Chicago Results....how cool is that? (1 Viewer)

[rckymtn3]

what a great race!

I've been putting my money on the 4car Kalitta team and Arend brings it home! Good showing by Alexis, and the long skinnies both made it out of the first round. They are going to be a serious contender come the end of the season...I just feel it in the bones...

and absolutely...

Congratulations to Erica Enders!! Everyone knew it was a matter of time, but how cool is that?

Is there any active class that hasn't had a female winner? I think that's it....yeah?

What a show...you lucky folks that made it out there today and outlasted the severe weather got your payoff...

 

[.]

Great day. Congratulations to the DHL team for a great win and to Erica for a historic win. Super happy and proud of you all.

 

[Dave]

I was there 4 years ago under very similar circumstances. A huge rain storm and a mid-day delay. The DHL funny car made the final round that day too. The last of Scott Kalitta's career. We all know what happened a few weeks later. It's awesome seeing Jeff Arend seal the deal 4 years later.

Also of note, tomorrow marks 4 years since the announcement to change to 1,000 foot racing.

 

[Paul]

I was there 4 years ago under very similar circumstances. A huge rain storm and a mid-day delay. The DHL funny car made the final round that day too. The last of Scott Kalitta's career. We all know what happened a few weeks later. It's awesome seeing Jeff Arend seal the deal 4 years later.

Also of note, tomorrow marks 4 years since the announcement to change to 1,000 foot racing.

I was also at that race 4yrs ago and I remember Scott's interview after the semi's and that smile on his face was priceless. It was cool to see Scott's kids were there today to take in the victory.

 

[Bill]

It was interesting to listen to Connie and Jeff. They both acknowledge it's Scott's car. Jeff is doing a great job as caretaker.

I went to Friday's qualifying and the show was good even though it was really hot. We had great seats on the pit side and reserved parking. Although all of us would like to see lower ticket prices, it's still a bargain.

I do have a couple of gripes. For one thing, the water fountains were turned off and you can't bring your own water. Your next choice was using the sink in the restrooms, buy a $4 bottle of water, a $6 lemonade, or an $8 beer. That's way excessive IMHO. A corn dog was $6. I took one bite and spit it out.

It would be really nice to see them move the race to the fall because this track is capable of records every round. If you saw the stands today, they weren't half full and that's a shame because their was great racing. The fans in Chicago won't sit in the heat all day so you have to cater to them.

A fall race and more realistic prices for foods sure would help fill the stands.

 

[Dave]

It was interesting to listen to Connie and Jeff. They both acknowledge it's Scott's car. Jeff is doing a great job as caretaker.

I went to Friday's qualifying and the show was good even though it was really hot. We had great seats on the pit side and reserved parking. Although all of us would like to see lower ticket prices, it's still a bargain.

I do have a couple of gripes. For one thing, the water fountains were turned off and you can't bring your own water. Your next choice was using the sink in the restrooms, buy a $4 bottle of water, a $6 lemonade, or an $8 beer. That's way excessive IMHO. A corn dog was $6. I took one bite and spit it out.

It would be really nice to see them move the race to the fall because this track is capable of records every round. If you saw the stands today, they weren't half full and that's a shame because their was great racing. The fans in Chicago won't sit in the heat all day so you have to cater to them.

A fall race and more realistic prices for foods sure would help fill the stands.

I was told by one of the workers in the parking lot when we arrived saturday that they allowed you to bring in unopened bottles of water or Gatorade. I thought it was funny she said Gatorade not Powerade, but all I had were unopened Lipton Iced Tea bottles. I didn't want to carry them up there and take the chances she didn't know what she was talking about.

 

[Bill]

That's news to me. My daughter wasn't allowed to bring her umbrella in and had to take it back to the car. I don't really have a problem with that but they better not be selling them on the midway or I would question that one.

I think I counted 6 drinking fountains under the stands on the pit side. We spent over $300 for 2 adults and 2 teenagers with entry, food, and souvenirs. At least they could turn on the water fountains.

 

[Leebone]

Also of note, tomorrow marks 4 years since the announcement to change to 1,000 foot racing.

Shhhhh, .... let's not get THIS topic riled up AGAIN !!!

 

[nwspeedshots]

No functioning drinking fountains? I've always assumed that available drinking water was a Health Department requirement.

 

[Leebone]

Never been to Chicago, but never had ANY problems like that at Norwalk. The Baders run a really cool facility.

 

[FC138fan]

I do have a couple of gripes. For one thing, the water fountains were turned off and you can't bring your own water. Your next choice was using the sink in the restrooms, buy a $4 bottle of water, a $6 lemonade, or an $8 beer. That's way excessive IMHO. A corn dog was $6. I took one bite and spit it out.

I understand your gripes but..

The water fountains under the GA stands were working (saturday at least), I re-filled my water bottles twice. It was unusual because both times there were no lines at the water fountain, and it took over a minute to fill them, and nobody got in line behind me. The not working water fountain thing isn't unique to Chicago, as last year in BIR they did shut off the only working fountains.

The heat - yeah it was hot - but not intolerable, as we just moved to the top row and caught a nice breeze. An unforeseen bonus was the angle of the sun ducked right behind the giant billboard at the top of the stands and gave us shade from 4:00 on. I would imagine having an assigned seat not at the top row on the reserved side (sun in your face) would have been much worse.

The food wasn't the greatest... however I don't go to the track for a gourmet meal. It was expensive, however I eat before I get there and bring a bunch of cash in case I get starving.

The stands were very empty for most of the day, but filled in nicely when the pros came out. True, they weren't packed in all areas, but they were two deep at the fence, and some sections were packed full. Realize that the grandstands there are gigantic, and if you take that sized crowd and put it into a 1980's grandstand it would be overflowing and spilling out everywhere.

It wasn't perfect, but it was in my opinion well worth the ticket price - especially being that the second session was a night session. Plus I drove 16 hours total to see this race, and I'll probably do it again next year.

Another note was I found a 4 star hotel for $70 on priceline. It was in Naperville, nearly an hour away, but I commute an hour every day for work.

Bill, not aiming anything at you but there are alot of negative threads around saying that the sky is falling for the NHRA, but it is just as cool and even much better in some areas then it was in the past. I saw groups of children playing with their souvenir dragsters and fathers bringing their kids to the track having a good time.

 

[mastertone]

That's news to me. My daughter wasn't allowed to bring her umbrella in and had to take it back to the car. I don't really have a problem with that but they better not be selling them on the midway or I would question that one.

I think I counted 6 drinking fountains under the stands on the pit side. We spent over $300 for 2 adults and 2 teenagers with entry, food, and souvenirs. At least they could turn on the water fountains.

YOU ARE SO RIGHT! The NHRA has done this at Indy for at least 10 years, those idiots will stop at nothing to make a buck

On the other hand, there is Norwalk with FREE FOUNTAINS! Hurray for the Baders!