Ok all I am going to Indy this year. After saying I was going for the past 3 years, and finding excuses not to go, nothing is going to stop me from attending short of my death. Since this is my first F1 race in over 20 years (my last F1 race was Vegas) I was hoping for a bit of advice. I scanned the past posts on the subject but I am a little confused by some things. 1. It appears I need to purchase the "season pass" for all 3 days. I especially want to do the walk-around in the paddock. Is this automatically included if I buy the 3 day pass? Also, am I able to wander just about every where on the practice days? How about qualifying? 2. Race day tickets appear to be sold out in the sections near turn 1. Does it matter where I buy my seats if I plan on moving around a bit. I was looking at the turn 6 and turn 10 terraces. How is the view from these points? If grandstand is better, what sections should I look for and how high up? 3. Which parking areas offer the easiest in and out? 4. Hotels. It is my understanding that there are no hotels close to the track. Is this true? Any suggestions for hotels? I am looking at moderate pricing, I don't mind spending $200 a night, but not for a Holiday Inn. 5. I will be attending alone and I was wondering if F-Chat folks get together during the weekend? If so, where, when, and who do I contact? 6. Anything else I might need to know that I haven't considered. I haven't decided if I am flying in or driving in. I might take a few extra days to drive. I hate to fly, but it is a hell of a drive from Lubbock to Indy. Is the Indy airport close to the track?
There are hotels near the track BUT you won't find any rooms! We stayed in Anderson last year for $99/night - about a 45 minute drive; this year much closer and about $30 less (way in advance type reservations). Current airfare on AA shows about $331 rt from LBB-IND. Another consideration is to be sure you can get a rental car at IND (airport is not to far away). One year we flew on Southwest and ended up going into Louisville (lack of rental cars at IND) (going out of Dallas, we had to go DAL-HOU-SDF). Be sure to be downtown (Monument Circle) on Friday - festivities usually start about 5 pm. Parking pass can be obtained in advance from the track as well as the box lunch deal for race day. You have a PM. Carol
Based on my conversations with the Indy ticket office, here is what I know after purchasing tickets back in Nov. (this is our first year going...!) I am only going to respond to your questions where I have input; I'll defer all else for those who've already been. 1) The pit-walk is for those people who have a reserved seat for the race, not for those entering on a general admission ticket. Pit walk happens on Thursday. If you want to do the pit walk, you have to purchase/hold a reserved seat for the race to gain entrance. Practice day access is general admission with the start/finish line area opened first. Additional areas are opened as crowds/attendance dictates. I don't know if any of the infield (grassy knolls) are opened for practice. My impression was that only the grandstands near the start/finish line were open. If you purchase a reserved seat race ticket and want to watch practice/qualifying, you must also purchase the $25 Fri/Sat add-on ticket. 4) Hotel - we (wife/kids, etc) are staying about 20 minutes west for ~140 night (NOT Holiday Inn...). I didn't try to locate anything close; I went with previous recommendations from friends who had been there. I don't have the name/location handy, but will later tonight; post back/pm if you want the details. 5) There are some other threads about an F-chat meet; perhaps we should do a "roll call" immediately prior to race weekend to get everyone on the same page; we would enjoy meeting other tifosi - it would help us rookies out! Hope this helps you, we are all looking forward to it!
go online to the indy yellow pages and call the local motels. there are three at the top of crawfordville blvd. about a mile and a half from the track. a red roof inn, an motel8 or 6 and another that i can't remember the name of. call union jacks restaurant and ask the hostess or the bartender they might know the name of it as it's just across the way from it. we stay at the dollar inn. i usually walk to and from the track. if you need parking there are plenty of peoples yards to park in for around 20 to 40 a day. as for tickets you can purchase good seats in sections around turn one from dealers on crawfordsville blvd. they are licensed by the town of speedway and charge face value. no scalping. it is a totally user friendly atmosphere. is about a 30 minute drive to the track from the airport on a good day. the annual f chat dinner on saturday nite is always a good time. but a roll call so we can assemble on friday across from the ferari pits could be fun.
If you buy your ticket in a specific section then you must stay in that section on the race day, cause the gestapo watches out for that sort of nonsense. Try to buy a ticket in the Indy turn 4 as high up as you can, you can really see a lot Red Roof Inn on Crawfordville may be booked already Park across from the track at the VFW-$50.00 for the weekend-support the vets
When I went for the first 3 races I stayed up in the Country Inn/Suites North. It's easy on/off the hiway and wasn't more than 15 minutes to the track. There were a lot of other places on/near the upper loop of whatever hiway circles north of indy. Places like Wyndham, etc. I prefered the general admit ticket as I like to move around and view from different places.
Bring earplugs. I KNOW it seems like a sin but you will be reaching for them after about an hour. It is a sound that so loud (but wonderful) that you won't believe that a car made it. TV does NOT do it justice - no matter what kind of system you have. Sitting up in the stands, it's not a big deal, but it will be as you wander around the track on Fri and Sat.
