Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

Did you all see it? The most exciting, dangerously breath-taking race at Bloomington last night? No, it wasn't the sprint feature or the mini-sprint feature.....

It was the "RACE TO GET THE HELL OUT OF BLOOMINGTON SPEEDWAY"!

Normally, I miss this exciting race but I got to witness it first hand last night. I had gotten to the track late having drove from Indy after work so I had to park in the grass near the track entrance. After the sprint car feature was over I grabbed both kids in hand and headed on the long dark walk back to the car. Those with the late pill draw were already warming their motors in their anticipation to take that one lap dash out of the parking lot. As I rounded the backstretch (the grass off to the left of the entrance road) Out of nowhere comes the guy in the 1980 something red Ford F150 who was slide jobbing cars left and right. I warned the girls to stay close because he was looking for every lane he could force his way into, at that moment the perfect opening developed when a Honda Accord slid into the parade lap of cars exiting. You could see the maniacal zeal in his eyes and he had one goal in mind - making that checkered flag to leave the track. How could you see this? Well I could because I could see it off the glint from his crew chief's (passenger) Bud Light and they missed running over me and kids by mere inches as they took the corner at about 40 mph to try to beat a Chevy for position. As I hollered "slow down" (bad form I know at a race track and all) they nicely gave me the one finger Indiana salute and squeezed into position narrowly missing a Nissan in the process.

Oh but the show wasn't over yet folks - just as we were strapped into our extra safe Toyota here came the guy about to get lapped. He and the maybe 8 people he had crammed into his car decided that honking was a great technique to force people out of his way. As I approached the checkered flag to turn right out of the track I slowed to allow a car coming at speed from the left to go by another full size truck whipped around me and pulled out to the right in front of the oncoming car narrowly missing me and that vehicle.....he gassed it and moved on down the road. Like I said, it was a crazy race I can't believe some of you missed it!

Please watch out for people leaving the track - especially kids. I had ahold of mine but I saw several running around on their own leaving and they don't look for cars that are pulling out of parking spots. Secondly, if it's that important to you to be the first one out of the parking lot do us all a favor and leave with 5 laps to go in the feature. Then we can avoid your obnoxious honking and the risk of getting ran over.

Note to the Bloomington track folks, for those big shows that are highly attended - it may be worth it to hire some off duty police officials to help control traffic flow. Not complaining at all, obviously it's a good problem if you have people parked all the way to the track entrance. I'll even help you start this fund, you can use my $25 from the KISS show as I've already lost the ticket and can't collect on my raincheck. LOL.

Sacha

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

I have seen the same thing there also Sasha. They should all take notice next time at TSS about how track exiting should work. Smooth sailing there.

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

I'm much calmer today, if I had written what I really wanted to say last night then Bill would have black flagged me from the board. I was one p***** off mama! I don't know that officers would totally fix their situation there, but maybe it would help cool some people's jets - especially when they have a large crowd. I'm glad I usually miss this chaos.

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

Must have been right behind you, Saw the red truck turn right from the left exit lane right in front of a car that was about 3 cars in front of me.

I've felt the same way before! I'd probably laugh and think I shouldn't mess with that mama!

Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

I was in the mad dash for the exits last night and I can agree with most of the comments. I'd like to offer one suggestion.......do not run the support A-main before the Sprint finale. This helps keep more fans in their seats and stretches out the exiting crowd. I was on the main exit road (still on the race track grounds) quickly and let several cars out in front of me. I saw others doing the same. However, there are always those obviously over-saturated drivers who feel they are entitled to express exit privileges. I let 'em go.

Sorry didn't see the above post.

Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

Love Bloomington Speedway but it is the worst at getting out. For the "big"events they really should get law enforcement to help with traffic flow. It is terrible! Glad you made it out safely.

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

Never been there but it sounds a little like Limaland. 1 way in & 1 way out.

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

I have felt for years that traffic control has been needed when leaving Bloomington Speedway. They should reschedule those guys that are waving at you to park in a certain area and have them direct traffic after the races. It is downright dangerous to enter Fairfax Road. I have complained about this before, but no action was taken. Unless they do something about the ridiculous situation leaving the track, especially the major events, I will find an alternate form of entertainment on Friday evenings.

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

I just kind of hang out after the races and wait for the folks that are in a big hurry to leave. Drove right out of the race track with no problems.

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

I experienced the same thing there last year and that was probably the straw that will stop me from driving to Bloomington from St Louis. Nowhere is the exit traffic that vicious. :7:

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

I enjoy going there - they have a beautiful facility, great cheeseburgers & ice cream. The racing has been mediocre in the past years that I have gone but I'm giving the new promoters the benefit of the doubt. I just worry that something will happen (someone gets ran over and sues) and that will be the end of racing there....

Again, it's a great problem to have if you have so many cars that exiting is a pain.....and I agree oncoming traffic from that hill on Fairfax scares me....

To the above poster - it was me that the guy turned right in front of me from the left lane. There was a car coming up that hill that I didn't want to pull out in front of.

Re: Man what an exciting race @ Bloomington!!!
 

It won't keep me from making the trek from St. Louis.

Race track parking lots can quickly fall subject to the law of the jungle. I drive a small car, and have seen trucks and SUV's speed up when they see me try to merge into the line getting out. Whatever, when I finally do make it onto the highway, I'll be getting 35-40 mpg, while they get closer to 10-15 mpg.:3:

One of my other pet peeves about racetrack behavior are the folks who will double park. If there's no parking attendent or cop parking fans, I try to pull a few feet farther forward than necessary. I hate doing this, but not as much as I hate getting trapped in by some big F-450 or Excursion parked perpindicular to me, front and back. (Whose drivers likely got there five minutes before the first heat pushes off, while I arrived an hour to two before hot laps.:17: