SuperStockAndy Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 (edited) A bit of useless information, but I'm so excited I can't hold it in! Will any of you here be going? Edited August 25, 2011 by Android
Craig Irwin Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 I was last there the year Shirley Muldowney retired, Me, my son and his girlfriend and my daughter, four tickets at $75 each if I remember right. I haven't been back since. Put watching Top Fuel is something that MUST be seen!
comp1839 Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 congrats!!!!! it will be something you NEVER forget......guaranteed!!! if you can, take a digital camera with ALOT of memory and a pair of earplugs.
SuperStockAndy Posted August 25, 2011 Author Posted August 25, 2011 I had to clear one of my memory cards for it I'm DEFINITELY taking earplugs lol. My parents went before I was born, and they had special tickets where they were standing about 10 ft from the starting line. I'm hoping to maybe get John Force's and Tony Schumacher's autographs Oh, tickets are $45
mikemodeler Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 Top Fuel is definitely a MUST do experience! if you get to see them at night, even better. if you can get a pit pass, i'd do that too Dave, the beauty of NHRA racing is that every ticket is a pit pass! They are the only series where you can stand feet away from the crew working on the car and witnessing them starting up a Top Fuel engine after rebuilding it! The earth shakes and the Nitro burns your eyes, nose and mouth but it is something you gotta do. 10 years ago I worked for a company that was in the Motorsports industry and they campaigned a Pro Stock ride and I was lucky to attend the US Nationals. The experience is etched into my memory as I remember watching John Force and Tony Pedregon leave the starting line and feeling my whole body shake from the nearly 15,000 HP. Hope you have fun Andy and be sure to take some GOOD ear protection. I would recommend that you stop by a gun shop and see what they have.
slantasaurus Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 I've been to the US Nats 9 of the last 10 years if you can possibly go on Friday, the Hemi Shootout for the 1968 SS/AH Hemi Dart's and Barracuda's is the greatest racing of the weekend.
jw78z28 Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 I'm going to try to get there this year. missed it last year. It will be hard for me since i'm on 3rd shift now, but I may just have to go to work with no sleep
SuperStockAndy Posted August 25, 2011 Author Posted August 25, 2011 Yeah, we're going on Friday And that's good that S/S cars will be there, they're one of my top 5 favorite classes!
DrewCfromSC Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 I wont make it this year. But you can root for a good friend of mine if your there.
SuperStockAndy Posted August 25, 2011 Author Posted August 25, 2011 I can tell by the looks of this I'm gonna have FUN!!!!!!!!!!!
Craig Irwin Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 With DST it doesn't get dark here until about 9:00PM so Top Fuel after dark may not happen, But I'd be one of the last ones out just in case!!
jeff ewaskey Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 ANY NHRA national event is an experience that you never forget. No doubt you will have a great time. I have been to Columbus, twice, a few years back and was at Norwalk last year. The U.S. Nationals is certainly on my bucket list. ENJOY!!!!!!
1320wayne Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 Haven't been to the Big Go in a few years but out of all of my experiences going to national events nothing compares. This event is almost a must to be there for at least a few days just to see all that it offers. We used to camp out at the campground across from the track. I don't rightly remember the name but I thought it was something like Conklins or something like that. The SS Shootout is a must and not even just for Mopar maniacs. Walking the pits is a chore with how many cars are on site. And the special events are a treat as well. I only wished that I had attended the year they did the Sox and Martin tribute. For all that go, enjoy and take lots of pics.. And don't forget to share.
bigmikevee Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) Hey Andy, You are going to have fun, take all the cards for your camera you can find, 'cause you just might fill all of them up!! Try to find the best ear protectors you can, you will not believe how loud it can get, especially if you get down to the pit area. When you buy your ticket you basically get a pit pass that will let you stand right next to the cars as they get prepped between runs, and it gets LOUD!! The drivers are usually very cool about pictures, autographs, etc. but once again, it gets LOUDER than you could ever imagine. I work V.I.P. security at certain events in Houston, here's a shot of John Force for you at Springnationals 2011 just so you can see for yourself how close staff and the public get to the drivers, crew chiefs, etc.. Lots of the big names will be there, wish I could get up there for this one, maybe next year. Have fun Andy, let's see the shots, especially the Mopars!! Mike Edited August 26, 2011 by bigmikevee
Terry Sumner Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 There is only one thing that I have experienced that matches the look, the horsepower, the excitement and the noise level of a top fuel race...and that's a US fighter jet taking off on full afterburner. Both are awesome experiences! But what makes a top fuel race so great is that you, as an average Joe, can get SO close to the source of all this power. You can't get very close to the fighter jet takeoff unless you're in the military! Enjoy cuz after that experience you will be hooked for life!
SuperStockAndy Posted August 26, 2011 Author Posted August 26, 2011 Thanks guys Since I draw cars, I'm going to try to draw John Force's funny car and Tony Schumacher's T/F. And yup, I know how close to the cars you're allowed to get. Our local dragstrip has this area right by the burnout box. I don't think we'd be allowed in there, but I'd rather walk around the pits anyway
Junkman Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 Since I draw cars, I'm going to try to draw John Force's funny car and Tony Schumacher's T/F. Can you draw mine?
SuperStockAndy Posted August 26, 2011 Author Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) Can you draw mine? I think I can get something worked out.. Keep in mind though, real life is starting to kick in so I don't draw a WHOLE lot. I also draw very slow. Edited August 26, 2011 by Android
whale392 Posted August 27, 2011 Posted August 27, 2011 Last time I was at Indy was 1985. Been to the Gators from 1986-97 and then 98, 2000, 01, and a few years after that. Now, I work the entire weekend of Indy.
SuperStockAndy Posted September 1, 2011 Author Posted September 1, 2011 I'm getting my memory cards cleaned up, and my camera batteries charged!!! Can't wait! :D
SuperStockAndy Posted September 3, 2011 Author Posted September 3, 2011 This was awesome! Didn't take as many pictures as I would've liked though. I figured I had 30 pics and a few videos. But I'll tell you, when the funny cars and top fuelers go past, that rumble feels awesome. Once in the pits we watched them fire up the engines. All of a sudden my eyes were watering, and I couldn't breath. Then I figured out why they wear the gas masks LOL. We also stopped by Don Schumacher's garage. Tony was there, but he took off before we could talk to him BUT I got to talk to Roland Leong! I told him about the Hawaiian I was building. It was awesome, I even got my picture taken with him! Then they had a booth there where you could get inside a fake dragster and get your picture taken. After that, they had a working tree you could test your reaction times on. First one was .430 (very bad..) and the second one was .160 (Okay, could have been .160 better LOL). They had a wall of Don's and Tony's Wallys. There had to have been AT LEAST 50. Probably closer to 75. Even though it was like 9 million degrees yesterday, it was one of the coolest experiences in my life that I'll definitely never forget.
SuperStockAndy Posted September 3, 2011 Author Posted September 3, 2011 Also forgot to say this. On the last T/F pass, Del Worsham grenaded his engine, and put oil on the track. The last run of the night was two jet dragsters. It was going real good, then the spot where Del dropped his motor, the right lane dragster spun out, hit the left wall, and flipped, and landed HARD. It seriously didn't look good for that guy, AT ALL, but from what I've heard he's in the hospital being evaluated.
slantasaurus Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 Glad you had a good time Andy, wish I could have made it this year. Did you get to see any of the Hemi Shootout, I heard that the War Fish won again.
SuperStockAndy Posted September 3, 2011 Author Posted September 3, 2011 Yup, I saw the Hemi Shootout. Those cars are just awesome
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