It looks like I'm headed to Bristol and need some advice on camping. I've
been to the last two August races but have always stayed in NC. Now that I
have an RV, I'd just as soon stay closer to the track. I have no
reservations. I know many of the places are first come, first served. We
plan to arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday. What are the chances I can find a
decent spot and where should I look? Should I try to make reservations this
late? I have seen many of the campgrounds around the south side of the
track during my previous visits and they look cozy, to say the least. We
are not looking for the party zone, but we also don't want the senior
citizens corner either. Any advice is appreciated.

Just go to the Bristol Motor Speedway website, click on the camping/RV links
and start going to all the websites. You can find a place that still has
openings that you can reserve. I've never taken an RV to Bristol (just
tents) so I can't tell you which is best or cheapest for getting all the
hookups you may want or need.

-jason

"Madarilla" <madarilla (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

"Madarilla" <madarilla (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:
haul for leveling your camper, you may not be on level ground at this late
date. Also, a generator is a must imo.

http://bristolcampground.com/

--
http://NewsReader.Com/

x-no-archive: yes

Steveo wrote:
my experience with Gaines in April was that a reservation doesn't
reserve you a specific spot, and if you arrive after the first day the
campground opens, you are going to be on the side of a hill. no
choice.

also, if it rains, like it did in April, Gaines is awful. because
there is plentiful roadside parking and a shuttle bus to take you over
the "mountain" our plans for the August race were to stay at a
campground out by the river and drive in and park. we had full hookups
and it was cheaper than no-hookup, unlevel, muddy Gaines--I found it on
the camping page on the Bristol track's homepage.

Katharine


Katharine

"Madarilla" <madarilla (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

Not sure what RV prices are, but tent camping was $100 for the week, you
could come as early as Mon or Tues and stay thru Sunday morning for that
price. They had showers onsite, one ticket per person camping, per day,
which meant one shower per day. Had to get there pretty early to get hot
water though. *g* Some food vendors set up as well. Not sure if power was
available for any of the RV's or not.

This was in 2000 or 2001, so the pricing etc, may have changed, but I
thought it was a great deal myself. Oh, there are buses to take you to and
from the track, although walking isn't all that far(walked back both nights)
and a bus to take you downtown on Thurs. evening for the big shindig down
there too.

I think they have a website, give it a look.

<malonekath (AT) aol (DOT) com> wrote

Make sure you understand *which day* the campground you choose "Opens"...nearly
all have staging line-up areas where 'first-come/first-served' rigs begin lining
up. *MANY* folks show up as early as TWO Wednesdays before Race Night (that would
be August 17th this year) and 'dry-camp' in the staging areas before the Land Rush
begins on opening day!! Those folks turn one Race Weekend into a two week
vacation...it's usually nice weather here for the Night Race...mid-eighties for
highs and low to mid-sixties for lows with typical afternoon showers possible.
We're just about to end a hot spell...3 days in a row over 90F...which compares
pretty favorably to the 110's the South West has been seeing.

BTW...low octane unleaded has been running about $2.20/gal...it may climb later
this month.
HINT: Food City stores that have gas stations are very often one or two cents
under all others...'Support Yer Race Sponsor'...LOL!!
--
Tom in Bristol




http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

malonekath (AT) aol (DOT) com wrote:
Archive yes
want to reserve. duh
track is not on level ground, nor is most of the surrounding area, if you
hadn't noticed.
--
http://NewsReader.Com/

x-no-archhive: yes
Steveo wrote:
our experience was quite the opposite. they were very disorganized and
even with a reservation--and I was with folks who had been using them
for a while--we didn't get the desired spot. IMO, it's a YMMV
situation at best.

well, yes I noticed. why the attitude? I was merely reporting back on
my experience. in no way had I declared it was everyone's experience.

as I wrote, it was out by the river; I never said it was "close"--as in
walking distance. our plans changed and so I canceled the reservation
so I can't remember where it was, but it was one of the links off that
page. a very nice place, $25/night for the race weekend (W/S/E).
there are some places listed on the speedway homepage that are outside
of the main drag where you can camp with hookups for less than dry
camping right near the track. it's a tradeoff: being further out with
more amenities and less cost v. being right at the track.

to the OP: FWIW, next year we will probably camp at the lot just below
the dragstrip. it's too late to get reservations there now, and it's
expensive, but it's level, tarmac v. mud, and level.

Katharine

I told him to take whatever he can haul for leveling his camper.

--
http://NewsReader.Com/