A Day At The Races-VIP Suites

The VIP suites are located at the beginning of pit row just after the last turn, turn 11. There are about 12 suites that stretch behind the pits and are found on the second floor.

On the ground floor are a line of garages. The cars are prepped and readied by the pit crews before heading out to the track. Laptops are hooked up so the cars can talk to their handlers and let them know what is going on with their insides

Cowlings are removed to give mechanics better access to the engine and suspension to allow them to tune the cars to the drivers needs and racing styles

The luxurious suites provided inside and outside areas to view the race from. Monitors are hung around to give a birds eye view of the race as well as providing current track and position stats.

Food and drink are provided. Soft drinks, coffee, water, and beer are on hand. A sample of the food provided on the day we were there includes basmati rice, polenta, stuffed turkey, pork tenerloins. The taste of the food is accentuated by the smell of racing fuel, burning rubber, and various automotive fluids

I found myself on Google maps

A little less than two years ago, I travelled to Philadelphia over the labor day weekend. During one of my outings, I spotted the Google camera car driving past as I was waiting for the bus. Excitedly, I checked Google Maps' Street View for the next few months and did not see any photos of myself at the location.

I had not thought about this for quite a while. I believed that the camera was not on and the Google staff were taking the car out on a joyride. While doing some research into Chicago, I decided to look up that location once again on Street Views. Lo and behold! There I am! Of course, my face was blurred out but I could definitely tell it was me. This was almost as exciting as watching myself catch a football on the Letterman Show decades earlier.

The picture just shows me waiting for the bus with one hand in my pocket and the other hand holding onto the strap of my backpack. My sunglasses hanging from the neck of my shirt. There are a few people walking by. I think this was some time during the late afternoon as I was heading out for an early dinner.

A Day At The Races-The Corkscrew

The most distinctive feature on the track is the section known as the Corkscrew. This is located at the back of the course behind a hill that obstructs the view from any of the grandstand areas


It begins as a left hander that begins to fall away from you as you have to then quickly commit to a right hander.

The right turn is blind to the drivers due to the steepness of this section.

Once safely through, its on the gas again and a short straightway.

This leads to an easy left that brings them back to the view of some of the grandstands before a sharp right into the final straight shot to the final left before getting to the finish line

A Day At The Races-Laguna Seca

Spent a day at Laguna Seca(Mazda) Raceway in Monterey to watch some races in the Grand Am race series. We arrived some time past noon as a race was laready in progress. There were a number of races run previously. This was the one before the GT prototypes were to start. This class consisted of some VW's BMW's, Mini Coopers, and others

They round the last turn before getting back to the starting grid. Just before the turn, the cars can duck into pit row which is in the foreground. Private suites line the back of pit row giving those few ample views of the refueling and other maintenance needed to keep racing

The main race was set to begin shortly after the completion of this one. The more powerful cars of the premier event sit in the garages waiting for their turn to be let loose, Two classes will be racing together. This Porsche beongs to the GT class.

Racers like the one below belong to the GT Protoype class. Faster and more powerful than the ones above, the prototypes will generally pass the slower GTs and be forced to weave their way through traffic once they begin to lap the cars

Accidents will happen and they usually do in an auto race. This is the end of the day for this group whose car ran into another car or into the wall. The humiliation of being hauled onto a flatbed before being towed away. The day is over for this one,

More pics and videoes will follow in the coming weeks

Save and Pay More

Don't you just love the irony of this. In my local area and probably others too, our utility departments will be charging higher rates for those who use less. This pertains to water, gas, and electric.

For years, consumers are asked to conserve to ease the burden and to be more eco-friendly. This has backfired on those who have taken it to heart. Since these utilities are no longer recieving the revenue they once were when resources were being splurged on, they have decided to make up the difference by charging these well intentioned users more money. Why do the government and local municipalities let them get away with these practices? To rub further salt into the wounds, some bigger users, namely big business, will be getting discounted rates to reward them for their dutiful patronage and not reducing usage.