The following is completely pirated from my post after driving back last year I had on the old board. It may not answer all of your questions, but I just like telling the story. I am trying to get my wife to let me take my Dad this year;
It was my first 24, and I hafta say, I will be back.
First was the tickets issue. Not GRMs fault, but you knew when the GRM staff go involved. Mine were on my porch the day I read here that they would be overnighted.
Rolled outta Colorado Wednesday afternoon and picked up my buddy in Kansas City about 7 1/2 hours later, he took the wheel. After a quick lunch with my parents in Atlanta Thursday afternoon, we stopped in Lake City and made the quick jump to Daytona Friday morning. We head immediately to the GRM tent, which was great, because parking was already getting interesting. At the GRM corral, we had pavement, clear lines and the limited access insured my car would be safe from a shirtless drunk 19 year old in a studded belt falling into the side. There were still a few doughnuts left and my partner was able to see some of the GRM project cars lining the front, as we get our goody bags.
My buddy Darron is a gearhead but his kids and job limit his interface. The first thing he noticed was all the GRM staffers greeting us. As they would walk away I'd mention they were actual writers, editors etc. You didn't see any of the so called "big four" car magazines pulling such a stunt. He thought at first they were just hired help playing the game. Nope, these are the men and women who make this magazine roll, and the love meeting their readers. When you see ...stop by out tent and the such and such event... They aren't lying, and as a reader if you haven't had the chance to meet the whole crew, you should.
The next thing that struck us both was the tickets themselves. Darron called it the Willy Wonka ticket. He called his NASCAR fan Dad; "Hey Dad, I'm staring at Tony Stewarts car. No, I can touch it right now." We both sent phone pix to our buddies to rub in the jealousy.
If you haven't been on the GRM ticket, allow me to explain. You can walk into garages. I mean right into them. Stay out of the way and the crews usually don't mind. More than one of the Koni Challenge teams would take the time to talk to us, mention their sponsors, recap their season and just shoot the breeze. I am leaning into a Acura Koni Challenge car while the crew chief points out the features of what he did. The team I-Moto Acuras actually gave us shirts.
This was so much fun we actually missed several of the tours that GRM was putting on at the time. This, by the way, is another GRM exclusive.
In the midst of wandering around, taking in the sites and sounds, we actually found ourselves on the pits. The pits. A mere short white wall is all that separates us from the track itself. We watched the last of the practice runs from right there. You could smell the brakes on the cars as they came in.
We wandered around more as the Koni cars lined up for the race. A 3-hour run, we duplicated our pit entry and just had a great time. The teams running the race were the same as they were in the garages; friendly, and eager to discuss what they were doing, just stay out of the way.
Our initial plan was to stay at Darron's parents house that lives in Orlando Friday night, but we were just enjoying the whole experience too much. We take another trip to the GRM tent, and just a good walk around. In the camping area we met up with a group of buddies that had been coming for 16 years. They all lived in different places now, but had been friends since high school, and this was an annual ritual. Cool. Like everyone else, they were fun and generous. We grab an empty spot on the fence and set up camp, drinking a lot of beer.
Saturday morning, we overslept, but were still allowed to enter the 5K run on the course. Even if you're not a runner, you can walk it. Actually walk around the course.
As we passed the folks climbing the 31 degrees of banking to get a picture in front of the "Daytona" written on the wall, the actual magnitude of these banks struck us. You actually have to walk up these banks on all fours, until you've seen it, the true size and angle of the banks will escape you.
Already having tickets, we were able to donate the ones we got from the 5K to the United Way. We enjoyed a nice breakfast provided by the run organizers, and then finally grabbed a shower.
A wander down the ever-present vendors section cost me way to much money, but I now have one of those Chad McQueen designed Lemans jackets, a BMW scarf, a scale die-cast model of my car, along with an absurd collection of stickers and a new keychain.
As we are wandering past a book vender, a row of BS Levy books catch my eye. On this board I have been told I need to read these, and I have read a lot of his stuff for GRM/CM, but hadn't gotten the book. I explain all these to Darron, who looks up, and sees none other than BS himself, selling books, and just wrapping up a conversation with a customer;
"Have you read my books?"
"No, I have read your CM articles, and I have been meaning to get one."
"Yeah, I love CM (Producing one from the table) I get to drive some great cars for them (flips to a page) Here I am in a Lotus Espirit."
"Yeah, I think they call you a professional ride mooch."
Nodding "Yes I am. Do you work on your own cars?"
"I try"
Hands me a copy of The Last Open Road; "Turn to page 29, read the first three paragraphs"
I did.
Sold.
He then takes the book from me, produces a pen and ask what my name is. Most folks actually do call me Mental, and he makes it out as such.
Returning to our campsite, we set up to make a little lunch, store my bounty and just chill when we run into our first snag. A van pulls up behind us, and as it turns out that those fence-side spots are actually reserved. Oops. They are actually quite pleasant about the whole bit, and invite us back after we get everything packed up. We head back to the GRM compound, and once again, they come through. Bill catches us and asks if we're still having fun. I tell him the story and he offers up space behind the back of the GRM tent, which has a great view of the lake as out new home.
Man, GRM rules! We set up camp, and as we are running back and fourth to the car, Bill, J.G, Margie and Per all, at separate times invite us and anyone else standing around to come watch the beginning of the race with them.
Take that "big four" I don't see any of your folks wanting to hang with us. Much less offering up living space.
We decline, and get set up in time to make it to the chicane for the start. It is glorious. The low bass hum of the Porsche-powered machines, the open exhaust of the Pontiacs, the F-1 scream of the Mazda's and an entire symphony of noise, sights and smells, permeate my senses and a felling of calm come over me. We wander to various points and the track and back to our new home behind the GRM tent. We crack open two more, settle into our lawn chairs clink the bottles and just enjoy the sites. There is no other place to be right now.
Looking at out GRM-provided schedule, there are some more events we want to catch. We head back over to the garages, taking the long route along the chicane. We catch the chili cook off, and for a mere 5 bucks, eat our full. We actually make the Hosier Pit tour, and hear how they managed to deal with the demands of a race weekend this long. The PR rep even answers some of my stupid questions after the tour.
Neat.
We then catch some more of the action in the garages, as early problems start to arise, and we watch the pure Koni teams and pack up and head out, while the dual entered folks, like Team Sahlen's stay and just shift gears.
Back to the GRM tent for a talk about Track mate, and Koni's just as the dinner starts. We have been here for 5 meals at this point and only have to actually procure 2 of them.
Retire behind the tent into out campsite, more beer, and more relaxation. We had a great location for the fireworks. We turn-in and fall asleep to the marvelous sounds of the cars circling the track. Throughout the night we pop out on occasion, or just lie awake and listen to the updates. Sometime in the night the race is red flagged as a GT car takes out 18 feet of barrier. Around midnight a slight drizzle.
The next day we are up around 7, and decide to take advantage of the lull in the rain to pack up. We just pull our gear into the GRM tent, and back my car to the entrance. We pop the trunk and start loading.
That's when the mini-twister hit. Darron watches the back of the tent rise 30 feet into the air, and slam down snapping most of the back poles; "Get your car out of here!"
I get it into a spot and like the other folks in the tent start trying to save the things that are either getting smashed or in danger of being blown away. Bill and Chris show up and in a flurry of activity, save the GRM and Hoosier displays, as well as getting everything unplugged. My redneck habit of carrying a knife comes in handy to cut the 8 million zip ties holding everything in place.
Project cars moved, displayed saved, situation secure, we head back to the chicane to catch more of the race. Minor tent disaster or no, GRM delivers! More doughnuts and coffee in the decidedly shorter tent. The tent itself is a loss, so what do the GRM folks do? Give up and call it a day? No Way! They find another building for their readers to enjoy their weekend, right off the lake.
We finish the race in the grandstands and watch the Scott Pruitt hold off everyone the last hour and take a clear victory.
1800 miles west, Darron asks where he can pick up a copy of GRM. I tell him to subscribe.
Well congrats Bob. Looks like I will have to go to plan B... Watching it at home comfortable on my couch with a cold drink in my hand.
