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Rooms won't be a problem at all. I've been going to the Races since '92 and not once have I ever made a reservation for rooms. The reason being is that most of the hotels in Reno make you block a reservation out for the entire race week for 4 or 5 days straight. If you plan on being there that long, that's great, but I personally only stay there for Friday thru Sunday, or perhaps Sat and Sun. If that's the case, most hotels won't let you only reserve rooms for 2 or 3 days. So, usually what I do, is just drive around to several of the big hotels and just show up in the lobby to get a room in person. There are ALWAYS last minute cancellations and rooms are available if you are willing to spend a little bit of time driving around. And it's not as expensive as you would think either. I think the most I've ever had to check was 5 different hotels before I found one last minute like that. It's not that bad driving around either, because most of the hotels are in the same general area. Reno is not that large of a city.
The one reservation that is ABSOLUTELY required is a car reservation. Those go VERY quickly. If you reserve it early, like 6 months out or so, you can get a car for $ 20 per day. If you show up at the airport, with no car reservation, you can expect to pay $ 200 to $ 500 a day for an economy car. When there are no cars available and you have no reservations, they have you by the balls.
Getting to Stead airport (where the races are held) is no problem at all - plenty of signs, plenty of parking, but be prepared to walk, unless you have special VIP/performer/media passes, etc. There is a fair amount of walking everywhere, so bring good walking shoes. The weather is unpredictable at best. I've seen it range from snowing to 95 degrees and everything in between. Just bring lots of sunscreen. Remember you are at a higher elevation, so it's much easier to burn your skin due to less atmosphere that the UV rays have to travel. When you get there, be sure to buy PIT passes. When you get to the front entrance to the races, you will have to buy a general admission pass. This just lets you get inside. If you want to wander around the flightline (PITS) and see the racers up close, you will have to shell out more money for PIT passes. If you don't plan on buying PIT passes, you might as well not even show up, because that is kind of the whole purpose of going isn't it - to see the racers up close? They do have general admission grandstands as well as reserved seats grandstands. Of course, everything costs money. Going to the races isn't cheap. Between the passes, food, trinkets, gifts, etc. it will probably cost anywhere from $75 to $100 per day to attend.
There used to be a really cool area out in the boonies on the edge of the race course off the airport property, where you could watch the racers round the pylons up close (i.e. - a few hundred feet away), but unfortunately that was closed down to the public last year, because of some extremely rude and disrespectful individuals who ruined the good deal for everyone. It is no more. Now the best seat is back on the airport at the grandstands.
Also, there used to be a cool bar called "The Pylon Bar" at the old Hilton, now Grand Sierra, that was THE place to hang out. It was fairly common to see the Unlimited pilots there at the bar and it was a chance where fans could converse with their favorite teammembers and pilots. Unfortunately that is gone now too. I haven't heard where the local "watering-hole" has moved to.
There's plenty to do at Reno at nighttime, but you will probably be too tired from the days activities to do much besides have dinner and go to bed to get up early for the next day's races.
That's about all I can think of.
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. Can anyone give advice as to where to stay (or stay away from)? Any details concerning lodging or the airport itself would be appreciated. Probably only planning on Friday, Sat. and Sun.
