Tracks and greedy power costs

He's the evil twin? Damn... that dude must be a huge ass...

 

Real estate. Location, location, location. I don't want guys having to carry or cart wheels to no man's land to get rubber.

Plus, I've usually got a pretty full workload before I head down for a race weekend plus load time, so I don't get there a day early for a race weekend. Our vending agreement gets me a spot where I ask for it (right across from tech) but despite me asking numerous times, it doesn't reserve me a power box. My options are run a couple hundred feet of line that's getting run over by trucks and motorcycles all weekend if I can find an open 50A or use the 30A and run the genny. Or make everyone walk through the woods to get tires.

 

That's what I assume the case is. 30A total for the box, not just the 30A plug.

 

What are the prices for camping and power at Barber that people are referencing?

At last years Vintage Festival I borrowed a RV and was charged $25 per night for camping and $25 per day for leccy so for 4 days the total was $200. There were 3 of us and they only seemed to charge per vehicle for the camping, not per person so the cost was split. We each had a $40 gate fee though. In previous years I've gone on my own and and slept in my trailer, still been charged the $25 per night though which does seem a bit high just to use the bathrooms.

All the tracks I went to in the UK never charged for camping, with one, Cadwell, charging for the showers. Electricity when available had to be paid for

 

When you plug yours in to the track/house/etc, doesn't it keep all the batteries charged (house and chassis)?

I had to dig that up to find out about mine, and when it is plugged in, all of the batteries are being charged (or when the generator is running, it is charging all of them).

That is why I keep it plugged in while at home.

 

That's what I do too. Man, it kills them though, I replace every 2 years.

 

Fees may have legitimate bases. Depending on local ordinances, providing camping opportunities may require a permit. That ties the venue to any taxes that may be levied. Add to that any liabilities associated with "running a campground" and now you have insurance costs. If you roll in with an RV, you're camping.
Then again, maybe the track didn't want/need to jump through all the hoops but still have to come up with ways to meet their higher risk.

Any way you want to look at it, it that adds up. Not so, the arguments against...

Gate fee - Check. $
Camping - No. Have a nice day. N/A
Camping - Yes. Have a nice stay. $$ (insurance, et al)
RV/Toy hauler - It is assumed you are now camping. $$ (insurance, et al)
Enclosed trailer - You paid the gate fee, right? - N/A
- (Camping in your enclosed trailer w/o paying the camping fee = Thief. Screw you if shit goes sideways in the night.)
Electricity - Yes. Amps required? $/$$
- (If you didn't pay and have somehow connected = Thief. Screw you if things go sideways in the night.)
RV facilities - Yes. This is almost certainly now a campground. There are costs that must be met on top of providing a closed-circuit course venue. $$/$$$ (insurance, water/sewage)

I don't like the set up in practice, particularly when Joe and Mary at the gate - that likely don't know shit about the actual reasoning for the fees - feel they have to defend themselves when the customer starts in with the inquisition. In response, Joe and Mary spit out any gibberish they can think of in a desperate attempt to deflect the pressingly aggressive line of questioning.

Just pay the fee(s) and leave Joe and Mary the fuck alone. Don't even question it.
You have an issue? I'm sure there's an office that operates under normal business hours that is capable of dealing with your concerns.

 

A 20A outlet ought to have a 20A breaker...there may be up to 7 outlets (in a house) off of a single breaker. The 15A/20A and 30A breakers may be fed fed from a larger (100 or 200A) breaker. The sum of all the smaller breakers may significantly exceed to feeder breaker, this is called breaker coordination and assumes not all circuits to be maxed out at once. If they are, the feeder should trip and that is by design. I forget what the maximum ratio is, something like 50%.

 

Ah ok, I see.

What is the longest you have let it sit with the batteries shut off....and did you have any problems starting the motor or anything when you finally went to use it again?

 

OMRRA @ Portland International Raceway (which is a City park)

Gate Fee: $10
Camping: $10/night
Power: Free, when you plug into an outlet.
Outlets all over the place.

Looks like we've had it good in the PNW and not even realized it.

 

What I don't get is the camping fees. What exactly does that consist of?? Sure I get it if you're using an RV or you're pitching a tent or something because of space, but why do I have to pay a fee to sleep in my own trailer? If I leave the track property and just drop off my trailer the night before, it's no problem, but if I stay inside the trailer over night, I have to pay a fee?? Why?? What difference does it make? The one time that I have to use the bathroom and flush your toilet or urinal? Is that what I'm being charged for in that "camping fee"??

 

Sometimes a "camping fee" is really a security guard fee, most track don't let you stay unless they have a guard on duty.

 

Really?? I've yet to stay at a track that had guards at night. Never seen one at the few I've spent nights at. I have been to a couple where they told us after a certain time they will lock the gates though so between like midnight to 6:00 am for example, you won't be able to leave the track premises.

 

Yep, that's how it is at Cmp, same at barber and road Atlanta, it might not be a guard.. but a person staying the night. I'm not really sure how the tracks that lock people in get away with that, I understand not selling bands after a certain hour but it seems risky to lock people in.

 

Risky in what sense? Medical emergency or something?