Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

It looks like I will be in the area during the Nationals (due to a family illness) for an extended stay during the month of August, about 3 or 4 hours away.

I was wondering if it is possible to get tickets (1 or 2) for the Nationals on Saturday Night as a walk up and if there is any type of lodgeing possible? within any distance. If things work out I might even get to go all 4 nights.

What about tickets for the Front Row Challenge and the Non Wing Race, are there any left for sale, any available on race day.

I'm coming from California, unfortuantely I can not commit to any night as I do not know how the health of the person I am seeing will be, but I am planning on being back in IL for about 3 weeks. If everything works out I hope to catch the Saturday Night 360 Nationals Show, One Night at Osky, 1 or all 4 night at the Nationals, and the two day TNT Show at Lake Side in Kansas. (I'm flying into Kansas City I think)

Any suggestions would be appreciated. My home base will be Quincy, IL.

Sorry to hear about your accident, I hope you are alright...besides the stress. Do the seats recline in the little car? If so, you should be OK. I've only made it to the Nationals one time, drove there by myself.... slept on the bench seat of my regular cab S-10 pickup for 4 nights on the Pizza Hut lawn, it was only $5 per day. The best advice I have for you, if you suddenly fall into a nap in the middle of the afternoon, do not have one ankle resting on the door for 3 hours while you sleep! That sun is brutal in Iowa! Still, it was absolutely the best racing weekend of my life, meeting all the different people I did. But, to jdfast, I was going to the ticket window on Wed. nite expecting to buy separate tix each nite if I had to, and ended up meeting a person who had a set for sale for all 4 nights, so you may get lucky too if your situation works out. I was lucky, I got him down to $100 and ended up sitting next to a couple from my hometown... I guess you just never know. Good luck!

Fenders are like vacuums... they both suck.

Paintboss, that really sux about the crash. Hope you have a better week.

Thanks about the ticket info. Any info on lodgeing? I may have an elderly person with me, and I don't think a car will cut it for them, otherwise I will have to go solo for the Nationals week, which may just be better off any way ;). Any guesses on how far off to get a motel? (Going East)

I burned my toes ONCE in my life river rafting, and HOPEFULLY I WILL NEVER EVER DO IT AGAIN, so putting my toes out the door is not option, thanks for the tip.

If all else fails, I will bring a sleeping bag and just see where I end up for the weekend, sometimes it is more fun to be adventorous. But will the bugs eat me alive outside at night ?????? Any suggestions for the things to do during weeks? ANy great places to eat? Tks in advance again!!!!!!!

just take a tent or a little campin set-up and stay at a campgrounds or at Lake Red Rock if you're gonna do that. Pella is a beautiful place to stay but I bet everything there is filled up - except maybe the Royal Amsterdam but it's awfully expensive.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

jdfast..... That's what happened to me last year. A guy turned right in front of my new King Ranch at an intersection. Rental place said I couldn't have a truck... but I could have a large SUV. They would not allow me to pull my camper with it. I lucked out in the fact that the car that hit me was a little Toyota and the damage was only cosmetic. I hauled the camper to R.R. with a wrecked truck.

Seems like ya gotta have a reservation to camp at Red Rock.

http://www.redrockarea.com/aspx/camping.aspx

I already have a reservation at North campgrounds, just hoping I can get their insurance to come through in time to do some truck shopping. Just sux because I had no intentions of getting rid of my truck for quite a while yet (93 Toyota, 80,000 miles) and now I am gonna get strapped with a new truck payment. I'm not gonna go jumping off any bridges just yet though because when you look on the bright side, Nationals week is still next week and right now is just a good time to be alive :-)

Out by the lake the bugs are ruthless. Go to the Sprint Car Forum & find the post from Stevie 20. They live about 3 miles north right off of Rt.14. Good people. They will let you set up a tent, If that is an option for you.

Loaned my 30' camper to little sister in K.C. last year. Ended up selling it and had a small one lined up to borrow for this year. I just found out the one I was to borrow sold the other day.

The search for another camper is on!

Brand new Microtel Inn in colfax. Still had a few rooms yesterday for under $60.

I know you can get a motel room in Ottumwa for Nat's week, it's about an hour from the track, split evenly between 4 lane newer concrete a 2 lane worn out asphalt. Before I lived in the area I got lucky during the FRC/UC shows and got a last minute hotel room in Osky, but I highly doubt you can get one for the rest of the week.

There is a stately but old hotel downtown that will give you a decent weekly rate at www.hotelottumwa.com and several more expensive chains (70-ish per night) on the north end of town.

Sorry to hear about the accident paintboss but glad you're okay. But.....80,000 miles on a 93 Toyota? Grocery getter? My 94 Toyota just hit 277,000.

Thanks for all the info guys, Looks like I will have a bed and my relative is doing better :), so it looks like it might be a good trip after all. 7 days of racing and 7 days of visiting relatives sounds just about right.

Guess I should start booking the plane and hotel tickets soon.

Edit, I just booked a room at Micotel in Colfax for 5 days for just over $60 a night, thanks for the tip.

And advice on where to sit at Knoxville? (should I just buy from a scalper on Wednesday for all 4 nights)

If you are gonna be there all 4 nights, buy a set. Where to sit? I like frontstretch as high up, close to the flagstand and close to the aisle as possible, but there really isn't a bad seat on the front. I have no idea about the back....I have never sat there.

Glad to hear the relative is doing better.

You can't go wrong with Section "C" high up. I have always boycotted the scalpers. Just stand out front of the main gate by the traffic light and find an individual selling a spare seat for all four nights, it has never let me down before. Just be sure and go to the seating chart and avoid any seats near the pillars.

Have fun!

Member of this message board since 1997

I can't think anyone would pay more than face value for seats.

The Raceway has so many seats that it would be doubtful if it is a 100% sell out.

Save your butt, get a colon screening TODAY

For complete line of Sponsor Awards check out 
MarshallTownLaser.com

Duane Davis

Laser Engraving 
641-751-7777
101 N Center
Marshalltown, Iowa 

You should not have any problem getting tix for the nationals! All you have to do is go to the tix office when you get there and pick your spot. The nationals have not sold out so you can still get some pretty good seating, it might not be real high up but still some good seats! And as far as the Osky show, the last few years we have just bought our tix on Monday & Tuesday when we get to the track, these have been pretty good seats for us.

I prefer the back stretch... it's just the view I'm used to

Hey fast, I am in Sec E, Row 28, from there I am looking right at the flagmans back, I can see the entire track and am still aroud 6 rows below the poles. (excellent area)

If your on the front stretch you might want to go "commando" on Saturday because there is not much spare leg room on the front stretch. I sat on the back stretch back in the early 90's for the Valvoline Classic and there is a lot more breathing room and more pitch to the stands so your closer to the track or so it seems. Bad thing I found about the backstretch was not being able to see the starts & finishes as well. Kind of felt left out back there but at the time they just built them and the PA system was still not working so that didn't help.