Australian V8 Supercar Series

(UPDATED: March 21, 2012)

The premier motorsports series in Australia is the Australian V8 Supercar Series. Australia has had decades of racing as the V8 Supercar Series stemmed from the now-defunct Australian Touring Car Championship. The V8 Supercar Series has been around since 1994. Its exponential growth in popularity and hard-fought racing has made it one of the best racing series in the world. For Australians, it is a season-long battle of bragging rights- either you are a Holden fan, or you are a Ford [Australia] fan. In the near future, Nissan will return to the V8 Supercar lineup, so you're either with the Aussie brands or with Japan. There is even a rumor about Chrysler wanting to join the V8 Supercar grid as well. Either way, this is one of the greatest racing series in the world.

I never really got to make a general blog post regarding "The Greatest Show on Wheels." So therefore, consider this my general post regarding the Australian V8 Supercar Series. I would like to make a special hello to all of my Australian and New Zealand readers before I begin.

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

MAR 21 2012 - added an extra section (cross-promotion and other reading)

--- The Australian V8 Supercar Series at a Glance ---

Allow me to set the mood regarding the Australian V8 Supercar Series. What is this motorsports series all about? This video gives you a GREAT look at the Australian V8 Supercar Series. This video only requires about 2:25.000 of your time:


^ "V8 Supercars 2010 Highlights" - Crazy stuff, huh?

(some information taken from Wikipedia)

The Australian V8 Supercar Series was inaugurated in 1997 and is the successor to the former Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC). The cars that compete in this series are silhouettes of road-going cars in Australia. All cars are powered by 5.0-liter normally-aspirated V8 engines pushing north of 600 horsepower. The cars have body shells derived from their road-going variants. The minimum weight (excluding driver) of these cars is about 2987 lbs. (or just below 1355 kg). The two cars that race in today's V8 Supercar Series are the Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon- two of the best-selling cars in Australia. According to specifications I read on the 2009 Ford Falcon FG V8 Supercar, these cars can reach speeds of up to 182 mph (or about 294 kph).

Most races in this championship are primarily dual or triple race weekends. However, there are some weekends where there is one long race. These endurance events require teams to have a two-driver lineup to take on each event. So while the majority of races are multi-race events, there are also some endurance events. The double and triple race weekends make up one long distance event. So for example, the Clipsal 500 consists of two 250-kilometer races to make up the 500 kilometer distance for the race weekend. To my knowledge, the Trading Post Perth Challenge is the only three-race weekend on the V8 Supercar Series calendar. The biggest of which is (of course) the Bathurst 1000, which lasts more than 6 hours and 30 minutes. At least from the provisional calendar for 2012, the 2012 schedule features 29 events running from the beginning of March to the beginning of December.

A number of drivers have become champion in this series. Among the champions of the series include the likes of Jamie Whincup, Marcos Ambrose, Craig Lowndes, and Mark Skaife among others. Some of today's V8 Supercar racers include Shane Van Gisbergen (nicknamed "Cheeseburger"), Steven Richards, Garth Tander, and Lee Holdsworth among many others.

How did I get into the Australian V8 Supercar Series?

It was 2000 or 2001 when I saw a show that aired on Speedvision (now Speed Channel) called "Motorsport Mundial." I had a chance to see some of the racing action on TV in this half-hour digest of motorsports from around the world. The first thing that stuck out at me was in hearing how beautiful these Australian V8 engines sound. It is such sweet engine music!

When I saw some of the first Australian V8 Supercars, the cars of choice were the Holden Commodore VX and the Ford Falcon AU. Today's V8 Supercars include the Holden Commodore VE and the Ford Falcon FG. There is a push to make cars of updated specification to make them safer and more efficient.

Tracks.

The Australian V8 Supercar Series races both in Australia and in New Zealand. They even compete in a few events outside of Australia and New Zealand. Here are some of the many venues that the V8 Supercars race at:

• Mount Panorama Circuit (Bathurst) - a semi-permanent race track that is the ultimate battleground. It is an Australian roller coaster ride complete with many elevation changes and narrow roads. It is home to the Bathurst 1000- a race that lasts over 1000 kilometers and takes just over six and a half hours to complete. Racing is hard-fought from beginning to end as two-driver teams take on this intense challenge.

• Adelaide - former home of the F1 Australian Grand Prix, it is one of the most challenging temporary race tracks in the world.

• Albert Park (non-points) - the Australian V8 Supercar Series races around the current home of the Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park in Melbourne; but it is not a points race.

• Sandown - high speeds and technical corners make the somewhat simplistic Sandown a real challenge. It has been around since 1962.

• Phillip Island - this track plays host to the Australian Grand Prix in World Superbike and in MotoGP. A considerable distance from Melbourne, this track plays host to the Philip Island 500 endurance race in V8 Supercars.

• Barbagallo - Western Australia's racing challenge offers undulating corners and high speeds. This track is based around Perth (one of Houston's Sister Cities).

• Winton - high speeds and tricky corners make this course a tough and action-packed one.

• Hidden Valley - the northernmost track in Australia is based in the city of Darwin in the Australian state of Queensland. This track is known for its high-speeds in the event known as the Skycity Triple Crown.

• Hamilton - a temporary street course in New Zealand with many technical corners.

• Queensland - simplistic in layout but tough in racing, Queensland is often called a paper clip

• Symmons Plains - a short high-speed course dominated by a super-slow and action-packed hairpin.

• Townsville - Reid Park plays host to this lovely temporary course. The western half of the track crosses over Ross Creek several times.

• Surfers Paradise - it has long been a stop for Indy cars. These days, it mostly serves now as an intense street course for the V8 Supercars. The Gold Coast offers one of the most intense racing challenges in Australia. Think of it as the Long Beach of Australia.

• Homebush Park - this temporary street course is a romp around Sydney's Homebush Park. A number of fans miss seeing the V8 Supercars race around Eastern Creek as opposed to Homebush Park.

• Yas Marina Circuit - the home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Formula 1 is the futuristic and ultra-modern Yas Marina Circuit. It plays host to the Desert 400 on a modified configuration.


Of all the tracks both past and present, I am most saddened that Oran Park is no longer with us. Oran Park used to be one of the finest racing facilities in Australia with its unique layout. Sadly, what used to be Oran Park is now housing development.

I sometimes wonder just how much motorsport means to Australia with a number of racing facilities no longer being raced on or rarely raced on. Take the United States, for example. One of the finest courses here used to be Riverside International Raceway in California. That track was mostly taken down to make way for a big shopping center. Riverside used to be great for racing ranging from NASCAR to even a Formula 1 Grand Prix at Riverside. I feel for you Australians who miss Oran Park. Oran Park is not the only former racing facility, though. A lot of other race tracks in Australia have either not been raced on in a while or are long gone. Among others- Surfers Paradise International Raceway, Adelaide International Raceway, Catalina Park, and Warwick Farm Raceway. Oran Park is just another track to sadly add to the list of long-gone great race tracks.

--- Australian V8 Supercar Series: Why Should You Care? ---

If you care anything about hard-fought racing from start to finish, you should definitely care about the Australian V8 Supercar Series. The racers in this series bring it every day, every race. No shortage of action from flag to flag. I think an American fan who enjoys NASCAR can definitely appreciate the action in this series.

--- Australian V8 Supercars vs. DTM: Who Would Win? ---

You know, I always wondered what would happen if DTM and the Australian V8 Supercar Series had an exhibition. Could a Holden beat a DTM Audi? Could a Ford outpace a DTM Mercedes-Benz? Part of me says that DTM would win since the DTM cars are very sophisticated and capable. But come on now- wouldn't you want to see these Australian V8 Supercars match up against Germany's premier motorsports series?

Part of me says that DTM would win if it was an Australian V8 Supercar vs. DTM exhibition. DTM cars are much more sophisticated and capable even if they give up about 150+ horsepower to Australian V8 Supercars.

--- What If: Australian V8 Supercars World Tour? ---

The Australian V8 Supercar Series does race at a few locales outside of Australia and New Zealand during the course of the season. They may even be planned to race here in the United States at the Circuit of the Americas facility just outside of Austin, Texas, USA. What if they had a World Tour? Here are venues that I think would be great to see the series have more racing action in...

North and South America.

• Infineon Raceway - love to see these cars weave left and right at this track.
• Laguna Seca - imagine Holden vs. Ford being decided at the Corkscrew!
• Road America - 4+ miles of road in Wisconsin meant to punish all who race it.
• Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - this track is challenging for novices and experts alike.
• Barber Motorsports Park - Australian race cars at a great track in the Deep South, anyone?
• Road Atlanta - long-standing race track with a competitive layout
• Virginia International Raceway - a take-no-prisoners, old school race track.
• Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve - Canada's premier racing facility that has hosted many Canadian Grands Prix.
• Circuit Mont-Tremblant - a tricky race track in a beautiful natural setting.
• Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez - former F1 Mexican Grand Prix venue.
• Puebla - a competitive oval that also has a challenging road course configuration.
• Interlagos - the finest race track in Brazil combining high speeds with intense corners.
• Brasilia - Autodromo Internacional Nelson Piquet delivers intense racing on a twisty track.
• Buenos Aires - former home of the F1 Argentine Grand Prix, this technical track delivers amazing action.

Europe and Africa.

• Donnington Park - would be a great challenge for the V8 supercars with its weaving roads.
• Valencia (Ricardo Tormo Circuit) - mostly flat, this track is a very tough and technical Spanish race course.
• Catalunya - the premier racing facility in Spain is one of the most challenging courses in the world.
• Magny-Cours - a great rhythm-based track in France, former F1 French Grand Prix.
• Dijon-Prenois - a tricky French track that's great for touring car racing.
• Zandvoort - a formidable Dutch venue not far from a beach.
• Zolder - a demanding and technical Belgian race track.
• Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - the legendary Belgian battleground for racing.
• Kyalami - South Africa's formidable racing challenge. It is a challenging course for any machines that race here.

Asia.

• Istanbul Park - a rhythm-based race track in Turkey that is home to the Turkish Grand Prix of F1.
• Buddh International Circuit - the new world-class Indian race track delivers high speed and intense thrills.
• Sepang - Malaysia's premier world-class racing track that's been around since about 1999.
• Sentul International Circuit - a challenging motor racing facility in Indonesia.
• Goldenport Park - a very popular Chinese race course based in China's capital of Beijing.
• Zhuhai - once considered as a possible F1 stop, it has since played host mostly to touring cars and GT racing.
• Suzuka - one of the world's most rewarding race tracks is in Japan's Mie Prefecture.
• Okayama - this Japanese circuit served as home of the former Pacific Grand Prix in F1.
• Autopolis - once considered a potential F1 Japanese Grand Prix venue, it remains a challenging Grand Prix course despite never hosting an F1 Grand Prix.


In addition to these tracks, I'd even be interested in seeing today's V8 Supercar Series race at Taupo Motorsports Park or even Teretonga International Raceway. Both of those courses are in New Zealand, by the way.





Again- I felt I should have posted about the Australian V8 Supercar Series long ago. I love and respect all of my fans and readers worldwide, and Australia is one of the most popular locales to visit "John's Blog Space." I hope this blog post has been to your liking. For more information on this series, I have included the following links for all of you:

• Australian V8 Supercar Series Home Page
• Australian V8 Supercar Series' Facebook Fan Page
• Follow the Australian V8 Supercar Series on Twitter (@V8Supercars)!

Cross-Promotion and Other Reading

(ADDED: March 21, 2012)
Did you like this post? Here are some other posts of mine related to this topic:

• "Speed Channel's Coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000" - John's Blog Space
^ I explain my thoughts of Speed Channel's coverage of the Bathurst 1000- the first time aired live on American television.

• "What Would Be the Dream American Australian V8 Supercar Weekend?" - John's Blog Space
^ This was an old blog post on what a dream race weekend in the United States would be for the Australian V8 Supercar Series.

• "Australasian Representation in Gran Turismo" - John's Gran Turismo Space
^ Gran Turismo fans... we need to get you Australian and New Zealand folk represented! These are some thoughts of mine on better representation of Australia and New Zealand in Gran Turismo games.

These are all the blog posts I've done regarding certain race tracks in Australia and New Zealand:

• "Taupo Motorsport Park" - John's Blog Space
• "Bathurst (Mount Panorama Circuit)" - John's Blog Space
• "Phillip Island" - "John's Blog Space
• "Teretonga Park Raceway" - John's Blog Space
• "Adelaide Street Circuit" - John's Blog Space



Please be sure to visit those links if you enjoyed this post. I hope you enjoyed your time here on John's Blog Space; and if you did, please show your support by clicking on links below to show your support for my work. Thank you for reading!

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Speed Channel's Coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000

(UPDATED: October 10, 2011)

Speed Channel shown the Bathurst 1000 for the first time on American TV LIVE this weekend. This blog post showcases my own ideas regarding the coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000. The Bathurst 1000 is Australia's biggest racing event. If you want to liken this to a NASCAR event, you could say that the Bathurst 1000 is like the Coca-Cola 600, but with the prestige and honor of the Daytona 500. You win Bathurst, you become a legend. It's the big one. This blog post is all about how I've taken the Speed coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000.

A PERSONAL NOTE BEFORE I BEGIN:

(ADDED: OCT 10 2011) I would like to welcome all of my readers from Australia and New Zealand to John's Blog Space! Thank you so much for findind and sharing my blog. More so, I'd like to welcome people from the Australian Ford Forums for finding and sharing this post. I hope you have a good read. If you do enjoy my blog and my work, PLEASE feel free to subscribe to my blog via FeedBurner, Follow John's Blog Space, and/or even "like" my Facebook fan page. Thanks again, everyone!

--- Setting the Tone... ---

I needed to use a picture to help set the tone, so here is one I found online to help set the tone for the race that was covered this weekend (best I could find):


^ from: www.speedcafe.com.au - Bathurst 1000- legends are born for those who conquer this six-hour race around Mount Panorama. On October 8, 2011; the United States got to see this race for the first time LIVE.

The coverage began at 7:00 PM Eastern [Daylight] Time on Speed Channel. The race itself began around 7:30 PM Eastern [Daylight] Time. This was the commenting crew for Speed:


• Mike Joy - play-by-play
• Darrell Waltrip - analyst
• Leigh Diffey (one of my personal favorite Speed personalities) - pit reporter
• Calvin Fish - pit reporter


Leigh Diffey, of course, used to be the play-by-play announcer for races in the Australian V8 Supercar Series. Perhaps a bit unusual not to hear him call down this one as the play-by-play announcer.

--- Coverage Thoughts in General ---

Each bullet highlights on a certain aspect of the coverage on Speed. Have a look at these notes I've taken:

• comparing NASCAR Sprint Cup cars to V8 Supercars. Fair comparison.

• "Boogity, boogity, boogity!" - no offense, but no need to say that. This isn't NASCAR, and you shouldn't try to make an event like the Bathurst 1000 to be like a NASCAR race. We don't need to dumb down an event like the Bathurst 1000 this way.

• Good job educating the audience on various aspects of Bathurst, Australia, the race, etc. Even learned a few things about the race and the track.

• Darrell Waltrip talked about the blue oval (Ford) and the "red tiger" of Holden. Uh, Holden's logo is the red LION.

I thought the coverage was very good to me. It also was great for the explanation of the different sponsors in Australia on the cars. Some of the different sponsors were those I was familiar with. It was great to hear Marcos Ambrose during the coverage while Ambrose (two-time Australian V8 Supercar Series champion) was at Kansas.

--- 2011 Bathurst 1000 Thoughts in General ---

There is a reason why this is being featured in the United States. The Bathurst 1000 is one of the greatest races in the world. These cars and this action certainly caught on with Americans as more and more people here get to see these cars in action. To some people, not as many people know of races and series like the Australian V8 Supercar Series because some people think that Australia is too far away from the rest of the world for people to actually know anything about the series.

That awesome finish and the big fire from one of the Holdens (the #17 one, I believe) are the two biggest sights I'll take away from this coverage. This was an exceptional experience to see. I saw most of the race on Speed Channel. It wasn't like I watched every last second.

--- Final Thoughts ---

I do think the insanity of the Bathurst 1000 was captured well here. The one thing I love about Speed Channel (and still do) is that they love motorsports and is willing to provide such great material for racing fans. My first taste of Australian V8 Supercars on TV was back in 2000 or 2001 when Speed Channel used to be Speedvision. The spellbinding thing about all of this is that the Australian V8 Supercar Series was perceived and recognized so well that we not only get Bathurst coverage, but LIVE Bathurst coverage. These same V8 Supercars will race around Circuit of the Americas in 2013. So this is a win-win for any racing fan. This is a weekend you have to enjoy if you are any kind of racing fan in the United States.

Many people think Speedvision's luster was lost the more Speed has started towards becoming more about NASCAR and reality TV. Fact is, Speed hasn't entirely lost what makes the channel what it is- a world of racing and a love of racing worldwide. Even though most of the coverage on the network mostly favors NASCAR and other kinds of American racing, the network still remains in touch with most of the rest of the world of racing. This is a network that knows what the heck they're talking about and knows racing better than any other network. I'd hate for this to be some... you know, highlight-laden deal on ESPN or something with substandard coverage. If this race was going to be shown live on TV for the first time in America, it needs to be done right. And Speed has done it... right, but with a few asterisks.

To be honest... I don't agree with having native TV crews calling down certain races. I am going to watch a major international race for that race, and I don't really need to have a certain domestic crew call down racing action. I appreciate mostly the world feed crew to call races. Take MotoGP coverage, for instance. I'm okay hearing Nick Harris and Gavin Emmett with Mark Bracks for MotoGP coverage. Of course, I do love hearing Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, Steve Matchett, and Will Buxton for F1 coverage on Speed Channel. But for the World Superbike and MotoGP races in the States, we usually hear Ralph Sheheen and Freddie Spencer, and sometimes Leigh Diffey. I'd even be inclined to hear Leigh Diffey do play-by-play for this race and maybe someone else for analysis. Or in a dream scenario, you could have Leigh Diffey and Marcos Ambrose (if Ambrose wanted to return home to Australia just for the Bathurst 1000) calling the action. It just... I would be okay with the usual Australian crew call down this race. You don't have to Americanize the coverage just to appease the American fans.

One last time... no more "boogity, boogity, boogity!" to begin coverage of this race! The Australian V8's is NOT NASCAR, and Bathurst isn't Darlington or some place. So no need to use this catchphrase for a race like this in a series like this. Please?





I am not here to spoil this race. So congratulations to (the 2011 Bathurst 1000 winners) on a job well done! I hope you liked my own review of the Speed Channel coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000. You all are free to express your own opinions as well here. More blog posts on various other topics are in the works! So if you loved your John's Blog Space experience, feel free to Subscribe and Follow. Thank you for reading!

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SCCA Runoffs

(UPDATED: May 10, 2012)

The SCCA Runoffs is America's premier national championship of racing. This is where some of America's finest talent compete in one race across multiple classes of racing. Many of the racers may never get to compete at major racing events worldwide. However, a win in the SCCA Runoffs is just as big as winning the Daytona 500, Indy 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, or any other major motor race. Many of the competitors probably aren't even any degree of pro racer. These racers would certainly trade their usual day-to-day duties to partake in racing competition. Champions of various divisions of SCCA are invited each year since 1964 to compete for gold medals in one of over 24 different championships and classes.

This blog post is not so much a detailed discussion of the SCCA Runoffs, but more of a casual blog post of mine regarding the SCCA Runoffs.

JUST SO YOU KNOW...

The 2011 SCCA Runoffs take place between September 19 through September 25 at Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, USA).

--- SCCA Runoffs at a Glance (and Why Should You Care) ---

^ from: theautochannel.com - Are you the best amateur-level racer in the United States? If you are great enough in your SCCA region (explained later), you have a chance to become National Champion in the SCCA Runoffs. Picture was from the 2008 SCCA Runoffs at Heartland Park Topeka.

The SCCA Runoffs can be thought of as the Olympics of four-wheel motor circuit racing, at least in the United States. You have a variety of classes ranging from production-based machines to purpose-built racing cars competing in a number of individual classes. All the action takes place on one track each year. As I mentioned, champions of individual chapters of SCCA competition are invited to compete for National Championship glory in the SCCA Runoffs.

You don't have to be any kind of pro race car driver who has miles of experience in high-profile racing events. You can, however, be any number of racers that have competed or used to compete in SCCA Pro Racing. Why should you care about the SCCA Runoffs? Simple- it's the best showcase of national racing talent in the United States. These drivers may not have loads of money or lucrative sponsorship deals, but these are ordinary people who do what they love- race. It's the best assembly of racing talent in the United States in one of the biggest racing events every year. Also, it's not a "World Championship" where winning in a domestic series somehow makes you a "World" champion. You become National Champion of a great racing body if you manage to win in any of the different classes of SCCA Runoff competition.

--- What I Think About the SCCA Runoffs ---

There is a reason why I have so much respect for the SCCA Runoffs and what it all entails. The thing that sticks out to me is just that these are people who just love racing and cars. These are people who love racing at the limit as much as they do their day-to-day jobs. If you are talking about embracing motorsport the right way, the SCCA Runoffs represent having a love of racing while doing it at the race track; not on the streets, where lives (including the drivers themselves) are threatened.

You don't have to have the pedigree of the Andretti racing family to be a star in the SCCA. You don't have to have hours running Sebring or Le Mans. You likely don't even need to have even run an inch of road at Daytona or Indy. You don't even need any experience in some million-dollar, ultra-sophisticated race car to be a great race car driver. Then again, you don't need to have any of this experience. You can be great talent racing on the limit on some of America's finest racing facilities. You can be among some of the many whom have raced and/or still race in some level of SCCA competition. If you're fortunate enough to make the SCCA Runoffs, you may even go up against some of the finer competition in SCCA Pro Racing.

So that is what I think embodies not only racing in the SCCA Runoffs, but just racing in the SCCA in general. These are mostly ordinary people who just have a love of racing and competing. You could (for example) be a High School teacher through the week, but then wear your racing suit and hit the track on the weekends in your SCCA-legal race car. The SCCA is all about ordinary people taking part in extraordinary racing action. Many of the SCCA's talent may never compete in the most high-profile racing events or in the most high-profile series, but the ability to head out onto the track to compete and enjoy racing is what makes competing in the SCCA so rewarding. Those that are great are invited to take part in the SCCA Runoffs for the chance to shine and emerge as champions. These SCCA Runoff winners are not only some of the best in the SCCA, but they are also ambassadors of motorsports. They are promoters of what makes motorsports fun. Those who love racing don't have to do street racing or playing video/computer racing games (not that there's anything wrong with games). Considering some of the many stars who emerged from SCCA Runoffs fame (some of these you may have heard of before)- Bobby Rahal, Boris Said, Paul Newman (R.I.P.), and Skip Barber among MANY others; being a racing superstar isn't guaranteed in SCCA Runoffs, but you have the best chance to show you are a racing champion in SCCA Runoffs action.





I encourage you to read the rest of this blog post. However, you can learn more about the SCCA Runoffs by visiting www.scca.com/runoffs, or learn more about the SCCA itself by visiting www.scca.com. These links will be posted again towards the end of this blog post.

Click "Read More" to find out more thoughts of mine on the SCCA Runoffs by taking a look at individual classes that compete in the Runoffs.

--- SCCA Runoffs: Classes of Competition ---

Here is a basic look at how I understand most of the basic classes. I did have to consult the SCCA's website for better clarification of certain classes. I am providing videos for all of you for educational purposes. I'd like to thank all whom allowed their videos to be embedded so I can share these with my blog readers. I've tried to find brief videos so that you get a general idea of each class of SCCA competition. Another thing to note is that not all of these videos regard the SCCA Runoffs. In fact, some of these videos are provided just to showcase certain classes of SCCA competition that compete at the SCCA Runoffs.

I have consulted the SCCA's Car Classification page for some (or all) of my information. Please send me an Email if there is something you think I should add to this blog post to make it better for ally of my readers.

Production Classes.

^ A Porsche 914 racing in the F Production class in the 2004 SCCA Runoffs.

Many of the Production classes are devoid of their tops. The canopy of these cars are basically replaced with racing roll cages. There is no age limit to these cars and those that can compete in the various Production classes. So don't be surprised to see Production-class cars ranging from a 2001 Mazda Miata to an old Austin Healey Sprite competing in this class of SCCA competition.

Super Touring Classes.

[~~~ no video... :( ~~~]

Super Touring is fairly new to me. I don't really know how to explain this class of competition. All I do know is that there are different levels of competition featuring mostly production cars vastly modified for racing. The cars are similar in specification to the SCCA World Challenge.

Showroom Stock Classes.

^ A Showroom Stock C class race at Road Atlanta, uploaded to YouTube in 2008.

Rather than out-and-out racing machines, this class of racing is purely production-based. No tuning of any kind of allowed on these cars except for a racing rollcage and a fire extinguisher. Victory in a series is surely depending on driver skill rather than so much having the most powerful car on the track.

Grand Touring Classes.

^ Highlights of the GT-Lite class at the 2008 SCCA Runoffs at Heartland Park Topeka. It features Peter Zekert (the #45 car).


^ A GT-1 class Camaro racing at Eagles Canyon. Listen to this car as it passes by!

Personally, I love the GT-1 class the most. It's basically SCCA Trans-Am style racing with high-horsepower V8s making beautiful engine music. The cars in the GT classes are purpose-built silhouette race cars.

Sedan Class.

(WARNING: You may need to turn down the volume!)

^ American Sedan (or A-Sedan) race in 2008 at Heartland Park Topeka.

The only class that comes to mind for me is American Sedan (or A-Sedan). This is where big American cars all compete at once. Enjoy the roar of American engines as they go at it on the track!

Touring.

^ This was the start of the 2009 SCCA Runoffs in the Touring 1 class. The car in question is (I'm assuming) some variation of the Chevrolet Corvette C6. The track is Road America.

Touring features some of the latest production-based sports cars tuned for racing.

Sport Racer Classes.

^ The West WX10, a D Sports Racer (or DSR) class car, runs a lap around Road Atlanta in this video.


^ The Spec Racer Ford class features purpose-built racing prototypes powered by Ford engines (Ford V8's?).

I LOVE the Sport Racer classes! These machines represent purpose-built sportscar racing machines being raced to the limit. The classes I've come to know are C Sports Racer, D Sports Racer, and Sports 2000. I think Spec Racer Ford also is part of this class. I've seen two kinds of these prototypes- proper prototypes and formula cars with prototype bodywork added to give them the appearance of a prototype. An example of a proper prototype is the Radical SR3, which can be raced in the C Sports Racer (CSR) class. One manufacturer that makes machines for CSR and DSR is a company called Speads. Some formula cars can be fitted with a kit that turns a formula car into a prototype that can compete in the Sports Racer ranks. It's a more cost-effective and versatile way to enjoy racing in the SR classes.

Formula Classes.

(WARNING: Turn down the volume!)

^ SCCA Formula Atlantic racing at Road America in the 2009 SCCA Runoffs. Love the engine sounds!

The Formula classes feature the only open-wheel racing machines. You won't see any super-powerful open-wheelers (like Indy cars or F1 cars), but you will see some very competitive formula-type cars competing in this class. The most unique racing among the Formula machines can be found in Formula 500 (or F500). You will see some of the most unique-looking formula cars competing in this division of the Formula classes. The only manufacturer I know of best in Formula 500 is Novakar. Besides Formula 500, there are divisions such as Formula Vee, Formula Atlantic, and Formula Continental.

Spec Miata.

^ Get your Zoom-Zoom on! :) Spec Miata is a great way to enjoy racing with one of the most affordable and most basic sports cars on the market.

Devoted entirely to the Miata/MX-5, this is where loads of Mazda Miatas square off in fierce competition. Harness its capabilities to win on the track. I hear you could get a late model Miata and purchase some sort of kit or something to be able to compete in Spec Miata.


You now have a basic idea of what each class of the SCCA Runoffs entails. For more detailed specifications of each class, visit SCCA Club Racing - Car Classification on www.scca.com. For more YouTube videos on the SCCA Runoffs, please check out the YouTube search results for "SCCA Runoffs" to see more videos, including much longer videos featuring onboard video from races and more.

--- SCCA Runoffs: What's YOUR Division? ---

I've talked ad naseum about different divisions of the SCCA. If you want to take part in SCCA competition but are unsure of your nearest division, I have provided these links to help you find your division and to help you get started in becoming an SCCA member. There are two ways I can point you towards the division you are based in.


--- OPTION 1: All Divisions ---
Visit the site below to find the SCCA Region you are in. If you want to find out more about each division, click on the region that represents your sector of the United States:

• SCCA Divisions - all divisions
^ all Divisions of the SCCA. You can contact representatives of each region and even visit individual region websites.


--- OPTION 2: Individual Divisions ---
And here are the individual Divisions of SCCA competition. Each are listed by the individual states and regions that make up each division. Find one that suits your sector of the United States (NOTE: each described region is just a rough sketch of each represented state in each SCCA region):

• Northern Pacific SCCA
^ Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana, northern Nevada, and northern and central California

• Southern Pacific SCCA
^ Southern California, most of Nevada, southwestern Utah, and all of Arizona

• Rocky Mountain SCCA
^ central and eastern Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, most of Utah, all of New Mexico, and western Texas

• Southwest Division SCCA
^ Texas (except Western Texas), Louisiana, and southwestern Mississippi

• Midwest Division SCCA
Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Missouri, western and southwestern Iowa, Missouri, most of Mississippi, and southern Illinois

• Central Division SCCA
North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern and northeastern Iowa, central and northern Illinois, and Michigan's upper peninsula

• Great Lakes Division SCCA
lower peninsula of Michigan, Indiana, western and central Ohio, and most of Kentucky

• Northeast Division SCCA
^ Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, (Washington, D.C.), West Virginia, and northern Virginia.

• Southeast Division SCCA
^ southern Virginia, central and eastern Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.


I hope this helps for you all.





This concludes my blog post on the SCCA Runoffs. I hope my insight (as a racing fan) can help you to appreciate what all the SCCA Runoffs is all about. Special salute to those who have competed in or are competing in SCCA competition. Equal respect for those whom have competed in the SCCA Runoffs. As promised, here are the links from earlier:

• www.scca.com - the Sports Car Club of America's official website.
• www.scca.com/runoffs - the SCCA Runoffs' website.

Thank you for reading!

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Why Should You Care? - The Coca-Cola 600

Why should you care about the Coca-Cola 600? NASCAR's answer to the Indy 500 since 1959 has been the race formerly known as The World 600. Charlotte Motor Speedway is the Circus Maximus for which tubeframe horses with 700 to 800 horsepower contest for speed. Rather than really light mid-engine formula cars with outstanding handling at Indy, it's all about big and heavy stock cars with heavy horsepower at Charlotte. This is my own look at the Coca-Cola 600 and why you should care about this race.





Time to set the mood:

^ from: tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com - Feel the roar and the excitement as 43 stock cars from the world's greatest stock car racers are turned loose for 600 miles around Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The Coca-Cola/World 600 is what I usually like thinking of as NASCAR's version of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as being the longest race of the year as well as the most grueling race. Charlotte Motor Speedway is home for many NASCAR teams and drivers, so winning any race at Charlotte is almost as gratifying as winning the Daytona 500. Many races last 500 miles in NASCAR Cup. At Charlotte for the 600, however, you have to last 500 miles... plus 100 more. The race mostly lasts for about 400 laps on the very fast Charlotte oval. It is a great racing occasion on a holiday weekend where American honor the proud men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms and liberties of the United States. NASCAR is the great American motorsport, and so this great American race is the finest race for American racing fans.

I can still recall that Coca-Cola 600 a few years ago that had as many as 23 caution periods. The endurance aspect of this race is why I often call the Coca-Cola 600 as NASCAR's version of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race may last for much less hours and much less miles/kilometers, but it is still a grueling and punishing

For those trying to take on the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 do the Indy-Charlotte double, they mostly like doing the Indy 500 followed by a plane or jet ride to Charlotte Motor Speedway. That's 1,100 miles of racing in JUST ONE DAY! You have to credit the physical conditioning of these racers and their unconditional love of racing to do the Indy-Charlotte double.

Many see the Coca-Cola 600 strategically as a three-segment race. This event begins in the late afternoon or early evening timeframe. The sun goes down and gives way to the darkness of night. As darkness fills the air, this is that stretch run all the way to the checkered flag. So you can think of the Coca-Cola 600 as three 200-mile stages. The ultimate goal at the end of the night is to last 600 miles while making it to the checkered flag before anybody else. Of course, there may be the possibility of a green-white-checker (or "Overdrive," NASCAR's version of Overtime) in the late stages. There is no doubt that this is one of NASCAR's best races. It's up there with the Southern 500, Brickyard 400, and a NASCAR event called... the Daytona 500.

Speaking as a native Texan, here is a fact I found out on Wikipedia: only one Texan has ever won the Coca-Cola 600- Bobby LaBonte in 1995.


Here is a preview of the insanity the Coca-Cola 600 can provide (you may need to turn up the volume):

^ courtesy of: "Mikey2448" (YouTube) and FOX Sports

Good luck to all drivers and teams competing in this year's Coca-Cola 600!





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Why Should You Care? - The Indy 500

Why should you care about the Indy 500? Even if you don't like oval racing, you must admit the Indianapolis 500 is the world's greatest oval race. This is where you bunch up a field of 33 drivers in three-driver rows to contest for speed for 500 miles on one of the world's greatest racing facilities. The very first Indy 500 was run in 1911 with Ray Harroun winning the very first Indy 500 in his Marmon Wasp. Of course, that race took over six hours (about 6:42:08.000) in the very first Indy 500. The track, the cars, the technology, and the atmosphere was much different WAY back then compared to now. The race even can be completed in fewer hours than it used to be back then. The facility has evolved as more people have come to see racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway over the years and decades. Brick roads would become asphalt roads (but still with bricks at the Start/Finish line). So why should you care about the Indy 500? I'll explain my ideas in this blog post.





This picture sets the mood:


^ from: www.realclearsports.com - 33 cars × (approx.) 670+ horsepower Indy cars × several hundred-thousand fans = one awesome race!

My first Indy 500 was in 2000, back when what is now IndyCar used to be the Indy Racing League. I've heard of big names like Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lyn St. James trying to qualify for that race. The most memorable Indy 500 moments I've seen were in 2005 when Danica Patrick led the Indy 500 (first female to do so) and her 4th Place finish (highest female finish at Indy until her 3rd Place finish a few years later). Maybe the biggest heartbreak to me was when Marco Andretti was going to win the race on the final lap... until Sam Hornish Jr. overtook him on the front straight to win in slingshot fashion. I don't know very many classic moments to say I understand the history of this event all that well. If there's one popular Indy 500 I keep seeing mention to, it's when ESPN Classic shows the 1982 Indy 500.

Just the fact that these cars AVERAGE 220 mph to 230 mph around this incredible race track makes this race absolutely incredible to watch. There is a lot of drama that transpires in this great race as well. There are people who say that this is one of the diminished sports events and that this doesn't deserve to be part of any of the major sporting events, like the Super Bowl, the World Series, the World Cup, and events like that. This race is still one of the greatest sporting events of any kind. And don't give me that crap that race car drivers aren't athletes. They are as much of athletes as any gridiron football player or triathletes. Piloting a race car at high speeds basically putting your life on the line in each turn for each lap is worth the excitement.

As I have mentioned earlier, you don't have to like oval racing. Thing is, the Indy 500 is more than an any plain old oval race. The Indy 500 is one of the most exciting racing events with loads of history. Victory here sets you up and establishes you as a legend. This is definitely one of the big races to win for any international racing star who wants to establish himself/herself as any kind of international racing legend. If you have never seen this race, it is DEFINITELY worth watching. Trust me.



If you have ten minutes to spare and want to take a look back at the 2010 Indy 500, check this video out:



THAT is why you should care about the Indy 500. Good luck to all racers and teams this weekend for the 2011 and 100th anniversary of the Indy 500!

For more information on the Indy 500, visit the official Indy 500 website.





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Why Should You Care? - The 12 Hours of Sebring

The 12 Hours of Sebring is one of the biggest endurances races of the year. Besides the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring is one of the finest endurance races in the United States, let alone in the state of Florida. Many others would argue that the 12 Hours of Sebring has always been a world stage-style endurance even when the classic sportscar racing format at Daytona was replaced by the Daytona Prototypes starting in 2003.

Let's set the mood with a picture I found online:




^ from: www.carenvy.ca - Frenzied action and loads of drama are guaranteed on the mostly flat 3.7-mile confines of Sebring International Raceway, especially when the 12 Hours of Sebring is the main event.

Since 1950, the former USAF air base turned race track has been home to great racing in Central Florida. The first 12 Hours of Sebring didn't see the green flag until 1952. Over 58 renditions of the 12 Hours of Sebring have run since the very first one. The 2011 version will be the 59th edition of this classic endurance. The best reason to care about this race is that this is a great race on an aging course with plenty of character. Modern sportscar racing machines on a track like this is just great to watch. The fact it's run during usually when Spring Break wraps up makes this somewhat a party destination. And we all know- race tracks make the best party zones! :D As for the on-track action, this is a great track to see cars race around whether in daylight or at night. The level of challenge racing a course like this is immense. It is a real driver's track where you will be punished for not taking a chance now and then. The track is wonderful, and the race is wonderful. Why aren't you following this race if you're a true racing fan?

The history, the action, and the fact this course is a great testing ground for the big one at Le Mans in June. It's the best big time sportscar endurance race in the USA. It may not be twice-around-the-clock like that sportscar endurance up in northern Florida, but it's still the best traditional sportscar racing endurance in the United States. It is a world stage battle for sportscar racing supremacy in central Florida. Add in the fact that this race mostly happens as Spring Break is wrapping up, and you have a happenin' atmosphere that makes the action off-track just as great as the action on-track. THAT is why you should care about the 12 Hours of Sebring!

Just So You Know...

The 2011 (and 59th annual) 12 Hours of Sebring comes your way March 16 through March 19. Learn more and purchase tickets by visiting sebringraceway.com.


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Why Should You Care? - Suzuka 8 Hours

The 8 Hours of Suzuka is one of the most famous motorcycle endurance races in the world. The race's history began as far back as 1978, with the majority of bikes being centered around Tourist Trophy Formula One motorcycles then. Since 1993, however, it's all about some of the best superbikes racing around this course.


^ from: racecorporation.co.uk - the #7 Seven Stars Honda CBR1000RRW won the 8 Hours of Suzuka in 2004 and again in 2005. The 2004 tandem was Tohru Ukawa and Hitoyasu Izutsu, and the 2005 tandem was Tohru Ukawa and Ryuichi Kiyonari.

Suzuka is one of my favorite race tracks in the world. Perhaps the eight hour challenge is unique because Suzuka is a figure-eight road course. The endurance is part of the FIM Endurance World Championship, which can be thought of as the motorcycle equivalent of the Le Mans Series in terms of importance and in terms of competition. Riders and teams from around the world compete on Japan's amazing Suzuka Circuit for over eight hours of intense racing. If you've played Tourist Trophy, you may have unlocked any or all five of the Suzuka 8 Hour bikes from the 2005 race. Maybe the most memorable motorcycle I've heard of that raced this track were Suzuki Hayabusas raced by the Kenz J-Trust

The only real difference in the course layout for motorcycles is that there is an extra chicane after Turn 11 of the Grand Prix course. This is to help slow the bikes down through 200R and heading into Spoon Curve (Turn 13, Grand Prix course).

A bit of the information for this blog entry was supplemented by the Wikipedia entry for this topic. Why should you care about this race? Some of the world's best endurance motorcycle racers, some of the world's best motorcycles racing, all racing on one track from day-to-evening-to-night fashion, and on one of the world's finest race tracks. Any more convincing needed?





THAT'S why you should care about the 8 Hours of Suzuka. Thank you for reading. Please take care and have an amazing day!

Stock Car Road Racing

(UPDATED: May 10, 2012)

Stock cars were never designed to be road racing machines, but it doesn't mean that they can not be tuned to road race. I actually like watching stock cars road race because it gives us a chance to see these racers outside of their element. Road racing is an entirely different animal whereas timely shifts and properly attacking the apexes lead to victory. More people care about oval racing than road racing because of the excitement level oval racing provides. While I do love a good oval battle, road racing entails much more and takes much more out of the drivers. You really earn victory more in road racing than you do oval racing. At least, these are reasons why I care so much about road racing than oval racing, and it is also why I love seeing NASCAR do road racing. There are two main reasons- road racing exhibits drivers out of their oval racing ways, and it's great seeing NASCAR challenge their overall racing talent rather than just tackling three or four corners almost every race weekend.

I say "Stock Car" Road Racing, but the majority involves NASCAR. This blog entry may feature some bad language, so read at your own discretion.

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

MAY 10 2012 - modified entire look of post and edited some tags to the blog post

--- NASCAR Road Racing: Why Should You Care? ---

Okay. It's not possible I can convince oval racing fans that road racing is where it's at, but I'll do my best to sway interest.

The main reason why you should care is because it's just different to watch. Doesn't racing get monotonous when it's just three or four corners of racing? Road racing tests your ability on a number of fronts. NASCAR is all about hard-fought racing no matter what circuits are raced. However, when you talk about road racing, you are talking about hard-fought NASCAR road racing while keeping driving skills intact. An additional challenge to this style of racing for stock cars is using the weight of the cars (all 3400 lbs of them) around a road race course. The emphasis is on making the car better able to tackle multiple corners while keeping it all straight in the corners and on the straights.

NASCAR racers who aren't good road racers often hire road racing specialists to take over the car for them. Part of me says this is laziness and not really challenging yourself, but another says that if you're not good at road racing, practice and train. If all else fails, hire someone who can road race better than you. At least you know there are times where you can not be in the car on a given weekend.

I only wish for two things in NASCAR- the Chase for the Cup MUST feature a road course. They can race at Road Atlanta, Barber Motorsports Park, or Sebring (if you want to make it an American Southeast-exclusive deal. You race two road courses in NASCAR Cup, so it makes no damn sense to not include a road course in this playoff of NASCAR. You want to be NASCAR champion? Race a road course in addition to all the other oval races.

--- Stock Cars in Road Racing ---

Let's look at various pictures I've found online (that I've offered credit to). This is your chance to see these oval-racing warriors take their turn at road racing.

Sears Point/Infineon Raceway.

^ from: www.lowesracing.com - NASCAR Cup racing around Turns 3a and 3b at Sears Point (now Infineon Raceway).


^ from: www.autoracing1.com - NASCAR Cup cars at Infineon Raceway in 2000.

Watkins Glen.

^ from: www.automobilsport.com - NASCAR Cup cars down the front straight at Watkins Glen.

I used to like Watkins Glen, but not really anymore. It's just not as interesting of a race track to me anymore. The former United States Grand Prix course in upstate New York is still one of the most competitive racing tracks in the United States.

Autodromo de Los Hermanos Rodriguez.

^ from: zimbio.com - NASCAR Nationwide racing around Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

The NASCAR Grand National series (NASCAR Nationwide Series these days) raced around Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez as one of two non-American courses. "Good old boys/girls" argue that NASCAR could find plenty of great race tracks in the United States, so the need to go outside of the United States is a very poor idea. Yet, many are perfectly fine with dealing with Canadian sports teams playing in American professional sporting leagues. There are two reasons why I loved this deal to go to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The first reason- it's not an oval. The other reason is because this is the kind of road race track that strongly suits stock cars. This track used to serve as home to the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Mexico. It is both a fast road course and a great fit for stock cars.

Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve.

^ from: usatoday.net - Native Canadian Ron Fellows racing around a rain-soaked Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve in one of the first-ever times NASCAR raced in the rain. He went on to win this race in 2008.

Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve was where NASCAR actually raced in the rain. Even years before this race, rain tires have been created for stock cars. They've never had to be used until one time in 2008. The NASCAR Grand National Series raced at Montreal in 2008 and in 2009 with rain falling from the skies. Road racing types like myself LOVED seeing these stock car drivers race around on a rain-soaked race track. A lot of purists, however, hated the thought of seeing stock cars road race in the rain. One person from cbssports.com called the race as an atrocity. Here was the quote someone made:

"Running stock cars in the rain is like playing basketball on roller skates. It is ridiculous. About the only thing worse than NASCAR road racing is doing it in the rain. Saturday's "race" was a disaster with visibility down to nothing and cars sliding everywhere. There was water inside the cockpits and fog on the inside of the windshields that made things even more dangerous. The race was called mercifully when the torrential rain really kicked in, but not before a terrifying accident that could have injured several drivers including Joey Logano. Battling the weather in NASCAR racing makes no sense and Saturday was a perfect example of how dumb such a move can be. I hope it doesn't rain at The Glen this weekend. "

- Pete Pistone, courtesy of cbssports.com in August 2008

In my view, NASCAR did a pretty damn good job of piloting these stock cars on an F1 race track and making good of their stock cars to do so. Braving the elements is a part of life in addition to sport. A number of the racers had to get creative. Some drivers were using their attached windshield wipers and even somewhat climbing out of the car to de-fog the windshield. So just because you're some good ol' boy/girl not used to seeing anything besides stock car road racing doesn't mean you should hate on NASCAR for doing this. If anything, at least this is something different. You may not get tired of oval racing, but I often feel like oval racing gets monotonous, especially when you do it almost every God-forsaken weekend. NASCAR did pretty good with their precious stock cars on a wet track. On effort alone, I give NASCAR an A- for their road racing in the rain at Montreal.

Road America.

The Milwaukee Mile, a usual stop for NASCAR Grand National, was replaced in 2010 with Road America. Road America WAS one of the longest courses in the United States until the arrival of Utah's Miller Motorsports Park. To give you an idea of what stock car racing would be like at Road America, here is a video of a USAR Hooter's Pro Cup car around Road America:

Portland International Raceway.

^ NASCAR Trucks at Portland in 1999

There was a time when the NASCAR Trucks raced around Portland International Raceway. Now, they're somehow too good to race road courses. You're going to do road racing in Nationwide and Cup, so why not include a road course in NASCAR Trucks? That's especially if you are thinking of stepping up to Grand National and Cup. Why NASCAR doesn't race on road courses in Trucks anymore is beyond me. And don't give me that poppycock about road racing not being "racing." Give the trucks some road racing competition in addition to the many ovals they race anyways. It's called diversity. Run a damned road course, NASCAR Trucks!

Riverside (Bonus!)

I want to blog about Riverside at one point. Want to know what stock cars were like around Riverside? Here is bonus content:



Thank me later! :D

--- Stock Cars Born to Road Race! ---

^ from: v8stockcar.com - V8 Stock Car Road Racing Series at Sebring Raceway against other cars.

The only stock car series that I know of that road races used to be known as the Stock Car Road Race Championship. Now, since maybe 2009, it's known as the V8 Stock Car Road Racing Series. This is a series that mostly races on the East Coast. In addition to these stock cars, a bunch of Trans-Am style cars race in this series.

To learn more about this series, please visit the V8 Stock Car Road Racing Series website, or even Become a Fan/Like them on Facebook.

--- Final Thoughts ---

Stock cars are race cars, and race cars race. Race car drivers race. Stock cars are not like drag racing cars where they serve only one racing purpose. These are pure racing cars, unlike some of the commercials that make them out to be road-going cars. You don't think that stock cars can do road racing? Check out this clip of a NASCAR stock car tackling the world-famous Laguna Seca corkscrew:



Even the now-defunct Speedcar Series featured stock car road racing mostly in the Middle East. So don't give me that crap about stock cars not being able to road race. They aren't F1 cars or sportscar racing machines, but at least it's better than watching just-turn-left racing. At least most of the melodrama most stock car racing provides is dispelled with something like road racing.

NASCAR's Canadian and Mexican series do more road racing than in the United States. NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race on tracks like Mosport (which is a better fit for NASCAR than some proposed new oval in the Toronto area), Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve, Toronto, and even the old street course around Vancouver. NASCAR Mexico and its other series races on tracks like Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Puebla's road course, and a bunch of other Mexican road courses.





Stock cars CAN road race. They don't road race enough. Even the IndyCar Series has a healthy balance of ovals and road/street courses. Crashes and Hollywood drama don't make racing; intense racing and tough courses make racing. So enjoy stock cars road racing!

Thanks for reading my blog and its entries!

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Why Should You Care? - 24 Hours of Le Mans/24 Heures du Mans

24 Hours of Drama. 24 Hours of Battling the Unknown. 24 Hours of Survival. 24 Hours of Le Mans. 24 Heures du Mans. One of racing's greatest challenges is the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The world's most beautiful and fast race cars all compete for one of racing's grandest prizes- victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams of three drivers drive one car while making sure to stay out of trouble with everybody else. It's one of the most grueling and most exciting racing competitions. Why should you care, though? You'll find out throughout the course of this blog entry!

Many of you who know my YouTube channel know that I have a "Why Should You Care?" series. Now, "Why Should You Care?" comes to my Blogspot blog! This is where I share my thoughts on why you should care about certain racing events. So please have a look at what I have to offer for you here!

--- Why Should You Care? - The 24 Hours of Le Mans ---

^ from: automobilesreview.com - Flyer for the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance.

Since 1923, many of the world's greatest marques and drivers have contested the thrill ride known as Le Mans. It used to be that the drivers and cars would race for a certain amount of time, then stop for lunch and stuff. Le Mans these days is all about non-stop action. It is punishment for all involved. The only way you win- outlast everybody else and finish as high as you can. This race is not part of any championship series. In fact, you could say this race is its own one-race championship.

The madness takes place on a track that's just over 8.5 miles in length. About 1/16 of the course is the Bugatti Circuit, and all the rest are public roads. Le Mans is just a quiet country drive every day except for one weekend. You blast down the road full song down the Hunaudières (also called the Mulsanne Straight). While it's straight, it's also very bumpy. Two chicanes have broken up the Hunaudières to reduce speeds starting in 1990. Before these chicanes, it was one LONG straight with really insane speeds. If you want a sample of this, try racing the International-A Final in Gran Turismo 4 to know what Le Mans was like before the chicanes! The majority of the course is a high-speed thrill ride. The second half of the course features some fast kinks and some decisive corners. You start tackling corners like Indianapolis, D' Arnage, the Porsche Curves, and the super-slow Ford Chicane. My biggest problem spot is D' Arnage.

You have to be invited to contend at Le Mans. You have to assemble a team and be ready for that long haul to Le Mans, France in June. It is one of the world's finest races with some of the world's finest manufacturers contending across four classes. You have marques such as (especially today): Audi, Peugeot, Ferrari, Porsche, Chevrolet, and many more. Le Mans is where driver and machine must be in perfect harmony to win. It is where you run a "24-hour sprint." Many call this the Grand Prix of Endurance, and for good reason. This is a race you survive rather than win. It is a 24-hour party for the fans, but 24 hours of work. You have to change drivers, and then those drivers have to give their best effort to win.

Then... you have drama. No, I'm not talking about phantom cautions and blindside attacks in NASCAR. I'm talking about things like vicious crashes, spinning out at Indianapolis or D' Arnage, and the dreaded sign of Game Over- a garage shutting its doors. Fans that can actually stay awake long enough to enjoy the action will be treated to immense excitement enjoying a race as great as this one is. Some fans tune into Radio Le Mans either in Le Mans or streaming online.

Let me explain some memorable Le Mans moments for me. I remember in 2005 when I was pulling for Pescarolo Sport (Le Mans' own!) to win against the Audis. I wanted to cry when I saw Tom Kristensen win at Le Mans because he surpassed Jacky Ickx for most all-time wins. The man is God around Le Mans. Tom Kristensen to Le Mans is almost like the late, great Peter Brock around Bathurst. I wanted the Toyota GT-One to be the only other Japanese car to win Le Mans, but they failed late as BMW pulled through to win. My favorite car that won Le Mans- the Bentley EXP GT (2003). My favorite car that NEVER won Le Mans- the Ferrari 333SP.





The 24 Hours of Le Mans is simply one of the greatest races all year. I'm always excited for this race because I am such a fan of sportscar racing and Le Mans. My very first Le Mans I tried to follow was in 2001, when I saw it live on (then) Speedvision. I've tried to catch every Le Mans since my first. Last year's Le Mans was the first one in which I actually stayed up late enough to see the finish of. Give this race a chance. If you care so much to consider yourself a true racing fan, you owe it to yourself to enjoy this great race.

As a Houston native, I cheer on the likes of Risi Competizione and Krohn Racing.  Even more so considering that Tracy Krohn is a Houston native.  I don't have any favorites for the 2010 race except that I wonder if Peugeot can beat Audi again.


Thank you for reading my blog entry! For Le Mans resources, please check these out:

* lemans.org (FRENCH)
* lemans.org (ENGLISH)
* Radio Le Mans
* Speed Channel live stream (American streaming coverage of Le Mans)
* Spotter Guids (a diagram of cars at Le Mans is available here)

Good luck to all teams and drivers competing at Le Mans!