MotoGP this weekend

I'm thinking about checking this out one day this weekend. Which day is the best to go? Any recommendations for a first timer appreciated. So far Im hearing avoid the grandstands, and Ive got to check out the corkscrew and some fenced spot on a straight. Ill probably be riding in from Livermore.

Thanks!

 

If you haven't bought your tickets, they might be hard to come by....as in people want big $$$ for them. Prepare to get raped for anything, tickets, parking, lodging, and asstons of traffic. Takes a good 1 to 1.5 hours to get in most times. Other than that, just get a general ticket so you can hang out on hill area. Not sure about you, but to me, it is best to wander around and see the entire track from different viewpoints, as opposed to having your ass glued to an expensive chair in a suite.

 

A bunch of us are going to the one in Indy Aug 17th weekend. It looks like the weekend passes are best, and now they are the same price as the race day (Sunday) ticket - so why not! That way you get to see practice, etc. Also, a stunt team is performing before the race in Indy - not sure if they are traveling around everywhere, but worth looking into-I hear they are awesome to watch in person! Buying my tickets this weekend though, and have two rooms booked in downtown Indy. If you plan on getting a room - you're screwed! Rooms were sold out weeks ago for the Aug. 19th race.

 

I think what the others forgot to mention is that Saturday is practice and Sunday is the actual race day. So depending on your preference of what you intend on viewing, Sunday would probably be the best day. Just my 2 cents.

 

Good to know.

We are planning on picking up tickets locally before riding out Sunday early.

 

Sunday is the day and last year you could buy tickets at the motorcycle entrance for the regular price. Reggie and the guy's will be up on turn two.

 

The motorcycle entrance is not posted so to speak, here is a set of directions from the Laguna Seca site for the motorcycle entrance. Speeding after you leave Hwy 101 is a very poor idea as the LEO's are thick and seriously have it oot for any misbehavior.

Barloy Canyon Road: Free Onsite Motorcycle Parking
Free motorcycle parking is available at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the Purple Parking area, formerly known as Wolf Hill. This lot is unpaved.

Access to the onsite motorcycle parking is via Barloy Canyon Rd, off Reservation Road. This is a motorcycle-only entrance. No other vehicles are allowed access at this entrance. However, Barloy Canyon Rd. will be used for shuttle buses between CSUMB and the track.

From Monterey/Carmel/Carmel Valley: Go north on Hwy 1 to the Del Monte Blvd. exit in Marina. Take Del Monte Blvd to Reservation Rd. Turn right on Reservation Rd and go approximately 4.8 miles to Barloy Canyon Rd.

From Salinas: Go west on Hwy 68, turn right on Reservation Rd, then left on Barloy Canyon Rd.

From Santa Cruz/San Jose/San Francisco: Go south on Hwy 1 to the Del Monte Blvd exit in Marina. Turn left on Del Monte Blvd and continue to Reservation Rd. Turn left on Reservation Rd and go approximately 4.8 miles to Barloy Canyon Rd and the entrance to the new East Garrison housing development.

Please note that Barloy Canyon Rd will have two-way traffic at all times.

Leather check stations are available at the track.

 

Bring your camera along and be sure to get yourself a coupla good pics of Ben Spies on his number 11 Factory Yamaha M1 and Nicky Hayden on his number 69 Factory Ducati GP12,because as of right now the way the "MotoGP silly season" is shaping up this very well may be your last chance to get a pic of either of them on a MotoGP bike.

 

richard stonboli and steve rapp - attack kawasaki motogp crt usa

 

My wife and I will be there on Sunday. Probably arriving about 10am (if my drive+traffic estimate is right). I'm hoping to catch the Superbike race from by the corkscrew, and we have turn-4 grandstand seats for the motoGP. If we're not too sunburnt/tired/etc. we'll play the WSB race by ear. We'll be in a car, not on the bikes (I didn't want to ride 90+ minutes home after getting zorked in the sun, if it's boiling, and my wife hasn't been riding much this summer, either).

How much worse is traffic at ~10am than the normal mash between Salinas and Moss Landing? (it's usually 90 minutes for us to get to Cannery Row, so I'm assuming the same to get to the track). We're coming from in the Santa Cruz Mountains north-west of SCruz.

I'll have my "good camera" with me. For any photographers on this, what's the minimum shutter speed I should be aiming for? (f8-f11 is the sweet spot for my lens for clarity, but gives me wiggle room on the shutter speed). I assume 1/1000 is the bare minimum (camera will do 1/4000 sec).

 

We are at turn 2 party away.......slow down and do not speed or split lane. CHOP every where. I got nail for making a pass on the shoulder at 5 mph :chaingun:

 

Nicky resigned to Ducati for 2013. Spies to WSBK on a BMW.

 

That was a good day. No traffic at all driving in (arrived about 10:15 or so). Watched the 600cc bikes and the e-bikes from the corkscrew, which was awesome. Then watched the MotoGP race from the turn-4 grandstand. Less drama, but a wider view of things. We caught part of the superbike race from the end of turn 2, down by the Ducati island.

I'm glad we swung through the mfr tents (Ducati and Honda). Being able to actually sit on the bikes without a salesguy trying to do the hard sell was nice.

Driving home was slow, glad I wasn't in the mess headed towards 101, but taking 1 to Santa Cruz.

But, we forgot sunscreen... plenty of water, but no sunscreen or hats. Feeling a bit fried. We'll definitely remember next time.

 

I took over 400 photos, here are a couple that stood out in the first (necessarily quick) pass through them:

https://plus.google.com/photos/113935873632972151783/albums/5770816593652619281

 

I thought about swinging through to meet up with you guys on the way out, but then realized I don't know what any of you actually look like, and wasn't sure if you'd have a giant VFRWorld banner or something.

Let's just say that it was a reminder to never go out for stuff like that without sunscreen....

The wind *was* cold, I was actually hoping that the fog would blow back in to shield us. We dressed for the cold in the morning (since we know Monterrey Bay weather), so that would have been welcome.

As to the severity of the sunburn, my face is blistering today. My arms aren't that bad (but they'll still peel, I think), but my face is killing me. Like I said, I'll not forget sunscreen for a LONG time after this.

 

Nice!!!! Looks like it was a blast.

I was wondering if it would be too much to ask for future races from everybody........

The umbrella girl section of the photo albums needs some updateing.... Just throwing it out there.

.

 

I Will update with pictures soon......Just got home from a long long ride

 

Believe it or not my record was clear until last Friday. The traffic back up for miles and those squids make crazy pass and I when my turn at 5 mph to make a slow pass and got caught. Oh well Will deal with it when I get the fine $$$$