Cleveland Pit Lane Changes

[Elmo T]

I received my ticket package for Cleveland over the weekend. I obviously missed this on the website, but the pit boxes have changed from driver's left to driver's right. To access the pit area, you'd have to cross the track, so pit pass access it limited to a couple pit walkabouts each day. This means a cold pit, so all ages and attire are welcome, but it also means no hot pit access for the rest of us. :( The hot pit access was the reason we always purchased the pit pass - nothing better than being up close.

[Lux Interior]

Are you saying the pits are on the infield side of the main straight and not the grandstamd side?

I'll have to go home and look at my tix!

[Napoleon]

It is discussed on the "rules" that came with the tickets. It says they are doing it to make viewing of pit stops easier.

[Insomniac]

Are you saying the pits are on the infield side of the main straight and not the grandstamd side?

I'll have to go home and look at my tix!

I believe he is saying the pits are where they have always been, but now the boxes will be on the right. So it would be Granstand, Pit Lane, Pit Boxes then Track, while before it was Granstand, Pit Boxes, Pit Lane then Track.

[Napoleon]

I believe he is saying the pits are where they have always been, but now the boxes will be on the right. So it would be Granstand, Pit Lane, Pit Boxes then Track, while before it was Granstand, Pit Boxes, Pit Lane then Track.

That is right

[Elmo T]

It is not on the tickets or pit passes. Check the accompanying fold-out literature.

I can appreciate why they are doing it, but just disappointed at what is less access for me.

[Andrew Longman]

Elmo, I know what you mean. It is very cool to stand almost side-by-side with the crew during practice and qualifying.

But this is a great idea for the crowd in general. Even if you are seated right in front of the pit it was hard to see what was going on. Now even if you are down in Stand G you'll be able to watch the pit action. Good choice for the event itself.

[Elmo T]

But this is a great idea for the crowd in general.

I agree and posted the same over at CCF. I see the greater good. If I was taking my little ones, I'd probably be thrilled they'd have greater access. Our seats are in E and we should have a great view.

[TKGAngel]

I know its a good reason to move the pits, but I'll miss the photo ops. Last year, I got a picture of Justin and AJ horsing around the porta-john while someone (I think it might have been Tag) was inside.

Since Cleveland is the same promoter as Houston, how stringent were the Houston folks on the security, ie: the bringing in of "medically necessary" ;) snacks? We're they complete pains about it, or was it the usual quick bag perusal and on you went?

[nrc]

Since Cleveland is the same promoter as Houston, how stringent were the Houston folks on the security, ie: the bringing in of "medically necessary" ;) snacks? We're they complete pains about it, or was it the usual quick bag perusal and on you went?

Hmmm. Does this mean they've tightened up the carry-in rules? We've always brought in a soft cooler with plastic bottles and snacks. The Cleveland crowd won't be pleased if that's no longer allowed.

[devilmaster]

I loved Detroit for having hot-pit access.... I also hated Toronto for not having it.

The difference - an extra 50 bucks I didn't spend in Toronto.....

[Elmo T]

Hmmm. Does this mean they've tightened up the carry-in rules? We've always brought in a soft cooler with plastic bottles and snacks. The Cleveland crowd won't be pleased if that's no longer allowed.


No coolers, cans, glass containers, etc. (no ladders either :rolleyes: )

All small bags limited to 12"x12"x12".

Add time for security checks.

[TKGAngel]

No coolers, cans, glass containers, etc. (no ladders either :rolleyes: )

All small bags limited to 12"x12"x12".

Add time for security checks.

The scary part about them mentioning half the stuff that is banned is that someone thought to bring it in the first place! The ladders and such, not the food.

[Napoleon]

Hmmm. Does this mean they've tightened up the carry-in rules? We've always brought in a soft cooler with plastic bottles and snacks. The Cleveland crowd won't be pleased if that's no longer allowed.

Send me your e-mail addy and I will pdf you a copy of the "rules" if they are not on the race's website.

[Andrew Longman]

I agree and posted the same over at CCF. I see the greater good. If I was taking my little ones, I'd probably be thrilled they'd have greater access. Our seats are in E and we should have a great view.

I moved back to G from E this year in part because the tickets in C-F now come with a free Pit Pass and I asked to confirm that you had be 18 to use them. Given that I am bringing three kids they were going to be of no use. Now that they have moved the pits the kids will actually be able to see some pit action.

In E you'll have it even better. :D

[SAdair]

In E you'll have it even better. :D

That is why I renewed my tix eventhough I am not sure I am going. :cry:

[Sean O'Gorman]

Doesn't effect me, whenever I go in the pits I feel like I'm just in the way.

[Lux Interior]

I LOVE to go in the pits. You never know what will pop up...

http://www.usf1racing.net/files/Pat%20Stuff/20011025P_0005.jpg

I posted this pic last week but had to again. Just could not help myself :D

[Elmo T]

Doesn't effect me, whenever I go in the pits I feel like I'm just in the way.

I know exactly what you mean, but I do enjoy seeing things up close. I always make an effort to stand out of the way and let the folks do their job. Nothing annoys me more than autograph seekers in the pits. Same thing for being safety conscious and watching others create a hazard. I view my time in the pits as a privilege and respect the teams.

Back OT, I see what the promoters are trying to accomplish. I've rationalized their decision by noting that they are trying to improve things for the fans - something other venues may have forgotten.

[tantra]

You (and the little ones) will be allowed to walk among the cars sitting in pits, but the pits will be 'cold' during those spectator activity times.

And ... as usual, no umbrellas.

Labatt Blue will likely continue to be sold for $5.00 per can, so bring lots of H2O in plastic bottles.

[rocket]

^^^or lots of rum or vodka in plastic H2O bottles :D

[Andrew Longman]

Labatt Blue will likely continue to be sold for $5.00 per can, so bring lots of H2O in plastic bottles.

According to this...

http://www.grandprixofcleveland.com/source/GrandPrix_Cleveland_2006_Map.pdf

... There will now be a Budweiser concert stage behinds the pits so it looks like it will be $5 per can of Bud.

Note Jumbotrons!

Mostly I', glad the champions club is back. That was great to get out of the sun now that they don't let you under the stands.

[rosawendel]

they won't let you under the stands? oh, that is it.

[begin rant]
15 years i've been going to the cleveland race. two years ago i was out of town, so i couldn't renew (over the years i made it to row 2), so now i go GA on friday & saturday, because getting seats now means starting over near the bottom of the stands, which i won't do.

so i've spent most of my time in the pits (which are now apparently restricted in their access), in the paddock, or under the stands cooling off. now they're cutting off access to the underside of the stands, while limiting access to other shade to the million air hangar (which you need a paddock pass to access), or what has to be a 'pay-to-be-there' "champions club"? if that's the case, i'm done. p.s. have a nice day.
[end rant]

[Ankf00]

labatt, bud, what's the diff? they both taste almost identical anyway http://www2.hornfans.com/wwwthreads/images/icons/pukey.gif

[Insomniac]

they won't let you under the stands? oh, that is it.

[begin rant]
15 years i've been going to the cleveland race. two years ago i was out of town, so i couldn't renew (over the years i made it to row 2), so now i go GA on friday & saturday, because getting seats now means starting over near the bottom of the stands, which i won't do.

so i've spent most of my time in the pits (which are now apparently restricted in their access), in the paddock, or under the stands cooling off. now they're cutting off access to the underside of the stands, while limiting access to other shade to the million air hangar (which you need a paddock pass to access), or what has to be a 'pay-to-be-there' "champions club"? if that's the case, i'm done. p.s. have a nice day.
[end rant]

I'm surprised any promoters would allow people under the stands. That seems like a huge liability issue.

[Andrew Longman]

they won't let you under the stands? oh, that is it.

[begin rant]
15 years i've been going to the cleveland race. two years ago i was out of town, so i couldn't renew (over the years i made it to row 2), so now i go GA on friday & saturday, because getting seats now means starting over near the bottom of the stands, which i won't do.

so i've spent most of my time in the pits (which are now apparently restricted in their access), in the paddock, or under the stands cooling off. now they're cutting off access to the underside of the stands, while limiting access to other shade to the million air hangar (which you need a paddock pass to access), or what has to be a 'pay-to-be-there' "champions club"? if that's the case, i'm done. p.s. have a nice day.
[end rant]

Come in off the ledge and take a seat. :)

Cleveland will be a good time. That's why I am driving 8 hours to be there.

Last year or maybe it was the year before they put these screens up so you couldn't get under the stands (well you can if you are 11 and you drop something important you want to retrieve through the bleachers. Ask Trevor). No doubt this is at the request of some insurance carrier worried that a plastic water bottle will hit someone's head.

I know in years past attendance was such that you had to renew each year to work your way up and to the west, but I have always just called and asked for seats. This year I did that about a month ago and got seat 4 rows from the top. And that comes with a paddock pass.

Last year was, I think, the first year of the Champions club. You got a wrist band with a reserve ticket, but by the end of the first day they let anyone it. They have tables and chairs under a tent, fans, plasma TVs of the on track stuff, and food and beverages for sale. Much better than under the stands, but harder to lay out and take a nap :D

I don't recall seeing any wristbands with my tickets, but I do see the club again on the map, so I assume it is for everyone.

[Gangrel]

I(snip) Nothing annoys me more than autograph seekers in the pits. Same thing for being safety conscious and watching others create a hazard. I view my time in the pits as a privilege and respect the teams. (snip)

While it is admirable that you want to stay out of the way (and in the pits, very likely key to your survival ;)), to chastise autograph seekers in the pits is ludicrus. This has been a part of the auto racing culture for much longer than you have been. If you go to an NHRA event, you will see that everyone who has tickets to the race has pit access, and while the crews are working on the cars, it is quite customary for the driver to come to the entrance of the garage and sign autographs and shake hands with fans. It took me 7 years of going to the track before I got close enough to John Force to get his, but he had a smile on his face as he was meeting and greeting. He loves this part of his job. Shirley Muldowney got the "above and beyond the call" award as far as I am concerned when she pulled a 7 foot ladder up to the front of her garage and sat on the second highest rung while signing for any and all who were waiting! The fans are the most important part of the picture in this (as well as any) sport, and these folks know that as well as anyone.

The same picture I get from the NHRA, I also got from my first Champ Car races back in the late '90s. Jimmy, Paul, Dario, Little Al, Parker....if they didn't enjoy signing autographs between sessions, they sure hid it well! Rahal deliberately jumped on his scooter in the pits and doged around the crowd, directly into his trailer. Turned me off to him as a fan very early on because he was about the only one.

There is no need nor excuse for getting under foot or hassling teams or drivers hard at work. But to say that an opportune moment to get an autograph in the pits should be forbidden fruit, I fear you have your priorities a bit mixed up. I can only hope that the drivers don't mix up those same priorities, or this sport is truly doomed from the ground up.

[Andrew Longman]

Gangrel, I know what you are talking about in regard to NHRA. I'll be in Engishtown on Friday and hanging it the pits. Friday crowds are small enough that you can get just about anyone's autograph and yes I've never seen any of them complain.

But even they will ignore you if they are busy with the car or sponsors.

I think the pits are a bit different in Champcar though. When they are in the pits, especially during qualifying there is a lot going on for them. They are reading telemetry, talking to the driver, checking track temps, studying times and positions of other teams, etc. It's a little closer to asking for an autograph while a top fueler is in the staging lane.

The NHRA pit is more like the CC Paddock.

My favorite paddock experience came a few years ago in Cleveland. It was late Friday night. The fireworks had just ended and Trevor was frustrated that he did not get AFs autograph (long story) and asked to walk through the paddock one more time. He had bought a PT shirt that day and PTs crew were the only ones still up, doing a transmission change I think. We were alone there watching them for a while when PT rode up on a bike and asked who wanted an autograph. He signed Trevor's shirt and, though getting a little small, he still wears it proudly.

[Gangrel]

Gangrel, I know what you are talking about in regard to NHRA. I'll be in Engishtown on Friday and hanging it the pits. Friday crowds are small enough that you can get just about anyone's autograph and yes I've never seen any of them complain.

But even they will ignore you if they are busy with the car or sponsors.

I think the pits are a bit different in Champcar though. When they are in the pits, especially during qualifying there is a lot going on for them. They are reading telemetry, talking to the driver, checking track temps, studying times and positions of other teams, etc. It's a little closer to asking for an autograph while a top fueler is in the staging lane.

The NHRA pit is more like the CC Paddock.

My favorite paddock experience came a few years ago in Cleveland. It was late Friday night. The fireworks had just ended and Trevor was frustrated that he did not get AFs autograph (long story) and asked to walk through the paddock one more time. He had bought a PT shirt that day and PTs crew were the only ones still up, doing a transmission change I think. We were alone there watching them for a while when PT rode up on a bike and asked who wanted an autograph. He signed Trevor's shirt and, though getting a little small, he still wears it proudly.

Ahh....point taken. I rarely distinguish the pit from the paddock, aside from the rules of engagement for the area. One of those rules of engagement (or so it was understood 5-10 years ago) was that you don't approach a driver before or after qualifying or on race day. The garage areas were always where I went for autographs. Even if I did stake out a pit box for an autograph (after a practice session), drivers would not often oblige. What frosted me about Rahal was that he would immediately disappear on his motor scooter from his pit box into his trailer, and would not show his face again until he appeared at his pit box for the next session.

The main thing I do when in the hot pit is shoot images like this one...

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h10/gangrel_photos/DSC_0706.jpg

:D

[Elmo T]

While it is admirable that you want to stay out of the way (and in the pits, very likely key to your survival ;)), to chastise autograph seekers in the pits is ludicrus.

I think Andrew covered it pretty well. I was always under the impression that anyone in the paddock was fair game, within reason. I view the pit area as where the teams all "go to work" and we invited guest allowed a peak at the inside. Some things just aren't done in the pits.

I've never seen a lot of these rules of engagement written down. Perhaps that itself would make an interesting thread. I have my own rules - I even scolded my buddy at M-O ALMS this year for using the port-a-potty at the pit entrance - something I viewed as for teams only. Just my own little version of insanity I guess. :saywhat:

[TKGAngel]

Last year was, I think, the first year of the Champions club. You got a wrist band with a reserve ticket, but by the end of the first day they let anyone it. They have tables and chairs under a tent, fans, plasma TVs of the on track stuff, and food and beverages for sale. Much better than under the stands, but harder to lay out and take a nap :D

I know last year for the Champions Club the wristbands were given out the first time you showed up at the club. There was a gatekeeper making sure the non-wristbanded didn't get in. My only complaint with it last year was that the way the promotion of the club was designed made it sound like the food would be better than what was served at the normal concession stands (think premium seats at a ball game). I know I heard a lot of people grumbling about just having dogs and burgers available.

There's another downside to roping off the bottom of the stands - longer walk to the porta-loo. Then again, it does prevent people from accidentally hitting their heads on the support bars, getting knocked on their rear and severly bending their glasses. Not that I know anyone that has happened too. :D

[Gangrel]

I think Andrew covered it pretty well. I was always under the impression that anyone in the paddock was fair game, within reason. I view the pit area as where the teams all "go to work" and we invited guest allowed a peak at the inside. Some things just aren't done in the pits.

Yeah, we were all on the same chapter, just on different pages. I agree with you guys. ;)


I've never seen a lot of these rules of engagement written down. Perhaps that itself would make an interesting thread. I have my own rules - I even scolded my buddy at M-O ALMS this year for using the port-a-potty at the pit entrance - something I viewed as for teams only. Just my own little version of insanity I guess. :saywhat:

You mean CCIC didn't send you your 2006 "Pit and Paddock Rules of Engagement Handbook?" :D

Nahh...these are unwritten rules...if we wrote 'em down, we'd ruin the whole concept....

[Elmo T]

Nahh...these are unwritten rules...if we wrote 'em down, we'd ruin the whole concept....


So we can laugh and point fingers at the newbies? ;)

At least the newbies won't have to worry about dodging Michael Andretti on his scooter. His scooter should have had kill marks shaped liked fans for all the folks he nearly took out. :rofl:

[Gangrel]

So we can laugh and point fingers at the newbies? ;)

At least the newbies won't have to worry about dodging Michael Andretti on his scooter. His scooter should have had kill marks shaped liked fans for all the folks he nearly took out. :rofl:

Yeah, myself among 'em... :D

Almost as good as the time back when Alex was still with Chip, and we were walking along the pit lane....Jimmy came walking by talking to a crew member, and behind him, Alex was coasting up on his scooter. As we made eye contact with Alex, he brought his finger to his lips in a "shhhhhh." When he got just a few feet behind Jimmy, he reved the engine, popped a wheelie, and rode straight at him. Scared the bejeezus out of him! :rofl:

Them was the days!

[Lizzerd]

So we can laugh and point fingers at the newbies? ;)

At least the newbies won't have to worry about dodging Michael Andretti on his scooter. His scooter should have had kill marks shaped liked fans for all the folks he nearly took out. :rofl:

I nearly got taken out by HIS CAR in the paddock at Detroit way back when. I was standing with my back to his car when they started wheeling it out backwards. If a friend hadn't grabbed my arm and pulled me away at the last second, the rear wing would have chopped me in half.

I also saw Michael in the paddock at Mid-Ohio once as he ran out of his transport and on to his scooter. Some people saw him and started gathering as he frantically tried to start the scooter. When it wouldn't start, and as he was being over run by fans, he got this really disgusted look on his face, shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and signed a couple autographs. All the while, he was trying to start the scooter. As soon as he did... vrrroooommm... Outta there.