One quick rant about SW.

[754]

I am pretty sure there are a few racers that USED to be spectators... same thing with volunteers...

[mkilger]

I did not  say dont let spectators in the pits, they should walk. Bonneville is not in the middle of nothing its 3 miles away from  over priced hotel rooms that are half full of Spectators. Iam going on 13 years on the salt as a Crew member and SCTA member and volunteer   with 500 cars and bikes entered our sport/ activty will not die out. crew members build new cars and teams, some spectators get into volunteering and so on. after 60+ years it grows every year.  show me a 32 that went 250  Iam still waiting to see that myself.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

This shouldnt be thought of as anti spectator or fan. Its not about the spectators, its about the millions of unauthorized vehicles driving (*and often too fast) in the pits and on the access road. I started as a spectator/crew, but never once did I jump the lines in order to get a better view or drive in places I wasnt supposed to go.


The guy at the pit entrance I thought was doing a good job. The problem is that hundreds of vehicles were driving around the backside and purposely avoiding going through the 'check' area. If people are taking actions to avoid going through the legitimate entrance this shows they are aware they are violating the rules and dont care. Some people mention educating the people....well...I think they already know they are breaking the rules (*and essentially stealing money from the SCTA by not purchasing passes) then educating them wont do squat.

Maybe a large sign at the end of the road that explains vehicles-people will be kicked off the salt if they are driving in areas they are not supposed to go...and maybe a few pizzed off people crying about getting thrown off....

~JH

[bvillercr]

Anyone see the pair of GT 40s driving thru the pits?  Didn't think much of it at the time because I was admiring the cars, but I wonder how and why they were in the pits.

[jl222]

  With 20 million illegal aliens in the country and the fed gov not enforcing our laws, citizens are getting a different
attitude about laws and regulations.

             JL222

[mtkawboy]

Ive been going since 1984 and this is the first Ive heard of spectator passes being available. If they have a pass does that gaurantee they still wont get in the way ? Where do you buy this spectator pass ?

[Bob Drury]

  Thats the pin on badge you pay for at the gate................

[Model T Steve]

I'll bet the BLM is a "little" concerned about now. Nine dead in Ca.!
What would have happened if I had hit a little kid on a mini bike while I was going down to pick up trash at one of the sets of out houses in the pits? Thats why I go real slow and try to pay attention. I think we better worry about our goverment and racing on the salt in future years. Maybe we all need to do a little more enforcement.

[Bob Drury]

  Here is another idea.   Have the SCTA approach the Wendover Chamber of Commerce or City Hall to hire a couple of out of work or retired locals to patrol the pits with a SCTA security sign and a large 5 mph sign.  Pay them $20 bucks a hour to patrol and take down liscense numbers and descriptions of vehicles involved in infractions. 
  They wouldn't need to be confrontational.  Have them stop at any pit that has mopeds or four wheelers and give them a handout or friendly reminder about the pit rules.  These same handouts should be handed to every vehicle at lands end with a reminder to please read and abide by our rules.
  These handouts should read in BOLD PRINT:  Failure to follow these rules may result in expulsion from this meet.
  Remember, its our entry fees at Bonneville that funds El Mirage, so I don't think two or three hundred a day for a security patrol will break the bank...........................

[BrentMalone]

who will pick up all the flyers when they are blowing across the salt as people throw them out the window when they are driving
to watch the races???

[Fstop]

From a spectators point of view I see this as a sponsorship opportunity. the event is big enough now to attract major sponsors. Give them a little extra bang for their buck by allowing them to set up at the entrances to the pits with lots of signage and maybe some extra vendor space in a designated area just inside the pits, not the pits themselves but inside the tape. Spectator parking should be near this area as well and well marked. Access roads to and from the pits for racers and teams should be in a completely seperate zone. By doing so it should eliminate most of the confusion and if well executed most of the problem should be solved. I would think major sponsors would jump at the chance to interact directly with the fans. I realize it would take a few official types to man the entrance but they do that now don't they?

Jason

[RichFox]

Perhaps the SCTA/BNI should take some time and decide if they want to encourage spectators or discourge spectators or just continue as they have been. If the revenue provided by spectators is enough of an incentive then some way of making it easier for the spectators to be there without interfering should be looked into. That would be more like snow fencing and very well marked areas for watching. Recruiting Boy Scouts as security sounds like a really bad deal to me. I think one of the largest attractions of Speedweek is the chance to get close to the cars and crews while traveling through the pits. And the pits are quite large and the fans (some of them) pretty old. It's hot and old fat guys are not going to be walking around looking at race cars. That's what cars with air conditioning is for. So if you want to accommodate spectators you may need to look at some way to have race crew lanes and fan lanes. The other choice is raise the daily fee beyond what the casually interested person will pay, and cut down on the numbers.

[BrentMalone]

if you raise the fees to the spectators then you lose money. I have been a spectator and been in the pits many times to look at the cars that are racing.
Every year i buy a few shirts from the racers who sell them. raise the fees and I will quit buying anything from the racers.
Just like how the hotels in Wendover keep raising there prices to get rid of the racers out there., the hotels don't like the racers cause they don't spend money on gambling.

[landsendlynda]

  Thats the pin on badge you pay for at the gate................

NO NO NO!!!!  The pin gives spectators access to the SALT NOT the PIT AREA!!

 Gosh, you guys!!!  Here I was feeling so damned proud of my crew for working so hard and now all I see are complaints, people wanting us to hand out MORE stuff at Land's End, and EVERYONE complaining about the long lines to get on the salt!!!   WTF!!!!

How about if I ask the officials to put an inspector at the pit entrance  (actually they're talking about do this very thing), that way the inspector can find out who/what you're racing/crewing for, and if any rules are broken, you get red tagged? 

This was a record year for racers and spectators, the prices don't need to be raised for admission....seems to me if it's the racers are having problems in the pits, then the racers should use their initiative and help out instead of complaining about lack of patrols.....so, here I am, fresh back home from 2 weeks on the salt, totally exhausted, loved that I got to see "my racers", and adding my "One quick rant"

Lynda

[mkilger]

Rich I think we are on the same page the spectator walk lanes are a real good idea, maybe put them in in front of the pits so they can see the cars come back after the runs and still be able to look into some ones pit and still see the races too. I think 40 a day is more than fair, you get free Monster drinks anyway