Any word on the gate and take?

[shorebird]

I'm wondering if attendance was up this year? Anyone have the stats?
It seemed to me that the vendors were having a great year and the pits seemed busy. In spite of the slow show the racing was great, especially the F1 final and the gold unlimited final. In other words, it appeared to me as if RARA pulled it off, had a good year so we can look forward to Reno 2014??

Dennis

[Leo]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

In the RGJ article right after the races (Mon. or Tues., brain was still a little scrambled) Houghton said attendance was up and it was a great year. No numbers though.
He also lamented the lack of military there and promised more warbird, etc. acts to replace them if it continues.

[Race5]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

In the RGJ article right after the races (Mon. or Tues., brain was still a little scrambled) Houghton said attendance was up and it was a great year. No numbers though.
He also lamented the lack of military there and promised more warbird, etc. acts to replace them if it continues.

I'm sure it depends on which set of books you look at.....

[Air Boss]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

I'm sure it depends on which set of books you look at.....

And your point being...?

[Sparrow]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

People only three deep on the k-rails during the gold race and being able to watch folks travel basically at speed on golf carts anytime during the day up & down the road between the pits and the hangars.

[Leo]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

And we poor fans dodging said carts...

I know any time I got NEAR a K-rail during the week a ramp security cart would come flying up to remind us that we could not sit on it. Not sitting, leaning, facing the ramp. Sitting would have required either facing the wrong way or dangling my feet on the wrong side! They were also VERY strong about chairs this year. Same reaction as sitting on the rail, even wheelchairs. I get it, insurance, fire marshall, etc., and I don't use a chair anyway, preferring to walk and stand.
Maybe that had something to do with the lack of traffic? Dunno.

[flyingjibus]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

I can tell you that I set a record for number of beers brought into the stands. 100+.

[gordonronco]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

I've worked enough car shows to know that the event staff will ALWAYS say "the numbers are up from last year" (and even lie about attendance). Don't believe **** until you see actual sales. I would even hesitate to believe "turnstile count" (i.e. pit gate guys taking count) because I went through that gate about 3-4 times a day.

[Leo]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

Wow.
So many negative waves...

[gordonronco]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

And we poor fans dodging said carts...

I know any time I got NEAR a K-rail during the week a ramp security cart would come flying up to remind us that we could not sit on it. Not sitting, leaning, facing the ramp. Sitting would have required either facing the wrong way or dangling my feet on the wrong side! They were also VERY strong about chairs this year. Same reaction as sitting on the rail, even wheelchairs. I get it, insurance, fire marshall, etc., and I don't use a chair anyway, preferring to walk and stand.
Maybe that had something to do with the lack of traffic? Dunno.

interesting you say that about the chairs, because from what we were able to tell, they didnt give a crap down on the T-6/emptier side of the ramp. even on sunday afternoon there were people chilling near the unoccupied pits and the k-rails. the area in front of Voodoo and the Bear was PACKED, so that was understandable why they were policing down there.

[Leo]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

Yep it was spotty, and mostly down by the Bear and Voodoo areas. They periodically ran a cart through the aisle behind the k-rail also. Other areas they seemed to ignore.

I thought it ironic that with all the ramp security, the "handling" of the media guys and all of the traffic control on the ramp that they still had an oopsie with the Hellcat.

Heck I just loved being there again, the little annoyances are always there and different every year. Gives it variety.

[Idaho_cowpony]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

Attendance was up from last year, no doubt. Spent 8 days in the pits. And it go's without saying, that this is a really BIG plus for RARA, and the the future of this great event.

- Joseph

[supercub]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

It certainly appeared to big a bigger crowd then last year. The didn't put up the bleacher seats in front of the tower like years past. I heard it was due to lack of attendance last year, and they didn't want a bunch of empty seats. With the way things looked this year, they'll need to put them back up for next year.
Brian

[Airrace7]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

It certainly appeared to big a bigger crowd then last year. The didn't put up the bleacher seats in front of the tower like years past. I heard it was due to lack of attendance last year, and they didn't want a bunch of empty seats. With the way things looked this year, they'll need to put them back up for next year.
Brian

The bleacher seats were not put up because of the new construction to the terminal.

[Sky Critter]

Re: Any word on the gate and take?

I sure hope you guys are right but, from my perspective, attendance was maybe on par with last year or even lower. The reserved grandstand section we were in and the one adjacent to us was at about 50% capacity on Saturday and 70% on Sunday. Past years, we've purchased extra seats just to have a little extra room. Our hotel was not busy at the desk, restaurants or crap tables all week and traffic out of Stead and on 395 was light.