School me on Norwalk
So my dad and I finally pulled the trigger to go to this for the first time. I have the comfort inn booked which looks about 10 minutes from summit motorsports park. We're dragging an enclosed trailer to pick up a bunch of repro sheet metal that we bought from Ames. I've been to a lot of swap meets before but is there anything that we need to be sure to pencil in our schedule while we're there? Really just looking for general advice on how to attend. Friday and Saturday will be our big days and planning to head back to Texas on Sunday. I assume it is best to do the swap meet in the mornings and the races in the afternoon?
Also we are pretty good with walking but should we reserve a golf cart? I saw that was a thing. |
It will probably be the largest swap meets you have ever attended. Great show car field, and great drag racing. Swap meet area starts at roughly the 1/8 mile marker and goes to the end of the stopping area, 4 to 7 rows deep for that entire distance. Show car area is double that area. You will see a little bit of everything.
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You will love it!!!
Don't overthink or over stress! Plenty of parking & you can easily walk back & forth between the show, swap meet & races! Unless you are elderly or morbidly obese, you do not need a cart! A great day of walking maybe a couple of miles (if that) total! I walk it multiple times over the weekend seeing friends, customers & vendors from all over the country in my boots! This is my home track (live 13 miles away) & everybody has a great time!!!! If you see me....say hey! God Bless Bill https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...closed.614419/ |
get a cart!Tom
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Yes get a cart but probably not at this late date. Dornans golf carts. Bring a bicycle. There is a lot to "see". Ice cream usually has a long line. It is good. If you want a event shirt get by Friday am to make sure of size. The shirts are on the pit side behind grandstands near bathrooms.
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I personally hate the golf carts. Unless there is a reason you can’t walk that far then I understand it. They just get in the way and people leave them parked all over the place.
The best part of this swap meet is that everything is for our cars. Usually one out of every 20 spaces will have something that fits a Pontiac. In this case you want it all. There will be some rare stuff for sale that only seems to make it to this swap meet. As stated you will see some of everything. Lots of high end builds, historic race cars and then a bunch of great drivers. I wish I was driving back from TX. I usually fly up so it limits what I can buy. |
Bring a hat that keeps your head cooler in direct Sun. And a wad of cash.
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Get a cart and go up and down the pit area as well as the swap area. The racers bring stuff to sell and place items on their trailers and/or on tables in their pit area and sometimes you will find some rare items there. If it is something heavy it can be a pita carrying it back to the other side.
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That property is approximately 200 acres, and yes you can walk it as I did the first 5 years or so I attended. If you want to spend all your time walking, that's fine, but I usually attended 2-3 days previously, and this year as well as last year I probably will only attend 1 day, so if you have limited time, you don't want to be on foot, lots of people ride bicycles too.
This has been my wife and my mode of transportation at Norwalk for the last 12 years, or so: https://i.ibb.co/cXM8gQW/go-cart.png At this late date the carts may already be sold out, they usually are. They will let you bring your own cart through the gate if you already own one, but you're probably not going to have room to bring one from Texas, and return with it after picking up your purchases.....:noidea: |
Be at the ice-cream when it opens!Beg borrow or steal a cart!I would NEVER go there again without a cart!Did it ONCE,ONCE!Tom
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I agree with NOT needing a cart.
The swap area is large but well laid out. Not the biggest I've attended but yes largest ALL Pontiac hands down. As mentioned cart rentals are likely sold out and if you bring your own there is a fee. It's a lot of walking but good for the soul ;) |
Weve gone everyear except first. Walked alot from side to side even with Ames 10 passenger golf carts helping.its bigger seems every year. Our ages 74, arthritis has caught up to us. So we rent carts.
Ames has regular running 10 passenger golf carts- buses-to run you around. They have regular stops. It's nice. However if you are a racer and you are called up to race,and you are on show side looking around, its hectic to not have a personal cart. Ames has 'warm up' carts in am,with coffee and I think hot tea with donuts. After noon they have cool down carts cold water,tea I think and cookies. Ames has always been very very generous. Talked to Steve many times about his contributions,being thankful. I've tried removing scholling face couldnt should be happy face. |
First time for me last year. Did not have a cart first day and was bummed. To go all through the racer side and then around to swap meet is no small walk. Lugging purchases requires a golf cart. Day 2 I put a was of money in front of Doran’s and they let me use a test model they were selling. Saved me. Was able to buy two convo pros in race area and drag radials in swap area. Carted all to my truck in parking lot. Was perfect. U don’t want to waste time walking. And it can be hot.
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Also did Linders lot ever open up at noon on Thursday ? |
I read somewhere that if you were a spectator and bring your golf cart and it’s 100 bucks.
If I read it right that doesn’t apply to racersWho have their own golf cart It was on the Pontiac national page somewhere On another note my credit card got charged today for my golf cart I rented |
Here is the new charge for spectators bringing their own carts:
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I found this last night on the website, and I'm having second thoughts about just staying home.........:mad: |
Damn, $100 to bring your own cart?
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My wife, and I forego the motel rates, and planned to attend only Saturday, one day. We can be there in 3 hours from our house, then pay $20 each to get in, so $40 and gasoline. Add another $100 on, and it's just too damn high for one day of using my own cart. One day you need a cart just to see everything. I doubt we would be there even 8 hours. I have a call into SD Promotions to see if there will be a breakdown if you're only going to buy a one day pass, waiting on call back now. |
If you paid to exhibit a car, your hike from swap meet to stash point is sort of manageable. You can get over to the parking fields fairly direct too. A pull cart, flea market style fold would be good. I use the Ames shuttles for big stuff.
You will run out of time. I ALWAYS run out of time. If you allow 1 day, less road time to get there, yiu will be sorry. As I got so deep into this event, the race side really peaked my interest as a car builder. Invaluable knowledge and great people willing to talk (when they aren't in the heat of a race time). Take pictures, tons and tons. Your brain will be melted down, this is huge sensory overload. It's like a candy store, like that amazing one in downtown Omaha. Sucks you in with so much to see. There is no equal to Tri Power Nats. 1) Swap meet 6 to 8 hrs, but break away for big heats and super stock heads up against the competitor brands like Mopar, Chevy, Ford. They race only factory components of that period. Internals can be upgraded, but not the period features. Very cool. 2) show field clears out by 6 to 7 PM as folks return to hotels. Saturday has the best collection. 3) see Arnie Beswick. Learn his great legend story. 4) ice cream. It's in your gate pass. It's so much ice cream, and good. 5) many new parts vendors with great info. I always buy up stuff I didn't intend to shop. 6) blow money, you don't get 2 chances. It's totally worth it. |
I pack a huge cocktail in my Yetti, also I bring a news paper boy paper holder for my finds.
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