First time at Eastbay and Bubba Raceway Park: Tips?

[luke81]

I live 20 minutes from East Bay so I know pretty much whatever ya want to know about this area......I'd suggest staying in Brandon/Riverview/Ruskin area. LOL Temple Terrace isn't hardly as bad as these guys make it sound, but I wouldn't stay there if i was going to the race track. Is there anything in particular you'd like to do/see/visit when you're not at the track? Someone mentioned Top Golf and that's always a good time. There's a Bass Pro across the street which is cool if you haven't been to one.

[Barbecueboy]

Yep, glass bottom boats there. I also believe it is where the "Creature from the Black Lagoon" was filmed,too.

Thought so......I have pictures of me and my mom and dad from the 70s in the glass bottom boats.

Thanks

[jrkracing54]

I live in Florida and our local season starts right after speed weeks so I don't get to go to a lot of those races cuz I gotta buy tires for my own deal but we always go the first night at East Bay and at least one night at Volusia too. A great place to eat in Brandon is a little steak house called Jessie's Steakhouse. It's East of I-4 on 50 (Brandon exit) about 3-5 miles on the north side of the road. It's kind of a hole in the wall place but it is Awesome. Never had a bad meal there. John 1*

[CIRF]

A nice daytime destination while you're at Bubba Raceway Park is Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Florida. The manatee are usually quite plentiful in February at Blue Spring. There is a 1/4 mile spring run from where the water comes up out of the ground and it's a constant 72 or 73 degrees. The spring run empties into the St. Johns river and the manatee make their way up the river to the warm waters of the Blue Spring run, especially when the air temp cools off the waters of the St, Johns river. Map Quest says it's a little over an hour drive from Bubba to Blue Spring.

The Florida State Fair will be going on February 4 thru February 15th and the Florida State Fairgrounds isn't far from East Bay. The Fair is worth spending an afternoon at. We've done the Fair a couple of times during the 25 or so years we've been in Florida for Speedweeks. Good food and some interesting displays that us Midwesterner's aren't accustomed to seeing at a state fair.

Have fun.

We'll be at East Bay a couple of nights for the late models and one or two nights at Bubba for the USAC National Sprint Cars.

[RiffRaf67]

Crystal River is probably a closer option for manatee viewing in the Ocala area CIRF.
But add Blue Springs definately if you are in the Volusia area, as I will be in a few weeks; I plan to visit at least once while I am down there.
Tip for Blue Springs is get there EARLY, there will be a line of cars waiting to get it well before it opens.

[formercrewguy]

Don't drink the water.


Wait......................that's Michigan. Never mind.

[plunks7]

Don't drink to much at Eastbay. Because if you do and watch the cars to much bouncing up and down. You will get sick. You will feel like a bobble head doll.

[d-glenn]

Another, a must, carry warm clothes for the races, it gets cold at night and a hoodie to keep the grit out of your hair...Probably shorts during the day...It will be a fun trip...

[CIRF]

Ill be making my first trip to florida for some dirt racing this February for Eastbay and going to try to hit the race at Bubba before we go home. Anyone got any tips on where to stay, where to sit, some good good in the area ect ect. Ill more than likely be in the pits 99% of the time but just wanted to get a feel for the place before i make the 12+ hour voyage down. Thanks guys

No doubt Crystal River is closer to Ocala but it's been our experience that the manatee populations at Blue Spring are somewhat higher. The spring itself at Blue Spring is also somewhat more interesting to visit, as well. Not nitpicking one way or the other just relating what has been our experience with the two.

As RiffRaf said about Blue Spring, go early or wait until after lunchtime. It's been our experience that quite a few people leave around lunchtime and your wait to get a parking spot is greatly reduced if you wait. It takes a couple of hours to see the place in it's entirety so allow enough time. That would go for Crystal River as well.

[Bumpandrun]

Coming down to watch some racing. Can't wait to get out of Iowa where it has been below zero the past week. Bring on the sunshine and some dirt flying through the air. Need some of the racing fuel to get my sinuses cleared out. Go Newport Nightmare.

[WisWildManFan]

Coming down to watch some racing. Can't wait to get out of Iowa where it has been below zero the past week. Bring on the sunshine and some dirt flying through the air. Need some of the racing fuel to get my sinuses cleared out. Go Newport Nightmare.

Did the trick for me last year even with some lackluster races... the weather alone is nice to break up some of the misery of northern winters! All of you heading out have a good time!