Ferrari Mailing List: Another view of the USF1GP, from inside.

[Rick Lindsay (rolindsay]

Mr Larson wrote,

> I was at the race all day Sat and Sun with fca seats in T2 and parking
> in lot H.

I was there Fri, Sat and Sun, also in T2 but not with the club.  Parked at Expo 
center and rode shuttles.

> * The track itself (driver comment/layout/visual appearance) and the
> permanent structures are well beyond anything else in NA.  Well done.

Agreed.  Far better that rusty old Indy.  The drivers and the friends who drove 
the course the weekend before, all agreed that the track is a masterpiece.

> * The on-site logistics were well beyond other races with only shortage
> of food (sometimes long lines) and COTA souvenir kiosks (long lines).

Also agreed.  Food lines could be found which we smaller, except for Sunday.  
Food, 'quality' was far better than Indy.  The COTA stands were VERY busy and 
that was a bit of a shock to me.  There were a lot of 'first timers' at the 
event but all I heard was, "I'll be back."

> The critical items (water, toilet and safety personnel) were in abundance.

They were excellent.  They even had a massive staff repopulating toilet paper 
in the PortaPoties.  Also, the spectator area was CLEAN.  One had to actively 
search for a can or bit of trash on the ground - well, except for my peanut 
shells!  The recycle bins were used almost perfectly.

> * Traffic management.  On and off-site----the best I have every experienced
> including police escort.

Agreed.  I witnessed a different route, because of using the Expo lot and 
shuttles.  In three days of motoring, we stopped in traffic only once - and 
that was out on the major highway, in the shuttle, and it only lasted about 3 
minutes.

> * Personnel consistently friendly, available and helpful.

Only people I talked with were the police.  They were friendly and without 
'attitude'.

> * Great support events with GT3/458C/vintage GP.  F1 was telecast.
> Next year, I would pick GA and bring a chair and park myself between
> T17 and 18 (you have a great view of both T1 and T20 from here), with
> second choice above T11 (hairpin).

Good choice.  I heard that new stands were to be built on the entry to turn one 
where the GA hillside provided such good views this year.  From a comfee chair 
on that hillside, one could see the cars turn on to the front straight, up the 
hill, around turn 1, and until they started down into turn two!

My daughter and her husband (and -3 month old baby, still busy gestating) were 
in Turn 5 stands looking up across the 'S'es and on to the exit of turn 2.  
They loved their seats.  Not a whole lot of overtaking but a good spot for we 
techno-folks who look for over/understear and car control.

>From the inside: I work with a marshal who worked turn 11.  He reported great 
>camaraderie among the track workers and a trouble-free weekend.  Another 
>friend working the pit/grid reported that there was some animosity in the 
>pit/grid marshal team but the practices, qualifying and races were 
>administered just fine.  When 'push-came-to-shove' everyone did their jobs.

I did hear some people, mostly east-coasters, poking fun at Texans, but that is 
to be expected.  Others just don't seem to understand our relaxed, friendly 
lifestyle.

I'll be back in 2013.

-rick