Is it ok to bring family

[tang-o]

Thinking about bringing my wife and 3 year old to NHMS at least on Monday. Are there any legalities that prevent this?
WOuld you recommend it? Will there be other wives and kids

Thanks!
Cheers,

[Chrispy]

As Will would say they are allowed but must be kept leashed at all times!

You also want to be conscious of the fact that some of the cars can be quite loud as they start up and pull through the pit area so consider some hearing protection for the young one during the active sessions.

[zchris]

A word of warning about bringing wives. If your wife is at all the nervous type, probably not a great idea. My wife came to Limerock with me for a race about 15 years ago. On lap 12 I spun on the uphill avoiding someone. Could not get the car restarted. By the time I got back she had imagined the worst. It was a quiet ride home and she has never been terribly supportive about my racing since, except to buy me safety gear. If your wife is the daredevil type, its probably OK.
Chris

[TroyV]

+1

[tang-o]

Thank you for the information. Good point about the ear protection. I'm not going to Canadian GP just because of that and the big crowds so I thought this was a good even for the kid to be introduced - maybe i will wait another year or so.
Cheers

[Foosh442]

I brought my wife and 14 mo. old to Summit Point and they also usually come to the races. We try to park away from the really busy parts of the track so that it is safer/not as much noise. Both of them have a great time and plan on coming to more events, but we will not be at the next NHMS event.

[brucesallen]

COMSCC is a VERY family oriented club. We have a number of children at the track----- who race! And grandchildren that aren't old enough. Just make sure little ones are watched.

And what kids don't like endless grilled meat??

[Mark Swinehart]

I wish I could get my kids to the track. They always say they are too busy.

[WillM]

COMSCC is a VERY family oriented club. We have a number of children at the track----- who race! And grandchildren that aren't old enough. Just make sure little ones are watched.

And what kids don't like endless grilled meat??

Yes, family is always welcome! That said, leave the bike(s) and scooter(s) at home. The paddock, especially the paddock at NHMS, is very busy. There are cars coming on and off the track and in and out of garages, all day long. Visibility for drivers of some cars can be challenging, and in the heat of an event, some find it tough to remember to slow down in the paddock, let alone consider that there may be children or pets running around.

There is no part of the track that is available to us that is not 'hot'. The club rents the track and has use of the racing surface, pits, and North Garage paddock area. These are all 'hot' areas; cars are driving on 'em at all times. We do not have access to the rest of the infield or other garages for our use, and as such, those places can't be used as playgrounds.

As I'd say in a driver's meeting; "kids and pets should be leashed at all times!"

There have been many, many kids, families, and pets at our events.

[StephanAlfa]

I wish I could get my kids to the track. They always say they are too busy.

Come on Mark, tell the truth.. you would put them to WORK

All kidding aside I miss seeing them there.

[StephanAlfa]

Thank you for the information. Good point about the ear protection. I'm not going to Canadian GP just because of that and the big crowds so I thought this was a good even for the kid to be introduced - maybe i will wait another year or so.
Cheers

If you need to have a place with a bit more peace and quiet come see me and I can set your wife and baby at the Media room whereI run the classroom. Good view of the front straight and not so noisy.

As for the GP-Canada:
Maybe you'd be better of getting a pit pass to the GP like I did . Just kidding .. unless you have connections in high (and low) places, a pit pass like I used to get would be worth over $5 grand in todays market value.
I would "cuddle" in the media room (hardly any noise there) or go for a glass of white wine at the Williams or Ferrari hospitality suite, have a nice pasta lunch at Minardi, and best of all (to stay "away" from the crowd) park in the F-1 paddock area (see the pic of me with Jackie, the parking area on the other side of the water) .. ahhhh... good ol' times ...

[horizenjob]

Introducing your family to the track is a great idea. It should be a family activity considering how much time and effort can be involved.

I would second the opinions it should be done carefully, I'll share these two stories so you can know how badly it is possible to mess this up!

I ran Mt. Ascutney for years in my Formula Ford. The one time my better half came to visit didn't go so well though. She left to do a little shopping or something. When she got back there was just a pile of wreckage on the trailer and I was walking around in a neck brace that looked like it was half of a body cast. Somehow I managed to miss a turn and took all four wheels off the car and then hit a tree head on for good measure. Sigh...

My brother had the good fortune to share a garage with a Chevy powered open wheel car when he brought his FF up for a COM event. Wife was happily based in a folding chair between the cars reading a book when they prepared to start the Chevy.

They were like "we going to start his thing up, perhaps you'd like to move away a bit."
"No, I'm all set, go right ahead"
"Are you sure? This is going to be loud!"
"Really, I'm all set"

So I guess we should have explained to her that Formula Fords are just cutsey little cars and not really as hairy chested as an Indy car...

The starter grinds for a moment. A little conversation and a squirt of gas in the intake. The starter grinds again. The first cylinder fires. Disaster! A huge ginourmous spontaneous nose bleed erupts from his wife. The second cylinder fires and now the chair has collapsed as she tries to rise in panic, leaving her sprawled on the floor. At this point we're just talking wild cornered animal in fear of her life trying to get out of that garage.

Neither of our wives has ever been all that supportive in recent years....

[CP]

You gotta break her in easily and try not to crash during her first few visits to the track. Bring food and drinks in a cooler, a comfy chair and let her know that her laptop can get multiple wireless signals at NHMS. Show her where the bathrooms are as well as how to access an air conditioned building (cafeteria or media center). Show her several places to view your sessions from if she's interested.

On the other hand if you want your track time to be "me" time, bring her along on a hot day (preferrably getting her out of bed at 3:30am and driving the "track" car with no AC to the track), plop her into a chair on asphalt in the sun and don't show her where the bathrooms are. She won't ever want to come with you again.

[boltonite]

On the other hand if you want your track time to be "me" time, bring her along on a hot day (preferrably getting her out of bed at 3:30am and driving the "track" car with no AC to the track), plop her into a chair on asphalt in the sun and don't show her where the bathrooms are. She won't ever want to come with you again.

For added insurance, buy her a hot-lap ride along and request a "cowboy" instructor with a reputation for inducing nausea. And be sure to comment on the belts ("hey, these things appear to have expired') as you strap her in.

[lesta993]

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