The State of Racing: F1, NASCAR, ALMS, Grand-Am - Garage419

I get drawn to racing by the sounds and the skills of both the car and the driver. Nascar does nothing for me, but put on a Indy, F1, WRC, ALMS, etc. And I'm hooked.

Guys, you totally left out irc and wrc, these are some of the hottest names in europe. they are similar to that what you have there in america, where Pastrana owns the rest of those guys.

Ok, here come a rash of abuse... Firstly I love the cup races for the passing and in the past I have followed a particular manufacturer (Audi). Second, with what little coverage I can get here in the US, I love the technology of F1. But, as has been stated before, there isn't enough action. There is very little passing and it is ver hard to show how fast those guys are actually moving. Here's where I catch crap... The best racing is Moto GP. That's a fact as far as I'm concerned. The loyalty to a manufacturer is there. One may also choose to follow a rider through any team that he may race for. Unlike NASCAR a rider is a huge factor in how fast the motorcycle, or car, gets around the track. I watch all racing, except the redneck kind, and I have yet to watch any race that kept me glued to the TV as well as Moto GP. There is simply no equal. Two wheels or four it's still racing.

F1 --- Well I am sort of in agreement with your whole show. F1/Indy I rarely watch, but I appreciate its technology and EPIC competition level. If it had more passing I, most likely, would watch it more. NASCAR --- I have never watched a full race. The closest I have ever come to watching a full race is in the movies! Not a fan at all… Rally --- I kind of like to watch rally racing. It is the closest thing to growing up in the mountains here in BC. My friends and I used to race the twisty back roads and most of the time they were connected by logging roads, which we would use as well. Due to this experience, I have an appreciation of Rallies. Sports Car Cups --- Like you guys mentioned; I love the ALMS, Grand-Am and all racing that follows that type of branding. In fact, the only complaint I have about that racing is on TV they focuss on the P1 & P2 classes way, way, way tooooo much! I watch that type of racing for the the GT1 and GT2 period. I would love to see a GT3 class join the fray with cars like a Cobalt SS, Mazdaspeed 3 and all the lower end sports cars. I really like that racing, because of the traffic as well. Forcing drivers to slow down and not merely focus on a boring perfect lap times; creates a level of excitement that no other type of racing can offer. Drifting --- I am really getting into drifting…what car-guys did not spend skipped lunch hours in High School doing burnouts? I cannot count the number of times we raided the gravel-pits just to carve figure-eights for hours. In the winters we would speed out on to lakes and large Costco parking lots to kick up as much snow as possible (uhhhh…I still do that actually). So…why do I like to watch racing? Experiencing the technology, cars, speed, thrills and competition that I sometimes wish I could feel 24/7.

Racing to me is about just appreciation for what we love, cars. And loving to watch these machines pushed to their limit. Now I will break it down per racing sport. F1 - Is the epic, most elite drivers. Most technologically advanced cars. But the tech is a double edged sword, as epic these cars are, there is no rawness... Its like the brain surgeon of racing. That lack of rawness makes 90% of the laps in a race boring. Nascar - Pure rawness, basic machines screaming around a track. Talent is basic. It was put well in your show, this is the roller derby of motor sports. But also like was said, the only thing thats exciting is watching the highlights or being trashed at a race. Other than that, its boring to watch a race that goes in a circle. Only time Nascar is fully entertaining is when they do a road coarse. Watching these "crab cars" having to go both left and right is priceless. IRL "Indy" - Personally my favorite race series. The cars have lots of technology behind him, but its not so advanced that you loose the rawness. Its extremely face, esspecially at the 500. Loud, good passing, good talent pool. All in all everything you should look for. AMLS - Daytona Prototypes - Great to see cars you can actually buy screaming around the track. Rubbing fender to fender, going sideways, and there is a rawness to the sport. My 2nd favorite series to watch. I also find the prototypes a little boring, but they are fun in their own right. It is esspecially good to watch at mid-ohio race way, because generally AMLS/DP and Indy will race the same day or back to back days at the track. LOADS OF FUN... WRC/Other Rally Racing - Fantastic to watch, insane wrecks, super talented drivers, cars you can go buy. Great racing. Just no broadcasting backing here in the states Formula Drift - Great to watch cars you can buy go completely sideways, loud, fast, technical. But I hate the judging aspect of it.

Why do i like watching racing? well to put it simply, its because i just enjoy racing. its not about the technology or the teams or drivers that interest mee much. though i do favor some teams based on drivers and cars but those arent what interests me into the motorsport. its not about watching my favorite porsche going around a circuit but about the cars going head to head to the finish line. even if they're not overtaking every lap.

matt i think u said it all, for me it all about the GT cars for the same reason u stated, i feel like their close enough 2 the real thing that i get it. so along as those remain i'll be watching, from time 2 time i'll watch and F1 race but really what it come down 2 is cars i can see on the street

There's more than enough great racing series out there. The problem is all in the television coverage. If you were to televise a WRC race with half the budget of a Nascar race and put it on at prime time, people would watch and love it. Or, if SpeedTV had annual budget close to half of what went into televising a single Nascar race, maybe they wouldn't suck so much too. (Too much Barrett Jackson & Pinks) Maybe reality TV can actually save the day here. Roush did their driver X thing awhile back, which was cheesy as hell, but it wasn't a bad attempt. We need like an American idol of SCCA/NASA racing.

I love GT racing. Its all about the bread. Knowing that the car I buy from the dealer can hold its own on the track.

I'm with you Matt, I want to see cars that are based upon (as opposed to carbuerated charachtures) of cars I know and love. I think F1, while elite in its appeal is far to technology drive. A push to pass button? Give me a break. I was just watching the SCCA runoffs on Speed an that was great. No superstars, no marketing, just racing. Thats my $.02

I just love watching wrc, you get to see drivers on almost all terrains and you these cars are real I can buy a STI or a 206 myself rather than a F1 car or ugh nascar

I like to see cars that look like the ones that you see people driving around. Sure there will be some modifacations to the car like weight reduction, aerodynamics changes for more down force and better control for turns but all the parts used are availible to the public. To be honest I think that NASCAR should go back to the way it origanaly was to something more like the current Grand-Am/KONI Challenge. I know that everyone is going to laugh at me for this but I love my 08 Mustang GT and i love the KONI Challenge because I get to see a mustang on a track competing against BMW M3, Pontiac GTO, Nissan Z350, Porsche 997. And possibly this year some Z370's, Dodge Challengers if they can cut enough weight out of them and Chevy Camaro's. I have to say the GT serries sounds amazing just that I have never been able to watch it. But if they ever come out with a stock car racing league that takes place on a none oval track and still on asphalt "no offence rally racers" let me know.

Why do I like to watch racing (either Live or on the telly). Well I supose its differnt reasons for diffrent types of racing. I enjoy watching F1 because its that grand spectacle. The noise of an F1 car is another reason. I watch Rally car because IMO its the most exciting racing (tied with touring car). I love watching production based rally cars flying through the forest and one wrong move and its all over. Rally FTW! Touring car is perfect... BTTC for example is awsome with more pasing and close racing then ever. I dont watch Nascar at all. The cars, the ovals, the personalitys, none of it I can relate to.

Very nice episode Matt. I absolutely love these debate type episodes the best. When it comes to racing, I agree with Leo on his stance. I enjoy Formula 1 religiously and almost love ALMS just as much. I cannot stand Nascar Matt, it is just too boring. I think the skills of other drivers in other racing series (ALMS, Rolex, and of course F1) highly overshadow those of the drivers in Nascar. For me, F1 really couldn't get more interesting. I'm one of those people that wake up at 4am just to watch qualifying, so I'm probably not the best person to ask how to make F1 more interesting. Of course more passing would be wonderful, and this upcoming season should bring that, but I get more than enough excitement watching the best engineered cars, going as fast as current technology allows, on the fastest tracks of today. There are just so many factors that play into rather you win or lose... (largely determined in qualifying). To wrap this up, I would say obviously, as you said, more passing would bring more excitement and drama to the racing series' out there. Keep up the great work. Maybe next episode you can talk about the horrendous looking chrome grill on the new Audi R8 V10. Ruined the whole car for me. Great car...terrible grill.

Best racing ? WRC of course ! But best racing to watch ? Certainly not WRC because in the states or here, in Canada, you CAN'T WATCH IT LEGALLY !!! SpeedTv doesn't broadcast it so real fan needs to resort to emule or bittorrent to get the eurosport feed. Damn! Too much Nascar, not enough WRC !

* Could not agree with u guys more! Luvya Leo :D Matt, what u mean u dont know anything about racing? What kind of RACING LICENCE do u have? Key word; RELEVANCE! Thats why RALLY WRC is the best racing. It is totally relevant. Mitsu EVO can carry 5 people + baggage & do 0-60=3.5 SECONDS!!! Thats Lambo territory! Subaru STI is very similiar. AND with its ALL WHEEL DRIVE u can drive these all year round in the snow, rain, ice, etc! True, F1 is dificult to relate to because there is ZERO connection between an F1 car and a road car. This annoys me to no end. You see Renault on the F1 grid, and then tell me what it shares with a road going Twingo? TOYOTA? Corrolla? Honda? Whats in an Accord from F1? Acura NSX was a halo car exemption. I never did understand the appeal of NASCAR. Round we go in a circle all day, yippie! What look like headlights are actually STICKERS! The cars do not share 1 single component w production cars. However, you did touch on a key point which is often overlooked in auto psycology. SOUND! What makes consumers decide one car over another? Ferrari? Lambo? Aside from performance, style,... sound is a serious emotional factor! Long ago I have been advocating F1 ELECTRIC = E1. This is LONG overdue!

I've been a big Corvette fan my entire life. Thus I am an ALMS fan. Watching those Corvette C6-R's not only gives us pride that we can beat the best of what Europe has to offer but also we see technology from the C6-R program trickle down into the production cars like the Z06 and ZR1. I think we will hopefully see even more of this when Corvette Racing switches over to the GT2 Class.

My favorate racing series is the WRC becuse you watch those races and you never know whats going to happen. Its unpredictable and dangerus. Also its somthing that no matter how good of a track driver you may be scares the hell out of you. i also agree that the closer to street cars the racing series is the more interested I am in it because i can relate better and the individual charictaristics of the cars are more pronounced in their performane and strengths. I look watching a race and knowing that that porsche is going to be faster in the corners than the viper because the are differant makes of car

I agree that the more stock or road-like a car is in its racing form the cooler the race is to watch... I'd even go as far to say that I'd like to see racing between road legal cars... not necessarily ferraris and lambos but even like BMW m3s ... hell give schuey and louis each a prius and see who can rip it around the Nordschliff fastest. Maybe its that I can't quite relate to the speeds and skills of F1... or the mantra that its better to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. Its being on that fine edge of control that makes racing fun to watch... the holy shit factor... and as far as that goes the most entertaining things to watch are from the guys at Top Gear... even seen Sabine Schmidt try and lap the Nurburgring in a Ford transit van?... well worth the time.

I'm about the tech, myself. Having said that, I want more variety in my racing. That is to see more types of cars racing more or less against their analogues. More Rally, more sports car, more coupe racing, Off-road and so on. as lame as it might sound I want to see so real hybrid racing. Not Priuses and Insights! That is just lame to an extreme but seriously made Hybrids that can show case what this much hyped technology can do and if it can't do it yet, then come back next season with something better. Racing improves the breed. In the meantime, I want to see cars closer in price to want average people car afford. As long as it lasts, the DETROIT 3 have their performance coupes out and running or will by the end of this year. I want the old Trans-am style and newer SCCA racing to take a more visible role. The Automakers need to make these forms of racing more important than the spec racing that seems to predominate now. It sells cars. It sells the brand and it incentivises improvement and advancement. After all, if FORD wins the season, guess who is going to sell more Mustangs and cars built off the Mustang? by the end of the season?

Nascar for me is just stupid. I think the only reason why nascar ever existed was because us americans needs a sport to show to the other countries. F1 - The only reason why i ever liked watching f1 was because of the cars, i mean f1 cars r sweet and sexy, the new f1 cars looks like old f1 cars from the 90s. The cutting edge tech is awesome too, but i agree with almost everyone out there, if f1 had just a bit more over takes and amazing 1st person driving views, it will be 1 hella show to watch. ALMS is the best racing thing to watch. Like what matt said, the gt2, gt class are the best. It looks like the cars that we drive on the roads, and with those racing specs it looks ever better. I like the huge ricer spoiler on the back that gives massive down force, and the sound of the sequential gearbox is just amazing. The only race that the world, or america should drop is nascar, f*** those who likes dumbass going around circles at 180mphs. and drifting is becoming a popular race

im gonna go ahead and agree with matt on the reasons racing is enjoyable to me. Nascar is just lame. The technology behind F1 racing is really cool, but F1 races are boring. I really enjoy ALMS and other factory racing series. I think that the best way for car companies to become more acessable and successful through racing is for them to have a factory backed racing team of street cars, where the technology behind the street cars is directly related to what is being sold to the customers. another type of racing that i like to see a lot of is amateur factory backed racing series similar to what volkswagen has with their TDI and TSI cups; they have cars that are basically street cars with slight modifications like roll cages and wings to really show the capability of their cars. In my opinion the closer the cars on the track get to the ones on the road, the better. -something i really wanna see- badass concept car racing (Mazda Furai vs. Audi R8 TDI= epic win)

I cant wait for the formula 1 season to start, although i hate all the rules and regulations, the prospect of move passing is welcome. The strategy aspect is interesting if you know what factors weigh into different decisions. Here's a tip: dont watch F1 on Speed TV, just wait until the race is over, then torrent the ITV (now going to be BBC) broadcast. Its much more detailed and indepth. It makes the race seem much more like an event than just any old race.

I like watching racing because of the soprty competition between the teams the dramatic and the technology!! My favorite series are the 24h races like the 24h of the Nürburgring which is great 200cars and a horrible fast and difficult track. I also like the GT sport on tracks like LeMans. I lost my interest in Formula1 because of so much technique regulations and the carrier end of M.Schumacher.