Significant other at track

What do you guys do to help entertain significant others and or kids on a track weekend?

go to track days attended by patrick dempsey

Lawn darts.

(But I do let them use my snell out of date helmets)

You are tempting fate!

It may be old hat to others, but I heard this for the first time a couple of weekends ago--

"What's a weekend at the track run?"

""About $600, a set of tires, and an argument with your spouse."

She races with us, that makes it much easier.

I'm single and my daughter is at her mother's on the weekends. Makes it easy.

First question is; Is the significant other asking to come and is she interested in cars? My experience is that unless the person you bring has a desire to watch cars go round and round or likes sitting in a parking lot sunbathing, she probably won't have fun. As for kids they will get pretty bored unless they are old enough to drive. Some tracks do have some areas that kids can run around a little but most do not. Best bet is have them come for a visit when you are at a nearby track and then they can leave once they have had enough. When you are at the track you typically don't have a whole lot of time to be entertaining, if they are coming to help (and really want to help) then it might be fun. Other wise probably won't be much fun for anyone.

The first couple of events, I had to drag her. Next thing I knew, she was on the regional SCCA board. A year or two later she was elected the SCR-SCCA Regional Executive and dragging me to events. I just helped her put on the region's annual club race.

All I can say is be careful what you wish for.

My step-mom went from keeping lap charts for my dad and I, to racing (and maintaining) her own vintage Formula Vee.

My kids built fires, rode bikes, played video games in the trailer, captured feral cats, and generally ran amok. They loved it. My wife never came, not even once in 20 years. I'm pretty sure that was a blessing that allowed me to enjoy it for two decades. YMMV.

Ovid_and_Flem wrote: Lawn darts.

I can tell you don't live in California. I've never seen a track with a lawn. :)

I've mostly stopped bringing my wife and the kids to the track. I did get to take them for a parade lap around Laguna Seca once, but people whined about their photos being ruined with a minivan in the shot, so they don't allow that any more. :)

codrus wrote:

Ovid_and_Flem wrote: Lawn darts.

I can tell you don't live in California. I've never seen a track with a lawn. :) I've mostly stopped bringing my wife and the kids to the track. I did get to take them for a parade lap around Laguna Seca once, but people whined about their photos being ruined with a minivan in the shot, so they don't allow that any more. :)

I am not sure I would want to be around people that complained about that. Sounds like they are a bunch of shiny happy people. I would find another club to run with.

Find her some like minded friends at the track and introduce them, then you would be helping yourself and some other guy with his significant other, and he will buy you a beer

dean1484 wrote: I am not sure I would want to be around people that complained about that. Sounds like they are a bunch of shiny happy people. I would find another club to run with.

This was the annual Miatas @ MRLS event. It's a big event, I go primarily for the track time (Laguna's the closest track to my house), but it's a big event with a lot of other Miata stuff going on so it also attracts a lot of the drive-somewhere-at-35-mph-and-have-lunch Miata crowd. They aren't doing the track day so the parade laps are a big deal to them, especially the chance to get a photo of them in their car on the "world famous Corkscrew". I understand, but it's frustrating that I can't give the kids a chance to see it any more (my Miata has race seats, so there's no way to safely strap anyone who isn't mostly adult-sized into it).

My wife loves the ride alongs and is extremely supportive.
I think I'm doing pretty ok with her so far.

My family is extremely supportive of my racing...hell the truck in my avi has been sitting in the basement for 2 years completely untouched. My wife thinks it's great that I do it, and she's a big race fan herself. All 3 of my kids think it's really cool, and the boys want to drive in LeMons just like I do.

The only track we currently run on that's within driving distance for me is CMP, and it's in the middle of bumbleberkeley South Carolina, with no cell phone reception. The race is right in the middle of football season, so they probably couldn't come for the entire weekend anyway, but I'd be worried that my daughter would get bored to tears after a while. So they haven't come to a race recently. LeMons is running at Road Atlanta this year. Don't know that my truck will be ready to race, so I may have to find a ride. Either way, I'll have the family come, but they won't stay the entire time. My daughter will just bring her phone and that will keep her busy. Which is good, because I very much want them there, but don't want to feel like I have to keep them entertained.

My wife will usually ride along for a session or two and then take pictures during my other sessions. Saves money not having to pay for the professional picture package.

markwemple wrote: What do you guys do to help entertain significant others and or kids on a track weekend?

She drove, too. IMHO, that's the easy button.

No kids to worry about.

My friends with kids- I knew her as a driver well before that happened.

Stays at home. No interest in cars but doesn't complain about the car expenditures. I have an annual budget at stick to it!

I've invited her for courtesy's sake, but there is no way she would go. It would be like her inviting me to go to one of her spinning classes.

Honestly my wife just brings a book and sunbathes, now that we have a child not sure what to do.

DW used to stop by the autocrosses I ran in, if they were local, stay for a bit, and then head elsewhere. I made her know she was always welcome but never expected to come, and that I would have limited time available to chat.

Since I've become autocross chair for our local club, she has really pitched in to help run registration and T+S. She helps handle equipment, is a trooper at check-in, holds down the fort under the tent when I'm putting out fires or driving, and generally makes the program run better.

Still has no interest in driving. I'm very lucky, but not that lucky. I wouldn't ask any more of her, though.

In the Atlanta there is a HUGE Mall 30 min.south Of Road Atl.and a Six Flags 1 Hr. away, turn this thread around and Find stuff for them, Wife-Kids to do, but Double the Budget.

Leave them home. She and the boy can do whatever they feel like on race days. It would be a much more miserable experience for all involved if I brought them along.

alfadriver wrote: She drove, too. IMHO, that's the easy button.

This. We just do HPDE, no wheel to wheel, and my wife is still very much a novice, but she's having a blast. It helps that her DD is somewhat track worthy. NC Miata in our case...

His'n'hers karts?