Send your Laguna Seca experiences, comments, suggestions, etc. to: [email protected] Include “Laguna Comments” in the subject line. Include your first and last name, your city and state and your daytime phone number in the e-mail. FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Flagroom Turn Four ticket was $380…it was $140 only a few years ago. They were low on water and soda, both were hot…they were out of ice. The track got greedy. The Hotels got greedy…$300 for a $99 room. Howard Johnsons Express did not sell out. My hotel is 9 miles from the track in Pacific Grove. Why, when exiting thru Fort Ord on Friday did it take me over 40 miles to get back to the hotel? Why were there almost NO signs? Everyone was lost. Fort Ord roads are NOT on any civilian map that I know of. Vendor fees are ridiculous. One of the main reasons I go is to view new trick parts. The last two years there hasn’t been much there. Too expensive for the “little guy” to show off his/her wares. Why was there no water fountains? Why does a 20 ounce bottle of warm water cost FOUR BUCKS? Why does the man in charge of the Flagroom stuff have to say “I NEED A PALLET OF WATER AND A PALLET OF ICE!!!” and they bring in two bags of ice and a single case of water? I should have stayed home and bought a new big screen TV…it would have been cheaper. Cheers, Pete Aronson Hyper-Formance Chandler, Arizona FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: The people over at the ROK hospitality area were fantastic – plenty of cold beverages, great catered lunch, fantastic atmosphere. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for general admission race fans with little or no shaded areas and $4 a bottle for water. High hotel prices forced me to stay with friends in Salinas – I couldn’t have paid for a better experience. Home cooked meals, a little wrenching in the garage after the races, plenty of cold beer. I didn’t even mind sleeping on the floor. General admission parking – on that straw covered hill was a bad joke. If Laguna Seca is going to bill itself as a world class facility it’s going to need to take better care of the fans. Anthony Glickman Santa Monica, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: A few things I would like to comment on: Ticket upgrades may have been nearly impossible to do. My buddy tried to upgrade from the Flagroom before they sold tickets on the internet and was denied. My guess is that the people who had them last year renewed them again this year. Yes the feed went down for a few laps…but everyone was hit. We watched the MotoGP race with Corona Suzuki and apparently even Cycle World hospitality (far end by turn 5) lost the feed. I believe that there was an electrical fire during the race so we were fortunate that it was fixed so quickly. I would like to thank all the AMA racers, crew, and track worker volunteers who stuck it out this weekend. Here we are complaining about the heat, but we spectators weren’t turning wrenches or roasting in leathers. They must have been completely frustrated with the decision to delay the race, yet they did their job the best they could. Didn’t BBoz have to go to the first aid tent? I would also like to thank Corona Suzuki for allowing so many people to watch their live feed. It wasn’t the industry big wigs…more like crew and racers that could not even leave the paddock because AMA practice was right after MotoGP. Chuck Forquer, aka Stiffler Chico, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Overall we had a great time on our second trip out to view the AMA and MotoGP races. We brought a cooler with ice and water in an effort to avoid lines at the food and beverage vendors. We were able to get paddock passes and saw some of the current greats including Rossi, Hayden, Edwards, Mladin, Hacking, the Bostroms, Roger Hayden and others. We spent the additional money to purchase a parking pass for Wolf Hill. Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning were effortless getting into and out of the track. Sunday afternoon was horrific at best. An impromptu track crossing would have made things easier when the lines formed to get over the track at the start/finish bridge and then being told we were supposed to stand in line for hours to get over the pedestrian bridge was pitiful. The SCRAMP people and sheriffs we asked for advise by the upper foot bridge were clueless. Improvements were definitely made over last year, but there is still on awful lot of work to be done to make this a fan friendly event. Dean Pariseau Southbridge, Massachusetts FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: How long will it take Laguna Seca to bring the USGP experience, to at least the level of a British or German Superbike race? Some issues are just handled worse than a club-race. The parking situation, the busses, the $4 water (!), all that is ridiculous. Also for the money you charge us, have at least the decency and offer all 3 Moto GP classes, offer a decent programme such as stunt riders or Supermoto, sell water at affordable prices in these conditions, figure out the traffic and crossing the bridge situation that reminded one of the long lines in communist countries to buy bananas. Get it together SCRAMP, we wanna come back! Dino Bez Los Angeles, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I missed last years event choosing to stay home and watch it on TV. With all the ‘pre-planning’ and talk of improvements, I was really looking forward to this event. Everything seemed very smooth as we arrived on Wednesday and the SCRAMP officials moved us into the paddock (two superstock riders, 1 supersport, and 1 FX). Things couldnt have been worse as the event wore on. As the crowds began to pour in, it became obvious that the track was overwhelmed once again. $4 bottles of water with no “free” drinking fountains that I could see. The “food court” just outside the paddock area simply makes no sense. Thousands of people herding over the bridge to get some food, stand around the small confined space, and then back over to the midway. It also makes no sense to put vendors right at the base of the bridge from the paddock to the midway. There is simply nowhere for the mass of people to go. It took nearly 35 minutes to get from the paddock over the bridge. Far too many people were allowed into the paddock area without the proper credentials. Riders/Crew were having difficulty just working their way to the hot pit. 4 toilets and 4 urinals are NOT enough for everyone in the paddock. It might be barely adequate if it were just the teams, but the amount of spectators overwhelmed the facilities. Way too many heat related issues on Friday and Saturday. On both of those days, water was still full price, with no free water in sight, people were dropping like flies. Kudos to the EMT’s and Paramedics for handing out free water to spectators coming down the hill on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Once the MotoGP events were over it seemed like 90% of the officials were no longer around. Where we were pitted was near the paddock entry from the ‘food court’. It was obvious that no one was diligently checking paddock passes about 30 minutes after the MotoGP race ended. As we were going to the grid for the superstock event it was strange to see no one checking credentials for hot pit entry. There were lots of spectators milling around the team areas. Not sure if this was the same for the supersport event that was run a few minutes earlier. Another issue involved team move out procedures. We all received a detailed packet that included maps of how to get in and out of the facility. On move in there were lots of event officials standing by to direct team transporters where to go. Move in was very smooth. It was after 9pm once we were ready to leave. Our instructions told us to depart the same way we came in (South Boundary Rd to Gen Jim Moore to Hwy 218). As we were heading out the main exit was coned off and there was no way to make the tight turn around the tree island at the top of the hill. As we approached South Boundary Road there was an official who stopped us and told us the road was closed and we needed to turn around. I explained that the map told us to go this way, and he said that it was a mistake and the road was closed. Meanwhile, other teams were stacking up behind us. Without anyone to direct us where to go, we worked our way through the parking areas and back around to the main entrance. Once back at the main entrance we could see that Attack was at the top of the hill and moving the cones out of their way to try to make that turn. These types of issues are very easily avoidable with proper planning and proper implementation. Just the icing on the cake I guess. I can honestly say that Laguna will probably be the first event crossed off the list for 2007. I cannot believe that an event of this scale could again have so many of the same mistakes from the previous year. So here’s some advice if you want people to return: 1. Double the pedestrian bridge capacities (or limit attendance). 2. Double the permanent paddock bathroom/shower facilities. 3. Dont issue more parking passes than you have room for. 4. Install FREE drinking water stations throughout the midway and vendor areas. 5. Dramatically limit the number of spectator paddock passes. 6. Have “hot” weather contigency plans (i.e., water mister stations, port-a-cool fans, etc.). Tyson Silva Cascade Tracktime Lake Oswego, Oregon FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I rode my motorcycle in on both days and while there was an improvement, it could be better still: Need more direct access between the hill and Corkscrew and the M/C parking lot without having to wait in line to get over the main straight. Hey here’s a thought, there is a bridge over the track at the corkscrew but you can’t use it unless you are a camper… Then there is the ridicules line to load up the buses – I heard many people waited several HOURS to get on a bus. I know when I left on Sunday the line of people waiting to get on the buses was approaching a 1/2 mile in length as was the line of empty buses waiting to pick up passengers. There has to be a better way! As to the water issue, what is wrong with the track simply making sure that the drinking fountains work and that there are plenty of drinking fountains available… simple, cheap for the fans, I am sure reduced the tracks costs and insurance as you know the track had to pay for all the EMT treatment of heat stroked out fans! I think Laguna needs some REAL experienced operators running this event or at least advising them how to run it. George B. Leavell Gilroy, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Hell is the only way to describe possibly the last time I will attend a race at Mazda Raceway. I’ve attended at least ten races there and I attended the MotoGP last year. I am a MOTORCYCLE ENTHUSIST who will put up with almost anything to see a great race. I read everything I can get my hands on about bikes. I own 5 and ride every chance I get. I’ve been attending races as a competitor or spectator for over 30 years. Sunday July 23rd was both one of the best and worst days I’ve ever spent at a track. This year’s Red Bull US MotoGP races at MAZA Raceway Laguna Seca were great right up until we tried to leave on Sunday. It was a page right out of Dante’s Inferno–in a word HELL! I estimate there were 20 to 30 thousand souls trying to leave and we were all standing or squatting many on the side of a hill for three hours awaiting buses. The same buses who were supposed to relieve the traffic nightmares from last year’s race. People were passing out from the 100 degree plus heat standing shoulder to shoulder with nowhere to move for relief. The line was actually a broad swath of people roughly 30 to 40 wide where there was room to cram them in between the fences. Pregnant women and babies in strollers were draped with wet towels over their heads. Their faces as red as the red on the Red Bull logo. Husbands and sons cussing and yelling at the police and anyone with a Scramp t-shirt on who came within ear shot. This did nothing; we could not go anywhere. Many people began begging track workers to show them a direction so they could walk the 10 miles back to their cars. Cases of bottled water were passed out to the crowd around me. The bottles disappearing into the crowd almost as fast as they appeared. This happened many times during our wait and there was never enough water to stop the demand for more. Once THEY did decide to let us move toward the buses there was no plan for loading everyone. At first we were run down the fence line 300 yards to the buses instead of moving them up to us. Then once we got half way there they decided to move the buses up to the front. They stopped the line behind us and let them start boarding. Then opened the fence a hundred yards in front of us and let them across the track. This left the ones in the middle without buses to board. We were left frustrated hot and ill tempered. Finally sending us back down the track to buses we should have already been on. Confused by this, so were we however don’t forget we had been at the track all day and had tried to leave early to avoid the rush (ha). We left before the Supersport race started right after the MOTOGP race had finished. We had tried to leave the track at 3:00pm and finally got back to Monterey at 7:30pm. Our car drive back to the Portola Plaza in Monterey took about 20 minutes. I would never ever go back to Laguna Seca without a Helicopter or a Motorcycle. I live in Florida so both of these options may be hard to come by next year. Sorry…I’ve had enough fun at the dry lake thanks to SCRAMP! Regan Shaw Tampa, Florida FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: It was better than last year, but there were still problems that should have been corrected, in particular the issues of incomplete, misleading and/or contradictory directions getting people lost, and surly, rude martinets directing traffic or manning security checkpoints. People go there to have a good time, and they pay through the nose for it, only to have the experience marred by ugly confrontations with Nazi-mentality personnel who act like cops in the advanced stages of steroid psychosis. Not all of them were like that, but all it takes is one to ruin a good time. My friend and I were confronted by one of these, who said we couldn’t go to the Fox Hill camping area, for which we had camping passes, because we had no wristbands. I told him I had not been informed that we needed wristbands when I ordered our camping passes or when I spoke with someone at the ticket office on the phone to make sure I had everything we’d need. This precipitated an escalation in this jerk’s hostility level several light-years beyond anything remotely reasonable, and he became extremely abusive, as if he were about to start swinging. His hostile tirade went on for several minutes, holding up traffic behind us the whole time, in the 104-degree heat, with bikes overheating and people sweltering in riding gear. Another worker eventually interceded when he became aware of this maniac’s foaming at the mouth and yelling in my face, and upon recognizing that our papers were in order, we were allowed to proceed to our campground. AT THE CAMPGROUND, there was table where we were issued wristbands, the ones the security Nazi had said he wouldn’t let us into the campground without. How much sense does that make, not letting us into the campground without wristbands that we could only get once we were AT the campground, which we had passes to get into? Then there was the information specifying that motorcycles could only use the Barloy Canyon route into the racetrack, and the fact that when we followed that direction, as instructed, on our way back to the track after an excursion to Cannery Row, the gate to Barloy Canyon Road was padlocked, forcing us to ride quite a few more miles to the front gate, which was supposed to be locked at midnight. Fortunately for us, we got there with one minute to spare, with my bike almost out of gas. There was another confrontation with a rude SCRAMP worker on Sunday, yelling at me for simply asking whether I could exit through the front gate after the races because I needed to get to the nearest gas station. I suspect these aggressive Nazi types are off-duty cops hired for the occasion, and I strongly recommend that SCRAMP not hire people with such horseshit attitudes in the future. It’s bad enough that police forces hire them and tolerate them. The races are supposed to be fun, enjoyable experiences for those attending, and the people who work there need to be made acutely aware of that. I would certainly like to see SCRAMP and Laguna Seca get their act together, because the international MotoGP people are probably getting a very unfavorable impression of the U.S. when they come here and see how amateurishly things are run at this event. Virgil Elliott Penngrove, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Access to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca raceway via motorcycle has rarely been as easy at it was during the MotoGP weekend in 2006. The dedicated motorcycle-only entry and exit meant that motorcyclists were not subjected to waiting in long lines for cars, trucks, etc., not stuck on hillsides burning out clutches, and far less subject to overheating bikes and riders. It was not uncommon to enter the racetrack facility and not come to a full stop until reaching the parking area. But general admission parking was a sad joke; motorcyclists who arrived after about 8 a.m. found themselves parked on the side of a dirt- and dry grass-covered hillside, leading to numerous tipovers. – Fans desperate for water on the hillside between turns Four and Five in the scorching heat of Saturday took matters into their own hands after noticing that the drinking water fountains had been turned off, but hoses irrigating the landscaping were functioning. Fans disconnected the hoses from faucets on their own, and there were frequently lines of fans waiting to soak themselves in water of questionable cleanliness. – Perhaps one of the more visible non-riding racers at the track this weekend was C.R. “Critter” Gittere, the GEICO-sponsored AMA Superbike racer who has been sidelined for several weeks while he recovers from “a number of busted-up parts,” as he said while signing autographs at the GEICO tent on Saturday. Gittere was signing bright green promotional bandanas, and with the heat, many, many fans could be seen sporting the bandanas, soaked in water, as impromptu headwear. Michael Gougis Long Beach, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I’ve thought about comming to the Laguna races. But after pricing it out (airfare, hotel, etc), I found that I can go to the opening round in Jerez, Spain for equal, if not slightly lesser money. Airfare is a wash since airfare to Cali from where I am usually runs pretty high. I found tix to Seville Spain for $550. As for Hotels and other stuff, the folks in Cali are sticking it to the fan a lot more that the Spaniards are. Guess which race I’m going to next year to get the REAL MotoGP experience? Going to take in the race and all else southern Spain has to offer… Jeffrey Brannen Canton, Ohio FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Contrary to Mr. Purdy’s experience, I was able to purchase, after waiting on the phone for over two hours, a pair of flag room tickets with parking. The early (and patient) bird gets the worm. All I can say is, from my perspective, the organizers did a far better job this year. In 2005, with “regular” tickets, we had to park on Wolf Hill. It took 2+ hours to get into the track via South Boundary Road and about 45-60 minutes to get out (only because we left after the MotoGP events). This year, we arrived at the track at 8:00 a.m. via Highway 68 and was out and about by 8:10. Total travel time (hotel to flag room) was just 25 minutes. The flag room was great! Food, drink and air-conditioned toilets. Around the track, I didn’t see the extreme crowding of 2005 (Dunlop bridge, et al). Egress from the track after the MotoGP race took just 5 minutes. I’d like to thank the organizers, sponsors, and volunteers for making this a great event. Now, if only the weather had been 20 degrees cooler, it would have been perfect! Gerard T.K.Y. Lee Kaneohe, Hawaii FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I’d have to agree that the walkover bridges are GROSSLY undersized and too few in number. I would also have expected the track entrances to be marked much more clearly. The bike entrance was, but I didn’t know I was at the track until I’d almost missed the turn. No big deal after day 1 though. The heat was unbelievable…..and we were in the shade of the ‘flagroom’ tent between turns 4 and 5. I have no idea what our actual grandstand seats in turn 11 were like, we never bothered to check. I know I drank at least 10 liters of water friday and at least that many on saturday and thought seriously about taking a swim in the ice where the water was being kept. $4 for a bottle of water is just plain insane, particularly when it was 114 degrees in the shade around 2pm on saturday. I can understand that they need to make money to keep the GP crowd coming every year, but the whole water situation was ridiculous. Having said that, the 2 water fountains that I saw all weekend both worked and there was no line at either one. Would we go again….probably. Would I like to see some things improved….absolutely. Matt Manspeaker Arlington, Washington FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Geez, guys, pull those tire irons out of your butts and smile! Life’s not that bad!! Yes it was insanely hot, yes the track crossings sucked, and I too had to wait over an hour in the blistering sun for my packed out bus ride back to my truck. Heck, I even got a sore back from carrying a backpack full of water bottles while trudging up and down hills all day. But, you know what? I had fun!! I finally got to see Valentino Rossi in person! I finally got to hear a V-Five Honda shrieking down the track about fifty feet away! I saw Nicky win his home GP and move even closer to becoming the next American World Champion! I thought I would have to fly to Europe to see a GP but I went to one within driving distance of my house. How cool is that? No it wasn’t a perfect event, but I had a good time. We should be happy that we have an opportunity to see this level of racing in the U.S. By the way, put those tire irons in a parts washer for a day or two before putting them back to use…I always recommend Simple Green or Bathroom Scrubbing Bubbles in these situations. Gabriel Trench Sherman Oaks, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: During the 20+ years I’ve attended races at Laguna it’s changed from a volunteer-driven grassroots effort into more of a greed-driven effort on the part of the track, area businesses, and local communities. The Flagroom experience was good, thanks to the hard work of the volunteers and the catering employees. But there have been no improvements to justify doubling the price. Same long wait to check in, same “preferred” parking in the dust and dirt, same lukewarm beverages. Ducati provides similar or better amenities for free and makes their customers feel truly welcome. (Maybe it’s time to go buy a Duc). Local hotels sell rooms at scalper rates. I had a very bad experience with my reservation at a major chain hotel that the corporate office had to resolve. Their letter actually apologized for the hotel’s “dishonesty”! And don’t forget that Embassy Suites suddenly bumped many fans last year, leaving them with no lodging a week before the race. Aren’t hotels in the “hospitality” industry? Traffic flow for motorcycles was greatly improved this year. I was parked within 20 minutes of entering Ft. Ord and exited even quicker. On the other hand, Highway 1 traffic was a nightmare! Local police and CHP efforts were focused on setting up radar gauntlets rather than directing and expediting traffic. Extracting dollars from visitors seemed more important than helping us get to and from the track. (Off topic….I was in line at McDonald’s behind a CHP motor cop who was fiddling with a camcorder. He said that CHP is doing a remake of “Red Asphalt”. HQ in Sacramento sent the camcorder to get accident footage, knowing there would be a lot of motorcycles in the Monterey area. He seemed a little peeved that they did that and said he hoped to NOT get any footage.) A lot of the problems and negative reactions were due to the weather. There didn’t seem to be a contingency plan that could have been put into action based on the weather forecast. They missed the opportunity to proactively prevent heat problems instead ended up hauling people away in ambulances. I wonder what would happen if there had been a brush fire or some other major problem. Despite welcome improvements such as traffic and the merchandise tent, SCRAMP has clearly bitten off more than they can chew. If they expect to charge prices similar to other major sports venues, they need to spend money improving facilities and services. They also need to hire more professional advisors and staff and stop relying so much on inexperienced, overworked, and underappreciated volunteers and management. Many of my friends stayed home this year because it exceeded their budget or has become more hassle than they felt it was worth. SCRAMP and local community need to re-focus on providing value for the money they are extracting from us. They need to remember that they in the entertainment business. The paying customers who make it all possible will choose to spend their hard-eared money and vacation time elsewhere if it isn’t fun and enjoyable. Ken Ishiguro Rancho Santa Margarita, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I flew in from Atlanta, GA on Saturday because a friend had family problems and he offered me his passes and airline ticket. Yes it was dangerously hot. Yes it was a sin to charge $4 for liquids. Yes the porta-johns made you gag. Yes it was sad to see people in the shuttle line wilting in the sun. Yes it was a drag to wait for six hours before the lads turned a wheel in anger. Yes it was frustrating to have everyone in the grandstands rise up out of their seats when the bikes passed by. After the MotoGP race, I spent the last part of the day seated under those twisted oaks at The Corkscrew watching the support races with knowlegable, die-hard race fans and it was all good. Despite some rough edges, nothing and I mean nothing short of being struck by lightning that day would keep me from coming back next year. I sure hope I can snag that sofa space again in Carmel Valley with the Ducati on-line folks. Lloyd Horton Floribama Riders Atlanta, Georgia FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Let me give you my perspective as a longtime Formula One fan attending my first motorcycle event. First, AMA and MotoGP have races that actually involve passing, often more than once in a given lap, and riders who give 110%. This is fantastic and exciting to watch. Second, you have sanctioning bodies that appear to care about the audience and the quality of racing, not just about making money. Third, Laguna Seca is a world-class racetrack, even if the new surface is less than perfect. Yes, four dollars for a bottle of water is steep. On the other hand, I’ve never been to a car race where they dropped concession prices during a race weekend. As I walked under the corporate suites late Sunday, watching folks up there toss hundreds of free bottles down to the fans in line to exit the track, it occurred to me that this would never happen at a Formula One event. Given the heat, the crowd was remarkably good-natured. Certainly there was room for improvement, but it was a great show from where I was sitting (turn 4 grandstand). Next June, when I pay $250 for a ticket and $1700 for a hotel for the F1 race in Montréal, four dollars for a bottle of water won’t seem that bad. Jim Pranger Chicago, Illinois FIRST PERSON/OPINION via e-mail: Reading the comments to date regarding the 2006 Red Bull Mazda Laguna Seca MotoGP event illustrate the Rashamon nature of perceptions dependant on the seating areas (and the incumbent cost differential between Gen Adm and ‘premium seating’), timing, and the various personalities and agendas of those commenting. I had tickets in the flagroom, so while I was there Sat (8-5) and Sun (8-3), I had access to plenty of water and food. The restroom facilities ended up in partial failure on Sunday and I found the one disabled access porta-can locked most of the day. The Jumbotron was repositioned from last year and did not allow for viewing from about 1/2 of the flagroom seating. A one hour waiting line prior to Sun opening of the flagroom allowed access to one of the last available front row tables next to the fence. Great view of the race action coming out of T4 and passing going into T5 made this a decent place to watch the race, and the creature comforts of the chairs & tables, umbrellas, canopies and food and drink are well worth the cost of admission for that area if they are within one’s budget. Traffic for flagroom folks with parking area 2 passes was not too bad going in, and arriving near 7-8 AM all 3 days found us parking near the top of the area with 10 minute max waits at the track entrance and short lines to get up to the actual parking spot near the top of the hill. Exits were quick on Fri and Sat, but Sunday took about 1&1/2 hours to get out right after the MotoGP race. I had no problems visiting the paddock on Friday, a time I prefer because I assume that it is less hectic for all. I only ate food at the concession area on Friday, and there was no wait at 1 PM, with tables available immediately. No wait to cross the bridge to the vendor area around 2 PM, I did my shopping on Friday with the smaller crowds, and visited Ducati Island for about an hour. At around 3:30, it was only 30 minutes in and out for some official items on my short list from the concession tent, which was cool inside. With our parking at the top of the hill, we found that a VA disabled group with electric carts near the #2 parking area entrance would provide rides up the hill to our car. This was very helpful considering my difficulties with mobility due to knee injuries. Donations were made to and appreciated by the volunteers. From what I have read here, it appears that many Gen Adm ticket holders feel they were not afforded the proper value for their money, considering the hassles testified to, whereas my $375 tickets that included gen adm, flagroom access, parking, and paddock access seemed to deliver on their promise for convenience and value. I will be back next year, and assume that this forum will provide some valuable information that may result in remedial efforts by the various governing bodies to make further improvements in the coming years. Problem areas that should be addressed include a resolution to parking on site and/or efficient handling of ticket holder transportation to and from the track; improvements in access from spectator areas to parking and/or transportation areas and between various restricted areas of the facility; construction of reliable and well distributed access to water and waste facilities; and a ticket pricing structure designed to provide more and varied levels of service to those desiring something ‘different’ from their current US MotoGP experience, with the required infrastructure at each level to satisfy the majority of the consumers. John Whiting College Station, Texas FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Laguna MotoGP 06 Comments and observations: I attended the 04 Superbike and 05/06 GPs. I traveled to the Sunday only racing venue by bike in 04 and the GPs by car. I viewed the racing from various vantage points in the Superbike and sat in the turn four grandstand for the two GPs. Last years event was a logistic debacle save for the racing (the reason I came I think). The ingress, egress and food vendor support was crux of the problems as has been reported ad nauseam for the last year. My three buddies and I opted for the car/AC at the last moment after enduring 100-110 temps on my MC trip up from San Diego to Atascadero (2 hours south of the GP on Rt101). I had high hopes for a seamless world class event with the appropriate fan support improvements. We pulled into the designated off site parking in Monterey per the instructions enclosed with my tickets. Signage was barely adequate but worked with the instructions and but the signs were worse leaving. There was a huge parking lot with air conditioned busses ready to go when we arrived sometime after 9:00 am. So far so good!!!! A quick ride to the track followed with minimal delays. One ominous note was interjected by the bus driver, who volunteered when I questioned how it went for Saturdays racing, that the “PLAN” had changed six times already. After we wound our way over the narrow bridges to the track it was apparent that the food vendor problem had been fixed as there were scads of places with no lines. The Official souvenir line was packed. 10 minutes after we get there the MotoGp practice/warm-up started. How great is this!!!!!!!!! Now the whining/complaining starts: The Supersport race was canceled or delayed or something due to track problems but we never really got an update from the track PA system until after the GP. I missed the Randy Mammola two seater Ducati rides as I thought at the time it was a track reconnaissance to see if the repairs worked. This turned out to be the only track event till the GP!!! Plenty of time to see the Vendors this year, I guess! The turn four grandstands worked just like last year till the Widescreen and PA failed. Not happy about this! Sometime around lap 9 they came back but the PA system really does not support the program of telling folks what is going on. Most of what you learned about what was going on at the track depended on hearsay from other fans as the announcers did not tell you kick. I assume track radio was as useless as last year particularly as regards getting out of the place. Grandstands and PA comments: 1. Never heard attendance numbers and any word on exit plans or bottlenecks etc. They talked about how hot it was but never gave the temperature. 2. After the GP, the interview with the winners was on the widescreen but no sound .. but did have Russian Mig 17 pass comments which is great if you are an aficionado of the History Channel 3. No shade in Grandstands (this is a new requirement spawned this year for some reason) 4. I could not see the scoring tower from the grandstands A great race though (fantastic and this is why I came I think) and now for the “Great Escape”. We tried to leave right after the 600 practice. When I got home, I pulled up one of the few photographs I took at about 3:30 pm and zoomed to the track overpasses and the area by the main straight and what do I see but a throng of packed sardines funneling into a maze designed as if to test humanity and the virtues of a civil society. Unknowingly as if a lemming, I went down the same path but there was no alternative. There were thousands and thousands of people standing in line and often the line was not moving at all. The crowd passed the test (because there was no riot) but track management blew it big-time. The US State Department did a better job of getting people out of Beirut with no notice than SCRAMP management did with a year’s “planning”. Exit Comments – 1. 3 Hours to get to the Shuttle Bus. 2. Nobody in Charge and none of the Staff/Volunteers know anything and if they did tell you something it was wrong. Police standing around. At least somebody started passing out free water. 3. Nobody tells you what is going on – how about loudspeakers systems/track radio. It is as if the Fans are mushrooms and have to be left in the dark and fed dhit. 4. Signs were lousy or non existent. 5. At one point an official vehicle drove through the crowd only to park! WTF! I have really enjoyed the MotoGp racing but there is an expression a wise Grandfather used to say…….. Stuff happens, the second time it happens it is their fault but the third time it happens it is YOUR FAULT. I will have to cool down literally and figuratively quite a bit before I consider going back to the GP in Laguna. But the seeing the race is something special but……… Fix this! Todd Hyde San Diego, California