Handguns
Subscribe
Digital Now Included!
Current Subscribers Click Here.
Current Subscribers Click Here.
All Florida Sportsman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.
To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.
Replies
Badabing!
:Griz
Spent yesterday there watching the 4 hour race (what ever it's called these days).
The place was packed, that's good. Manufacturer support is up, that's good. Prices have tripled, that sucks. Everything was an add on to the prices, i.e. parking and paddock entry. I'm surprised they didn't have coin slots on the porta-johns. I couldn't get my truck in no matter the price.
I've been going there for 30 years, and fully intended to spend the weekend there. Screw-em. that was it for me, I'll watch it on TV.
They even demanded to scan my ticket on the way out yesterday. I complied because didn't want to create a scene, but now wish I had.
Yes, I'm watching the race and I do wish I was there. The Rolex at Daytona used to be the best kept secret in racing.
Why, posting on FS taking all your time?
And one more thing, the Friday race, be it Firestone Endurance Championship, Continental Endurance Series, etc. used to be the best racing of the weekend. The price used to be $15, maybe $10 in the early 90's and you could drive in and hang.
No more, $25 and $10 parking in the back 40.
I understand things change, but the cheap prices were only 2 years ago. The ISC marketing geniuses are working overtime.
Oh man. Resinhead last night, RD tonight.
There must be a deal on Cold Duck this weekend.
No, look in a mirror sometime and put down the Colt-45.
I think the race yesterday was the BMW Challenge Endurance Race or something like that.
I agree. Why people feel compelled to reply to something they have no interest in is beyond me. It's like the kids walking around with multi colored hair. Please, someone pay attention to me.
:Griz
Griz, I was hoping to have a conversation about the race.
I didn't want to get into a conversation about some people being inadequate.
Ok. I'm trying to get motivated to hitbSebring this year.
:Griz
I should have tickets. Let me know.
If I remember correctly, you have never been to the 12 Hours? It is still a good time, but it is changing.
One last thing, at Sebring I find Wednesday through Friday to be much more interesting and much more fun than the actual race itself.
Ok. Does LP stand for Lake Park?
:Griz
Lake Placid.
Funny you bring that up, back in the 90's friends and I would stay on Sunday after the race finished for about 2 hours and let the crowd clear. Eventually, crowd control and the police wanted everybody out. I was talking to the cop that was clearing everybody and he said the best crowd were the bikers, second was the sports car crowd, and lastly the NASCAR crowd. It was pretty cool hearing it from somebody that deals with all the crowds.
I honestly would have thought the sports car crowd was the best behaved.
Hey DancinGenius, how's my grammar (you m***n)?
I was at the 24 hours around 1988 and immediately after the race we started cooking some sausage for a snack before hitting the road. Cops came up and made us turn off the stove and get out. Which meant moving a couple hundred feet to wait an hour to leave the infield. I haven't been back to that stupid track since.
On the other hand I went to Sebring for the first time in 1970 and haven't missed one since. It's getting more NASCARized and that sucks but we still try to honor the '70s and '80s crowd and **** off the track every chance we get. Just last year we did the grid walk dressed up as disgusting skanks and were NASCAR grid girls.
You are correct about Sebring becoming NASCARized. ISC has owned the lease to the track for at least 2 years now. The changes are coming slow but they are coming. Sebring is a race with a lot of tradition so they have to move slowly, but they are moving towards sterilizing the race and the track.
Cold and rainy conditions led to a lengthy full-course caution period during the third quarter of the race. The race was run behind the safety car from the 14:48 mark until restarting at 16:25.
The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R co-driven by Eric Curran, Dane Cameron, Seb Morris and Mike Conway was among the Prototype class front runners through 12 hours, but endured a lengthy stay in the garage shortly thereafter. The car has battled transmission, bearing and electrical issues at different points in the race.
The No. 68 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT team of Stefan Mucke, Olivier Pla and Billy Johnson was a top-three runner until 16-and-a-half hours, when it plummeted down the GTLM running order. The team battled visibility issues and also encountered multiple penalties which dropped the No. 68 off the lead lap.
The No. 50 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 shared by Cooper MacNeil, Gunnar Jeannette, Thomas Jaeger and Shane van Gisbergen was a strong performer in a stacked GTD class through halfway. Just shy of the 14-hour mark, however, MacNeil was involved in an incident in Turn 3 that sent the car to the garage.
The Rolex 24 At Daytona is currently airing live on FS2. Television coverage will switch to FS1 at 1 p.m. through the race finish.
http://results.imsa.com/
I'm glad I came home.
Thanks for the update, Gardawg!
Spent many a day at Lake Shore Resort on Lake Placid with our family. Too bad it turned condo.
:Griz
That pass for the lead overall with about 5:00 minutes to go was excellent. I can't believe it was even under review. The door was left open.
The GTLM race was really good too.
`Forum Moderator`
Don't call each other names
`Same Forum Moderator`
Many people I know have stopped going to that track completely.
They have ruined a lot of things, but nothing more than the races during Bike Week. Count me in as another that has quit going.
As for the cars . . . the prototypes represent a class that usually is won by he who lays out the most cash. “The more you spend the faster you go”. I absolutely admire the engineering that goes into these works of art but still feel the WEC Audi, Porsche and Toyota with hybrids are tops in endurance racing. Why a US manufacture doesn’t compete at this level totally baffles me . . . totally. In the GTLM class - If GM wants to compete with the Corvette C7R it will have to go mid-engine. The front engine cars, Mercedes, BMW and the Corvettes all fell short this race. Which brings up the Ford GT40’s. What a beast! I’m a GM fan but this car is amazing. I realize rule changes may favor one design any given year but this car seemed to edge up to the prototypes on a frequent basis early on. The Porsche GT3’s showed well also. The physical human effort that goes into a 24 hour race is also greatly appreciated. I don’t see how you would sleep from 36 hours out from the finish. Too much to do. Hats off to the crews. Weather was at worst 44ºF and light rain. Days maybe 62ºF . . . it cleared up beautifully for the finish sunshine and all.
We also did the Mercedes G550 climb which is exhilarating . . .
Although, I haven’t been to the 24 hours of Daytona in years, our family had a great experience this year. We book beachfront accommodations down in New Smyrna Beach about 30 minutes away as well as a camping/parking spot trackside. Flexibility for the 3 days we were there was key. And yes, my children have now been indoctrinated in to “The Zoo”. Not only do they approve, they now - on their suggestion - are planning on going to Sebring. One of my favorite life observations is the vastness of the infield accommodations. Here you can find a group camping in small tents nearby $2 million RV’s. Some guys have the camping thing totally dialed-in. The slide-out toy hauler RV combo in white was a favorite of mine. A topside observation deck is mandatory as is a SAT TV deal camp-side with big screen. The Fan Zone in the pit/garage area had a large screen maybe 20’ x 40’ where many hung out ate, drank and watched. Daytona International Speedway did a wonderful job with this area. Between tickets/camping/parking, food & small souvenirs we spent maybe $700 for four people at the track. Hotel, travel and restaurants were all extra. I’m not going to go every year but would have no reservations about doing it this way again.
:USA
it was great and the Cadillac prototypes stood out...
every manufacturer had their "a" game going with the best of new tech...
the rolex 24 at Daytona is the "big one" but will not ever eclipse LeMans....I was there when ford first showed up and when they won in '66...
sports car racing beats the crap out of nascar left turn only format. the only nascar I watch anymore are the 5 scheduled road races which are pretty entertaining...f-1 starts up soon with the new cars and regs, also indy will open in march...I have my tickets for the indy GP of Alabama...that is one hell of three days worth of racing.....
that is all....
The Real White Dog
if you can't catch a fish...catch a buzz....
#12976, joined 8-17-2002