two event weekends and notice they have an IndyCar team-up at Mid-Ohio. Mid-Ohio is only about 4-5 hours from me, so I get a couple of friends on board, get a hotel about 30 minutes from the track and order some tickets.

Our plan was to head out Saturday morning and get there in time for the GT3 Cup race before the ALMS race.

So everyone meets at my house, we load up Jack (my Rabbit) and head out. When we get there they take our tickets as you enter the parking lot, properly backing up the street outside. So, through the window of a two-door hatchback they give three of us paper wristbands color-coded to our tickets.

Finally we find a parking spot and get out. I have a backpack with small six bottle cooler (what food?) and my camera (you're welcome). My friends just have beer in a cooler. We apply some sunscreen because it is a hot July day with hardly a cloud in the sky. One friend promptly has his wristband fall off, but was able to kind of tie it back on. An omen of things to come.

So then we walk in and on the way I see these beauties:


My first reminder of why I love these events.

Once past the parking area we enter the outer paddock area where the smaller series cars are being kept and were greeted by many fine sights of touring car and GT3 Cup varieties.


Fine sights indeed! And another reason why I love these events.



This image brought to you buy Grandma's Potato Salad.

I love the way you can watch guys working on the cars and have race cars just driving past you as if you were walking down the street.


This was a child's car seat set up outside of one of the garages.

One thing we noticed: Every IndyCar stall was closed up and empty and all the cars were closed up in their trailers. At first I thought it was because the race was on Sunday, but the Touring Cars were out on display even though their race wasn't until Sunday as well. My best guess is they are super secretive or they have a very non-fan friendly setup.

Anyway, we worked our way through and I decided we should watch the GT3 Cup race from Turn 1. It was a 90 degree turn just after the straight and I figured it would be the best place to see action.






Matt and Dave having a few cold ones while enjoying the race.




After the GT3 Cup race we realized we were out of beer. We only brought six each and it was hot after all. So, back to the car where we got more beer, then:

Matt applied more sunscreen


And then shared a homo-erotic moment with Dave, his brother-in-law.

Note: Alcohol makes you do stupid things. If you are drinking in the vicinity of a camera be the cameraman.

While in the parking lot I found a few more cars that caught my eye:



And then in the infield Granddaddy Pimp was showing his ride:


Reminder: Alcohol + Camera = be the Cameraman

"Dude, I love mustard!"


Continued next post

 

[FoolKiller]

After our restocking detour we finally headed back in through the infield, under a tunnel, and to some bleachers where we had a view down the hairpin, through the S-curves, and over the hill. From here we watched what we came for: American Le Mans at Mid-Ohio.





















Well, after that race was over there wasn't a whole lot to do. Tents were shutting down and vendors were packing up. So, we headed back to the car and drove to the hotel. It was easy to find as every room in the hotel had race fans in it so just following traffic in the right direction led us to it.

Our first order of business was to unload our cooler into the fridge and then head out for some dinner. But when we opened the cooler we realized we had a crisis; WE WERE ALMOST OUT OF BEER!!!! Not to worry, there was a Kroger grocery store right next to Taco Bell. A fresh set of 12 packs for each of us and we were resupplied:



That night we stayed up late playing GTHD on my PS3 with my DFP and drinking beer.



Continued

 

[FoolKiller]

SUNDAY

Fortunately, we know how to clean up after ourselves.


Then we got ready and repacked the cooler.


During the getting ready process the other person's wrist band fell off in the shower. So, at this point I am the only person still wearing a wristband. The other two were just holding on to theirs.

We had intended to get to the track in time for the Touring Car Cup, but we overslept, or were hungover, or something. I forget, but we got there just in time to miss it. So, I took my time. As Matt and Dave had each taken a shot of Bacardi Gold at the hotel I was being harassed about having to catch up. The fact that I had been driving was not an excuse. So, I grabbed the bottle and tipped it up until it started overflowing from my mouth, then I swallowed. The family nearby gave me a look and grabbed their son. I guess the Dad's case of Bud Light was more respectable.

After all that we headed in and I spotted this classic in the parking lot.


Then we got into the outer paddock area and were able to watch the post-race inspection of the Touring Cars. At least that is what we think it was.



Then we ran into the problem of the wristbands. At some point one of the wristbands that had come loose was lost. So we could not get into the main paddock. The fact that we still had our actual tickets in hand did not matter. So this meant we had to walk all the way around to the other side of the track. Fortunately, a Honda employee overheard us complaining and walked up to us and handed us an employee pass. Wwe still walked around the outside to the other entrance so that the gate attendant that just turned us away wouldn't notice that we suddenly had a pass.

I didn't mind because it meant we walked by a couple of Le Mans trailers as they were getting ready to head out.



Then we got in the paddock and this was parked outside the Patron tent:



Then the Indy Pro Series race was about to start so we headed across the infield to some bleachers on the other side of the hill from where we watched the ALMS race.



Looks like I wasn't the only one to drink too much


Frisbee?


After the very short and unexciting Indy Pro Series race we headed out to the vendor areas where we checked out the manufacturers' tents and team tents and got plenty of free swag from the IndyCar PR team.






From there it was out into the car club lots.








From there we headed up to the hairpin at the top of the hill, and next to the parking lot, to watch the IndyCar race.





Checking out the crowds:


Don't be these guys. All those people sitting on the ground and you walk up and do this? The urge to hurt a fool was growing.








As the Indy race ran long we had to head out so we went and loaded up the car.



Overall it was one of the most fun trips I have ever taken. Just going out with my two closest friends, drinking beer, and watching sports cars race. How can it go wrong? I prefer Petit Le Mans just because the race is longer and there is more going on. I also prefer Road Atlanta because the track management is much more intelligent and I like the layout better. The wristband situation got me worked up, especially considering that the adhesive broke down in sunscreen and our ticket was actually a three-day ticket, so we would have been expected to wear those things for three days. A new wristband each day would have made sense and been less hassle.

Anyway, I will probably be back again when scheduling does not permit me to make it to Petit Le Mans.

Cheers from Mid-Ohio





Next up: 2008 Petit Le Mans!

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Nice story! A shame that your camera has focussed on the fence in a lot of the race shots. How easy did you find it to follow what was happening in the races?

 

[Muzaffar]

Wow, you must have a really good time there...
So how was the race? I don't follow all the series much, but hey, at least it was fun watching them. The ALMS LMP1 cars must be awesome. Just to hear the R10 passing by must be awesome....

 

[01GTP]

Just to hear the R10 passing by must be awesome....

To tell you the truth, the R10 is diesel and too quiet. It certainly is a unique sound just the same.

 

[Muzaffar]

To tell you the truth, the R10 is diesel and too quiet. It certainly is a unique sound just the same.

Thats what so awesome about it. It doesn't even sound like a race car! It just passes you by like the wind....

 

[FoolKiller]

Nice story! A shame that your camera has focussed on the fence in a lot of the race shots. How easy did you find it to follow what was happening in the races?

Yeah, the fences were one of the things I did not like about the track. At Road Atlanta you can get closer and it is concrete barriers and waist high fences. Just look at my 2006 Petit Le Mans photos for a comparison. It makes it much easier to take good pictures because you can set the camera on the barrier to steady it if you want and chain link fences screw up auto focus.

My camera actually does a decent job and has various modes that allow me to capture different types of shots, but it requires being able to follow the cars for the half second it takes to auto focus. Mid-Ohio's setup wasn't friendly for that. I much prefer Road Atlanta. I had a lot more pictures, but weeded out the really bad focused shots and repetitive shots of cars in the same spot of track.

As for following the races; it isn't as easy in a sprint race as an endurance. And Mid-Ohio doesn't have a huge multimedia setup going. They have screens for certain spots but I could barely hear the call and I kept forgetting my sports radio in the car. When speakers were nearby it didn't help that the track was so compact that the camera helicopter as well as the pay to ride helicopter were always close enough to be loud. At Road Atlanta speakers are all over the place and screens are better positioned. Plus the track is spread out more so the camera helicopter has to get up higher.

The only place at Mid-Ohio where you could keep good tabs on everything would be in the front straight stands, but that is all via screens and radio call as they only offer you a very limited view due to the terrain. You might as well watch from home.

It is still fun but everything was more enjoyable at Road Atlanta during the Petit Le Mans. It also helps that I have been to Road Atlanta a couple times and know the track and infield well. I think if I ever go back to Mid-Ohio I will be better prepared. It is hard to show up at a track for the first time ever on race day and try to plan a good viewing spot on the map in the program.

Wow, you must have a really good time there...

When those two guys and beer are involved it is guaranteed.

So how was the race? I don't follow all the series much, but hey, at least it was fun watching them. The ALMS LMP1 cars must be awesome. Just to hear the R10 passing by must be awesome....

Well, this is one of those tracks where the more nimble nature of the P2 class allowed the Porsches to beat the Audi. Where I was sitting had a long straight coming down from the hairpin where the R10 would catch the Spyders, but as soon as they hit the turns that wrap over the hill the Spyders stick like glue and run off.

The R10 driving by is awesome. You see it coming along and expect it to be as loud as all the others and then you hear an almost UFO like sound combined with what I can only assume is the wind on the car. I saw the R10 at Road Atlanta last year and it is definitely an incredible sight.

To tell you the truth, the R10 is diesel and too quiet. It certainly is a unique sound just the same.

The uniqueness of the sound though makes it so that it is incredibly cool. Plus, at the 2006 Petit I learned there is such a thing as too loud from the Mazda P2 car.

I have some video from 2006 Petit and this trip too. I will have to get those up on You Tube.

 

[CAMikaze]

The ALMS LMP1 cars must be awesome. Just to hear the R10 passing by must be awesome....

To tell you the truth, the R10 is diesel and too quiet. It certainly is a unique sound just the same.

Thats what so awesome about it. It doesn't even sound like a race car! It just passes you by like the wind....

That R10 is one race car that makes it easy on the ears, IMO.

 

[FoolKiller]

And my videos:

Please keep in mind that these are all motion jpg avi files captured with my handheld digital still camera, so they are poor quality and a bit shaky. I constantly forget to take my tripod. Since I plan to get an infield pass to Petit Le Man this year I won't have to worry about lugging it around non-stop.

First a couple of hot laps from the 2006 Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta



And the first couple of laps going into Turn 6:



Watching them come down through the Esses into Turn 5 from Spectator Hill.


Now going through the Turn 10 chicane complex:


And through Turn 12 toward the front straight (just past the pit entrance):


All of them running across the Start/Finish line:


Watching them run down the front straight:


And finally a nighttime video of them running through the Turn 10 chicane complex:



And Now 2007 Mid-Ohio

GT3 Cup Race


A couple of ALMS videos from the grandstands:



The Indy Pro Series Race:


And the IndyCar Race




I had a couple, including one just tracking the R10 at Petit, that failed to process on You Tube after multiple tries. I'll try to get them up later.


Here's my You Tube page if you want to see them all on there.
http://www.youtube.com/user/foolkiller79

 

[dougiemeats]

Thanks for posting those videos, FoolKiller. Really helps to cure the off-season blues.

 

[FoolKiller]

Thanks for posting those videos, FoolKiller. Really helps to cure the off-season blues.

What Rolex 24 wasn't enough?

I'm just glad to get them online, finally.

As you can see though, the viewing and everything is just better from Road Atlanta. You can even hear the race calls, when it isn't being drowned out by the engines.