Skiddins

I'll be off in a couple of weeks with with quite a few other people (366 at the last look!!) to the first round of the 2014-15 ETS series.
Rounds 1 & 2 are indoor carpet meetings.
At first glance, out of the 366 entries only 50 people are doing more than once class.
Entries numbers for each class are;
64 - Formula 1
123 - Modified
182 - 13.5 Blinky

We've already been warned that the race days will start at 7am and run through until 11pm for Friday and Saturday.
We're definitely hoping that Finals day ends sooner, or we'll be walking back to the UK

I hope some of the US drivers can make it over to some of the later rounds.

I worked out that the total cost for each of us in our group from the UK (6), which includes parking at airport, flights, additional luggage charge, car hire, hotels, entry fee's and extra tyres comes to less than...... $400!!
You can probably double that for us to do the Hudy Arena gig in June/July time but that would also include food etc.
If you can afford the extra for the international flights I strongly suggest you try to make it to one of these great international meetings.

I'll try to post info and photos etc from the Sport V hotel where it's taking place, but if it's anything like the other meetings, once you get a few hundred people trying to access WiFi etc it tends to become a bit difficult.

Last years track, I think it may be slightly bigger this year;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaOC8I4lfKA

niznai

I thought you UK guys would drive there. Can't take more than a day at take it easy pace and it would seem cheaper too with two cars.

EAMotorsports

iTrader: (79)

I will be there. Just bought my plane ticket tonight. Going to Hudy for 3 days first for the grand tour and practice. Looking forward to the event.

EA

cplus

iTrader: (11)

That's a LONG day. 15hrs+ of driving - assuming from London and no traffic - plus waiting for the channel train. Not the best preparation to race the next day!

Fuel cost would probably be more than the cost of flights considering how cheap the budget airlines are in Europe also.

You just wouldn't do it!!

cplus

iTrader: (11)

Oh, and good luck Skiddins! We can only dream of numbers like that in Aus. Our nationals were over the weekend and got nothing like that sort of turnout sadly.

Skiddins

The flights and car hire cost less than £100 (circa $150) and to drive it's over 1000miles, next door by US standards but a waste of a day for us.
The UK drivers drive to some of the closer rounds, Germany & Luxembourg as it only takes a few hours once over the English Channel.
If we didn't have to pay extra for baggage in the hold (budget airline) our flights would have been $30

Skiddins

Cheers
Same for the UK with those entry numbers, I can only think of a couple of the big US events that can muster numbers like that, IIC and Snowbirds etc. and they're just one off events, not an entire series.

daleburr

Those are insane numbers, the outdoor tracks will have to install floodlights or limit the entries. Actually don't limit the entries, I've already booked my hotel for Hudy Arena

Salkin

Concerning numbers, The DHI Cup in Denmark in January have approx. 300 entries to this point and 90 on waiting list.

jimjav

iTrader: (1)

After my experience last year in luxemburg ets race I was making figures to go to this one but from Madrid it's a ruin. Direct flights cost more than 200€ and connections were not cheap either.

I will try to be in at least two of the outdoor season, maybe italy and again luxemburg, love that track.

Jimmy Morris

iTrader: (9)

I'm trying to get my gf to let me plan around an ets race for our europe trip next year. She's not having it , but said an F1 race would be ok.

Skiddins

Well, arrived back on Sunday.
It was a very tiring, long weekend.
The racing started around 7am and went on until around 10pm and there was even a bit of open practice on Saturday morning.
I eventually qualified 75/100 and finished 74.
It's very competitive and that's slightly better than in Slovakia. Especially considering I was running open Mod on carpet.
My setup got better and better and I was slowly improving, but it's good practice for the German round we'll be attending in Feb.

My absolute fastest lap was 0.7s off Rheinard (fastest of anyone with a 14.60)
Pro Stock results
F1 Results
Modified Results

ronaldo-1234

iTrader: (16)

@Skiddins, nice bodyshell! Hope you enjoyed your racing!!

Skiddins

I always do

I did think for a while (before going) that running open Mod on carpet might be a bit of a mistake. But after the first run the grip was already really good and the car felt pretty good straight from the off.
I ran a 7.5 boosted with my 13.5 boosted settings and the car was very fast on the straight.
My heat starts around 1h:31, most of the other vids they are following the leaders so you only occasional see mine in the background, can just make out my blue car;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oefNKrqMCIc

We've already booked hotels etc for round 2 in Germany in Feb.

grippgoat

iTrader: (8)

Those pit chairs are swanky!

-Mike