Yesterday I attended the Busch Series race at New Hampshire International Speedway. It was hot, but the racing was great. The heat in the air didn’t compare to how hot it was getting out of the parking lot after the race.
I was parked in the main parking lot behind the speedway. The lot holds a major portion of the cars entering NHIS on a cup weekend. The problem is leaving. There is only one entrance – exit from this lot to the access road that circles the rear portion of the track property. Possibly twenty rows of cars must all exit to this one opening, unless someone opens another gate to allow more exiting.
Most of the other lots are either taken by campers or are a much longer distance away from the entrance gate. On Fridays and Saturdays they fill this lot or the one at the very entrance to the speedway. A lot of walking is required at this track to get to the stands. Two main entrances on the front part of the property must be walked to from outer parking lots, operated by the track. Lots in front of the speedway are private and cost $10 to $40 dollars on Friday or Saturdays. I don’t know the fees for Sunday.
Needless to say it took me about 1-1/2 to 2 hours to leave the lot to the access road to get to NH Route 106 for the 8 mile ride to NH Route 93, a major highway in New Hampshire. I’m not complaining about the ride on Route 106 or 93, just the parking.
The thing that is really interesting here is when I pulled in at 10am I was directed in by 10-20 track employees to specific areas of parking. When I left, there were no track employees helping the exiting of cars.
The next time I go back to NHIS I’ll either park in the lower parking area at the entrance or one of the private lots at $10 to $40 fee. I’m a NASCAR fan from New England so I will return.
