Rolex 24 2010 - Page 16

prototype · 1 Feb 2010, 14:54 (Ref:2623722)

The bear definately missed on his GT predictions.

After watching last years race, this one was a little boring. Given that Grand-AM has designed these cars to be so close on pace, I was hoping for multiple cars on the lead lap in DP again.

Ganassi made a mistake taking the 01 to the garage. At Le Mans, you would box the car for fuel and tires first. This gives the team a little more time to make the right decision about taking a car to the garage or not.

andy97 · 1 Feb 2010, 15:15 (Ref:2623735)

Anyone tell me how the number 77 Doran/ Dallara-Ford got on? In particular how did Sunoco Daytona Driver Challenge winner, Derek Johnston get on alongside the pro drivers?

prototype · 1 Feb 2010, 17:21 (Ref:2623821)

I think he did fine. Memo Gidley took that car to the lead early on in the wet. They had some bad luck, and wound up just rolling off laps. Derek Jonhston was in the car in the end to finish. When interviewed he called it the Daytona 2400, which was kind of funny.

NaBUru38 · 5 Feb 2010, 08:11 (Ref:2627072)

Breaking news: Grand-Am claims that the 24 Hours of Daytona "is North America's premier sports car event" and features "stars from NASCAR, IndyCar, F1 and international sports car series."

hoppelemine · 5 Feb 2010, 16:29 (Ref:2627333)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Breaking news: Grand-Am claims that the 24 Hours of Daytona "is North America's premier sports car event" and features "stars from NASCAR, IndyCar, F1 and international sports car series."

That is not breaking news. GrandAm/NASCAR claim lots of stupid stuff like that, eg "NASCAR has the world's best drivers!" it's all a pile of steaming turd called PR. I've been ignoring the hype they try to manufacture for a long time.

porsche91722 · 5 Feb 2010, 22:43 (Ref:2627596)

Yeah, the huge crowds that filled the place is testimony to their facts

**joeb** · 6 Feb 2010, 01:08 (Ref:2627656)

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche91722

Yeah, the huge crowds that filled the place is testimony to their facts

on mid week motorsport they said there was maybe 50,000 in the infield at Daytona. Don't know if that was their estimate or GA's and they repeated it.

**FIRE** · 6 Feb 2010, 13:36 (Ref:2627853)

I read there were 85k people. A new record. Surprised this is a new record. I assumed in the past the event was much popular.

porsche91722 · 6 Feb 2010, 21:59 (Ref:2628092)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

on mid week motorsport they said there was maybe 50,000 in the infield at Daytona. Don't know if that was their estimate or GA's and they repeated it.

I certainly won't argue the actual crowd figures, but the place just looked so dismally empty on the TV broadcast. If that is close to the actual crowd numbers that were there, they must have been well out of the way. Usually, the TV producers show some of the crowd during a broadcast, in an attempt to promote the popularity of the event. I am not going to get into the Grandam vs ALMS thing, but at most of the races that we get to see here in Australia, the crowds seem to be a hell of a lot bigger at the ALMS.

**joeb** · 6 Feb 2010, 22:37 (Ref:2628134)

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche91722

I certainly won't argue the actual crowd figures, but the place just looked so dismally empty on the TV broadcast. If that is close to the actual crowd numbers that were there, they must have been well out of the way. Usually, the TV producers show some of the crowd during a broadcast, in an attempt to promote the popularity of the event. I am not going to get into the Grandam vs ALMS thing, but at most of the races that we get to see here in Australia, the crowds seem to be a hell of a lot bigger at the ALMS.

The only time i watch races at Daytona is the 24hr race, and I agree the place does look like a ghost town when they show the grandstands. I think the grandstands hold around 150,000 to 180,000. It would take some pretty dedicated fans to watch a 24hr race with their butt on a piece of aluminum

chocmonster7 · 7 Feb 2010, 13:16 (Ref:2628522)

I can confirm that it was bloody freezing in the big grandstands (I was up there for a few hours on Saturday evening) and that's why most of us were in the smaller ones in the infield!

A lot of people who go to Daytona camp for the whole weekend and can't see the point of moving from their motorhomes when all they have to do is climb onto the roof with a beer and have a great view from there.

Even compared to last year there were a lot more people and the ticket prices hadn't been reduced at all. The race didn't start until 3.30pm yet by 8.30am there wasn't a parking space to be had on the infield.

Andy97 - Derek was having great fun when I talked to him at the fan autograph session on Saturday lunchtime!

If anyone interested my photos are online at:-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chocmonster/

AndrewF31 · 7 Feb 2010, 17:00 (Ref:2628634)

Really nice photos. Thanks for sharing!
Nooby question but do you pay extra to get into the paddock end of the track? You got a lot of up close pictures.
Everytime I see that Camaro, it just looks nicer and nicer.

chocmonster7 · 7 Feb 2010, 19:20 (Ref:2628736)

If you get the 4 Day Superticket (costs $90) then that includes access to the paddocks, infield and grandstands. You can just roam around and go where you want to.

I was lucky enough to have a pass which also gave me access to pit road so could enjoy watching from there too.

TWK · 7 Feb 2010, 22:15 (Ref:2628860)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

on mid week motorsport they said there was maybe 50,000 in the infield at Daytona. Don't know if that was their estimate or GA's and they repeated it.

The infield has been "landscaped" extensively over the past decade, with more and more area reserved for displays, carnivals, garages, and such.

There is absolutely NO WAY the DIS infield capacity is anywhere near 50,000. It probably wasn't that high fifteen years ago when they started messing with it. Anybody with even a nodding acquantance with the sport and with Daytona International Speedway and the Rolex should know that.

Just my opinion, of course, derived from sixteen years attendance.

fieldodreams79 · 8 Feb 2010, 01:36 (Ref:2628952)

i think we are splitting hairs here...

no matter how many people Daytona can hold, how many sportscar fans showed up, GA is losing support, losing participants and losing money. the Rolex 24 was as good as it could have been, under the(ir) circumstances.

moving in a different direction;
is it possible that was the last 24 with the DPs??

Speed-King · 8 Feb 2010, 01:40 (Ref:2628954)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

i think we are splitting hairs here...

no matter how many people Daytona can hold, how many sportscar fans showed up, GA is losing support, losing participants and losing money. the Rolex 24 was as good as it could have been, under the(ir) circumstances.

moving in a different direction;
is it possible that was the last 24 with the DPs??

Nope, guaranteed elegibility until nd including 2012 and that probably includes being able to fight for the overall win.

fieldodreams79 · 8 Feb 2010, 01:43 (Ref:2628956)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Nope, guaranteed elegibility until nd including 2012 and that probably includes being able to fight for the overall win.

thanks...sorry, i don't really follow contracts, etc.; i enjoy watching cars go 'round. maybe i should follow more closely, but it is the GA.

but if the rest of the GA year and the next year comes with little to no interest with teams in the DP category, could that possibly change?

chocmonster7 · 8 Feb 2010, 10:00 (Ref:2629153)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWK

Just my opinion, of course, derived from sixteen years attendance.

Were you there this year?

catmanlux · 8 Feb 2010, 10:32 (Ref:2629176)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocmonster7

If you get the 4 Day Superticket (costs $90) then that includes access to the paddocks, infield and grandstands. You can just roam around and go where you want to.

I was lucky enough to have a pass which also gave me access to pit road so could enjoy watching from there too.

this is about 65 Euro for 4 days - thats nothing for the pleasure viewing all these Top drivers . I'll be back next year . Great battle in GT and nice to see Rocky,s joy about his win. Thanks to DIS and GrandAm - here in europe we can learn from them about fan friendly events and racing infrastructure. I had tons of fun!!!

my photos from the event
http://www.flickr.com/photos/saarbur...7623218272615/

Fogelhund · 8 Feb 2010, 12:44 (Ref:2629251)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWK

The infield has been "landscaped" extensively over the past decade, with more and more area reserved for displays, carnivals, garages, and such.

There is absolutely NO WAY the DIS infield capacity is anywhere near 50,000. It probably wasn't that high fifteen years ago when they started messing with it. Anybody with even a nodding acquantance with the sport and with Daytona International Speedway and the Rolex should know that.

Just my opinion, of course, derived from sixteen years attendance.

Perhaps this is the typical four day event total? 12,500 times a four day ticket?

chocmonster7 · 8 Feb 2010, 12:50 (Ref:2629255)

Thursday was quiet, Friday afternoon was busy due to the Continental Tire Challenge race. Friday evening when we left there were a few people parked on the infield, by the time we arrived on Saturday morning the place was packed full!

Vacarella · 11 Feb 2010, 12:08 (Ref:2631343)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocmonster7

Were you there this year?

In fact, where has he been since 2004? At that time one third of Lake Lloyd was taken back to develop more RV parking. Hundreds of spaces more than before the IMSA era.

The Daytona 500 club also hosts hundreds of more guests. The FanZone increases the infield capicity by those not parked in cars by THOUSANDS. There may be less cars being parked inside, but there is more car parking with the aquisisition of the old Dog Track. This augmented by tram services that transport hundreds of people by the hour around the facility.

If you are somebody who says that the 24 does not draw like it used to, without looking at these points, you are selling people a bill of goods. The Rolex 24 is now a more fan-effecient event, seeing more people go thru the gates than ever before. Those who do not realize this are clearly not paying attention to change.

BTW... Nice to see you at Daytona this year Chocmonster!

For Nino.

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