Tim Miller
The Hamilton Spectator
April 26, 2007
Doug Andrews is a dyed-in-the-wool race fan.
And he has taken his interest in racing to develop a business to help the race fan get to the races.
As a bus tour operator, Andrews has organized charters and tours for many events and causes over the past 25 years, and for the past 10 years has offered charters to several NASCAR Cup races in the U.S. After some studying and some homework, his Have Bus Will Travel Tours out of Pefferlaw now offers full-package race event tours.
In a recent interview, Andrews said after his research, he decided to give fans an entire race package that includes accommodation, transportation, and tickets to an event.
This year packages include a wide variety of auto racing events, both in the U.S. and Canada. And he is offering several trips to local Ontario tracks.
"This is something new for us," said Andrews about the local trips. "This year we've got three trips to races of the new NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, a trip to the ISMA Super Modified show at Delaware Speedway, and a trip to Sunset Speedway to watch the jalopy chain races."
Along with trips to 20 NASCAR events in 2007, bus trips are available to a pair of IRL Indy car races, the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, and the 51st Oswego Classic in New York State.
For example, you can ride on one of Andrews' four motor coaches which he calls "race ready" to Richmond for the Crown Royal 400 NASCAR Cup race along with the Busch Circuit City 250 for $649 per person, twin, for transportation, accommodation, and tickets to the racing for the three-day trip. A five-day trip to Darlington includes not only a Cup and Busch race, but a USAC Silver Crown race also, for $625.
But if you're more interested in racing closer to home, a trip to the NASCAR CTC race at Cayuga will cost $75, which includes a tailgate barbecue. A trip to another NASCAR CTC race, along with the NAPA 200 Busch race at Montreal's Gilles Villeneuve circuit, is priced at $595 for two nights accommodation and travel and race tickets.
A trip of interest to Sprint Car fans is a $75 excursion to Ohsweken Speedway in July for the World of Outlaws show.
"We've already got four buses going to Ohsweken," commented Andrews. "Our plan for this event is to have the buses pick up the fans at different race tracks and then head over to the dirt oval."
Andrews has six buses for tours, with seating from 20 to 54, and the "race ready" units have lots of televisions, video equipment, and Sirius Satellite radio connections for serious race fans.
He added that each race tour has what he calls a "crew chief," to host the bus rides, and the hosts are knowledgeable in the sport, usually ex-racers.
Andrews mentioned he is looking forward to the local racing events, and thinks they will receive positive response. A self-acclaimed Super Modified fan, Andrews said he believes the local trips are important.
"Local racing is the backbone of racing in general," he said. "We have to support the local Saturday night racing."