I have only been to Bristol, but from what I am hearing from folks who were at the "Thunder Valley Nationals" and have been to all 3 tracks, Bristol wins cause the stands are so close to the track. Do you all feel the same way?

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AMERICA! HOME OF THE FREE! THANKS TO OUR BRAVE!

you are right on the action. Great facilities , everything about the place is so cool . I will always remember Larry Carrier for all the great things he did for the Tri-Cities area including THUNDER VALLEY USA .Seriously if you have never been there , make the trip..right Nitrohaulic , all8 , Rex , Murdock etc..Man have I got a memory or what ?

I haven't been to Bristol but I do go twice a year to Vegas and to Sonoma. Both are great tracks.. only a few caviats :

Sonoma: Parking is in the boonies and if you don't take the busses, it's a long trek. POSITIVE- You can drink beer while walking through the pits.

Vegas: It's just Vegas..what more needs to be said? Negative: Can't drink beer anywhere but the stands and food area (whats up with that??)

T-Bone

I have been to all three tracks. I would have to say the best are Bristol and Vegas. Sonoma is nice but the other two are much better. Vegas is by far one of the best tracks on tour. But Bristol is one you have to come to in order to understand how great it is. Thunder Valley is AWESOME!!!

Well if us little guys get to vote, I'll vote for Bristol too. We just raced there last weekend for the O'Reilly Eastern Conference Jr finals. The facilities are great, yes there are some hills to conquer but the track and staff are outstanding. We had 600 jr's there last week with all that goes with that event(meaning lots of families with lots of kids ). The track staff was very friendly and efficient, the weather can be tricky sometimes but the staff does a great job of getting the track ready to go in a short period of time. And the view there is hard to beat!!!!(see below)

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LeBoeuf Motorsports
4203 TA/JD
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I've been to all three but have never raced at Bristol!

I can't imagine any track being better or more supportive of the racer than Las Vegas. The effort they put into the entire facility is indicative of every Bruton Smith owned facility. But the effort they put into their Sportsman programs is beyond compare.

Sears Point is my home track, and while I love the facility and the people, the racing surface leaves a lot to be desired at any event other than a divisional or national event. Plus the commute to the staging lanes can be brutal at national events from some of the sportsman pits.

Bristol is awesome and I'd love to race there someday!!

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Greg Stanley
2007 NorCal Top Comp Champion

No, I don't feel the same way. The difference in distance is almost non-existent.

The only thing separating the Vegas stands from the racetrack is the return road... maybe 25 feet. At Bristol you have the stairways into the stands and the walkway... probably about 20'.

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Greg Stanley
2007 NorCal Top Comp Champion

I've been fortunate enough to have attended all three tracks and they each have their pros and cons. From a traffic standpoint in Sonoma if you are staying in Vallejo or anywhere east on Hwy 37 you're stuck in LOTS of traffic. It's horrible. But it is by far my favorite track. The weather has always been great. Parking stinks. But I still love that place.

Bristol is great if you want to lose weight or get in shape. It is a very beautiful facitlity. Racing is alright. Nothing spectacular, except for Cory Mac this year.

Vegas is great because it's Vegas. but it can get a little windy though.

Every facility has great food stands and restroom facilities.And the seating is great no matter where you are.

That's my take on Sonoma, Bristol, and Vegas.

I have not been back to Bristol since it was rebuilt BUT what makes Bristol so unique is how it sits down in the Valley. The view is spectacular but the sound is unbelievable. You have to be there to really appreciate it. Just wait until it is at night and a pair of Nitro funnys or diggers make a pass and you hear the sound echoing back and forth.

jim

Doc,

I hope to experience the track at Vegas at some point in the coming years. I can relate to the desert of Vegas and Phoenix as I lived in Phoenix/Tempe/Tucson for 25 years, but now having lived away from that for 18 years, I favor the lush greenery of the Southeast U.S. (but not the humidity!). If you can ever make it to Bristol, you won't regret it, unless it rains. I grew up watching the races at Bristol on TV and always wanted to see and experience Thunder Valley, and finally did a year ago, and can't wait to go back. Bruton has rebuilt the place into an even more awesome facility and the hills did not bother me in the least even though I live in flatland Florida. I mostly attend the GatorNationals in Gainesville, FL since its nearby, and a great and historical track as well, but Bristol is the mega! By the way, I used to bracket race back in the old days (late 70's) with my buddy Mike Hilsabeck who I'm sure you run into frequently at Firebird, SpeedWorld and Tucson/SIR. I was an acquaintance of Jim Gallatin's too and raced against him and Jesse and Joe Freeman who I'm sure you know as well. Heck, I may even have bumped into you at Beeline or SpeedWorld way back when.

Anyway, glad you came back to the 'Mater and I enjoy your posts as well as Buzz's. I hope to get back to Phoenix later this year to see some old friends.

I stay at a little hotel 5 miles from the track. Luckily from the lot I park in, the CHP allows you to go left on 37 when you're leaving. Heading to the right though to Vallejo sucks! It would be nicer if I could park closer to the action but I'll take the convenience of getting out and to my hotel in less than 15 minutes.

1 more week till Sonoma!!! WOO HOO!!!!

T-Bone