My observations about racing................

[dboat]

The main reason I liked the original Indycar race series and F1 is that they do roadcoarses. Indycar did ovals as well but both have to turn right and left.
The second reason is that in open wheel racing you have to actually pass somebody by using skill rather than rubbing, bumping or flat out pushing them into the wall. It takes driving skill, because if you let your tires hit a car or another set of tires in open wheel racing, then your chances of getting airborne are pretty darned good.
The split up of the indycar series into two racing leagues has been the ruination of both series. Face it, the Indy 500 aint what it used to be. My personal interest in Indycar type racing has greatly wained to the point where I seldom watch it. With Formula 1, while Michael Schumacher has been setting every record over the past few years, the series itself has been good. This year may be the least entertaining to me with the advent of the "one set of tires" rule. Which I personally find ridiculous. However, there are some new and fast drivers, and the other teams have worked hard to catch up and pass the Ferrari's. How much of it is Michael getting older and how much of it is tyre technology, I dont know, but it has made for an interesting year. (I am betting on the tyre tech being a huge factor).
Also, the open wheel guys, esp F1, race in the rain. Could you imagine if CrashCar decided to do that too ? Wouldnt that be a hoot.

Lastly, while the drivers dont have to sprint across the track, hop in their car, start it and drive away. The standing start in F1 and the subsequent sprint to the first corner is still one of the most exciting parts of motorsports. Imagine if the other series adopted it?

Tex,
I for one still love a good NHRA race event. Its one of those things that, while completely the opposite of F1, I do enjoy. I like going through the pits and watching the mechanics tear apart and engine and put it back together in an hour. I love the feel of the ground shaking as too 5000 HP vehicles leave the starting line. I love the smell of the tires as the drivers burnout and the smell of the exhaust and unburned fuel in the air. I like some of the characters that are/were in the series. How can one not like John Force? However, as the day wears on, the time between the heats does get to be a bit much, but I doubt that much can be done about it.

Dana

[Tex Arcana]

The main reason I liked the original Indycar race series and F1 is that they do roadcoarses. Indycar did ovals as well but both have to turn right and left.
The second reason is that in open wheel racing you have to actually pass somebody by using skill rather than rubbing, bumping or flat out pushing them into the wall. It takes driving skill, because if you let your tires hit a car or another set of tires in open wheel racing, then your chances of getting airborne are pretty darned good.
The split up of the indycar series into two racing leagues has been the ruination of both series. Face it, the Indy 500 aint what it used to be. My personal interest in Indycar type racing has greatly wained to the point where I seldom watch it. With Formula 1, while Michael Schumacher has been setting every record over the past few years, the series itself has been good. This year may be the least entertaining to me with the advent of the "one set of tires" rule. Which I personally find ridiculous. However, there are some new and fast drivers, and the other teams have worked hard to catch up and pass the Ferrari's. How much of it is Michael getting older and how much of it is tyre technology, I dont know, but it has made for an interesting year. (I am betting on the tyre tech being a huge factor).
Also, the open wheel guys, esp F1, race in the rain. Could you imagine if CrashCar decided to do that too ? Wouldnt that be a hoot.

Lastly, while the drivers dont have to sprint across the track, hop in their car, start it and drive away. The standing start in F1 and the subsequent sprint to the first corner is still one of the most exciting parts of motorsports. Imagine if the other series adopted it?

Tex,
I for one still love a good NHRA race event. Its one of those things that, while completely the opposite of F1, I do enjoy. I like going through the pits and watching the mechanics tear apart and engine and put it back together in an hour. I love the feel of the ground shaking as too 5000 HP vehicles leave the starting line. I love the smell of the tires as the drivers burnout and the smell of the exhaust and unburned fuel in the air. I like some of the characters that are/were in the series. How can one not like John Force? However, as the day wears on, the time between the heats does get to be a bit much, but I doubt that much can be done about it.

Dana

I disagree about the tire rule thing: it has thorwn a hge wrench into the series that everyone is still trying to deal with, and it is partly why the mighty Ferrari team has fallen so hard of late. And it was a direct factor in the drama of Sunday's race, just ask Kimi . But--and I agree with the announcers here--maybe it's not such a good thing. And I hope they come to their senses and go back to the original "lightweight flying lap" qualifying rule, that was hella more exciting than the silliness they have now.

I can't disagree with you on the NHRA, the awesome power those cars produce is unquestionably the biggest draw, not to mention the potential for a fireball instead of a race. I just prefer the skill and sublety of continual driving on the edge, much like a drawn-out fencing match, or a tied hockey game where everyone has to be "ON", and one small slip makes the difference.

[Tex Arcana]

Nice post, I'll agree with most of it but:

I'll go out on a limb here:
Ryan Newman has an engineering degree from Purdue, I do not think Snoop or any of the F1 or Indy drivers have college degrees, but the F1 guys are bi.........lingual that is, so that requires some IQ.

F1 is very accepting of women, you have to go to a race in France, very accepting

I don't know of any Dart buses that go 200 MPH.

What's wrong with Beer?

F1 announcers are very good.

Dale JR just wrecked Micheal so he should beat his little ass.

Michael Schumacher may not have a degree, but he's got the mind of an engineer, and his ability in that regard helped Ferrari become the powerhouse they are.

ANd the F1 women are the hottest ever.

DART buses are more maneuverable, and they can turn right!!

American beer is one step up from toxic waste, in taste, and one step below in alcohol content.

The SPEED announcers are excellent; the CBS pbp announcer should have his throat cut, the color guy Derek Daly is good.

Dale Jr. is a spare riding on his daddy's legacy.

[Sixpipes]

Ryan Newman has an engineering degree from Purdue, I do not think Snoop or any of the F1 or Indy drivers have college degrees, but the F1 guys are bi.........lingual that is, so that requires some IQ.

Exception noted, but that does explain why Newman is so good at qualifying. He does have an inherent understanding of the coefficient of friction. Most of the other guys just say, "Dang, ever time I go too fast in the coner, my tars is slidin".

With regards to the NHRA, in person, the Top Fuel and Funny Cars are the most impressive show, IMO. Why anyone would climb into one of those things is beyond me. It doesn't require near the overall skills that the other forms of racing demand, but it is way cool. And most of those guys drink beer so I can relate. What's another 100 pounds when you are racing a 7,500 horsepower sled?

SCCA is cool and some of the top classes are pretty good, but there is too much diversity in sports car racing to make them a class. I've always wanted to race a Sunbeam Tiger in an SCCA class.

[Ivanhoe_Farms]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6472

And it is the right color too

[Tex Arcana]

SCCA is cool and some of the top classes are pretty good, but there is too much diversity in sports car racing to make them a class. I've always wanted to race a Sunbeam Tiger in an SCCA class.

I saw one of those at Green Valley Raceway, lo those many moons ago, and it was embarrassing alot of the competition. The eBay link is a good chance, but something that rare is too much at risk for me, I think I'd rather a replica that I could have some fun with.