[joleyred]

I have been watching the FTR schedule and there are some races scheduled around the end of August at the Illinois State fairgrounds. My wife and I are interested in going to this but have never seen a flat track race. You can download the seating diagram but it's kinda worthless. I'm looking for input from anyone that has ever been to one of these and could advise me in any fashion. Center seating, near a curve, close to the track or farther back? Maybe someone that has even been to this venue. The fact that Indian is really kicking butt in these races makes going sound like fun.

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[17NDNSTL]

I am considering this very race. My Bro snd I will ride the 100 miles N to Springfield. I believe its all G.A.

 

[joleyred]

Have you ever been to one of these?

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[pablo94]

Anything at a state fair ground is going to be a pretty good seat not matter what. It is the ambience that counts. The noise, that gasoline smell, the speed, the cold brew...

Go and have some fun!

 

[splitt]

For the mile, we like to sit 17 to 25 rows up so that we are somewhat close to the front straight but still have a good view of the bikes on the back straight. If you get seats too far down you might get by the upright pillars that support the roof and you might find yourself straining to look around them. We like to sit as close to the finish line as possible but so does everyone else. So we usually end up with seats in Section K or L to get the best view of the front straight passing.

For the short track\TT races at the multi-purpose arena, we usually get there early and get general admission seats. We try to sit in the first few rows of the GA seating right above the walkway at the start\finish line.

 

[joleyred]

For the mile, we like to sit 17 to 25 rows up so that we are somewhat close to the front straight but still have a good view of the bikes on the back straight. If you get seats too far down you might get by the upright pillars that support the roof and you might find yourself straining to look around them. We like to sit as close to the finish line as possible but so does everyone else. So we usually end up with seats in Section K or L to get the best view of the front straight passing.

For the short track\TT races at the multi-purpose arena, we usually get there early and get general admission seats. We try to sit in the first few rows of the GA seating right above the walkway at the start\finish line.

Thanks for those ideas, sounds like you have some good experiences at these. When I read the schedule, it lists a series of events such as, " gates open at 10:00, band at 11:00, warm up races, trials" and all sorts of activities. Pardon my ignorance, but it looks like races start 5 or 6 hours after the gates open. It also looks like the duration of each race is relatively short, like 10 minutes. I don't know what to expect for what the day is like before the races, is it good to be there early to take some of this in?

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[IMARIDER]

Thanks for those ideas, sounds like you have some good experiences at these. When I read the schedule, it lists a series of events such as, " gates open at 10:00, band at 11:00, warm up races, trials" and all sorts of activities. Pardon my ignorance, but it looks like races start 5 or 6 hours after the gates open. It also looks like the duration of each race is relatively short, like 10 minutes. I don't know what to expect for what the day is like before the races, is it good to be there early to take some of this in?

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Yes that way you can walk around in the pits and maybe talk to the riders. You should also download the AFT app. American Flat Track.


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[theMucker]

I took my wife and girls to the Syracuse Mile just a year or two before they stopped racing there. They're still talking about it decades later. The THUNDER of a herd of hard charging twins going hell-bent into the turns as if on a suicide mission, just to HIT THE THROTTLES, go sideways and then power out STILL SIDEWAYS onto the straights... AWESOME!

 

[Troll31]

I took my wife and girls to the Syracuse Mile just a year or two before they stopped racing there. They're still talking about it decades later. The THUNDER of a herd of hard charging twins going hell-bent into the turns as if on a suicide mission, just to HIT THE THROTTLES, go sideways and then power out STILL SIDEWAYS onto the straights... AWESOME!

Nothing better than first lap or two when still in a pack. Bikes, dirt mods, sprint cars all awesome.
Any race fan should also go to a top fuel or funny car race and feel them go down the track once.

 

[IndySF]

Have been to two Flat Track races, both at Lima, OH., first one was in 2017, and I purchased a Scout 60 the following week. Loved that bike. Went again in 2018, purchased my Springfield last October. This year I am wanting to attend the Springfield race on September 1st, want to see those Indians fly on a one mile track. Trying to put something together for our members of Circle City IMRG to ride over for the day as a group. The interest is growing so it looks like that will happen. I say the most fun for you is make a day of it, get into the pits and talk with these riders and get some autographs. Make some memories, you won’t regret it.

 

[splitt]

We'll be at the antique MC swap meet and races in Davenport, IA on that Friday then head to Springfield for the mile and short track on Saturday and the mile race on Sunday.

It will be a full weekend of flat track racing for us.

 

[IMARIDER]

Nothing better than first lap or two when still in a pack. Bikes, dirt mods, sprint cars all awesome.
Any race fan should also go to a top fuel or funny car race and feel them go down the track once.

I’m like you ! I’m a fan of all forms of racing but Top Fuel dragsters are my favorite !


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[Rick1955]

Personally I like corner seating at the end of the straight away coming into the corner. I love the action as they chop the throttle and dive into the corner.

 

[IMARIDER]

Personally I like corner seating at the end of the straight away coming into the corner. I love the action as they chop the throttle and dive into the corner.

For oval track racing I like sitting in turn 1


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[Troll31]

I’m like you ! I’m a fan of all forms of racing but Top Fuel dragsters are my favorite !


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My favorites are dirt short track because of the tight racing, passing etc. Always a wild ride but to see people staying cool while going 3 abreast wide open into a turn sideways with open wheels inches apart and not think anything of it is awesome. That said, Top Fuel is so awesome to experience because people don’t realize the pressure and power of one of those cars going by. You can’t breathe, you can’t sit still in your seat, the noise is beyond deafening. Meanwhile somebody is inside there controlling it and making decisions with hair splitting increments in a tiny amount of time while accelerating to 300 mph!!

 

[IMARIDER]

My favorites are dirt short track because of the tight racing, passing etc. Always a wild ride but to see people staying cool while going 3 abreast wide open into a turn sideways with open wheels inches apart and not think anything of it is awesome. That said, Top Fuel is so awesome to experience because people don’t realize the pressure and power of one of those cars going by. You can’t breathe, you can’t sit still in your seat, the noise is beyond deafening. Meanwhile somebody is inside there controlling it and making decisions with hair splitting increments in a tiny amount of time while accelerating to 300 mph!!

World Of Outlaws the greatest show on dirt !


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[Lost Hillbilly]

I got interested in Flat track when Indian started racing again. They're a blast live, and even fun to follow online. The amazing thing to me is everyone is a competitor and pretty well matched. The family that is running a racing operation out of a van with two bikes and some parts is just as likely to make the main as the factory sponsored guys with the huge logo trucks. They've been making a lot of time to tour the pits, meet the riders, and get autographs. Let us know how it goes!

 

[Joegopher]

For Springfield, get seats in the grandstand as close to the finish line as possible. As someone has said, rows 17-25 is ideal and allows you to see the whole track, which is very important at the Mile. This is a race like no other on the circuit and I will be there for both miles and the ST on Saturday night. The ST race is GA and you don't need to get tix ahead of time. For the miles, the seats in the grandstand are assigned and you wan't to get the best you can. GA seats are near the track, and aside from getting dirt sprayed on you, you will miss about 75% of the action if you're down that low.

 

[EPOCH6]

I go every single chance I get, watching it online will never come close to the live experience. A few pieces of advice I'd pass along:

1. ALWAYS buy a pit pass! No excuses! This applies to ALL motorsports, do it when you go to flat track events, drag races, motocross, stock car racing and anything else. The pit is your portal into racing culture. The smell, the noise, the teamwork and skill on display at every tent, and your only chance to really understand just how down to earth most racers are. These people aren't movie stars, they're giddy motorheads just like you and I, they just have bigger balls.

2. Bring ear plugs. Leave them out at first so you can understand why you might need them at some point. If you don't end up using them somebody you dragged to the race with you will be happy they're available.

3. Move around. Don't watch the entire event from one vantage point. Look at where other people have situated themselves around the track, there is a reason people are standing there, every corner provides a different experience, get up and experience them all, pick a favorite spot and watch the main event from it. Again, this applies to ALL types of racing.

4. Crashes, cleanup, and track prep are your opportunities to explore the pit. Watch for gasoline and fluid spills after a rider goes down, these take a while to clean up and you will have more fun exploring than sitting on the bench and staring.

 

[EPOCH6]

One more thing, don't get angry if a race is rained out and postponed. Nobody can tell Mother Nature what to do, at least not track staff. What they can do is save lives by not enabling ruthlessly competitive racers to compete in excessively dangerous conditions. Rain outs are just a part of racing, get used to it.