Access changes at Barber's this weekend

[JSparks]

Because of the size of the event this weekend, Indy Racing League, Sunday, and Grand Am, Saturday, the general admission tickets will not allow you to ride your bike in and park the public parking as in the past. You must have a parking credential to enter the park. (If I understood correctly at volunteer training yesterday.) The parking is listed on the website as being at 1000 John Rogers Drive near Derby Parkway and a shuttle sevice will transport you to the track.
Jeff Sparks
R1150R

[Vance]

Thanks Jeff. If this is true...that is a big deal to me. I was planing to go out there on Sunday but....that will add to the hassle. to my knowledge they have not done this before. do they think it is going to be THAT big???

[JSparks]

Vance,
What I heard was double the normal crowd, from about 30 to 60k. All the parking requires a permit, no general parking (not even for bikes.) One thing that they did is that huge parking area to the left just after you enter the gate past Will Call has been set up with hospitality tents and all the area that is not filled with that is reserved for hospitality parking.
I always work in Credentials / Will Call (since 2004 AMA) and we are not even at the track. We are going to work out of the new Hampton Inn just after you turn on Rex Lane road. I'm hoping it doesn't happen because it is a big deal to get Indy Racing here but I fear it will not go smoothly.
Jeff Sparks

[Vance]

Man yeah...maybe that all will be required. I can see some off site parking need but there is a lot of room in there. I guess if the Hospitality will be that big it will take up a large amount of room. But to park at the dog track and ride over there on a bus???? I ain't too excited about that. I guess I need to get to work on getting a parking credential huh?

[BamaBiker]

All on-site parking is sold out. Yes, this includes motorcycle parking on-site. Beginning Friday a.m., Zoom will be stopping any and all cars/motorcycles/bicycles/etcetera at Rex Lake Rd and checking for parking permits. No permits, they'll direct you to turn-around and turn right on Rex Lake Rd to Grant Mill to I-459 to Derby Drive to the dog track, where parking is free. There are over 50 shuttle busses leased which will be running constantly during park/racing hours, beginning about 7:30am each day, between the dog track & Barber's. You'll need a race ticket to board the bus. (I think they will be selling day-of tickets at the dog track, but I'm not sure.) They've even sold out all the parking spots in the large dirt lot across Rex Lake Rd, next to the Hampton Inn!

And yes, they do anticipate this being the biggest deal in AL, possibly even larger than the old AL-AU games @ Legion Field.

[Vance]

well good. I heard an estimate of $35 mil local impact. Hmm..that would be almost enogh to pay for about 50 or so feet of that Jefferson County sewr line....nah probably not that much

Anyway, I hear that AAA has a booth out there and as such we have vendor parking...don't know exactly where but I hear that might be close to the Hampton. Anyway, I ain't gonna fight it except on Sunday. I have gotten a "pass" and I think I am going to check in at the dogwood rally on saturday....no problem parking there I bet!

Seriously, I think this is a good thing and we need much more of it here. Bring it on!

[bill99rt]

Parking was $25 for motorcycles and $50 for cars before it sold out. I'll keep my opinion to myself.

[Vance]

never...ever forget...it's all about the money....lol...

[BamaBiker]

Folks, if you do make it out to the races this weekend, you'll see how much of the normal parking has been taken up by all the support vehicles and the hospitality tents. The line of team haulers coming into the park yesterday stretched for miles -- literally, no exaggeration. I arrived at the park yesterday just before 10am, the line of haulers that were still on the access road, waiting their turn to the paddock area, was over a mile long. When I left, about 3pm, the line was even longer, reaching almost all the way to Rex Lake Rd. The paddock is not large enough for all the haulers, and some of the teams will be parking in Lot "C", which is also almost full w/the media trucks.

The media trucks arrived on-site a week or so ago, and they took up almost all of Lot "C" (the area where tent camping is allowed during AMA & AHRMA races). Add to the area taken up by the haulers -- all the hospitality tents, and there are a LOT of those! Seems like every big company from AAA to WELLS FARGO wants a presence on site, with an air-conditioned tent, to wine & dine their customers and woo more customers. And because these companies who are sponsoring the hospitality tents don't want just anyone wondering in, they've (ZOOM/BET) have fenced in the hospitality areas, taking over even more parking.

S-o-o-o, if you want to play with the big boys, you have to play by their rules. If you don't want to play, or can't afford to play, you go ride and let them play by themselves.

Frankly, I've watched the village (and it is a small village) come up out of the ground at Barber's over the last month. I've discussed the event (including parking and access) with lots of people who have a say in how the event is put together. I think they've done a heck of a job putting it together, and the parking situation (remember, there is still free parking at the dog track and free shuttles to the park from there) is probably the best option they could offer and -- hopefully -- make more people happy. With daily crowds anticipated to be 60,000 or more (some estimates are expecting 80,000+ for Sunday's main race). Would you rather drive to the park and be told there's no room to park, or worse, take your hard-earned money for a ticket and let you into the park, only for you to find there's no parking available anywhere on-site, including for your motorcycle?

[Vance]

Right on Jack. I definately think it is a good thing for us...just poking at it a little bit. But if there are going to be that many people it will surely test the system! I guess I will see as we are planning to go out on Sunday! I wish us all well!

[bill99rt]

I'll still keep my opinion to myself.

[Remy]

I took a "long cut" to work this morning and rode on Rex Lake Rd. There was a stream of cars coming from 78/!-20. The funny thing is that in that parade of cars most had only one person inside!