Race of Champions Daytona Speedway thread

[tsorfas]

I may as well get this started since I will need a lot of help and advice with this.
My plan this year is to make it to Daytona in October.
I will use This thread as a point of discussion and documenting the entire experience. It might help someone else in the future as well.

The dates: October 16-20th
The place: Daytona Internstional Speedway
The plan: race CCS and ASRA as an AM in all the classes I am allowed to.
The Bike: 2000 Suzuki SV650

I am still in the research of everything so any pointers would be great.
I have to choose between 3 options to travel.

1) bike gets transported with a company: estimate cost:$500 round trip. Airfare based on my most recent research $300-500. Hotel for 5 nights: $750. This method allows me to rest during my travel and requires
The least time off from work. It also is the only option if I go by myself.

2) drive! Bike gets transported via company: $500. I drive down there in my Mazda 3 that gets 40mpg highway. Roughly 2500 miles round trip = 62.5 gallons. Let's say 65 @ $4/gallon that's $260. Not bad. Especially if a friend or two come along and help with gas. Hotel same thing: $750.

3) Rent an RV and drive down. This came in mind in case 4 of us go down. I like this idea because it can turn out to be like a vacation too. But I'm having a huge problem. I cannot find a place that rents RVs for unlimited miles. At $29/100miles I'm looking at $750 just for miles. Plus about $1000 to rent the RV for 7 days. Plus gas at about $550-600. I save the cost of the hotel and make an experience out of it but it seems extremely expensive and I would have to depend on commitments that others are coming...
Here is where I need some NESR help. Does anyone know of a place that rents RVs for fair money and has either unlimited miles or a good high miles package? Or does anyone here have an RV that would be willing to rent to me for the trip?


More will be posted with time. For those who want to discourage the trip or the effort and have anything to say please don't post. I am trying to keep this thread as clean and informative as possible. I am looking to hear from people who have been there (Gino, John, etc) to get pointers about the track or maybe suggest a hotel whatever anything that can help. I know nothing about the track besides that it's high speed. So I have no clue what gearing I will use what else I will have to change on the bike etc. I know nothing about the area. The hotel pricing I got was mostly from expedia. Not sure how close/far those are to the track or if there are better deals.

I hope most of you can share the trip/the stress and hopefully some winning with me via this thread.

Thank you,
Sav

[Kurlon]

One thing to consider with an RV, I don't think you can camp in the infield at Daytona like we do at NHMS.

[csmutty]

Rvs are allowed in the infield at Daytona. They opened up camping the year I went. 2012?

[Kurlon]

Cool, that opens up some options!

[tropicoz]

I'm considering doin the ROC also. If I go, I'll be driving and trailering the bike so I may have a spot or two available, so that opens another option. Ill keep n eye on this thread.

[tsorfas]

Awesome!! Keep me posted with your plans. We might be able to share a lot costs.

[daviid]

not to piss in your cheerios, especially since i think daytona is a must do track.

if your racing an SV, I hope you have some power in it. The Florida CCS guys all run built to the limits BMWs & Bimotas I believe. And you will get walked away on. Even my 85 hp SV was walked away from. The last couple times I went all the LW classes were won by Florida CCS guys.

With that said, The majority of the competition will be towards the middle to the back. Enjoy the race with those guys. Have fun and consider winning beating the guy you just raced against the entire time.

The only class that I can recall that was "competitive" on an SV was ULWSB.

Other than that. Good luck, have fun. It's definitely going to be a great trip.

[BrianC]

I'm also planning on going and I think Jim is too...

[Trouble]

Let's talk at the next race weekend. I'd be glad to share my experiences but it's a lot to type on a phone.

[ThunderCycle]

If you are having a trackside chat about Daytona, can I listen in? It's one of those bucket-list things I've always considered. Maybe Saturday night during the Classic a few seasoned ROC guys could hold court. War stories and tips. I'd be interested.

[tsorfas]

I'm also planning on going and I think Jim is too...

Jim will most likely go again. I hope you make it too Brian. It'd be great to have people We know there

- - - Updated - - -

Let's talk at the next race weekend. I'd be glad to share my experiences but it's a lot to type on a phone.

Yes absolutely! I'll be up at the track Tuesday night.

- - - Updated - - -

If you are having a trackside chat about Daytona, can I listen in? It's one of those bucket-list things I've always considered. Maybe Saturday night during the Classic a few seasoned ROC guys could hold court. War stories and tips. I'd be interested.

Lol of course man.

[MaRce1o]

I would love to do daytona, but its a week off from work and a shit ton of money

[Jim]

Sav is already talking about another non-LRRS event that he'll back out of again?

[Jim]

It's during bike week so all hotels will be booked and expensive nearby. I got a hotel from Priceline on the drive there. We got one that was like 30 minutes from the track

[tropicoz]

FWIW, I have friends down in Miami so whoever goes might want to consider extending their stay by 1 or 2 more night to take in the sights and activities around South Beach. I'm fairly sure I can get us a bang up deal at the Fontainebleu.

[tsorfas]

It's during bike week so all hotels will be booked and expensive nearby. I got a hotel from Priceline on the drive there. We got one that was like 30 minutes from the track

That's I'm looking now Jim so I can plan it all. And I'm going if I'm healthy and have money.

[Jim]

CCS is the championships.

ASRA is just their final round of the season . So unless you're wanting to do ASRA for prize money, don't bother. They will award trophies to the top 3 if that race, but only the national champion trophy to overall points leader for the season.

[tsorfas]

What you mean don't bother. It's races in Daytona. Plus I'm doing asra at NHMS. Ya I won't win a championship but ill race Daytona against very good racers.

[Jim]

I assumed you thought it was the ASRA championships as well. The ASRA races are typically 2 more laps than the CCS sprints too.

[loudbeard]

Why not fly down and rent an RV locally? Jet Blue does nonstop Logan-J'ville for pretty cheap. RV dealers are dime/dozen in FL.

[tsorfas]

Why not fly down and rent an RV locally? Jet Blue does nonstop Logan-J'ville for pretty cheap. RV dealers are dime/dozen in FL.

That's an option. But flying down adds up. Renting an RV and splitting it 4+ ways is good. Now adding 4 airfare tickets on that and it's costly.

[tropicoz]

Carpooling with others people is the way to go. We did a trip to Barber last fall pulling a 24' trailer and after we split the costs of travel, we ended up spending only $300 per person for gas. Just add your hotel and food to that and you can do the trip for a lot less than you might think. Problem is finding 3 other people and a truck/trailer.

[nt650hawk]

Crap..... do I have to go down again to visit my patents? ????

[tsorfas]

Crap..... do I have to go down again to visit my patents? ????

Yes please. It would be huge to have you there.

[aprilb]

Do you have Triple AAA? They are usually great about being able to direct you in the right direction for different types of rentals and may have some solid guidance for RV's. I was in Mexico in March and there were issues with one of my flight segments heading back home. I was able to email my mom, who went into the Triple AAA and they got it straightened out and had a rental car waiting for without me even being there. Might be worth a shot for you to call / go into a local branch