Q: What about food and drink?

A: Free food and drink will be served in the suite. It's not concession stand food - this is truly excellent stuff.

Beverages, breakfast and lunch will be served all 3 days, with snacks other goodies available between the meals.

The food is buffet style, and the beverages are dispensed by our full-time suite attendant.

Here is the tentative menu for 2008:

Beverages: Water, Coke, Diet Coke, Bud, Bud Light, Sierra Nevada, Corona, Corona Light, Chateau Julien Barrel Select Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet, Red Bull, sugar free Red Bull.

Food:

Friday:

Breakfast -

Fresh Juice Selection
Sliced Seasonal Fruit Platters
Individual Assorted Fruit Yogurts
Assorted Coffee Cakes, Fresh Croissants and Fresh Fruit Danish
Assorted Dry Cereals and Homemade Granola with Fresh Berries (Whole and Skim Milk)
Italian Dark Roast Coffee, Decaf and Tea

Lunch -

“Spicy Chilled Gazpacho Soup”

“The Wrap Selection” -

• "Grilled Chicken Caesar Wrap” in a Spinach Flour Tortilla
• “Cobb Salad Wrap” with Diced Chicken, Tomatoes, Avocados, Bacon, Gorgonzola, Hard Boiled Eggs, Scallions and
  Selected Greens in a Sundried Tomato Flour Tortilla
• “Grilled Salmon Arugala Wrap” in a Roasted Garlic Tortilla

Toasted Mediterranean Couscous Salad with Grilled Eggplant
Fresh Individual Fruit Tartlettes

All Day:

Assorted Dry Snack Mix ~ Mixed Nuts ~ Whole Fruit
Assorted Protein and Granola Bars, etc. (…to vary daily)

Saturday:

Breakfast -

Fresh Juice Selection
Seasonal Fresh Fruit
“Denver Omelettes” with Diced Ham, Green and Red Bell Peppers, Sweet Onions and Cheddar Cheese
Rosti Potato Cakes
Mini Chicken Apple Sausage
Petit Croissants with Preserves and Butter
Italian Dark Roast Coffee, Decaf and Tea

Lunch -

Greek Salad of Tomato, Cucumber, Kalamata Olives, Red Onion and Feta Cheese with Vinaigrette
Spicy Asian Noodle Salad
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs and Oriental Fried Rice
Seared Flank Steak and Roasted Corn Salad with Smoked Bacon, Pecans and Creole Dressing
Apple Strudel with Sauce Anglaise

All Day:

Assorted Dry Snack Mix ~ Mixed Nuts ~ Whole Fruit Assorted Protein and Granola Bars, etc. (…to vary daily)

Sunday:

Breakfast -

Fresh Juice Selection
Seasonal Fresh Fruit Display
“Eggs Benedict” Grilled English Muffin with Canadian Bacon, Poached Eggs, and Sauce Béarnaise
Link Breakfast Sausage
Smoked Salmon with Whipped Herbal Cream Cheese
Sliced Tomato, Diced Bermuda Onion, Capers, Lemon
and Fresh Bagels

Italian Dark Roast Coffee, Decaf and Tea

Lunch -

Fresh Tabouli Salad with Hearts of Romaine
Fresh Sliced Tomato Salad with Lambs Lettuce, Capers, Shallots, Olive Oil and Cracked Pepper
Rosemary Roasted Pork Loin with a Dijon Mustard Demi Glace
Chicken Breast filled with Spinach and Fontina Cheese with a Sauce Beurre Blanc
Roasted New Red Potatoes
Lemon Bars and Cherry Strips

All Day:

Assorted Dry Snack Mix ~ Mixed Nuts ~ Whole Fruit Assorted Protein and Granola Bars, etc. (…to vary daily) (top)

Q: Free beer and wine? What if someone is "over served"?

A: It didn't come up in '06 or in '07, and I think it is unlikely to be a problem in the future. But the suite hospitality attendant is instructed not to serve anyone who appears to already have been, um, sufficiently served.

In the unlikely event that a problem arises, and normal adult resolutions don't seem to work, track security will be alerted and they will decide what to do - up to and including possible ejection from the track. The contract says: "SCRAMP reserves the right to remove anyone behaving in a disorderly or abusive manner".

If track security ejects somebody, there will absolutely NOT be a refund, nor will that person be offered the opportunity to participate in our suite in the future.

This is a special, private suite that is oriented around bringing a community of fans together to enjoy this great sport - tolerance for disturbance is going to be pretty limited. We want everybody to feel confident they are going to have a great time! (top)

Q: What about gratuities? Do I need to tip anybody?

A: No. Gratuities are included in your package. USMotoGPFans will take care of all of those who provide services to the suite.

Having said that, if you feel that one of the service or security staff has provided you a service over and above what was called for and you want to tip them, by all means feel free. But you are not obligated and it is not expected. (top)

Q: Will there be a Pit-lane walk, and what is it?

A: It is a scheduled tour of pit lane, likely on Saturday late morning or early afternoon. It's pretty cool.

Right now, SCRAMP is saying we will "probably" have one in 2008, but won't commit until "early next year", so no promises. Dorna is really the decision maker for those tours, but they tell me it has been discussed and they expect to have them.

We had one in 2006, but for 2007 Dorna had decided not to run them for Trophy Suite and Pit Row Suite participants, so no pit lane tour was committed to us.

Then, at the last minute in '07, they added them back for the Pit Row Suite folks but did not include the Trophy Suites. They later apologized to me for stiffing us, but since they hadn't committed them to us to begin with, they did not offer any remedy.

The bottom line is SCRAMP has promised me that if there are Pit Lane tours for the Pit Row Suites in 2008, we in the Trophy Suites will be included.(top)

Q: There are so many different types of seating options. What are they all, and why is this the best?

A: I must have had a hundred questions about this in the past, and this information is very hard to find anywhere. So I thought I would write it up. Things change a little bit every year, so consider this "historical" information that will give you a good idea of the seating choices.

There are 3 basic types of "luxury" seating options sold by the track. All include 3 day general admission, paddock pass, free food and drink, parking, and a souvenir program.

There are also private suites which are not sold to the public, usually going to corporations. That is what the "Trophy Suites" and some of the "turn" suites fall under.

At the top end are the "Trophy Suites" and "Premiere Pit Row Suites". Each has an enclosed climate controlled area with closed-circuit television showing the action all around the track, and a shaded open area. They both have real bathrooms.

In the middle range are what I call the "open suites". Turn 2 Suites, Paddock Turn 4 Suites, and Paddock Turn 3 Suites. They are covered but not enclosed, so they are not climate controlled. I believe the restrooms are porta-potties, but are inside the private suite area so they are dedicated to the suites.

Next are the hospitality areas: the "Laguna Club" and the "Flag Room". These are large tents where you get your free food and drink. There is limited space for "hanging out". Race viewing is from reserved seats in the grandstands. Turn 4 grandstands for the Flag Room, turn 11 grandstands for the Laguna Club. The grandstands are not shaded.

We provide 1 VIP parking pass per each 2 seats, car or bike, buyers choice. Most other luxury options sold by the track come with 1 parking pass per 3 or 4 seats.

The Trophy Suites, in particular our suite (Suite #3) is the best because it is two level, with the top level being open on all sides. We have a great view of turn 9 and 10, the straight from the exit of turn 11 to the Red Bull bridge (including the start/finish line), and a little bit of turn 4. I think this is the best viewing suite at the track. The "Premiere Pit Row" suites only have a forward viewing angle, except for Suite #1, which looks forward and to the left (as you face the track).

But the best thing about our suite may be the atmosphere. It is going to be a great time.

Here is where they all are:


(top)

Q: What is USMotoGPFans.com?

A: After the massive amount of effort needed to put this together for 2006, once everybody seemed interested in doing it again I decided to repeat it every year - though hopefully a little more streamlined.

So I decided to create the UsMotoGPFans.com web site to gather us MotoGP fans (get it?) together for information about the suite, and to provide other services to the roadracing fan community.

Until Nicky gets tired of winning World Championships and hangs up his leathers the Laguna Seca suite will remain the "Nicky Hayden Fans" suite, though all fans are welcome. Once Nicky retires, it will become the UsMotoGPFans suite. (top)

Q: Are there rules?

Q: Will I meet Nicky Hayden?

A: It is very, very unlikely he would visit us in the suite. On race weekends he is a little busy, as you can imagine. Again, the team is not at all involved in this deal.

But I did not hear of anybody in the suite who tried to get a Nicky autograph, who wasn't able to get one at some point during the weekend. (top)

Q: How the heck did you get all these tickets? I thought the suites were sold out?

A: Our suite, and the seats in it, have nothing to do with the seats that are sold to the general public by the track on their web site and over the phone. Those are the public seats.

Like most sporting venues, SCRAMP offers exclusive luxury suites to corporations and such. That is what this suite is, and we are paying corporate rates for our private suite, which is why our seats cost so much more than the public suite seats which are sold out on day 1 anyway.

We did not take these seats away from race fans. No, we took them away from some corporation and made them available to race fans. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. (top)

Q: Is there a waiting list for folks who want to buy in 2009?

A: Yes.

People who buy seats already are automatically on the list for next 2 years. Seat buyers are always on the list ahead of anyone else.

Other people, read on to see how to get on the list.

One big caveat: Though I plan to repeat the suite every year, it is only an intention, not a commitment. The positive commitment every year will be made in August or September for the following years race, before any deposits are asked for and before the public ticket sales start. If, for any reason I cannot or choose not to repeat the suite, that decision will be announced before any deposits have been taken. In that case I will have no obligation to anybody who has participated in the suite in the past, or to anyone else who is on the waiting list.

To get on the list you need to show proof of a recent $25 or larger donation PER SEAT to one of the charities listed under "Worthy Causes" up at the top left navigation bar on this page. You will be placed on the list in the order I receive the proof of donation (email receipt is fine).

So if you want 4 seats, that is a $100 donation. DO NOT SEND MONEY TO ME... just make the donation to one of those organizations, using the links at the top of this page (or however else you like) and provide me some evidence of the donation. Any legitimate receipt will do, via email, fax or hard copy.

Most of the people on the waiting list for the 2006 USGP were not serious. I added the donation requirement because it is a reasonable signal to me that you mean it. Also, the money goes to a great cause.

Being on the list is not a guarantee that you will be offered seats, nor does it obligate you to buy the tickets if they are offered to you. You are just getting in line for the opportunity to have them offered to you. After the renewals are processed, I will take people from the list, in order, and offer them a short but reasonable period of time to make their initial deposit. I will probably hold back a few pairs of seats for Ebay sales.

Worst case, you helped out a good cause and have a nice tax deduction.

Once you are on the list, you will stay on the list every year, until you get offered seats. You are responsible to keep me up to date on your contact information. If I can't get in touch with you, you will drop off the list. I am not responsible to track you down.

If your position in the wait list comes up and I offer you seats you have three choices: 1) Make the initial ticket deposit along with your commitment to complete the ticket purchase 2) Make another charitable donation as described above, in which case you can skip a year and keep your spot in the waiting list, or 3) Decline (or do nothing) and drop off the wait list. If you later make another donation, you would wind up at the end of the list again.

I will be happy to tell anyone how many people are already on the list at any time. Just drop me an email.

Assuming the track cooperates with the timing of their contract with me (as they did this year) we will have this all settled well BEFORE the public ticket sales start for next USGP. So you will know if you have your suite seats before that time.

I anticipate a lot of people will get on the list on or immediately following the race weekend. So if you know you want to get on the list, it would be a very good idea to do it before the race. (top)

Q: Is it too late to get in the suite for 2008?

A: No!. Tickets are now for sale and available for immediate shipment.

(top)

Q: What is the suite like?

A: It is a raised two-level suite overlooking the pit lane, with a great view of the straight between turn 11 and the Red Bull bridge, including the start/finish line. From the upper deck we also have a good view of turns 9 and 10, and a little bit of turn 4.

The first level has our own private REAL bathroom, hard wood floors, marble counters, plasma screen tv’s tuned to the track closed-circuit coverage, air conditioning and heat, and 27 theater-style seats and 6 bar-stool seats..

The upper deck can accommodate up to 40 people, and is open for 360 degree viewing, with canopy for relief from sun or rain. There will be an LCD tv screen on the upper deck, tuned to the track system. SCRAMP assures me the TV screen will have good visibility in those lighting conditions, better than the standard TV we had in '07.

Click here for a layout of the suite. The top level furnishings will be a bit different. There may be a couple of central tables and a few chairs - but according to the track it works out best to leave the top level as open as possible so people can freely move around up there.

Here is the best part: as you can see in the photo at the top of this FAQ, we have the rightmost suite, which gives us an extra unobstructed view to the left as we face the track. With the open raised second level, this suite arguably has the best racing view of any suite on pit row.

The food and beverages are all provided inside the suite. We have a full-time suite attendant to ensure that there is plenty of everything. (top)

Q: Will I get to be on the roof if I want?

A: Probably, but here's the deal.

Fire regulations limit the maximum number of people on the roof to 40. We are selling 54 tickets for the whole suite. This opens up possibility that somebody who wants to be on the roof will not have that opportunity, and will instead watch the race from the enclosed first level.

SCRAMP assures me that in their experience it has never been a problem. It was not a problem in '06 or '07. The conditions and race-watching atmosphere in the first level of the trophy suite are such that there are always plenty of people that prefer to watch in air-conditioned comfort, with the comfortable theater seats and closed circuit tv screens showing them action all around the track. Plus, the view from inside the suite is pretty good!

I truly believe it will not be an issue, but I have decided not to adopt any scheme by which any ticket holder will be guaranteed a spot on the roof. I couldn't really come up with a fair way to do that, that wasn't ridiculously complicated (lotteries, etc). Besides, as we learned in previous years, we don't really have a problem that needs to be solved.  (top)

Q: What time will the suite be open??

A: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 AM until 30 minutes after the track goes "cold" following the last racing, practice or qualifying event each day. (top)

Q: What about parking?

A: You are entitled to one 3-day parking pass for each pair of seats purchased, car or motorcycle - your choice. Car parking will be in Blue 2, which is just outside the paddock. Bike parking will be in Blue 1, which is paved (inside the paddock, very near the suite).

This is very cool: Blue 1 and Blue 2 parking pass holders can come in the main gate, right off of Hwy 68. This lets you avoid virtually all the traffic. No shuttles, no Boundary Road, no Barloy Canyon road, you will get in quickly and hassle free.

Exiting at the end of the day is a little different, but still good. Exit traffic is managed based on current conditions and can change moment to moment. In '07, even though some Blue parkers were not allowed to exit via the main gate, the exit traffic moved very smoothly. The only real exception was on Sunday evening when due to a serious traffic accident involving a fatality, cars routed on the South Boundary Road experienced delays. (top)

Q: When do I get my tickets/passes?

A: SCRAMP says they will ship me the tickets by May 1. They are usually late. Plan on June first [update: Yep, June 1st. I have them in hand and available for immedaite shipment].

I plan to send them by USPS Priority Mail with tracking and delivery confirmation. Anybody who prefers a different method, let me know and we can sort it out.

International buyers, contact me so we can work out the best way.

Tickets will not be sent to anyone until and unless their payment in full has been received and cleared. No exceptions, really, don't ask. Really. (top)

Q: Will  I be assigned a particular seat in the suite?

A: No. Both levels of the suite are open to all participants in a "general admission" manner. No seat will belong to an individual.

Until the final MotoGP race Sunday afternoon, most of us will drift in and out of the suite, exploring the grounds, shopping in the vendor areas, cruising the paddock, etc.

If you are using a seat and you are going away for a few minutes, leave a personal item on the seat to indicate that it is "taken".. But if a seat is left unoccupied for a while (say, half an hour) and somebody wants it, they can move your stuff aside and take over the seat.

No 'dibs', no saving seats for others who are not present - within reason. If you are taking a bathroom break or running for a fresh plate of calamari, fine. Put something on the seat. But if you are going to cruise the paddock for autographs, leave the seat empty and plan on finding a different seat when you return.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a seat please don't take one with stuff on it unless you are SURE it has been unoccupied for at least half an hour.

This worked out pretty well in '06 and '07.

Space on the rail on the second level will be uncontrolled, but again, no reserved spaces. Let's all just be polite to one another and I am sure it will work out.

It would be real nice if tall people on the rail would let short people in front of them, freeing up more rail for others.

These guidelines will be posted in the suite on race day to avoid confusion. (top)

Q: Can I sell my tickets?

A: If you find you cannot use them, I would prefer that you contact me and if I have other buyers ready to step up we can likely work it out.

The tickets do belong to you and you can do whatever you like with them, but if I believe you purchased them with the intent of selling them later for profit, you will not be invited to buy again in the future.

If you do sell, please make CERTAIN that whomever you sell to clearly understands the rules, as well as the seating issues described above. I will NOT be obligated or inclined to satisfy any incorrect expectations on the part of any third party. This FAQ is the final word on how things are going to work. You have permission to use this FAQ as part of your effort to sell them, in fact I encourage you to do so.

If you do sell, please let me know, so I know who to expect.

This last part is very important: If you sell, make sure that you , me, and the buyer all clearly understand who retains the option to buy next year. Unless you tell me you are transferring that right along with your sale of the tickets, the renewal option remains with you. (top)

Q: How do I get into the track?

A: Forget all the hassles you heard about. Just drive or ride up to the main gate on Hwy 68 and come on in! (top)

Q: If I buy this year, can I buy again next year?

A: I currently plan to repeat the suite every year. My general intention is that, if you buy into the suite, you get first right of refusal to buy the same number of seats (or fewer) in the suite the next two years. If you want more seats - within reason - you go to the front of the waiting list for the extras.

I say "general intention", but not "contractual obligation". By that I mean that I reserve the right to elect not to extend the renewal offer to someone if I feel that is called for.

But don't worry, I am pretty unlikely to invoke that reserved right. Everybody who bought in 2006 was offered a seat in 2007, ditto for 2008. I intend to continue that.

Renewal details will be announced as soon as possible following the USGP. Renewals are likely to be offered at the expected actual cost, plus a small fee to cover gratuities and unplanned expenses. It is also likely that renewals will be offered the opportunity to make payments - for example 25% in September, 25% in December, and 50% in March.

The actual amount and timing of those payments will not be finalized each year until I have a contract with the track, but if you intend to take your renewal option, be prepared to make a 25% deposit in September or October.

Missing a payment deadline will result in forfeit of your right to renew.

Let me be perfectly clear about this - there will be no grace period, please don't ask. Making the first payment signals your full commitment to make the final two payments, on time. The deadlines are all real with no wiggle room. And "in my hands" means "in my hands", not "on the way" or "almost".

If a payment is not received on time, I will attempt to sell your tickets. In that case, I will not refund your previous payments unless and until I manage to sell your tickets to someone else AFTER I have sold out my regular supply of tickets. If I take a loss when I sell your tickets (unlikely), that loss will be deducted from your refund.

So you should probably not make a deposit unless you are truly committed to participating.

This all may sound harsh, but this is not a profit-making venture. It is just a service being provided to the Nicky Hayden fan community. It's more like a "group buy" than a business, and all the risk is on me. I don't have a 'collections' department, I am just one guy.(top)

Q: Are kids welcome? Any discount?

A: We haven't had any young children yet, but we do not exclude them. However, though the suite is plenty big enough, it might start to feel pretty darn small if we have any sort of disturbance - so I ask that you only consider bringing kids that are old enough and controllable enough for that sort of atmosphere.

Unfortunately, for hospitality suites SCRAMP requires a full ticket for every person regardless of age. Even infants. They are not available at any discount. (top)

Q: The Hotels and Motels are full or too expensive. What can I do?

A: This is a tough problem. Some rooms remain available in the immediate area, but pickings are slim and pricey.

As for where to stay, there are several theories about the best way to go. Most of the night life is on Cannery Row. In '05 Jane and I stayed on Cannery Row and had a great time. In '06 we rented an RV and camped at the track (we won't be repeating that). In '07 we tried the Hyatt, about 2 miles from Cannery row. We were not impressed, and are still looking for a better solution.

Then there is Carmel, much more quiet and relaxed. Lots of nice places to stay there. I also hear that a lot of teams stay at the Embassy Suites in Seaside.

If looking for help with your travel or lodging arrangements for this or any other race, let me recommend Patty Roberts-Hards at Reid Travel Associates in Stockton CA. Why her? Because she is KRJR and Kurtis Roberts' mom, and is a very experienced specialist in travel arrangements for motorcycle race fans, worldwide. She is familiar with all the race venue cities, and understands us. Plus she's a nice lady. You can reach her at pattyh@vacation.com, Phone 209-952-1295 or 800-776-0083. Be sure to tell her that USMotoGPFans.com sent you.

As you look for more distant accommodations, this map may help. It is color coded to show approximations for drive time distance from the track. Yellow is 60 minutes, green is 45, orange 30, and purple 15. You can click on the map for a larger view.

click on image for larger display...

Creative folks have found nearby camping options that they enjoyed. Well, I say nearby - but see this list of options. The "Big Sur" area is about a 45 minute drive from the track, assuming you are coming in the main gate and without traffic.

But if you plan on camping at the track, bring your sense of humor and your party hat, because unless you like hearing revelers bouncing their gixxers off the rev-limiter at 2am, you might otherwise not have a, uh, peak experience. The revelers seemed to enjoy themselves however. (top)

It will be people from all walks of life. Some are the kind of folks who don't give a second thought to spending this kind of money, and some scrimped and saved and sacrificed to scrape the money together. Most fell somewhere in between.

Some are sophisticated and knowledgeable roadracing fans, some are former racers themselves, some just like the atmosphere. It was an enjoyable and enthusiastic bunch of people. Everybody seemed to have a great time.

They come from all over the country. Last year we had folks from California (duh), Indiana, Oklahoma, Maryland, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Connecticut, Utah, Arizona and Missouri. We even had one from Austria - an Alex Hoffman fan.

Mostly it was couples. (top)

Q: Who are you and why should I trust you?

A fair question. Sending this kind of money to someone I don't know would make me wonder the same thing.

Me saying "I am trustworthy" isn't very meaningful. About all I can do is point to my 3 year track record at doing this. My Ebay ID is USMotoGPFans. You can look up my 100% positive sales feedback and see that I am fiercely comitted to engaging in the safest, most comfortable transactions possible. Search on Google for anything to do with USMotoGPFans... you won't find anyone with anything bad to say. If I ever ripped anyone off for this kind of money there would be no place for me to hide.

And there is this FAQ itself. Ripoff artists just don't put this much energy into what they do.

I am a motorcycling/roadracing/MotoGP/Nicky Hayden fan. I am an independent data processing consultant and project manager. My wife Jane and I live in rural Missouri about 70 miles from St. Louis. If you are interested in seeing the trip report from our road-trip to Laguna Seca for the 2005 USGP, click here. We made a similar ride for the 2007 USGP.

After the experience at the track in 2005, Jane and I really, really wanted to be in a suite in 2006, and knew there was no way to buy into the public suites. A group of us Nicky Hayden fans came up with the idea for a fan club suite, which sounded great to me. But I soon realized the only way it would happen is if somebody stepped up to arrange it. So I did.

It was a lot of work but in the end everybody had such a great time I knew I had to do it again. (top)

 

Last edited 6/6/2008. For additional info contact Steve Jones at stevejones@UsMotoGPFans.com.