Three years ago the PWC series was supporting the NASCAR Nationwide series; that was pretty cool to see those lumbering hulks try to turn right. Last few years it's been the premiere event of the weekend though and that was a little lower key. This year, though... I think this is probably the best race weekend RA will have had in a long time (and likely will in the future). Definitely go if you can swing it.

They've got advanced pricing through June 14 -- $10 off each day. So, Friday is $30, Saturday is $50 and race day is $60. PWC races twice during the weekend, once on Saturday after Indycar qualifying, once on Sunday morning. Sunday is bound to be PACKED and you have to pay extra for paddock access (I think); I typically stay away on race day. Everything is way more accessible and getting to/from the track is a lot easier on Friday/Saturday.

If you go, DO NOT SPEED on your way to/from the track. Cops are plentiful and they're looking for sportycars. Especially after you get off the interstate on to the county highways -- 60 MPH max. Let the idiots who want to go fast pass you and wave as you drive by when they're pulled over. Make sure you get sweet corn from the Kiwanis at the North end of the pits and make your way to the outside of turn 12 at least once.

(sorry if you've been there and you already know this; mainly posting for community information)

 

This is good to know.

I'm going to do Saturday. Will buy ticket next week. :e-beer:

 

Nice, right on. Lemme know if you want to caravan/meet up/etc. Have you been to RA before?

 

I'd be happy to! I went to an AMA superbike race probably....ten years ago? Never been as an adult (if I can really call myself that)

 

haha I have that same relationship with the 'A word'.

Cool, well you're in for a treat. Best place in the world to watch cars go fast, in my opinion.

 

Vettel is such a turd.

 

Vettel is a turd. Can't believe they only gave him 10 seconds. But, if Hamilton's car hadn't fallen apart, 10 seconds would have been plenty. Victim of circumstance, that one.

Unlike Cody, though, I love the results of this GP. Alonso finishing (!!!) in the points (!!!!!), Ricciardo up top, Bottas leading the silver arrows and Stroll got lucky but he drove pretty well and I guess like Hobbs said: luck is the result of good preparation and good timing (or something like that). I also loved seeing Perez taken out; I really don't like that guy at all and I think the commentators give him way more credit than he's due.

Also, the French GP is back on the calendar next year, right when Renee and I are going to be in Europe celebrating our anniversary...

 

I'm actually okay with all of the results, the HAM situation irks me because such a simple mistake.

Personally I do believe Vettel should have simply been DQ's from the results. Grosjean's error in 2011 (?) was unintentional & he was given a one race ban. Seb used his car as a weapon intentionally, how he only saw a stop/go penalty & 3 points is absurd. Dude has managed to make Stroll/Verstappen look cool & composed.

 

It really was a simple mistake that cost him the race -- that's a shame, for sure. Like when RBR screwed up Ricciardo's pit stop at Monaco last year. No matter how you feel about a guy, you gotta feel bad about dumb stuff like that.

Totally agreed -- they really should have thrown the book at him. He knew it too; his quippy 'when did i do dangerous driving' over the radio was just snide enough that you could tell he was only going through the motions of putting up a fight so that the FIA wouldn't penalize him more. Telemetry data released this morning showed that Hamilton did NOT use his brakes when Pointy rear-ended him; Seb just wasn't paying attention. Asshat.

 

Pretty much agree with what everyone has said.

This was a fun one to watch. Bottas blowing by Stroll right at the line was hilarious.