Your First Year???

[CarolinaMoon]

1975 and haven't missed a year since. Rode up from Laud with friend/his girlfriend, I was in what passed for backseat under rollbar of '69? Shelby. He angle parked along fence across from start/finish line. We slept in sleeping bags on concrete in front of car. (never used to rain back then!) I was hooked. Next year brought my mom and sister. There we were, 3 women and a tent. We had a blast. Arrived as a blonde, went home as a brunette.  I, too remember that black dirt! AND the motorbikes. You KNEW a drunk was on them, never knew if bike headed for your tent. Girls bathrooms were pretty nasty but heard men's were way worse. Loved going in the bathroom and finding occasional girl with her hairdryer!    Remember that first hot shower when you got home?!
Ended up camping every year, same spot, surrounded by same groups of guys and their tents. Mom, sister moved away. For several years we used Sebring as family reunion. I remember the roar of those old Greenwood vettes. Got to know the guys including the "patriarch" of the group, last year's co-fan of the year: Pidge.
Now I'm married, dragged my husband up in 1991. He is UNC basketball fanatic and unfortunately Sebring and March Madness occur at the same time! Also he was in the Army, not fond of camping...however once there, he was hooked. Has a "slight" fondness for Bud! lol  He suggested the UHaul to replace tent. Since rain has decided to show up occasionally, UHaul works great. Had a son in January 1996...Had baby in papoose thing covered from sun. Looked weird but HEY...it was Sebring...NO ONE NOTICED.  Son, now 11 loves it and says, "I've been going to Sebring alll my life". This will be his 12th. Has sat in racecar and taken helicopter tour.

[termietermite]

2007.  What the fl*ck was that?  Sunny Florida, my *ss!  Thanks to all the Turn 10 guys for their hospitality and shelter - just don't know what we would have done without you lot.  It will be tough going back to dodging all that European catch fencing - you guys don't know how lucky you are having such great views of the circuit. And what a race it was - the GT2s as ever providing non-stop action.  My voice has only just recovered from yelling at Jorg - hope they produce a repeat performance in June.  Roll on LM..

[SACK-U]

2007.  What the fl*ck was that?  Sunny Florida, my *ss!

I guess we should have warned all the newbies that it rains every other year.

Bring your sun block fro next year

[Bob U]

I posted a couple of weeks ago to ask about night time temperatures. I never thought to ask about tornados  silly me.

Still, WTF, I enjoyed every minute. I'll be back next year.

Thanks to you all for your hospitality, friendliness and help.

[Bob U]

. Has a "slight" fondness for Bud! lol  . 

I noticed that. Good to see he wasn't injured when he stepped off the side of the ramp on Friday night

[Martini]

Got to know the guys including the "patriarch" of the group, last year's co-fan of the year: Pidge.
Now I'm married, dragged my husband up in 1991. He is UNC basketball fanatic and unfortunately Sebring and March Madness occur at the same time! Also he was in the Army, not fond of camping...however once there, he was hooked. Has a "slight" fondness for Bud! lol  He suggested the UHaul to replace tent. Since rain has decided to show up occasionally, UHaul works great. Had a son in January 1996...Had baby in papoose thing covered from sun. Looked weird but HEY...it was Sebring...NO ONE NOTICED.  Son, now 11 loves it and says, "I've been going to Sebring alll my life". This will be his 12th. Has sat in racecar and taken helicopter tour.

Hi
Did not realise it was you until I read the "story", hope you got back ok and all is well. By the way I also saw the excursion of the ramp....sssshhhh


PS My first year was last year, travelling from Guernsey in the Channel Islands.
>Martini...

[nopanic - neil]

Well this was my first time ever to Sebring, what can i say.....

I want my money back -  Rain, Hail and wind - If I wanted my this type of weather I would have stayed in the UK.

But seriously, what a great week, great race, great food, great drink, and fantastic hosts, A big thanks to all at Turn 10. They are the best!   

I know Sebring was an ex bomber site, after Thursdays weather it looked liked it had been well and truely been bombed! - But SpongeBob still stood.

To all at Turn 10 and Sebring other turns - CHEERS 

[rickslick]

About 1958...............Was born in 1954 and my father told me he took me first time when I was about 4yrs old. Missed a few as a kid but since 1969 I have only missed ONE year.

Rick

[MAXX OTTO]

 
  This story may take a bit of reading, but please bare with me. I think you will find it funny as hell. Back in the mid 80s I was stationed in southern Germany, and had the opportunity to attend the 24 hrs of LeMans (I jumped all over it). We were camped just on the infield side  of  the Dunlop bridge, back when it was just woods.  I had settled down in my little pup tent to enjoy my alcohol coma, when all of a sudden a tree fell on top of my tent (thats what I had thought at the time). Then me and my tent were being dragged down hill. By then I was semi conscious and heard a bunch of commotion and laughing. Then it dawned on me, I'm being dragged away by a bear. My tent finally stopped moving and I got up the gumption  to stick my head out. My buddies were laughing their arses off and pointing down the hill.  I couldn't see one inch in front of me, so I thought they were playing a sick practical joke on me.  It turns out it was a French cop chasing some guy and they landed directly on top of me and my little pup tent. after a few punches and billy club swings later the cop got up to continue the chase, but one of the lines on my tent  had wrapped itself around his leg while he continued the chase, thus dragging me down the hill. After chewing my buddies out I crawled back into what was left of my tent and finished my coma. The next morning other campers confirmed this story. I apologized to my friends gracefully and we continued to party. I thought that was the best time I have ever had in my life. Oh how wrong I was.
 That brings me to Sebring.
This past March I talked my Sister  into attending the 55th annual with me. She is a race fan but has never experienced ALMS. So I, in my infinite wisdom,  decided to purchase a tent that that I thought was virtually bullet proof and could not be dragged away by bears. What I didn't check for is the little tag on it to see if it was tornado proof. We set up camp at turn 12 and befriended a boat load of people. I had found out a long time ago, toilet paper is more valuable than gold. So after the first downpour, our neighbors tent was saturated and they offered me 50 bucks for  some toilet paper. I would have none of that!! I told them "You will take two rolls free of charge and I don't want to hear any fuss about it". They were so grateful, the leader Knighted me on the spot and built shrines in my general direction. We ate, we laughed, we cried, we wiped things with thy aforementioned TP. The Cleavers would be envious if they witnessed this.
 Then the big one hit...At that precise moment all the grog and live farm animals I had been consuming, decided to egress from the south exit. Thank God for my physical fortitude. I excused myself and made a beeline for the portolet. On the way I made a quick stop to close the front flap on my bear proof tent to keep the innards from getting wet (as I was getting pelted by bullet like hail).         I got half way to the potty and my plumming said "too late brother".   Talk about a F-in mess. This was not by choice. I made it to the portolet. Ill spare you the details, but I will put it this way. Combine the Wizard of OZ and spelunking. The winds at the airport were clocked at 69mph. (good round number). 45 min later and discarding most of my clothes and pride, Two F15s cleared me for landing. I have never been so glad to see  rain, earth, sky, wind, and my own well being. But above all ...was to be with all who walks through the gates of SEBRING!

PS Im going to the fall classic. Ill let you Know how it turns out.

[Pieter]

That's a great first post! 
Welcome to the forum!

[MAXX OTTO]

Thank you Pieter, that was condensed but 100% true. I'm looking forward for some more. Hope to see you all.
  Gary

[Misplaced Floridian]

Maxx ... Have agree with Pieter, that was a great first post, some great stories.  You can't make stuff like that up!

We set up just down the track from T12 (inside of T10), hope to see you next year!

Cheers,

[MAXX OTTO]

  I'm back from another round.
 
 I want to set everyones mind at ease about the fall classic. For $125 they supplied us with a Months worth of booze, you can't go wrong (It's Sebring for cryin out loud). My buddy and I set up camp Friday At about 5PM, in green park just before the first event. After we got set up we decided to stagger over to the paddock with a small cooler of hydraulic sandwitches. My buddy (We shall call him Fred for now) spotted this guy climbing a ladder system to get on top an elaborate tractor trailer in the paddock. Fred yells out "HOW'S THE VIEW", The Guy yells back "CMON UP AND SEE FOR YOUR SELF". Well gee Opie, should we or shouldn't we, that thought lasted 1 tenth of a second. We couldn't get are carcasses up there fast enough. We looked good doing it though. Mr. Rodriguez was are host for that Friday evenings main event on top of the rig. Man I wish all of you could have seen this view looking down at the back straight at night. At that hight and unobstructed was an ever lasting experience. Richard Rodriguez won that night in a Riley Scott prototype.
 To make a short story long, Fred an I made it back to the camp by the paper clip and were sipping what was left of our aluminium lunch. When all of a sudden! what should appear but three tiny bicycles with a bell that all could hear (I never said I was a poet). They were riding around the track! Well if they can do it so can we. Fred reloaded the cooler (I supervised), We hopped onto the track and proceeded to do a FOD walk. If you are wondering how long it took Me to walk the distance .....  3.7 BEERS.
 This is part one of the story. Stay tuned for part two.

[Misplaced Floridian]

...We hopped onto the track and proceeded to do a FOD walk. If you are wondering how long it took Me to walk the distance .....  3.7 BEERS.

  3.7 miles ... 3.7 beers.  Not bad, but you'll have to do much better for the real race in March!  I'm thinking at least 6.5 beers per lap to qualify, I believe!   

[MAXX OTTO]

 
 Please forgive us, for we are noobtards. This will never happen again. Our main goal in life is to make DFH (Drinking for Holland) proud of us. ( don't ask me why )
 OK heres part two.  I went by the 12hr rule. for every day at Sebring you bring a weeks worth of booze . So Three times seven times two, also adding in the cordials = bottiming out my car. So all non essentials had to go, food, clothing etc.etc. But the bear proof tent stayed. any way day 2 of the classic was great. We spent it for the most part up in club Sebring. The people who volunteered their services were outstanding. The view was gorgeous, the booze was top shelf, I think they had some type of food there. and I believe there were cars going around the track. At the end of that evening I lost every thing, but my virginity.
Day 3. I woke up apologizing to my sneaker.
  Part 3 yet to come.