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

After 23 years of working 325-340 days per year, I was fortunate to take a job opportunity last year that will now give me the summers off!  Because of this, I am planning on hitting some races this year.  I would like to package up Saturday night of the King's Royal and a Cubs/Reds game in Cincy on Monday after the race. 

I have never been to the Royal before, so I could use a little advice/help

1.  Where is the closest that I could find a room for the one night?  If possible I would like to stay heading towards Cincy but it isn't absolutely necessary. 

2. If I decided to rent a motorhome, is their on track camping available to just pull into?  Or are there limited spots sold out in advance?  Power?  Water? 

3.  As said before, heading to Cincy for Monday night Cubs game.  Any suggestions for area attraction for Sunday?  Will likely have my wife and two pre-teen kids with me.

4.  Seats--general admission?  Take lawn chairs?  Reserved seats.

I could have looked all of this info up on their site--people on this site know their events pretty well and I think I will come out better asking here 1st.  I'm always happy to give out advice for those hitting the Nationals in Knoxville for the 1st time.

thanks in advance!

Sarge

I have the exact same questions Sarge.  Thinking of making that trip for the first time.  Coming from MO.  Also Brad Doty's race is Wed that week and not too far away.  Might consider that too.  I'm really interested in the camping info.  Thanks.

Sydney is the closest town I know of that has multiple motels/hotels. It's about 30-40 minutes from the track. Eldora has a ton of camping space, I'm not a camper so I'll leave it to others for details.

While the Royal is as popular as ever, Eldora has about 15,000 seats/places to put the lawn chair, so you should be fine buying a GA seat.

Kings Island Amusement park Sunday if you like Roller Coasters. Also a casino in downtown Cinci.

Richmond In

  The Golden Inn in New Paris, Ohio is just a couple miles east of Richmond on the Old National Road U.S. 40. It is an older classic property that has been fixed up, has large rooms, is very clean, has good rates and run by the same family for years. It has no pool, however. It is about 45 miles to the track up Hwy. 127. Easy drive and watch your speed going through small towns. Places in Richmond have pools. Go to New Paris, OH on Tripadvisor for reviews and their website is thegoldeninn.com. Stop at Dayton on Sunday at a fabulous Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB. You will be going towards Cincy that way, too. Six Flags or whatever the amusement park is called  would be fun but those kids, and you, will be toast before gametime that night. Lawn chairs in turn one are great seats and they have grandstands there, too. Get to the track early for good seating and a bunch of spots will already be marked off days in advance. Be prepared to see a lot of drinking going on and some wild t-shirts. Basically it's a big party that happens to have a race. It's a ton of fun but keep track of the kids as it is very crowded. Have fun and bring a camera. Enjoy, my friend.

reserved camping spot is $40 sun-sun awesome deal for the week, a little steep for one night i suppose, you wont be able to find a spot for a camper unless you buy a reserved spot...they are marked so your spot will be there waiting...they have no hookups but have pump trucks and water trucks driving around at a cost

they allow general admission seating area to be roped off starting on wednesday or thursday...to save from carrying lawnchairs through a mess of people and sitting on a hill in a lawnchair, save yourself the headache and buy reserved seats...off whats available now id recommend sections SB-SD in turn 1 or if you dont plan on drinking alcohol section SA in turn 1 is a great option... if you dont mind about being on the front stretch sections NM-NO are good options right now..

Holiday Inn express in Tipp City right on 75 at 571..clean hotel 50 minutes southeast of Eldora and 15 minutes north of Dayton...1.5 hours from Cinci...Keep in mind in the event of rain on Saturday the race will be on Sunday...Kings Island is a top notch amusement park and a room in that area would be 1/2 hour or so from GABP...The banks area around the park and the levee in Newport accross the river are awesome and relatively new...great restaurants...Newport aquarium...If it was my first time going to Eldora for the Kings I would get to the track by noon set up a canopy along the road directly accross from the track on 118 set up the grill and load the cooler...Lot of stuff to do around the track all day long...

Hotel wise probably just search around the Dayton area which is between Eldora and Cincinnati. They do have camping and you can bring in lawn chairs as well. The crowd can get rowdy in certain areas and the Kings Royal usually ends pretty late the last few times i have gone. I think a couple of years ago I got out of the parking lot after 1:30am so keep that in mind if you are leaving to go to a hotel an hour away. Especially if you are bringing kids.

The bar is around Sections A-C in the main grandstand along with another one at the entrance to the track in turns 3and4, again just to keep that in mind with the kids. Crowd isnt bad but as i always say there is one in every crowd that ruins the experience for everyone. Probably would be best to buy a reserved ticket for everyone. It does get crowded so just find something that suits you well. Haulers are parked in the middle of the track but as long as you are about 8rows up you can see the whole track. If you like to sit in the corners make sure you do not sit in the front few rows as a lot of people walk back and forth in between the races and will probably block your view.

As for things along the way, kings island amusement park, Cincinnati zoo, aquariam, couple malls.

I always get a hotel in Greenville. OH, only fifteen minutes south of the track heading towards Cincy. I stay at the Greeville Inn. It does not look that great from the outside, but the rooms are nice, clean and recently remodeled. There is also a Holiday Inn Express and a Comfort Inn in Greenville. You better make your resevations right now though.

Be aware that most area hotels jack up the prices for the KR. I always stay down in Troy where it's not quite as bad but it's just under an hour from the track. Bad on a late night. A lot of the reserved seating will be "saved" already on Sat. night. I always buy a reserved seat and find it to be worth the extra loot. I prefer to sit up in 3 or 4 instead of the main grandstand, where it gets a bit rowdy and crowded. Make reservations now if you can. You'll love it.

For the last 5 Years or so I have went down the week before and roped off our camping area in the free camping area . I have never had an issue with to much craziness , If you are looking for it its not hard to find. Might be a little crazier this year because of country concert crowd , but Iwould have no worries about the kids . As someone mentioned Kings Island would be a great time killer on sunday .

If you want to sit in lawn chairs, I would recommend NTD section in turn 3. There are currently 4 spots together reserved, if you get these bring your lawnchairs. I would rather sit there than in turn 1 or 2, all you see is wings going by there. The grandstand is tight. I sit in turn 4 NTA, but only individual spots left in that section. You can also get reserved seats in the bleachers in turns 1,2,3, or 4. I would recommend turn 3 or 4, you are closer to the track for better viewing. No need for lawn chairs in these sections. If you choose general seating, you can purchase them the day of the race, although you might have to wait in line for a bit. Also if you sit in turn 3 or 4, park on the north side of the track. North Star Fort LAramie Rd, runs east and west between 118 and 127. There is parking across the street from the track on this road. When leaving, go east toward North Star. You will come to a tee intersection while heading east, turn RIGHT and then the next left. This will take you to 127 where you will turn right (south) and miss all the traffic going to North Star. Lodging: Piqua, Troy, and Tipp City are all southeast of Eldora on I-75. Sunday: The Air Force Museum in Dayton is free and is open 9-5.  Kings Island and Newport Aquarium are also good choices, and get you closer to Cincy.

If you camp at the track, buses are available to take you to the Doty and back from Eldora. Thursday they have a live band inside the track, and of coarse the races Friday and Saturday.

Turns 3-4 is where the action is in terms of visibiliy of both the ON track action...puking in the grandstand...fights etc.

If you want less dust - stay toward the entry of 3...unless the wind kicks up then everyoine is equally screwed.

Plan to get dirty with a full hat, bandana over face and ears and amber goggles if you got them.

DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING AT YOUR SEAT IF YOU GO TO THE PITS AFTER THE RACES...THERE ARE THIEVES!

DO NOT LEAVE LOOSE ITEMS (CHAIRS / COOLERS / BEAN BAG BOARDS / ETC.) SITTING OUT AT YOUR CAMPSITE WHEN YOU GO IN TO THE RACES OR GO TO SLEEP...THERE ARE THIEVES!

Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

Thanks everyone for all of the input!  Are there homeowners that give nightly camping their yards?   Happens at Knoxville I know. 

Thanks again for the input and Sunday ideas!

Funny you mention BRR, had a little grill 1 time & had a couple of hotdogs & hamburgers on it & they left the eats & stole the grill. They also stole an American flag with a Native American Indian in full head dress on a horse.

Egras, turn 4 area is the best hands down for viewing but I'm sure thats gone for the most part. Now if you can still get into the North end of the grandstands up high would still probably be good viewing. By all means come to the Doty at Limaland.

EGRAS if you decide to go the camping route let me know , I would have no problem staking you off an area to park your camper. The free camping area does not have hookups but its free !

Thank you sir--will let you know!

Here is my reco as we have been going the past 10 years.

For Eldora, I would pay the $35 for a campsite.  It's close to the track and you will be sure to have a spot when you arrive.  The free camping is a long walk from the track and fills up quick.

For seating, we love the frontstreatch, very little dust, very close to food, beer, bathrooms and very good sighlighs of the track.  It's only an extra $3 for reserved but once again, you have a seat when you walk in.  The place will be packed Saturday night.  Even if you are 10 rows from the bottom, you can still see the entire track due to the high banks.

If you want to make a vaca out of it, here is your options of races;

• 7/15 - USAC Sprint Week - Terre Haute  or  Brad Doty Classic WoO Limaland (super dusty, bring your goggles)
• 7/16 - USAC Sprint Week - Lincoln Park  (awesome bullring)
• 7/17 & 7/18 - Eldora WoO Kings Royal