Anybody Else Screwed By Kentucky Speedway

[Alliston64]

We left Louisville at 2pm yesterday to go to the race. I had already heard from several that 71 was backed up and not moving so we drove to Frankfort to go up 127. The closest we got to the track was 5.3 miles away and the race was already 54 laps in.

We had a State Trooper that told us if we stuck it out the closest we would get would be about 2 miles and we'd have to walk from there.

For Kentucky Speedway. Regardless of the learning curve with any new event, they should've done a better job preparing then what they did!

My folks drove up from Atlanta to see the race, spent $110 per ticket, and never made it to the track. I hope we can at least get our ticket $$ back but am not holding my breath!

[mikeky]

Did they finish the construction between there and I-75?

[Slow Rollin]

I know it sucks not getting to see the race, BUT there are a few things that the track needs to do, and a few things the fans need to do.

1) the track needs to to learn a few lessions from Bristol. They move the fans in and out of that track well. They will need to build another access to the track. After the race they need to hold all cars from moving for at least 45 minutes letting the people walking have time to get off the roads.

2) The fan need to head to the tack LONG before 2pm for a 7:30pm green flag. When we go to Bristol, we get to the track 1 hour before day light, get parked, and party or walk around the drivers trailer's. Yeah it makes for a long day, but we have fun. People park up to 4 miles from the track at Bristol and walk.

This was just the first BIG race, and they have a lot to learn. It will get better, but people need to keep there cool, and give them some time it get it right.

Just sayin

[Dan21XRS]

My daughter and boyfriend left Cincinnati for the race at 9am and made it there by 1130am... Just sayin... Dan

[musky50]

7 hours in car from Winchester, should have been 1.5 hours. Luck of the draw they parked us in the infield. We got in our seats as they came off 4 to take the green. Very poorly planned parking arrangements on the Speedways part. Very boring race on Nascars part.

[Alliston64]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Slow Rollin &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

2) The fan need to head to the tack LONG before 2pm for a 7:30pm green flag. When we go to Bristol, we get to the track 1 hour before day light, get parked, and party or walk around the drivers trailer's. Yeah it makes for a long day, but we have fun. People park up to 4 miles from the track at Bristol and walk.

This was just the first BIG race, and they have a lot to learn. It will get better, but people need to keep there cool, and give them some time it get it right.

Just sayin </td></tr></table>

I'm far from drinking your kool-aid on this one Greg! They FAILED and FAILED miserably and setting this up. Regardless whether or not you got there at daylight or at 4pm the last 20,000+ fans got the stick in their arse. There was NO parking. The track parking filled up and they had nowhere to put them. That is what caused the back up.

By no means should a fan spend $110 or more per ticket and be forced to spend 20 hours at the track in order to make sure they get to see the event.

They botched this and did a piss poor job preparing for it. I think every fan that missed the race due to this should get their $$ back.


Modified by Alliston64 at 4:30 PM 7/10/2011

[SKEETRZX]

We arrived at the track at 9am and drove straight in and set up our gear for a full day of tailgating.No problems if you get there early,but we could still see people trying to get in the track after the race was over.By the way,you didn't miss much.That was the boringest race i have ever been to.If they didn't have a competition yellow and 2 yellows for debris they would have finished before dark.

[Slow Rollin]

$110.00 is not bad, we paid $125.00 + $25.00 a day for parking at Bristol. The track is NEVER going to build packing lots big enough for everyone coming to the race.

Guess my free ticket were a good price

[TE 863]

Then don,t go back They will find somebody else to take your place

[Alliston64]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Slow Rollin &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
$110.00 is not bad, we paid $125.00 + $25.00 a day for parking at Bristol. The track is NEVER going to build packing lots big enough for everyone coming to the race.

Guess my free ticket were a good price </td></tr></table>

You got me! The $15 more you paid per ticket makes all the difference.

I don't think people expect them to build lots big enough at the track for everyone, but have options for the fans when the track fills. Don't tell em to park in the median of 71 and walk 10 miles.

[Alliston64]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by TE 863 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Then don,t go back They will find somebody else to take your place </td></tr></table>

You're from Ohio...Your comment matters not!

But...I won't go back unless I see there is vast improvement. They can rob the next guy who wants my ticket.

[jseasor]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Slow Rollin &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I know it sucks not getting to see the race, BUT there are a few things that the track needs to do, and a few things the fans need to do.

1) the track needs to to learn a few lessions from Bristol. They move the fans in and out of that track well. They will need to build another access to the track. After the race they need to hold all cars from moving for at least 45 minutes letting the people walking have time to get off the roads.

2) The fan need to head to the tack LONG before 2pm for a 7:30pm green flag. When we go to Bristol, we get to the track 1 hour before day light, get parked, and party or walk around the drivers trailer's. Yeah it makes for a long day, but we have fun. People park up to 4 miles from the track at Bristol and walk.

This was just the first BIG race, and they have a lot to learn. It will get better, but people need to keep there cool, and give them some time it get it right.

Just sayin </td></tr></table>

i know several people that made it to the race, they arrived early with no problems

[Dan21XRS]

Just listened to 700 WLW radio. The Kentucky Speedway will have an announcement within the week for those who didn't see much, or any of the race. Keep your eyes and ears open for the announcement. Pretty good info from an Ohio guy, right?... Dan

[S.Curtsinger]

Matt we should have just went fishing...although Ky lake looked like Ky speedway

[buzzking]

Who set the international "time to leave" at 2:00? Every horror traffic story I've read said they left at 2. Was there a memo? Largely the track is to blame here and I expect they'll do something for those that didn't get in. BUT, part of this falls on the fans, who attempted to get to a nascar race 4 hrs before the green flag. I'm sure everyone had in their mind that 4 hrs was the perfect amount of time to tail gate, dick off, then enter the track, but guess what, this is NASCAR!!!! The single largest collection of goofballs and rednecks the state will see all year. Go to bristol and ask the locals what time you leave for the track for their night race. If you say 4 hrs before the green flag, the toothless idiots will laugh in your face. So yes, the culture here of never having hosted the greatest spectacle that is repeatedly turning left was part of the problem. The track will make corrections next year, but so will the culture. People will arrive earlier, you will get to see your turning left repeatedly, kentucky speedway will continue to deliver boring ass races unless they put some obstacles on the track, everything will be fine.

NASCAR!!!!! WWOOOOHHHOOOOO

[artcarney_agr]

I left Louisville at 11:00 a.m. - got to the exit ramp at 12:00, got parked at 1:00

I've been to many truck races and Nationwide races at Sparta, and for those events there were far more state troopers, more people directing traffic, and it was overall more efficient.

The BIGGEST problem was that they did not have ANYONE telling people where to park. All they had was a few people telling you where not to park.

There were plenty of grassy areas to park, which were not being utilized. "Corporate Village" had tons of grass parking near it, but they wouldn't let anyone within a mile of it unless they had a pass....lots of open areas not utilized there.

Also, what grassy areas that were utilized did not have anyone grouping the cars close together.......where I parked, there were hundreds of parking spots that could have been filled, but cars had blocked the entranceway or used up 4 spots for their tents, grills, cornhole, etc. - it was nice having the extra room I guess, but it shouldn't have been that way.

When the speedway pamphlet that was given out at the race lists "fun facts" stating that the grandstands can seat 107,000 people and has parking for 30,000 cars, it's no wonder that the traffic was a nightmare




The thing that ultimately makes me mad is that Bruton Smith is trying to pass the buck in saying that the governor failed to appease Smith by widening the interstate and saying that I-71 sucks. There was plenty of fault on Bruton's end

[artcarney_agr]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Alliston64 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I hope we can at least get our ticket $$ back but am not holding my breath!</td></tr></table>

I wouldn't be expecting to get ANY money back. There were plenty of disclaimers posted at the track, on the website, and in their pamphlets stating that tickets will not be refunded for ANY reason.

There were also posts stating that traffic would be the busiest during the 4 hours prior to the race, and that you should try and get there earlier than that.

http://kentuckyspeedway.com/fans/fan-guide.aspx

[artcarney_agr]

Kentucky Speedway Apologizes for Quaker State 400 Traffic
7/10/2011

SPARTA, Ky. - Statement from Kentucky Speedway General Manager Mark Simendinger regarding yesterday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series "Quaker State 400" traffic :

"Kentucky Speedway apologizes for the traffic conditions surrounding the ‘Quaker State 400.’ We’re committed to working with NASCAR, state and local officials and traffic experts to assure that this never happens again. The details of these improvements will be announced over time as they are formulated.

“We also recognize the traffic problems resulted in some fans not being able to attend the ‘Quaker State 400.’ We are gathering information on this and will announce a policy for these affected fans within seven days.

“Our ‘Quaker State 400’ ticket holders are invited to share their experiences with us through fans@kentuckyspeedway.com. We thank all our fans for giving the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series such a great welcome to our venue.”

I'm guessing that they offer a discount to the INDY race or the remaining truck race in exchange for unscanned Sprint Cup tickets....or some sort of opportunity to save money while spending more

[BeeNix]

Friend and his wife left Somerset at 10 am, after parking and walking 2+ miles they arrived at the track at 7:19 pm Finally got home Sun. morning at 4:30. Even though it's close to I-71, it's still BFE...They need a good 4-lane from Dry Ridge imho.....

[basshole45]

it was chaos.. oone knew what or where to park anywhere...We got there at 11 am on friday and camped off of exit 55..2 miles from the track,after snaking our way thru the traffic line coming down 1039 and carrolton.Cops were sitting in the cars and ppl had no idea where cars should go ,,so after driving by hundreds of empty parking spots we turned into the platinum parking lot right at gate 10 and ohio tower ,.4 rows back and had at least 5o spots near us there Now on the way out we left a lil bit before the end of the race .got shuffled onto 71 which was no big deal we would just get back off exit 55 to our campsite,WRONG;,State boys wouldnt let us off the exit since the race was about over.Even said we are camping a mile down,(edit) told us good luck and there has to be another way So we drove a 25 mile loop thru carrolton and 42 and still made it back top the campground before anyone made it back It was a poor pathetic attempt for sure,Not to mention all the gates only having a few gates open and letting ppl pile up like cattle.Been too many many tracks and the derby,bredders cup with the same amount of ppl and it was always alot smoother.There was alot of pissed of ppl thats for sure,Heard alot of im never coming back to this crazy track and watching another boring ass race