Soup :: Setting The Scene: Off-Track at the Jerez MotoGP Event

Setting The Scene: Off-Track at the Jerez MotoGP Event
images by wolf j dryclutch

The Spanish GP at Jerez is one of the more interesting races to hit in Europe. Held in stadium-style topography, it affords great sight lines and attracts over 100,000 fans.	The action may be at the track during the day but at night it's party time in downtown Jerez with loud music, bikes and general hooliganism until dawn.	The hills have thousands of eyes.	If you want a decent seat on one of the nearby hills--no chairs mind you--you have to get to the track early. Arriving at 4:00 AM is the best bet.
At Jerez you can buy a variety of local foods (tapas) or just a can of good old Coke.	Downtown you'll know things are off the hook when the bottle burnouts start.	Pit walks--if you can score a ticket--a VIP-only function.	This sort of thing happens right in downtown Jerez, usually with the police flagging the bikes off. Seriously.
International press crowd the photo stand at Jerez.	Motorcycles and scooters are everywhere in Spain.	The Spanish love their GP racing, their burnouts and their fireworks. Spain: home of the mysterious yellow smoke.	They sat in the dirt and they liked it.