For the first time in what seems like three days, the clouds over Bristol Motor Speedway parted Sunday and blue skies shone through. But it’s still dang cold. Cold enough to see your breath, and to keep the team executives us media types like to hunt on Sunday mornings squirreled away in the warmth of their trailers.
It’s been an interesting weekend. The Tri-Cities are not what you would call a major tourist destination, so the lodging facilities aren’t exactly worth celebrating. For years, the media at Bristol has stayed at a little motel in nearby Johnson City that’s seen better days. So when the opportunity came to switch to a new one, most of us jumped at it, sight unseen.
Mistake. The new place is a little brick motel wedged next to a trailer park in a sketcky part of town. It’s the kind of place where you wedge a chair next to the door at night. No wonder the majority of people who come to this race decide to camp.
But why aren’t there any better hotels here? Why does everyone who comes to Bristol have to pay $220 a night to stay in a rat trap? Florence, where most folks stay for Darlington races, is a cosmopolitain metropolis by comparison. We’re not asking for much—just a Residence Inn, maybe a Courtyard, something besides the rundown mom-and-pop joints that we have to choose from now. You’d think the powers that be in Johnson City would rather people stay there than camp. Well, they’re not if the hotels are of the quality they are now.
At least the weather has improved. Most interesting sight in the garage this morning: driver J.J. Yeley, walking with a noticeable stoop after somehow wrenching his back, and not in the racecar. Just what you need before 500 laps at Bristol. And being on the top 35 dividing line. Looks like tons of fun.
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2.0.5.1/461 Mon Aug 25 20:51:19 UTC 2008
4 Comments
moparman62
Mar 17 2008 22:33
camping is not all that either
we were in Earhart campground and I have never seen a more mis-managed operation. Idiots up all night screaming drunk, as soon as the rain came everyone was stuck in mud with ONE tractor to pull them out. Bruton needs to take a look at this, the weekend was still great but the camping was in the bottom 5 of the many NASCAR races I have attended.
annticki
Mar 16 2008 16:28
Good to see some things never change
Many of the venues had rat-trap flea bag motels in the old days and glad to hear they haven’t improved. I’m sure the transition to the motor coaches for the drivers came in part due to that problem.
Raven73
Mar 16 2008 13:24
Dave...
Startling fact of reality…
Your observations are just the tip of the iceberg. Have you talked to any “locals” to see what their views on putting a big chain motel there? Personally, I don’t think the local economy would be able to support it all year round.
I tend to get very comfortable in my little world, forgetting the people in and near Bristol live that way everyday. It’s a rude awakening when you guys get to see how a good part of Americans struggle to earn a living. Could they do better with the poor conditions of the lodging? Maybe so. They get 2 chances a year for the big dogs to come in and spend money there. The quality of the hotels may be a reflection of a lot more than we know considering we haven’t spoken to them.
Maybe in the NASCAR off season, you guys could make a trip over to Bristol and see what it’s like.
I’m not digging on you. Just trying to express as nicely as I know how there may be more to the story.
~Rheda
RDOF_Posse
Mar 16 2008 13:18
Thanks
Love the on scene updates and your caveats shall be remembered. It’s always a feat to find decent lodging at a fair price during race weekends at many venues, we’ve stayed in so many dumps to be close to the raceways that it has become tiresome. Sometimes even when you go with the name brands you know you’re quickly disappointed by a particular innkeeper. These people have you by the short hairs and they know it.