Club Arnage

Only a few more weeks....Wahoo!

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Ooops,  I'll try this again...

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Nicely done Fax!  This is going to be brilliant....  You deffo driving down?

Sorry we didn't hook-up in Cinci the other week - probably a good thing as I'm sure it wouldn't have been condusive to me then jumping into the car and thundering back to Indy.  Doing 140 mph near Shelbyville, I realized that this probably wasn't a good idea either.

Hi Dave,
Yeah, I think I'm gonna pick up a renter and make the drive down Interstate 75.  I'll do the haul to O-town straight through but on the way home I'm going to swing by Augusta and visit Susan for a few days.  It'll be a couple of weeks before the Masters so I may stop by some of the local golf shops and see if they have any specials going  before the chaos starts in April.  Going to try and re-discover my swing this summer.  Sebring's always such a great time.  I think my favorite motor racing image all year is looking up the pit straight from turn one down torward Sunset Bend with that big spring sun setting as the race heads into the evening, just as all the lights are coming on.  Sorry about passing up on the pint the other night, been fighting a bout of bronchitis all week and felt like I'd been run over by a truck.  I'm still a coughing fool but starting to feel like a human being again.
John

Well done on the tickets John. You must be clinically insane to drive it, but at least you're coming. My contacts at FirstAir have arranged pit credentials again (genuine, not Rolex Grand Am "stand-ins") so no shorts or off the shoulder numbers while we're visiting the teams.
I agree that Sebring is a very special occasion and am looking forward to it immensely.
When are you scheduled to hit O'town? Let me know and I'll notify The Sho' Boat. Are you bringing R2D2?
Hopefully we can meet up with other CA contributors who are doing this gig.

Hi Matt,
I'm guessing its going to be at least a twelve hour shot from Cincy to Orlando so I'm going to try and hit the bricks around 7:00 AM Friday morning.  I should be be sucking suds at the Sho-Boat no later than eight at the latest (barring food poisening from the obligatory Waffle House stop in Valdosta).  I'll need some directions into your place.  I'll stuff the rolling nightmare into the back of the renter.  As soon as I cross the Mason Dixon line I'll break out the Dale Earnhardt flags and put a little sticker in the back window with a kid pissing on a Ford logo.
John

Try having a few of your teeth kicked out or for authenticity's sake.
That drive is a bastard - 8 hours to Atlanta and you think you're really rolling and then you realize you have another 6 to go - I'd say you've got more like a 14 hour drive than 12 John, though you are thumping straight down 75 which saves some of the dicking around I go through heading down through Louisville.

Either way, I think a 7 a.m. start isn't going to get you there at 8 p.m.  You'll be hours behind on the Budschmizer Guinness gut assault as it is.  Get an extra large coffee at Speedway and hit it at 5 a.m.!  

You're nuts.

dh

Atlanta-O'town is more than 6 on a Friday, I'm afraid to say.
Easy for me to say, I know - but I'd set off on Thursday night John (a la Canada Phil). That'll put you in the sunshine by midday'ish Friday. Get your head doon at my gaff until early doors and you'll be ready to rock'n'roll for 'early doors' at t'Sho-Boat.

Take 75 south to FL Turnpike at Wildwood
Follow Turnpike to I-4 West
Turn off I-4 onto Beeline Expressway
Exit Beeline at Orange Ave
Turn left off exit ramp onto McCoy
Turn right onto Gondola opposite Sho-Boat Tavern
You'll remember the rest.

Dave, I'll pick you up at OIA as arranged.
Moose, Chris, Smokey, Pidge (anyone else) any chance of a pre-race aperitif (and a spare parking slot) like last year?

Matt,
That plan makes sense.  I may hit the highway late Thursday night, drive through the night and try to get to O-Town sometime durng the late morning/early afternoon.  The more I think about, the less enthralled I am with the idea of Knoxville and Atlanta during rush hour on a Friday.  The first year we went to Sebring,
Dave and I pulled something similar to this.  This time I'll have R2 as co-pilot.
John

We'll be there, apertifs at the ready. I'm assuming we will be close to where we were last year. (Pidge might not make it due to imoening surgery - replacement hip).

Smokie:

When are you getting in to Florida?  When are you getting to the track?
We'll be in Orlando on Friday night and heading to the track on Saturday morning.  You planning on being and Hendrix sooner than that?

What are your plans Phil/Chris?

Hi Smokie Matt Dave Fax ,Chris & Pidge,
Sebring yehaaaa. Well second job of 2004 just expired so I will be leaving earlier than expected. probably 9th or 10 th departure to arrive Wednesday noonish. Certainly will keep a spot for the Dodgem truck.
Canada Phil

Phil same general area as last year I presume?

I land in Tampa on Sat 13th, returning on Sunday 21st (early evening). Will be heading for the track on Wed afternoon

Sounds like a track hook-up will be the case then.  Phil/Smokie, I will keep my fingers crossed for you that the heavens don't open on Friday night like they did last year - what a sight you all were.  Sounds like Pidgeon will not be in attendance due to his upcoming op = that's a shame.  Now who's going to feed everyone?  I wonder if the rest of his party are still going.

Let's make sure we hook-up for a good sesssion over the weekend.  Phil, the last time I saw you it was at the Champers Bar on Saturday night and you looked like you had been doing some serious damage to an alcohol supply.  Will you be sporting your WANC shirt?  Looking forward to seeing you again in a couple of weeks!!!

Cheers,

Dave

I heard a radio commercial for the race yesterday - plugging it as a spring break venue.
It said that female college students get in free!!!
Maybe we should go in drag and flog the tickets to a scalper.....

There are some things that should just never be seen...Us in drag being one of them.
John

I just heard from a scanner company (Moss Communications - the "official" suppliers to Sebring.

1) They will hire a scanner for $59.00, from 3/15 to 3/20. Is that good value?

2) Is a scanner worth having? For Le Mans, and Sebring?

3) If I bought one, what else can I use it for?

Hi Smokie, I will head for the same area as last year.
I too hope to be there on Wednesday probably around lunch time. first one there puts up the flag pole 8)
Your scanner rental sounds a bit pricy to me.
Canada Phil

What do I look for in a scanner?

For $129 I get http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=20-514

For $99 I get http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=20-315

Or for $79.77 I can get this http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=1762568&cat=4510&type=1&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3947%3A4510

I'll probably end up with none. Do these work at LM too?

Oh THAT sort of scanner! Bloody hell, I'm dense at times.  :-[

I thought you wanted to rent a photo scanner for your camping trip and couldn't work out why. What a bird brain. :(

You are not alone Andy, I was of the same line of thinking, has to be the dreaded scotch.
I can see clearly now the Scotch has gone, it's goin to be a fine, fine sun shine day.
Brian.

Hi Smokie,
Scanners are very popular at NASCAR and Indy Car races.
They usually sell a list of the frequencies being used by the various teams during the weekend and this allows the paying punter to listen in on the team conversations as well as race control.  It can be quite fun.  My brother had one at Indy a few years ago for the 500.  See you in the Sunshine State.
John

At the risk of being moderated look on E bay.. there's loads going through, but it looks like a mine field unless you know whats what. Wouldn't mind one myself if I knew what to buy..Any experts out there?

We've tried using scanners at Lm before, but all we could get were the caterers. Which in itself it's no bad thing, things got pretty exciting when little Pepe scorched the pasta, he almost ended up getting his tomatoes sun dried by the head chef.

I'd guess the teams must scramble their radio messages. I'm no expert, but I think they do this by having the frequency change several times a second.
H

I just spoke with a buddy of mine here at work who's a big NASCAR fan, he has a scanner he takes to every race.  He said the difference in price usually depends on the number of channels available.  He purchased his for $100 (including headset) it has thirty channels that can be pre-programed.  Said he loves it, wouldn't go to another race without it.  Can be used to pick up the radio broadcast as well as the teams and race control.  At most US races you can go to any information booth and pick up a list of the frequencies being used by the teams at each race.
John

My own personal view is that you're all missing the point.
By the time 4 o'clock comes around on the Saturday afternoon, most of us won't have the slightest clue of what's going on around us, let alone wanting to know what's happening 4 miles across the fields.

Just grab another beer and read the result on the teletext when you get home!

It's just more clobber to carry/break/loose/forget.

Our generous hosts provided us with scanners for the Daytona 500. They are an integral part of NASCAR because of the huge amount of feedback generated between the driver, crew chief and spotters. I'm not sure how much communication actually goes on between the car and the pits in sportscar racing. Scanner rental booths at stock car races are as common as hotdog stands, but I haven't seen any at sportscar races. My view is that the more the sport can involve the fans, the better it will be.
I really cannot understand why the ACO hasn't embraced scanner rental for the 24 Hours (which could also deliver Radio Le Mans) and the very innovative class leader identifier system used in ALMS, whereby the first 3 cars in each class are identified from trackside, by a series of lights in the door panel, which are activated by a start/finish line transponder. It enables those without radios/scanners to stay in touch with an endurance race and would be highly relevant and useful at Le Mans.

Have a friend who's been a long time veteran of NASCAR and Indy Car races, went to the USGP a few years ago and brought his scanner along thinking he would be able to listen in on the chatter, being used to the somewhat more fan friendly access we get here.  I had to inform him that those wacky, fun-loving folks in F1 scramble all of their signals so his scanner was pretty much usless.  You can imagine this went over well.
John

Hi Smokie, I use one at Sebring. It is great fro picking up tRadio Le Mans and the commentary for SPEED the TV channel. If you have the patience to programme the thing a couple of teams are worth following too.
two words of warning: a friend once told me it was the most complicated piece of equipment he had ever used and batteries. i use one which uses conventional AA batteries but most of the new ones have unique battery packs which you will need to charge. US ones will use 110V so you will need to get the 12V car charger too. We can go shopping in Sebring for Radio Shack and WalMart if you like.
Canada Phil

Hey Smokie and Chris 24, i could be leavibg as soon as next tuesday sonay rewquests ? folding chairs, leaky tents, Mad Moose . sorry you'll have to find your own beaver :o
Canada Phil

Pidge (or son) is bringing us a tent. I don't envy Chris, having to share with me.

A chair might be handy, but knowing how you were packed up last year if you are short of space then I can sort something else out locally.

Sent you a mail to globalserve....

Can't wait - see ya soon