RACE FANS GIVE RVS THE GREEN FLAG

RESTON,Va.--A trend that is growing as quickly as the popularity of NASCAR racing is the popularity of recreation vehicles (RVs) with fans who attend the races. Racing enthusiasts have found that their RVs are just what the doctor ordered when faced with crowded highways leading to and from events, lines for food and facilities at the track, and expensive and hard-to-get hotel rooms nearby.

For those fans lucky enough to get a spot in the infield for their RV, they don't have to watch the race from a crowded bleacher seat. Instead, they can watch from a lounge chair on the roof, with a TV on hand for instant replays and a refrigerator close-by for instant refreshments.

The winter portion of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series provides a great opportunity for RV owners to use their RV during colder months. The series conducts the final four races of the 1996 season in October and November and then resumes competition with a pair of races in February 1997.

"It is better to come to races in an RV," said Frances Goss, who runs the ticket office and RV reservations for Atlanta Motor Speedway. "You can be relaxed when you arrive and leave when you are ready. It is a great way to attend any sporting event."

About 5,000RVs come to the NASCAR race at Phoenix International Raceway, according to Craig Fischer, public relations manager for PIR. "That number si growing and growing," he said. Part of the reason is the trend toward renting RVs to attend races. Many fans fly to Phoenix to enjoy the weather, then rent an RV to attend the race in style and comfort.

"We are devoting quite a bit of effort to racing packages, especially at tracks that have off-season events," said Bob Caldarone, vice president of marketing for the nation's largest RV rental company, Cruise America, which is headquartered near Phoenix. "It is going extremely well."

"We have several hundred RVs rented for the Phoenix International Raceway NASCAR event," Caldarone said. The company provides customers with tickets for the event, puts the RV at the track, set up and ready for use, and then retrieves it from the track when the customers have gone home.

While track officials and local authorities may try to reduce the delays as thousands of fans flock to tracks before races and then all try to leave at once, those delays are inevitable. An RV provides a comfortable place to relax after a race, while waiting for traffic to die down. Also, many fans arrive days before the race, to watch qualifying sessions and support races, which can mean repeated drives through traffic between the track and a hotel. "There are a lot of advantages to using an RV," said Richard Sowers, of Atlanta Motor Speedway. "You don't have to go back and forth to your hotel in traffic and you can fix your own meals, so it saves money."

The space inside tracks is limited, so most tracks take reservations for the RV spaces inside. But most circuits have nearly unlimited camping space outside their tracks, so RVers can count on having a place to stay. "There is always space for another RV," said Carol Edwards, of the PR department at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "They are very popular with families," she noted. About 4,000 RVs will attend NASCAR races at Charlotte.

"The number of RVs is staggering," said John Story, PR manager for Daytona International Speedway.

An RV is a vehicle that combines transportation and temporary living quarters for travel, recreation, and camping. They are either motorized (motorhomes and conversion vehicles) or towable units (folding camping trailers, truck campers and travel trailers). RVs offer a wide range of amenities to suit different budgets, needs, and tastes. Starting prices can be as little as $3,500 for folding camping trailers. Travel trailers average $13,000. A luxurious Type A motorhome can be had for an average of $82,000,with smaller Type C models beginning at $40,000.

There are nine million RVs on the road and an estimated 25 million Americans travel in RVs. Recreation Vehicle Industry Association is the national association representing nearly 500 manufacturer and component parts suppliers, who together produce 95 percent of all RVs manufactured in the United States.