What else should I know about doing Nationals?

[Michael Palero]

1. On your first time going, did you guys go a. for the expeience? or b. because you were good enough?


2. I see that there are two courses.
At NT San Diego, we ran on the course clockwise one day then counterclockwise the other day.
What happens at Nationals? Do we run courses A + B in both directions for a total of 12 runs over 2 days?
Or do we only run both courses 3 times for a total of 6 glorious runs over 2 days?

/confused
-Mike

[Aaron Goldsmith]

1. On your first time going, did you guys go a. for the expeience? or b. because you were good enough?

I've just never been to lovely topeka..

2. I see that there are two courses.
At NT San Diego, we ran on the course clockwise one day then counterclockwise the other day.
What happens at Nationals? Do we run courses A + B in both directions for a total of 12 runs over 2 days?
Or do we only run both courses 3 times for a total of 6 glorious runs over 2 days?

/confused
-Mike

2 different people design 2 courses.. you run 1 course each day. It's probably in the rule book, but i'm too lazy to look right now.

[Mako Koiwai]

Two "proper" courses ... no reversing. I went ... for the Pig! And to see all of those great drivers ... the same ones I see every month! + Jr. Johnson and Co.

[Sebastian Rios]

I went the first and second times with hopes of winning and thinking I was assured a trophy spot. I was wrong twice so far!

I just can't seem to put it together in Topeka for some reason. Third times a charm though...I hope.

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

1. On your first time going, did you guys go a. for the expeience? or b. because you were good enough?


2. I see that there are two courses.
At NT San Diego, we ran on the course clockwise one day then counterclockwise the other day.
What happens at Nationals? Do we run courses A + B in both directions for a total of 12 runs over 2 days?
Or do we only run both courses 3 times for a total of 6 glorious runs over 2 days?

/confused
-Mike

1. I went when I thought I could trophy.... Missed it by that much.

2. Two separate courses. If you find yourself running one backwards, you may not have been ready to go to natls.

[Michael Palero]

2. Two separate courses. If you find yourself running one backwards, you may not have been ready to go to natls.

haha !!

[Richard Jung]

- First time I went to experience it.

- In '05 I thought I had the car that could win it, and coned out both days.

- Last time just went to have fun, and did great! (for me)

Rick

[Christine Grice]

1. Go for the experience, you won't be dissapointed.

2. already answered I think


I think Mike is asking for an information dump here people! Give up all of your secrets/lessons learned from Nationals!

[Christine Grice]

A. There will be about 1200 people racing at nationals. 600 people run Tues/Wed and 600 people run Thurs/Fri. Say you run Thurs/Fri, On the first day half the people run the west course and half run the East. Thats 300 people per day per course, the next day the groups switch courses.

B. At a local event you walk course once or twice. At Nationals I walk the courses closer to 7-10 times. But don't become too complacent because you know the courses like the back of your hand, you still need to remember to look ahead.

C. Anything that has broken on your car in the past - bring a spare if possible and along those same lines, all of the tools you have ever used on your car

D. HPT has 100 octane unleaded gas at a pump on site. Pull up, swipe card, pump gas. All in a car that hasn't visited a gas station in years, for example: Bill Schenker's car

E. Make hotel reservations early and don't feel like you need to be in the closest hotel to HPT (Speedway Inn... gives me the shivers just thinking of it) There are a lot of good hotels in the north western part of Topeka. Exit Wanamaker.

F. Make sure you familiarize yourself with Grid, there will be people directing traffic but with HPT the grid setup can be confusing at first.

G. Hang out with people that you know and they will probably introduce you to people from all over the country that they know ;)

H. If you are driving in, don't forget to bring your I-pod/Sattelite radio to listen to. Oh, and a good atlas/road map.

I. If you are flying in, you have to fly into Kansas City and then rent a car or take the KCI Roadrunner from the Airport to Topeka


Anything important that I'm missing?

[Christine Grice]

J. If you are towing out there, make sure you have your spare trailer tire and jack on the top of the pile (not buried underneith everything) that way if something bad should happen you can fix it quickly and be on your way.

K. The paddock spots are first come first serve but you have to sign up for them. So if you don't show up for the Pro you are not going to have a "good" spot. There are spots close to Grid and course but they are on the grass. There are asphalt spots, but they are the spots farthest away from everything. Bring some plywood or pick some up when you get into town in case it rains and you are parked in the grass.

L. Speaking of rain.... Pack clothes for every kind of weather you could imagine. Rain, freezing cold, 80 degrees and 80% humidity, fog, wind... And if you don't like the weather, wait 10 mins, it will change

M. Don't forget that impound can ask you to remove one or two wheels so have your jack and jackstands handy, and it might have gotten better but if your jack stands have really skinny metal for feet, bring plywood for under them because they will sink into the ground.

[Randy Chase]

J. If you are towing out there, make sure you have your spare trailer tire and jack on the top of the pile (not buried underneith everything) that way if something bad should happen you can fix it quickly and be on your way.

That was my mistake last year. What a nightmare late at night on the side of a freeway.

[Reijo Silvennoinen]

For the first time I went there to "spy out the land"......check it out.....experience it and learn all about it. So, I would say you should have a good guide(s) to show you around: There's a lot going on. You need to be in touch with people who get involved with mostly everything that is going.

Do the Pro Solo (depends on qualifying though) and Sunday practice (at the least) to get used to the asphalt running surface and conditions.

Go to the Evolution Course Analysis seminar (I think you need to have taken an Evo School in the past?) on Monday night.

Bring the right attitude. Expect to do well, but don't be surprised if the 75 year old guy next to you kicks your butt. :mrt:

Above all, have fun.

Reijo

[Max Hayter]

Have no expectations - go to have a good time and enjoy the after hours festivities :gpower:

Anything else is a bonus, but if you do win, it is something you will never forget for the rest of your life

[Max Hayter]

P.S. If you do win, be prepared to cry like a girl in front of your friends!

[David Avard]

P.S. If you do win, be prepared to cry like a girl in front of your friends!

Almost two hours and no one has made a comment on this one.

[Mako Koiwai]

Or, even if you don't win, you can cry like Barco, Team Blubber ... :heyes: ... hey, it's Nationals! Everything else is just practice ...

[Aaron Goldsmith]

P.S. If you do win, be prepared to cry like a girl in front of your friends!

The girls at babydolls are not technically your friends max...

[George Schilling]

P.S. If you do win, be prepared to cry like a girl in front of your friends!

The girls at babydolls are not technically your friends max...

Speak for yourself Aaron.....................you apparently didn't get to know them well enough.

Which brings up another point of preparation for your nationals journey, bring dollar bills...................lots of dollar bills!

Last year Steve and Stacey took me under their wings and it made my first trip out very special. I had wonderful friends to hang out with who knew the ropes. They make it very easy. It was a blast.

BTW, the dollar bill thing is no joke. Aaron apparently didn't come prepared.

[Doug Teulie]

..

[George Schilling]

Oops!

[Steve Ekstrand]

What can I say....

Strippers love my kid.

"Look daddy. I can see their tummies."

[George Schilling]

Crap, I had to edit that post. I forgot my autox playmate was at grandma's that weekend. But I know the kid thing works. I took my 1 yr old granddaughter to a trade show last week. What a chick magnet she was.

And as for Robert, since he hasn't shown up recently, I may have been dumped as a playmate, I don't know. He never calls. I don't know what to think.

[Mako Koiwai]

Apparently that was my dad's trick. My mom found out he took me to a strip joint ... it was in Japan, so I was under 4.5 years old. Apparently I said to my mom, "it was OK, they looked nice!"

[Curt Luther]

I went the first time for the "experience". Finished 52nd out of 53. That's right, Albert Merkle is my bitch...

I vowed that I wouldn't go back until I was "competitive". Ain't gonna be this year...

[Sebastian Rios]

Save $ now, the first year wasn't so bad, we drove the suby and only did the National Championship. Last year with the trailer and the Pro and the air fare, we had to bust into the piggy bank.