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Interesting indeed! Michael Schumacher has already stated he has no desire to drive in the INDY 500 because it is too dangerous.servoeyes said:
With all of this said; it really gives a good indication of how good Mario Andretti was, doesn't it. He won the 1969 Indy 500, 12 Hrs. of Sebring ('67, '70, '72), 1967 Daytona 500 (and the good 'ole boys down South didn't like that one bit!), the 1978 Formula One World Driver's Championship, the 1979 IROC (International Race of Champions) Championship, Indy Car Championship in 1965, 1966, 1969, & 1984, 1974 USAC Sprint Car Dirt Championship. The only Major race he has yet to win is Le Mans.
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NASCAR has some of the closest racing right now. There is really nothing cooler then hearing 30 some odd AMERICAN V8's screaming to 8,200 RPM. That is a fantastic sound!!!
NASCAR is fun, should I say it; to watch. There is passing up the wazoo, huge amounts of stratagy and the like. Now if only they could remove the "red neck" and mullet factor from NASCAR, add in a few more street circuits and BAM you would have a fantastic series (Much like the BTCC back in 94, 95).
They use to run an IROC race where all the drives from different American race series would run just for fun, but I have not heard of that for a while now. Also, many of the F1 drivers will not drive in US events because they are simply scared that they are not as good as they think they are. After all, if you were MS or RB and were beaten by say, Sara Fisher wouldn't you feel a little lame?
NASCAR is fun, should I say it; to watch. There is passing up the wazoo, huge amounts of stratagy and the like. Now if only they could remove the "red neck" and mullet factor from NASCAR, add in a few more street circuits and BAM you would have a fantastic series (Much like the BTCC back in 94, 95).
They use to run an IROC race where all the drives from different American race series would run just for fun, but I have not heard of that for a while now. Also, many of the F1 drivers will not drive in US events because they are simply scared that they are not as good as they think they are. After all, if you were MS or RB and were beaten by say, Sara Fisher wouldn't you feel a little lame?
IROC still exists.... its just not on TV much....
and as for F1, Michael Schumacher is about the only reason I CANNOT watch it anymore.... why watch when you know the outcome?
oh, and I fully agree with you on the NASCAR parity, but yeah, the mullet factor is high
and as for F1, Michael Schumacher is about the only reason I CANNOT watch it anymore.... why watch when you know the outcome?
oh, and I fully agree with you on the NASCAR parity, but yeah, the mullet factor is high
I used to like F1 but all the years of MS favoritism (by both his team and Bernie himself) soured me. The whole group of 'em are nothing but a bunch of spoiled rich snobs. I lost the tiny amount of respect I ever had for MS when he pulled that pussy move on JV in the last race of the season in the early 90s when they were running neck and neck for the championship - MS tried taking out JV and only succeeded in taking himself out. He later (a year later?) admitted he did it on purpose. Then the hypocrite 2 years ago accused Coulthard of "trying to kill me" when Davy had a problem on the track and MS smashed into the back of him.
Flat out - the most competitive and exciting racing over the past few years has been CART (now OWRS). I cannot understand why anybody would choose to watch F1 over CART. CART has a far superior variety of tracks, infinitely more competitive racing, cooler sounding engines, and most importantly it's a lot more accessible to the American folks. The IRL is nothing but boring circles, loud tractor-like engines, less skilled drivers (gotta love the CART drivers coming over for the Indy 500 and sweeping the top spots every year) and not even the "racing for cheap" vision it once was. Plus Tony George is a tool. NASCAR sucks because it again is almost nothing but circles, slow cars, redneck drivers that describe their cars as "tight" or "loose" every 10 seconds, and I swear you get championship points for taking a piss in the morning.
The problem is we're a nation of idiots. Because of that NASCAR will forever thrive and no other racing will become widely popular.
Flat out - the most competitive and exciting racing over the past few years has been CART (now OWRS). I cannot understand why anybody would choose to watch F1 over CART. CART has a far superior variety of tracks, infinitely more competitive racing, cooler sounding engines, and most importantly it's a lot more accessible to the American folks. The IRL is nothing but boring circles, loud tractor-like engines, less skilled drivers (gotta love the CART drivers coming over for the Indy 500 and sweeping the top spots every year) and not even the "racing for cheap" vision it once was. Plus Tony George is a tool. NASCAR sucks because it again is almost nothing but circles, slow cars, redneck drivers that describe their cars as "tight" or "loose" every 10 seconds, and I swear you get championship points for taking a piss in the morning.
The problem is we're a nation of idiots. Because of that NASCAR will forever thrive and no other racing will become widely popular.
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Roaring V8s are fine,,,but fender banging, I don't enjoy. I don't enjoy Nascar. What is so stock about a stock car? Stupid headlight stickers (that s*** still cracks me up!!!). Carbs - not fuel injection! That's great for vintage cars, Cobras, etc... But; show me a showroom car with a Carburetor these days. That is a hillbilly backwards series. Ooooops! I said it! (chair). If I want full fendered racing, I watch the ALMS or Grand Am.
I have always been a really big fan of CART (Champ Car). No racing series is nearly as diversified. I follow IRL now, mainly because that is where Michael Andretti took his team. The sponsors had the say. Mario Andretti is still a huge advocate of Champ Car, and the only time you will see him in the paddock of an IRL race, is at Indy.
If somehow Champ Car does survive - great! But; if they don't, then; it is likely there will be a little road racing in the IRL. Still; for oval racing - even the racing rednecks would agree, nothing is closer than IRL racing. On any given track, an IRL car still runs 50 mph faster than a Nextel Cup Car! (thumb)
Whatever a person likes is cool with me, though. We are all friends here.
I have always been a really big fan of CART (Champ Car). No racing series is nearly as diversified. I follow IRL now, mainly because that is where Michael Andretti took his team. The sponsors had the say. Mario Andretti is still a huge advocate of Champ Car, and the only time you will see him in the paddock of an IRL race, is at Indy.
If somehow Champ Car does survive - great! But; if they don't, then; it is likely there will be a little road racing in the IRL. Still; for oval racing - even the racing rednecks would agree, nothing is closer than IRL racing. On any given track, an IRL car still runs 50 mph faster than a Nextel Cup Car! (thumb)
Whatever a person likes is cool with me, though. We are all friends here.
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yeah, I agree that the cars run faster, but its more due to the restrictions put on the NASCAR cars.... I'm not advocating it being a better series, or better drivers, but they do restrict them because 2X the weight, and 1/2 the tires at the same speeds is CRAZY. without restrictor plates they would be going CRAZY fast around the big tracks.
and as for NASCAR being a redneck series... sure it is... it was founded in North Carolina by moonshine runners... how could it be anything else? but everyone should atleast once hear 40 V8's roaing around a track at 9000 rpms. it IS quite impressive, and certainly sounds better to me than some small displacements engines turning 15k whining around the track.
I just wish there was a widely accepted seies that combined all the things I like about racing with out the negatives, but there never will be.... atleast not on tv.
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I have seen most everything except, The Euro Touring Sedan Series (BTCC, Australian, etc...), and WRC (Sweet!). And; I have seen Winston Cup back in 1987 when they were still running at Riverside Intl. Raceway in CA. The IRL cars are roaring V8s too, including Honda power and Toyota. They is loud!RyanJayG said:
I think that we are all missing the best type of racing out there: Shifter Karts!!! Or just Kart racing in general.
I had an Energy Kart with a Kow125cc on her. Boy, that thing was scary fast (I hit over 130mph consistantly on the small track by my house) and s*** loads of fun to drive. It is cheap and anyone can do it. Plus, the majority of good drivers come from karting (almost every F1, CART, IRL, ALMS, BTCC and NASCAR driver has had some seat time in a kart). Its very quick, there is tons of passing and its a "grass roots" type of motorsport that is almost impossible to find in the US today (SCCA is not grass roots, there are way too many rules and regs, plus cone racing is boring beyond belief).
If you guys ever get a chance to watch it (I think ESPN shows shifter racing); Watch It. You will be hooked!!!
I had an Energy Kart with a Kow125cc on her. Boy, that thing was scary fast (I hit over 130mph consistantly on the small track by my house) and s*** loads of fun to drive. It is cheap and anyone can do it. Plus, the majority of good drivers come from karting (almost every F1, CART, IRL, ALMS, BTCC and NASCAR driver has had some seat time in a kart). Its very quick, there is tons of passing and its a "grass roots" type of motorsport that is almost impossible to find in the US today (SCCA is not grass roots, there are way too many rules and regs, plus cone racing is boring beyond belief).
If you guys ever get a chance to watch it (I think ESPN shows shifter racing); Watch It. You will be hooked!!!
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Dig!!!nmaino said:
Here's Michael Andretti and his son, Marco (Heron kart)
2002 at Elkhart Lake...
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Personal Statistics:[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Full Name: Marco Michael Andretti
Birthdate: March 13, 1987
Siblings: Sister Marissa, Brother Lucca
Hobbies: Racing, Hanging out with my friends, playing basketball and tennis, jet skiing, snowmobiling and listining to music.
[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Driving Goals [/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Marco, with his talent and ambition, has mapped out his career path and is well on his way to building his future in open-wheel racing.
Marco's future plans include competing for the championship in the Barber Dodge Pro series in 2005 (formerly won by many famous drivers, including Juan-Pablo Montoya and A.J. Allmendinger) and participating in several Grand Am endurance events such as the 24 Hours of Daytona. [/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Career Highlights [/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2000 [/font]
- [font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Won Oakland Valley track championship in two classes
Won Back-to-School Series
Co-champion in the Backwards Series at Oakland Valley Race Park [/font]
- [font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This year Marco brought home, 10 Club Wins, Grand National Championship, Results 7th out of 51, and Fast Time & New Track Record Dousman Wisconsin World Karting Association, Vice Champion of Backward Series, Vice Champion Back To School Series . [/font]
- [font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]First Year competing in the national circuit WKA & NAKA
Oakland Valley Race Park Jr. Grandnational Champion - Formula Yamaha Jr.
1st Place Stars of Tomorrow Regional Champion
Jr Grandnational Champion Oakland Valley Raceway
2nd Place Stars of Tomorrow National Championship [/font]
- [font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Completed Skip Barber 3 day school
Competed in Skip Barber Eastern Series and won 8 out of 16 races
Captured Skip Barber's Formula Dodge Eastern Series Championship and Rookie of the Year
Set the new track records at Lime Rock, CT; Moroso Park , FL and Road Atlanta, GA
Co-champion in Skip Barber regional run-offs [/font]
- [font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Set the new track record at Daytona , FL [/font]
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small question though: why is it that racers' kids always follow their dads in racing??
as for ms, he's still for one thing: to put his name in the books... granted it's already there, but since ferrari is still at the top, now's his chance to accumulate as many titles as he can, that way he'll hold the record for the next fifty years or so.. not to mention he'll clip the remaining records this year...
as for ms, he's still for one thing: to put his name in the books... granted it's already there, but since ferrari is still at the top, now's his chance to accumulate as many titles as he can, that way he'll hold the record for the next fifty years or so.. not to mention he'll clip the remaining records this year...
Wow...I actually looked up Champ Car specs...that's pretty sick. I definitely need to get to one of the races this year...turbo'd V8s, yummy! And somehow, their top speed is estimated to be higher than the f1 cars and IRL cars. That's pretty cool! I can't wait to catch the first race on Spike on April 18th!
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Indeed! Remember; Champ Cars are 900+ horsepower. F1 cars are around 750 horsepower - normally aspiritated. But; Champ Cars are heavier than F1 cars. F1 cars are quicker. Champ Cars also use sequential shifters, whereas F1 cars are paddle levers behind the steering wheel. The 2 cars are built differently since Champ Cars are so diversified (SuperSpeedways, Short Ovals, Street Circuits, and Natural Terrrain Road Courses). They can be converted (wing configurations, etc,,,) in little time. F1 cars race only on Road Courses, and Street Circuits (Monaco). They (their engines) are not designed for sustained speeds of 190 mph+ over 2 hours. Champ Car engines are.servoeyes said:
Technologically speaking; A Formula One car is the most advanced racing vehicle in the world. Some say, it is more advanced than a fighter jet. I have seen both Champ Car and Formula One in person, and IRL cars.
F1 cars currently using V10 engines with pneumatic valves (no springs). These engines rev to 19,000 rpms!!! The sound is unreal. 'Like giant bumble bees. There is nothing like it. Champ Car's rpms are much less (as are IRL engines).
Champ Cars are loud. But; remember, the turbochargers muffle alot of the engine volume. Although; still loud.
IRL car's engines (Toyota, Honda, Chevrolet) are loud, as well. They produce 750+ horsepower. And; they are normally aspirated.
The Long Beach G.P. (street circuit) is the first Champ Car race this year, and it is always a great race. I was there in 1989.
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