What is your favorite auto racing type?

[Rey C.]

Mario Andretti - F1 Champion 1978
Emerson Fittipaldi - F1 Champion 1972 and 1974
Nigel Mansell - F1 Champion 1992 and CART Champ 1993 in his rookie year
Juan Pablo Montoya - No F1 Championships
Jacques Villeneuve - F1 Champion 1997

The above all started in F1 then went to CART when they got a bit old, except Montoya who went to F1 from CART

Actually Jacques Villeneuve was in CART, and then went to F1 from a CART Championship and an Indy 500 win in 1995 (the last legitimate Indy 500 to some of us purists). He came close to winning the WDC in his first year and then took it in his second year.

The only way we see (even retired) World Driving Champions over here now is by looking at old magazines. Excuse me, I have to go. I must have eaten an onion or something. :crying:

 

[Facetious]

My gosh, we had something beautiful! . . .]

Then came Tony George :hammer: :crash:

 

[Member2019]

I was at VIR

Is that Virginia International Raceway (VIR)?

Never been to it, but I really need to. I've seen footage of various cars flying off the VIR track, especially the latter turns, amateurs and pros alike. I just watched some of the Grand Am series at VIR on TV yesterday. One of these days I guess I need to make one of those races.

For those who aren't familiar with VIR:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_International_Raceway

One of these days I'm going to stop saving my money, buy an used sports car for a reasonable price -- something like a Corvette Z06 or one of the Vipers -- something with a stiff, sport suspension already built-in (things like superchargers are easier to add than radically modifying the ride), and take a couple courses on how to drive one. I'll never run even an amateur race, but I'd love to just have some track time and enjoy it.

The problem is that I'll never have enough. I'm still far from the $3M or so I'm trying to save for retirement. I haven't even hit $1M yet. So aging 4-cylinders for me.

 

[larss]

Actually Jacques Villeneuve was in CART, and then went to F1 from a CART Championship and an Indy 500 win in 1995 (the last legitimate Indy 500 to some of us purists). He came close to winning the WDC in his first year and then took it in his second year.

The only way we see (even retired) World Driving Champions over here now is by looking at old magazines. Excuse me, I have to go. I must have eaten an onion or something. :crying:

I stand corrected - I did forget that he went from CART to F1 first

 

[Elwood70]

Anyway, my point is that going and sitting in the stands of any kind of racing beats watching on TV any day.

...or doing the racing yourself.

as in...Unsanctioned legal track or illegal street racing


Otherwise known as "Run what ya brung..."

 

[Rey C.]

Is that Virginia International Raceway (VIR)?

Never been to it, but I really need to. I've seen footage of various cars flying off the VIR track, especially the latter turns, amateurs and pros alike. I just watched some of the Grand Am series at VIR on TV yesterday. One of these days I guess I need to make one of those races.

Yep, that's it. It's not Spa or anything, but it's one of the nicer, natural terrain road courses in North America. Yeah, Grand Am was there this weekend... and I was supposed to be there too. I'll catch a vintage race later this year, or maybe one of the club races. It's all good.

One of these days I'm going to stop saving my money, buy an used sports car for a reasonable price -- something like a Corvette Z06 or one of the Vipers -- something with a stiff, sport suspension already built-in (things like superchargers are easier to add than radically modifying the ride), and take a couple courses on how to drive one. I'll never run even an amateur race, but I'd love to just have some track time and enjoy it.

The problem is that I'll never have enough. I'm still far from the $3M or so I'm trying to save for retirement. I haven't even hit $1M yet. So aging 4-cylinders for me.

If you start out at a place like VIR or Summit Point, you'd be surprised at how many people go for Miatas or older RX-7's and have big fun with those. A newer Vette would be sweet on straightline speed. But you see guys get out of old MG's and Triumphs, along with the Miatas, etc., and they have ear to ear smiles as big as any that the Vette, Viper or M3 guys have.

Hey, if you go, you can basically sit anywhere you want. But ask the gate to tell you how to get to the grandstand at the Oak Tree Turn. I sat up there when they ran some vintage F1 and Champ cars. That was a wicked experience! :thumbsup:

 

[Member2019]

Why I favor the C6 Z06 ...

A newer Vette would be sweet on straightline speed. But you see guys get out of old MG's and Triumphs, along with the Miatas, etc., and they have ear to ear smiles as big as any that the Vette, Viper or M3 guys have.

I didn't think the stock Miatas were capable of pulling a 1G lateral? They have to be race modified to pull maybe 1.1G at 2-figure speeds (ignoring any wing additions, of course) last time I checked. Despite weighing almost another half-ton, a stock C6 Z06 is quite the handler, unmodified. Understand I wasn't trying to say what was best. I was just saying what one can get, "out-of-the-box," with a 5-year old C6 Z06 design -- the combination of its 505hp and the handlin -- again, "out-of-the-box."

I'm sure when the C7 Z0-whatever hits, the price on a used C6 Z06 will drop a bit more (I'm thinking in another 5 years, wishful thinking I'll hit my retirement pile sooner than later, and stop living at a poverty-level income). The C6 Z06 is already a bargain at new, retail price compared to a lot of options out there. Despite people continuing to thnk back to the C4 and C5 (at least pre-LS1 engine), which were designed for fuel efficiency after the fuel pig 427 C3. The C6 Z06 does quite a bit "out-of-the-box," and without the gas guzzler tax, despite returning to a 427.

 

[cartman24]

I like NASCAR, but only the set-up that they used before the retarded "chase". Old style rubbin-is-racing, thats what it was all about.

 

[bleh50]

Yeah I have never been RLY into it, more of an amateur hobbyist. I don't mind the occasional race on tv, as long as it doesn't take forever and get repetitive lol.

 

[grower_boy]

I voted for NASCAR.

This is a really good poll, BTW.

 

[Member2019]

No votes for prototypes?

Wow! No votes for Le Mans Prototypes (LMP) or Daytona Prototypes (DP)? Considering Speed TV seems to focus on the LMP and DP, instead of the GT, cars in those mixed class races, maybe they're not listening to the viewership very well?

 

[larss]

The joy of NASCAR

 

[Baba66]

Purpose-build open wheel for speed+handling (Formula 1, Indy Car)

 

[tartanterrier]

WRC - http://www.wrc.com/index.jsp :thefinger

 

[Johan]

Other

WRC (World Rally Championship)

 

[Smallville417]

I love racing games, but am not into actual racing at all.

 

[The Paulinator]

I like NASCAR, but only the set-up that they used before the retarded "chase". Old style rubbin-is-racing, thats what it was all about.

NASCAR was gaining popularity during the 80s and 90s that had plateaued in the beginning of this decade. I think IMHO that they were willing to listen to any ideas to keep that rolling. They used to pride themselves in not being like "stick and ball" sports, but then went in the direction of having a "playoff" (lest ticket sales suffer in the final 2 or 3 races of the season). I'm totally with you on this point

Wow! No votes for Le Mans Prototypes (LMP) or Daytona Prototypes (DP)? Considering Speed TV seems to focus on the LMP and DP, instead of the GT, cars in those mixed class races, maybe they're not listening to the viewership very well?

They have the speed, they have the power, they have the attrition
The GT usually seems more competetive in the overall race.

Actually Jacques Villeneuve was in CART, and then went to F1 from a CART Championship and an Indy 500 win in 1995 (the last legitimate Indy 500 to some of us purists). He came close to winning the WDC in his first year and then took it in his second year.

You guys are bringing back wonderful memories of F1 and CART. Here are some of my memories:

Remember the Tyrell with the 6 wheels?
Remember the Bryan Hart v10? And independent, private engine shop that was represented in a world-class field until the late 90s.
Michael Schumacher with a mustache.
Nigel Mansell pointing at his next victim.
Hakkinen diving inside Schumacher and backmarker Zonta in France.
Paul Tracy's near-victory at Indy. (He was robbed)
Almost any Long Beach GP.

 

[thebear247]

pro racing is awful the best racing is local low budget places man the fights and the action there are awesome

 

[Member2019]

Wouldn't ...

WRC - http://www.wrc.com/index.jsp :thefinger

Wouldn't they qualify as ... production/street?
So I guess my only mistake was adding ... unmodified to #6?

I guess I should have separated #5 and #6 differently.
Guess there is only 10 entries, and I would go nuts by segmenting even more.

 

[tartanterrier]

Re: Wouldn't ...

Wouldn't they qualify as ... production/street?
So I guess my only mistake was adding ... unmodified to #6?

I guess I should have separated #5 and #6 differently.
Guess there is only 10 entries, and I would go nuts by segmenting even more.

I'm not so sure as they race on tarmac,dust,snow and gravel

Europeans just call it rallying.