Any Talladega experts out there?

[tarmand]

Well, the family is heading to Birmingham for the weekend so that my husband and dad can go to the race. I'm not going since I don't want to put my 15 month old through such a hard day. My sister lives in Birmingham and we will be hanging out with her. I don't want my husband and father driving since they will be spending all day drinking. My plans are to drop them off in the morning and pick them up after the race on Saturday and Sunday. Any tricks to getting them in and out of there without spending hours in traffic? Is there a shuttle that moves people to offsite parking or something? I don't care if they have to fight traffic, I just don't want me and the baby to have to fight it.

 

[jrydberg]

On race day, go VERY early (think before the sun comes up) to drop them off. What is normally a 45 min. drive can take 8 hours with 200,000 people trying to get there.

I always parked at the track, so not sure about shuttles, but I'd be surprised if there were any. Traffic moves VERY slowly, so shuttle buses probably would be slower than walking. Once at the track they do have a tram that runs from the backstretch to the frontstretch at various points.

As far as picking them up after the race Sunday, all I can say is good luck with that. We'd usually wait about 4-5 hours after the race ended to even attempt leaving -- and there was still a lot of traffic.

Saturday shouldn't be nearly as bad in terms of traffic.

 

[tarmand]

Ick! I am so dreading this weekend. All of that and I don't even get to go to the race.

Is there somewhere that they could walk to that would make it easier to pick them up? I'm not opposed to making thing walk a couple of miles.

 

[LMC]

There is not a shuttle.

For Sunday's race: Go East on Hwy 280 to Harpersville, AL. This is approx. 18 miles from the hwy 280/I459 intersection. Then turn left onto Hwy 231 north. This will take you to Pell City (about 10 miles) in Pell City, turn right just before the Sears store (small store on the right). At stop sign go straight thru, onto Hwy 34. Hwy 34 will take you into Talladega just south of the track on Hwy 77. GET A MAP!!

There are other routes off of Hwy 280 you could take. I would leave at 7am on Sunday, they will just have to find something to do while they wait for the race to start. Otherwise you will be stuck in heavy traffic. AVOID I20!!! It is the pits on race day PLUS there is major road construction going on right now between Bham and 'Dega.

As far as pick up....I think the race is usually over around 4pm. You will be in traffic if you try to pick them up when the race is over. My husband always goes and never leaves the track before 7pm. He knows the small back rds so he can get out easily but there is still chaos all about. There is not really a good place to meet; the police have everything roped off and traffic flowing one direction so getting out is difficult. You would need to get to them before the race ends or they need to sit there a while. If they sit there a while will they sober up??? Couldn't one of them lay off the beer so that you wouldn't have to sit in this mess with a baby????? There are places to camp; maybe they could pitch a tent and spend the night.

Any more ???'s please ask away.

 

[LMC]

Ick! I am so dreading this weekend. All of that and I don't even get to go to the race.

Is there somewhere that they could walk to that would make it easier to pick them up? I'm not opposed to making thing walk a couple of miles.

You posted while I posted. They would really have a long walk!!! There's not anything right at the track other than parking and camping. It's not like there is a Mcd's right up the road and you could meet there. They would have to walk out of Speedway Blvd and meet you at one of the interstate exits (there are two). If you have a map you can look at that to get a distance.

 

[tarmand]

Thanks! I just printed a map. My sister lives not far from 280 so that should be easy. I do plan on dropping them off at about 8am. Would they let me drive in right before the race ends? I can leave the baby with my sister and fight the traffic myself. My husband has said that he would be responsible and not drink much, but I'd feel more comfortable picking them up. I don't want him behind the wheel after drinking at all and I know that not drinking at all is not going to be an option - especially with my father.

 

[LMC]

You can go back early to get them. The problem will be finding a place to meet them. The police direct traffic and you don't get much choice on where to go. IF you get there early enough, before they start shifting traffic lanes, then you should be able to get up to the track. Just be aware that everything is different out there on race day: if they are going any pre-race days they are nothing like Sunday. So many cars, cars, cars, walkers, drunks, police. It is so confusing and I've been there alot!

You will need to watch part of the race to get the timing right so you will know how many laps it takes them to run in about an hour. I think it will be 30-40 laps so you will need to leave when there are 30-40 laps remaining in the race.

The best thing would be if you could communicate by phone when you go to pick them up!!! They could walk out of the track to the road and stay along the side of the road. If you can communicate by phone you can pick them up. When you pick them up on Speedway Blvd, keep going straight and then turn right onto one of the county highways. If you get a good map, you can find your way back to Talladega, then to Hwy 280. We did this before but I can't remember the Hwy #'s. I think the right hand turn was just after the road that would take you to the race tracks airport. It may be County Rd 005. I'll keep trying to find some roads on mapquest that look familiar. I don't remember rd names, I just know where to go when I get there.

 

[tarmand]

Thanks. We will have cell phones and two way radios just in case there's no cell service.

I will get them to call me about 1 1/2 hours before the race ends so that I can get there and we will definitely take any back road that we can find to get out of there. Thanks for your help.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

PLEASE BE CAREFUL! There is a major severe thunderstorm/tornado risk for the south east, deffineatly for miss,al, and TN. Please be careful and monitor the situation but its expected to be bad. Otherwise enjoy your trip.

Matt

 

[tarmand]

PLEASE BE CAREFUL! There is a major severe thunderstorm/tornado risk for the south east, deffineatly for miss,al, and TN. Please be careful and monitor the situation but its expected to be bad. Otherwise enjoy your trip.

Matt

Matt,

Can you tell me when and where the storms are supposed to hit? We don't leave until tomorrow evening. I just pulled up the national radar map and I don't see any storms. Help!

 

[LMC]

You will probably be right in it. The severe storms are due to hit the Bham to Talladega area between midnight (Friday night) and 3am Saturday. Rain should roll out by about 11am for the Saturday race. Sunday will be beautiful.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

Matt,

Can you tell me when and where the storms are supposed to hit? We don't leave until tomorrow evening. I just pulled up the national radar map and I don't see any storms. Help!

Storms arent on radar yet They will be developing tomorrow during the day. Storm Prediction Center says significant severe weather risk possible. Biggest risk in east LA and north MS and parts of TN. Squall line will affect all of miss and alabama. Tornado risk is also possible in mississippi along and north I-20. Are you driving to AL? If so please take extra caution. Activity in East MISS is between 4pm Friday and 2am Saturday. Birmingham and alabama affected 1am saturday until 12pm saturday. Any more questions let me know. I am monitoring this big. I am 16 and a huge weather buff. Tomorrow I am helping out at local abc because of severe weather. Just let me know if you have more questions

MAtt

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

FYI LMC- Not trying to discredit info. Reason my times are different is because system has slowed down and will be arriving later. Now BHM will be under gun predawn and dawn saturday

Matt

 

[tarmand]

Wow! That's scary. We are leaving Livingston at about 3:30pm this afternoon. We will be driving I-12 to I-59 to I-459. In normal weather, we would arrive by about 10pm. Any news this morning?