Question of the Day: What is the Most Exciting Motorsport to Watch?

[admin]

In the grand scheme of things, lots more people watch auto racing than actually race cars. On any given weekend, there will be hundreds of thousands of people at NASCAR races, tens of thousands at NHRA national events, and untold thousands at small drag strips, tractor pulling arenas, dirt tracks, and mud bog pits around [...]

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[A/Fuel]

While I can't imagine anything better than a fuel funny car at night, I do have a guilty pleasure of watching sprint cars.

[38P]

It Depends

It depends on how you define "exciting."

Fuel racing is certainly the loudest. On the other hand, the "big end" is a ways down the track from the starting line (not far enough in the 1000-ft era, though) And the "excitement" only lasts for a few seconds at a time.

Standing next to the wall during a sprint car race might be the breeziest (winged sprinters really displace a lot of air . . . and chunks of mud). But sprint cars mostly lack techological excitement. And oval track racing is more rhythmic than "exciting"

The "pack" at Talladega (even though they've mostly ruined it with the nothing-stock COT cars and COT corporate drivers) always creates a foreboding sense of "the big one" (leavened by the waiting for the "pack" to circulate around the huge tri-oval)

Sports car racing has "exciting" diversity, challenging courses (with right turns, too) and "exciting" technology. But often it lacks "exciting" passes (much like modern follow-the-leader NASCAR) and fans often cannot see the entire course.

World Rally has "exciting" closed course sections and demanding car control. But it's not very spectator friendly.

Formula One has the "excitement" of the grid girls, the obscene budgets, the ridiculous technology, the political intrigue, and the occassional celebratory fire (Sorry Williams), but its often more strategic than exciting on track.

Stadium off-road racing and motocross have plenty of "exciting" jumps and crashes, but relatively low speeds and somewhat static technology.

Endurance racing has the patient "excitement" of keeping a vehicle (and a team) together at today's sprint race pace for as long as a whole day.

Similar observations could be made about most other motorsports.

[Ron Ward]

I am a drag racing nut, but for real excitement, it is hard to beat winged sprint cars... especially at a sprint car Mecca like Knoxville.


Ron

[dieselgeek]

My preferences (in person, not on TV):

Formula One, the USGPs were awesome
Top Fuel Dragster
MotoGP bike racing
AMA roadracing
410" winged sprint cars

[38P]

My preferences (in person, not on TV):

Formula One, the USGPs were awesome
Top Fuel Dragster
MotoGP bike racing
AMA roadracing
410" winged sprint cars

Was the USGP really that "awesome" the year Michelin brought the wrong tires to Indianapolis? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Un...tes_Grand_Prix)

[dieselgeek]

Was the USGP really that "awesome" the year Michelin brought the wrong tires to Indianapolis? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Un...tes_Grand_Prix)

I don't know. That was the only year of the USGPs at Indy that I missed. Turned out to be convenient! Anyhow, not sure if you've ever seen a Formula One race in person, they are right up there with the Top Fuel dragsters - TV (especially the audio) has no way of conveying the forces at work. You have to attend in person, IMO. Have you seen either of these?

[Barry Donovan]

rally race in the right spot.
I have not found that right spot..nor found a way to any spot for the maine forest race...(the only local one for me)
but will someday.


the screaming ninnies go by...but from a distance, an rpm lower than the others. a bit more wind. a bit more straight gear hanging onto the deeper genuine dig...
across a noel sideways and landing like an animal on all fours to continue the curve after jumping half way through it...

a boxer in the woods...and a man that knows how to drive it.

if there is legends. that is one of them.