Going to Sebring...

[tlongman]

...Advice? I'm going to make the trek down to Sebring this year for what may be the best sports car race of the year outside of Le Mans. Anyway, I know a lot of people who post on here have gone to Sebring religiously for quite a long time and I was wondering what the best way to "do" Sebring is. You know. What are the best places to camp? Good photo spots? etc. I've been to many races before including 1 ALMS race last year in Lime Rock but I've never experienced the endurance scene. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Hugewally]

www.sebringfans.com

[fjn356]

Camping at Sebring is for the most hardy and well equipped. The sandy dirt, auto and foot traffic combine with minimal and frequently filthy shower facilities to make for a very long three or more days. Bring your own food and drink or be prepared to spend a lot. Maybe alcohol helps since so many campers appear to be drunk to me. If you can stay outside the track, you will miss out on the discomfort but also on pretty wild and (for one trip) entertaining evenings.

Don't miss the pits and pit walk before the race!

Walk the entire accessible area of the track and you will find many great photo places. The best spots change as the sun moves. Early morn in the paddock is great for photos, too.

One of the great things about a long distance race is that you can begin to see and understand the execution of the sport: Breaking points, throttle pickup, cornering lines and how each driver deals with traffic. The hairpin is a great place to watch breaking and traffic management and 10 is really excellent for watching throttle pickup as well as breaking points.

Whatever, do it. I have been going since 1964 and have gone to Le Mans, Monza, ect., ect. and nothing compares to Sebring. If I could only go to one race a year, it would be Sebring, even if I had to camp or just sleep in a small car (which I have done).

So go.

[racerkeke]

Originally Posted by fjn356

The hairpin is a great place to watch breaking and traffic management and 10 is really excellent for watching throttle pickup as well as breaking points.

LOL. I worked T7 (hairpin) last year. It sure is good for watching traffic management -- and that's just the spectators. I particularly recall the cheerful group of men in cow costumes, one of whom had hurt his hand somehow. Our ambulance crew offered to clean the cut for him and our captain permitted the "cow" to climb over the spectator fencing into no man's land, where the ambulance was. Because the ambulance was a county one, the driver had to call Dispatch to tell them about what the EMT was doing. He said, (and I heard this so it is not an exaggeration) "The EMT is treating a cow." Dispatch mulled that over for a moment and then responded, "Does the EMT have a vet license?"

Definitely go. I wish I could go with you, but this year is a Le Mans year.
keke

[SPRacer]

Prepare to be amazed - and not at the pretty sports cars. fjn356's comments were dead on all around.

It's a crazy experience, but you have to do it.

[thebear]

Originally Posted by tlongman

...Advice? I'm going to make the trek down to Sebring this year for what may be the best sports car race of the year outside of Le Mans. Anyway, I know a lot of people who post on here have gone to Sebring religiously for quite a long time and I was wondering what the best way to "do" Sebring is. You know. What are the best places to camp? Good photo spots? etc. I've been to many races before including 1 ALMS race last year in Lime Rock but I've never experienced the endurance scene. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Best place to camp depends upon what you are `camping' in and if you are going to be alone. If you are going to sleep in or next to your car (no tent), any place between 100'-200' of one of the many rest rooms (loos to those un the UK) will be suitable. Prior comment about cleanliness & lines for showers is correct as there will be at least 100,000 in attendance. If you are going to tent it is worthwhile trying to find a spot that is not likely to be disturbed and that you can easilly return to should you drive around (see paking fee, below). There will be NO open space to speak of by FRI night. In any case try to set up next to an existing camper who can make an attempt at `watching' your stuff & spot when you wander around.

For a Mapquest link, click HERE. The "1" is on Midway Road and the track entrance is to the left. Slowly zoom out and scroll to see the way into the track from US92 or Kenilworth road.

There is a triangle at the south end of Lake Jackson on the map. In that `triangle' you will find a Publix Supermarket, a CVS drugstore and other small shops. That should be your stock-up location for soda/beer/ice, etc. From there you would head N on 634 and right at the second traffic light on to Kenilworth road and to the track.

Click HERE for the official Sebring web site. At the "Information" link (u/l corner) you can find a track map. Right click, `copy' and paste into your own document. The same map is shown below and copy/paste may produce a larger image:



Ticket purchase information can be found under the apprpropriate link. The ticket will allow you to WALK just about anywhere with the exception of the "Hot Pits". There is a pedestrian path between the safety fence and the parking areas. The parking fee allows you to drive in. Otherwise you would need to park outside and take a (free) tram into the track. It is a good idea but when the place starts to fill up THU afternoon, traffic starts to move slower than you can walk. Also, at some point early SAT morning all drive in traffic is halted. I don't know if a purchased parking pass will do you any good at that point.

Typical food/drink/souvenier concessions on the Midway and in the paddock.

There are two driveover bridges to get to the infield. As you drive along the "Midway" (truly, a carnival) the first paddock entrance restricts access to those with "Paddock" credentials/passes. You will pass a walkover bridge at each end of the front straight and continue to the second driveover bridge to get to the infield and the (in)famous Green Park area. At that point there is also a crossing at track level that will POSSIBLY open to allow track crossing between practice sessions. This driveover bridge is a bottleneck as it is one way at any given time. All around the track there are reserved (perpetually) parking spaces but you can get to the pedestrian walkway in most areas.

Bring a hat, walking shoes, sunscreen and foul weather gear. You will need ALL.

[DaveGT6]

Whatever, do it. I have been going since 1964 and have gone to Le Mans, Monza, ect., ect. and nothing compares to Sebring. If I could only go to one race a year, it would be Sebring, even if I had to camp or just sleep in a small car (which I have done).

So go.[/quote]

Just interested to know what makes it so much better than Le Mans? Sounds like the facilities are far worse than they are these days at La Sarthe and it's a flat airfield coned off to make a circuit. Don't take this the wrong way I am genuinely interested as I hadbeen due to race at Sebring this year in a support race but it didn't come off. I was generally told I hadn't missed much so I'd love to hear your views.

[fjn356]

The crowds at LM are just as entertaining (see Brit eccentricities), the food better, the bathrooms much worse and fewer, camping looks better, but it really comes down to the view of the track to me. At LM the corners are higher speed corners and the crowd is well back from the track. At Sebring, you are much closer to the cars, the violent deceleration into the turns and acceleration out is more apparent, it is easier to get into the paddock, and there is a pre race pit walk. Of course, there are few and frequently inaccurate leaderboards at Sebring, so make sure you bring a portable radio so you can keep track of whats going on. At Sebring, there are none of the beautiful large screens showing you the rest of the track as there are at LM.

The smell of the orange trees going into the track at Sebring is something special, too. Maybe it is just the 44 years of memories for me, but it has always been THE RACE for me.

[mountainstar]

Probably the best piece of info I can pass on from my trip last year is the North Paddock area is the best area for women to flash their boobies. That's mostly what I remember.

I was in Palm Beach at the time and drove up for the day. Sunscreen is definitely a necessity along with a hat. I actually left during the day and drove into town to eat lunch.