Can someone tell me how many spectators are at Bonneville on one given day? Is there a way to confirm the number?
Just guessing here... There's probably very few spectators... Most folks there are part of someone's crew. I think maybe only one in ten is an actual "spectator" with no connection to a particular race car.
I don't know the number. There are quite a few spectators parked along the way especially during the weekend. I doubt they keep track of how many day passes are sold at Lands End. But maybe. You could ask on the Land Racing web site. Just curious, Why do you want to know?
We have been there several times just as spectators, I would say that speed week is the greatest carshow on the planet!, You know watching the cars go is o.k. but really they just disapear over the horizon, but walking around the pits and talking with all the racers and crew is just amazing. I have yet to meet an asshole there.
I have another post in the works as soon as my camera battery recharges, and thought 10,000 spectators at Muroc before WWII sounded like a lot of people. Even if there were four per car that's 2,500 cars kicking up dust. Bob
I would like to be one of them one of these years. It is my dream to get there before too much longer.
And don't forget the posers who spend the spend the week running around with their primered Model A's with numbers painted on the doors and a totally wrong class designation painted on it. One of the great things about Bonneville Speedweek is that guys get the chance to hit it on different days and while opening weekend is the time to be there if you want to see tons of cool rods cruising around the next part of the week usually has less of a rolling car show and the spectators seem to change a bit every day. The family of non car people who stop by for a few hours, the circle track freaks who can't understand why having a stop in the action isn't a real big issue, the truck driver who Told to leave his truck at the truck stop and gave a ride out to the pits and then later gave him a ride back to his truck. Guys who have to work on the weekend but can make it for Tuesday and Wednesday before hitting the road back to Salt Lake with hope that the Car rental won't ding them extra money for the salt that got on the car. They could probably figure out the total passes/ tickets sold but it would be hard to figure total attendance.
I think the spectator at Bonneville is there for the love of the event and what it symbolizes, not for a party, ego stroke,freak show etc. I know I didn't drive all the way from Mississippi to be around a bunch of idiots seeing just how trashy they could act as in, say, the infield at a NASCAR event. It was more of a pilgrimage and I sensed that others had the same outlook. I believe the majority can actually picture themselves as future participants, thus effectively redefining the role of spectator there. As I was driving back home, I had a striking recolllection-I did not see any law enforcement (other than the occasional BLM ranger)officers nor the need for any. I think that speaks volumes about the "spectaors."
YES!!! That was my experience in 2010, my first trip to the salt(thanks BenD) By the second day I found myself patching the busted fiberglass front end on Gary Hart's AA/Blown Gas 240+ mph Record Holder Studebaker That's an experience I'll never EVER forget. Bonneville is the only event I've ever attended where I felt like I was an equal with everybody there--driver, builder, sponsor, or spectator---just one big family with the need for speed
Lets see on the weekend three miles of people 4 deep humm lots of people, during the week not so many but still plenty..............worth the pilgramage.................. well maybe not 4 deep but plenty to be sure
I was there in 2010 and heard the organizers complaining over running out of the entrance badges, they'd printed 10000 acc to them talking. Love the race.
I commented to Carl^^^^^^^^^^^Saturday Am last year as we drug Tims Unibody past the crowd to the starting line about the numbers. I figured theres was 2500 or so in that stretch of the course. Other end of the pits had a few hundred tops.
Like Bert Munro, The minute you arrive you are aware you're on "Hallowed Ground" There's no place like it I've ever been.
Its the greatest car show on earth, if you havent been put it on your bucket list. Been going since 1984. Its easier to get rooms for one of the other events then Speed Week. World Finals is iffy weather wise
My brother and I went to Speedweek for the first time in 07, went back in 10, he went 264. We brought about 15 people with us that time. Oh yeah it's addictive!
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