Dirt track racing and racetracks are usually off the beaten track. The tracks are dirty, dusty, muddy and the cars are so loud that they can echo throughout the valleys they are usually in.
We thought we'd take a unique approach and have done a video of the road leading up to the Roaring Knob Speedway. There was a four wheel drive vehicle in front of us who had no problem. Last year the road was so bumpy and the pot holes so deep, a four wheel drive vehicle would have been the method of choice for driving to the track. This year, however, we were pleasantly surprised that most of the pot holes had been smoothed out and dodging them was left to a minimum. Unfortunately, our battery died just as we entered the parking area so we will have to follow up with another video of that the next time we go to the track. This weekend we will be at Marion Center Dirt Track and we will bring you information on Marion Center in another post at a later date.
Here is your virtual tour of the approach to the Roaring Knob Speedway Dirt Track. Hopefully it will give you a glimpse of what to expect. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
If you've read Part One of What's It Like at the Dirt Track, then this is a continuation of that post. We gave you an overall picture of what it's like outside the entrance to the Roaring Knob Speedway dirt track, and now we are entering the actual oval track racing area where you will see all of the dirt track car racing action!
For Roaring Knob you need to have good knees to walk down the steep slopes to get to the stands. There is a great concrete pathway that will get you there. As you walk down, off to the left, you will see some of the cars and trucks that have paid to park inside the facility. You will also see the actual oval dirt track to your left and probably hear the cars warming up their engines to prepare for the heat races. As you walk down the concrete pathway, you will see kids playing in the grassy areas. Immediately to your left you will see a brown cabin looking structure that houses the concession stand area and the race track announcers. To the left of that are the stands where you will see the race fans.
If you keep walking straight down the hill, you will see the restrooms directly in front of your right side. You will see another wooden structure up on the next hill and more cars and trucks parked in spaces inside the facility. These are still the paid parking areas and they really do have great views. It's so much fun to park and stay with your family and still have all the supplies you need to get through the hours of dirt track racing. It's especially great to have a place to put your kids when they fall asleep because racing can go on through midnight at times.
As you approach the bottom of the hill, you will take the path to the left to get to the stadium seating. You may want to bring a cushion to sit on, or, you can bring your own chairs and sit where ever you see a grassy area. As far as smoking goes, there are designated areas for non-smoking at least, so please check that out before you sit down.
Roaring Knob added a new feature for the kids. They do have a mini race track. At last glance, it was $5 to ride around the track for about 5 minutes. The kids do seem to enjoy it. Little kids shouldn't ride it though. It can get rough in there. They also had a race car simulator set up where you could pay and it's almost like riding on the dirt track. It may or may not be a permanent fixture at the track.
More to come on Roaring Knob. Hope the first two posts have given you a good overview of the Roaring Knob dirt track auto racing facility.
