Planning first trip to Talladega (nascar race) at the end of April. What are some helpful tips?

Answer 1

The biggest tip I can offer is to avoid I-20 after the race. You can save yourself HOURS if you take the back way out. After you get back on Speedway Blvd you can either take 77 back to the town of Talladega or if you get turned back towards Atlanta just take the side road to the right after you get down past the short track. Both of these will take you back to the town of Talladega and allow you to cut over to Hwy 280 will lets you go back to Birmingham and I-65 or take Hwy 231 back to Montgomery. The track has directional signs put up all the way back to Hwy 280 plus the track puts a map with these directions in the info book that comes with your tix. I think the maps are on the website too. I beat my friend back to his apartment in Birmingham by 3 HOURS!!! with him taking 20 and me going the back way! It's not that hard and is DEFINATELY worth going that way. I was actually almost back to B'ham before he had made it onto I-20 and hadn't gone more than maybe a mile on the interstate.
Another tip is if you are parking on the backstretch you can save sometime trying to escape there and the pain in the butt fight to get onto the exit road that jams up with everyone leaving the campground by cutting across the back of the lot (closest to the track) and go to where the cross over gate is. Usually you can jump in with the race team haulers coming out there and get guided right out to Speedway Blvd by the police trying to get the team haulers out of there. This will have you coming out onto the Blvd at the road to the airport and heading east on the Blvd back towards Atlanta. This really works good on Saturday when everyone is leaving the campground and has leaving the backstretch parking lot next to impossible.
Hope these help you some! The big thing is to have fun! Dega is the best place in the world!

Answer 2

I have been going to Dega twice a year for nearly 10 yrs now and all the advice about traffic is correct. It is a major hassle to get back to I-20 right after the race.
Water and sunscreen is also a necessity I agree.
Remember to bring anything you think you may want when you get there. There is only a few stores close by and they are usually very crowded.
I don't know if you plan on staying in a camper or tent but, you should go to their website and get a good idea of where to stay. Some campgrounds are an extremely long walk away from the track.
Bring PLENTY of ice!!! You can still buy it off of trucks gonig around the campgrounds but be prpared to wait a while for it.

Answer 3

I have been to Talladega twice and I have a couple of great suggestions for you.
1.
Leave early, try to be at the gate at 8am otherwise you'll spend hours in traffic.
2.
Plan to stay a while after the race. Traffic is murder trying to leave there. Just bring a cooler with food and drinks and have a tail gate party/picnic after the race for at least 2 hours.
3.
Plan to take the day after the race off from work. Except for Birmingham, Talladega isn't near anything so chances are you will travel some distance to the race.

It's a good time, just think about the things I mentioned.
Oh! They hate my favorite driver there, Tony Stewart. In fact, they pretty much hate any driver that isn't named Earnhardt.

Answer 4

Haven't been to 'Dega, but these are tips I've learned at MIS and Indy:

1. Get your hotel reservations NOW.

2. Water... sunscreen... water... sunscreen....

3. Everything costs twice as much as it should. Like a casino, the France family makes sure that they get every last dime you bring.

4. Traffic is horrible. Arrive early, bring a grill, have lunch in the infield.

5. Traffic is horrible. If you don't want to leave w/ 50 laps to go, plan on 3 hours or more stuck in traffic. Make sure you can can stand that... check the cooling system, the belts, etc. FILL UP WITH GAS! I usually have supper on the grill (above) and leave about 8 pm after the race.

6. In the past, 'Dega has been a hard-partying place. This is your warning that you might not want to bring the kids. While NASCAR is trying to change all this, you can be assured of seeing at least one set of boobs during the weekend. Make sure you sleeping spot (camp ground, hotel, etc) is appropriate to your plans and family needs.

7. Have at least one stone-cold sober person in your party who can help you find your car after the race. Bonus points if they're the one driving you home.

8. More water. More sun screen.

9. If you want to meet drivers, don't expect to do that on Saturday or Sunday. On Saturday, most have corporate events as well as their driving pressures that preclude meeting with fans. ON Sunday... forget it. If you go on Friday, hang out near the pit area entrance, or look for some sort of corporate event.

10. Buy your souvenirs back home. You'll get (sexually violated) at the track.

11. You're gonna walk at least 10 miles. Be prepared to walk. At Michigan, it's 2 miles from the average non-VIP parking spot and the average seat.

12. Security is a given. You won't be allowed to take hard-sided coolers. There is probably a 14" limit on the soft coolers that you can take. Book bags / back packs are a serious problem, and you probably won't be able to take them in either (another 4-mile hike for you!). Have each person take a 6-pack cooler, and fill it with more water than beer.

13. If you take a camera, you'll need a huge telephoto lens to get track shots. The pros use a lens only slightly smaller than the Hubble Telescope. Personally, unless you want to take family photos, or have a corporate event where you meet drivers, I'd leave the camera at home.

14. EAR PLUGS!!! EAR PLUGS!!! This is CRUCIAL for kids! EAR PLUGS!!! The volume levels are much worse if you're in the infield - ie, VIP suites, behind the pits, etc. - since the sound bounces off of the banks and comes straight to the infield.

15. SUNGLASSES!!! SUNGLASSES!!! SUNGLASSES!!!!

Answer 5

get there early. find your parking spot. DO NOT FORGET WHERE IT IS, BECAUSE AFTER THE RACE YOU WILL SEE WHY. you will need to pack extra food and drinks for after the race. maybe a grill. for the race take some lotion, cold beverage of your choice. you can carry in a small cooler. can only no bottles. if you have tower seats (the best) take some binoculars,if you want take a scanner and listen to the pit talk. if not take ear plugs, sunglasses. and cheer your butt off. now after the race be mind full of where you have parked. be cause 180,000 people will be trying to leave at the same time. you will be going nowhere fast. get out your grill cook some food drink a few beers and be prepared to sit and watch all the other idiots try to move at a pace of 1 foot per minute. after a few hours probably 3-5 if will be easier to drive out of there. also we stay at our hotel until Monday so we can sleep in or just in case the race gets rained out on Sunday we have a place to stay until race day

Answer 6

Been there. Make all reservations at least 3 months in advance, stay sober cause they will lock you up down ther in Bama for almost breathing, take some field glass's cause you can't see squat from the stands if your on the front strech and the cars are on the backstrech. Advice, go to Lowes Motor Speedway. It's the best. You can have a good time and see the whole race from any seat.

Answer 7

get there VERY early -- like 6 am!! Pack a grill and plenty of food and stuff to drink. We take one of those huge flag poles with our NASCAR flags on them so we can find where we park. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Take your camera.

TrackScan is a must!! You'll probably also want a pillow or something to sit on too, the seats are not all that comfortable.

Answer 8

After reading some of the responses. My advice is to go the Chicagoland. Plus you get two full weekends of racing and every year the traffic is better. They give you no choices you follow the crowd out to the interstate

Answer 9

Most important thing to know is where to park. Get there real early and make sure you have a spot where you can get out easy. I went in October one year and it took me 4 1/2 hours just to get out of the parking lot. Best solution get there real early tailgate and tailgate at the end also. P.S. you can bring in your own beer.

Answer 10

Bring lots of beer and a cooler with wheels that way when you get tired of the long walk someone can pull you on it.