| Inaugural HARVEST GRAND PRIX RACE #2 Saturday, October 3, 2020 |
| DAN'S PHOTO JOURNALS |
Today's IndyCar race was set to start at 2:30 pm.
Even though there were GT3 & GT4 cars on the
track before that, like yesterday, I only showed up
for the IndyCar races.
I headed for the track at 1:30 pm.
As soon as I was on the interstate, I realized I was
about out of gas. Since I'd forgotten to pack any
food in my cooler, I stocked up on snacks as I made
a pit stop to fill up the tank. (Someone needs to
review their own Web Site on preparing for the track!)
I ate a hamburger I'd bought and drank a beer on the
way to the track.
I took Lyndhurst from 10th to 25th, turned east and
parked near Georgetown at the Legion for $20.
I would have parked for free further away on a side
street, but the pit stop had made me late. As I got
out of my car, I could hear them singing the National
Anthem!
Like yesterday, I brought my roll-along cooler with
some beers on the bottom. I'd cut my foam-rubber
seat cushion in half, and squeezed it in. (Since the
bleachers are not deep, I ended up putting one seat
cushion on top of the other.) I was able to pack my
binoculars, tobacco and other things in the cooler.
I did not use the binoculars today. For one thing,
the cars were much closer to me. Also, the scoring
pylon was so far away from these seats, I doubted
the binoculars would help. I would suggest that they
are best suited for sitting in the outside corners,
especially in Turn 1 where you can use them to see
the scoring pylon.
Even though there were GT3 & GT4 cars on the
track before that, like yesterday, I only showed up
for the IndyCar races.
I headed for the track at 1:30 pm.
As soon as I was on the interstate, I realized I was
about out of gas. Since I'd forgotten to pack any
food in my cooler, I stocked up on snacks as I made
a pit stop to fill up the tank. (Someone needs to
review their own Web Site on preparing for the track!)
I ate a hamburger I'd bought and drank a beer on the
way to the track.
I took Lyndhurst from 10th to 25th, turned east and
parked near Georgetown at the Legion for $20.
I would have parked for free further away on a side
street, but the pit stop had made me late. As I got
out of my car, I could hear them singing the National
Anthem!
Like yesterday, I brought my roll-along cooler with
some beers on the bottom. I'd cut my foam-rubber
seat cushion in half, and squeezed it in. (Since the
bleachers are not deep, I ended up putting one seat
cushion on top of the other.) I was able to pack my
binoculars, tobacco and other things in the cooler.
I did not use the binoculars today. For one thing,
the cars were much closer to me. Also, the scoring
pylon was so far away from these seats, I doubted
the binoculars would help. I would suggest that they
are best suited for sitting in the outside corners,
especially in Turn 1 where you can use them to see
the scoring pylon.
| 30-second Video of the START OF THE RACE |
18-second Video Showing IndyCars Re-entering Race from Pits
| 1-minute Video showing various passes in Turn 1 |
As the cars screamed down the front straight, they would come into my view about
half-way and I had a great view of the passes that were attempted there.
I would look for two cars side-by-side coming down the straight indicating a driver
was going to try to pass on the inside by out braking the other driver into Turn 1.
They would decelerate sharply, perhaps from 220 mph down to 60 mph before the
sharp turn into the infield. Sometimes they'd lock up and smoke their tires.
Sometimes they'd bang wheels or the passed car would get pushed into the grass,
as they fought for the same patch of pavement.
And sometimes a driver just couldn't slow up enough. He'd either try make the turn
and end up in the grass, or he'd give up and continue straight and take an access
road further up the straight to re-enter the race at Turn 3.
half-way and I had a great view of the passes that were attempted there.
I would look for two cars side-by-side coming down the straight indicating a driver
was going to try to pass on the inside by out braking the other driver into Turn 1.
They would decelerate sharply, perhaps from 220 mph down to 60 mph before the
sharp turn into the infield. Sometimes they'd lock up and smoke their tires.
Sometimes they'd bang wheels or the passed car would get pushed into the grass,
as they fought for the same patch of pavement.
And sometimes a driver just couldn't slow up enough. He'd either try make the turn
and end up in the grass, or he'd give up and continue straight and take an access
road further up the straight to re-enter the race at Turn 3.
I wish the Speedway would erect more scoring pylons
so that they could be read with the naked eye from all
the seating locations. (Scoring pylons are tall skinny
structures that vertically list 33 race positions. Next
to each number are the car # that is currently in that
position.) Then again, perhaps most people use their
smart phones for this information? I don't have one.
I had planned to sit at the south end of Stand J, if I
could find room.
Once inside the facility, the walk there seemed much
further than I anticipated. I often forget just how huge
the Speedway is.
Once I reached section 1 of Stand J, I discovered the
speedway had opened up Stand H and I had a variety
of places where I could sit. I chose section 24, right
next to Stand J.
As I climbed the stairs, I would look about, trying to
find a good balance between being close to the track
and having a good view. I could even have sat on the
top row.
However, I chose to sit in Row V, Seat 1.
(Note: upon reviewing my videos, if I'd sat a couple
of rows higher, I might have viewed the run from
Turn 2 to Turn 3 without the catch fence in the way.)
I was almost exactly between the two huge monitors
set up in the infield. I could see both, but at an angle.
As usual, I reached my seat just in the nick of time, as
the cars fired up their engines.
so that they could be read with the naked eye from all
the seating locations. (Scoring pylons are tall skinny
structures that vertically list 33 race positions. Next
to each number are the car # that is currently in that
position.) Then again, perhaps most people use their
smart phones for this information? I don't have one.
I had planned to sit at the south end of Stand J, if I
could find room.
Once inside the facility, the walk there seemed much
further than I anticipated. I often forget just how huge
the Speedway is.
Once I reached section 1 of Stand J, I discovered the
speedway had opened up Stand H and I had a variety
of places where I could sit. I chose section 24, right
next to Stand J.
As I climbed the stairs, I would look about, trying to
find a good balance between being close to the track
and having a good view. I could even have sat on the
top row.
However, I chose to sit in Row V, Seat 1.
(Note: upon reviewing my videos, if I'd sat a couple
of rows higher, I might have viewed the run from
Turn 2 to Turn 3 without the catch fence in the way.)
I was almost exactly between the two huge monitors
set up in the infield. I could see both, but at an angle.
As usual, I reached my seat just in the nick of time, as
the cars fired up their engines.
| To My Left - Stand J and the NW Vista |
| To My Right - Stand H |
| Thousands of these stickers have been applied through the stands over the seat numbers. I tried peeling one off with no success. It is going to be a huge pain removing these! Someone should have thought ahead and bought removable stickers. |
| I could not have been happier with my seat! I had a great view of Turns 1 and 2! |
I also had a perfect view of the cars leaving the pits and
re-entering the race, occasionally they would have
conflict with an on-track car.
I would lose sight of them for a split second in turn 4 due
to the Miller Lite Party Deck blocking about 30' of track.
I'd then see them race down the back straight just past
Turn 6, although that was rather far away and I did not
spend much time looking there.
The vast majority of spectators were north of me. I felt
pity for those high in the NW Vista as they were so far
away from the noise and action happening in front of me.
I only brought my camcorder today, and it seemed every
time I filmed Turn 1, all the cars went through smoothly
and then, as soon as I turned it off and put it away, all
hell would break loose on the next lap. Ha ha! Oh well,
that's the way it goes sometimes. Anyway, the photos
on this page are stills taken from video, hence the poor
quality. Sorry.
I believe the crowd was larger today. Like yesterday,
the temperature was pretty cool and most people wore
jackets. It was a very cloudy day, but the sun came out
for a while.
Will Power led every lap, the first time that has happened
on the road course race. I think this was his 4th win on
this road course (the IndyCar GP in early May.)
I should have worn my Will Power shirt today instead of
yesterday! Today, I wore a Simon Pagenaud shirt. He
finished 10th. He too, has won the IndyCar GP 3 times
on this track.
Colton Herta and Alex Rossi ran 2nd and 3rd all day.
Will Power had pulled out about a 3.5-second gap, but
by the end, Herta had closed in on him.
Yesterday’s winner, Josef Newgarden, finished 4th.
Other drivers that did well today were Graham Rahal,
Pato O’Ward and Jack Harvey.
Scott Dixon's mediocre performance continued for the
4th race in a row. He finished 8th, but still has a
commanding lead in the championship.
I was surprised that yesterday’s pole sitter and 3rd-place
finisher, Rinus VeeKay, finished back in 17th today.
Speedway improvements that I noticed today -
* the giant TV monitors might be new.
* The outside fence between the speedway property
and Georgetown Road has been painted black.
During the race, I drank a beer and snacked on some
beef jerky and pretzels.
Today's race was only 75 Laps, ten less than yesterday.
Traffic on the way home was not too bad. I had not seen
the new Corvette in person yet, other than pacing the
race, but a white one pulled around me and I followed it
all the way back to the south side. I thought the back end
was ugly. I got home about 4:30 pm.
re-entering the race, occasionally they would have
conflict with an on-track car.
I would lose sight of them for a split second in turn 4 due
to the Miller Lite Party Deck blocking about 30' of track.
I'd then see them race down the back straight just past
Turn 6, although that was rather far away and I did not
spend much time looking there.
The vast majority of spectators were north of me. I felt
pity for those high in the NW Vista as they were so far
away from the noise and action happening in front of me.
I only brought my camcorder today, and it seemed every
time I filmed Turn 1, all the cars went through smoothly
and then, as soon as I turned it off and put it away, all
hell would break loose on the next lap. Ha ha! Oh well,
that's the way it goes sometimes. Anyway, the photos
on this page are stills taken from video, hence the poor
quality. Sorry.
I believe the crowd was larger today. Like yesterday,
the temperature was pretty cool and most people wore
jackets. It was a very cloudy day, but the sun came out
for a while.
Will Power led every lap, the first time that has happened
on the road course race. I think this was his 4th win on
this road course (the IndyCar GP in early May.)
I should have worn my Will Power shirt today instead of
yesterday! Today, I wore a Simon Pagenaud shirt. He
finished 10th. He too, has won the IndyCar GP 3 times
on this track.
Colton Herta and Alex Rossi ran 2nd and 3rd all day.
Will Power had pulled out about a 3.5-second gap, but
by the end, Herta had closed in on him.
Yesterday’s winner, Josef Newgarden, finished 4th.
Other drivers that did well today were Graham Rahal,
Pato O’Ward and Jack Harvey.
Scott Dixon's mediocre performance continued for the
4th race in a row. He finished 8th, but still has a
commanding lead in the championship.
I was surprised that yesterday’s pole sitter and 3rd-place
finisher, Rinus VeeKay, finished back in 17th today.
Speedway improvements that I noticed today -
* the giant TV monitors might be new.
* The outside fence between the speedway property
and Georgetown Road has been painted black.
During the race, I drank a beer and snacked on some
beef jerky and pretzels.
Today's race was only 75 Laps, ten less than yesterday.
Traffic on the way home was not too bad. I had not seen
the new Corvette in person yet, other than pacing the
race, but a white one pulled around me and I followed it
all the way back to the south side. I thought the back end
was ugly. I got home about 4:30 pm.
| The Winner! Will Power |
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