NECKAR Fans: A ? about auto racing

DeltaSigStan · #1 06-21-2005, 12:27 PM

So, maybe the masses can explain to me:

Why can't F1 catch on here?

My reasoning is that it's just like soccer: we didn't invent it, so we don't care.

I'm just wondering, since I've been told the cars are much better and more technologically advanced.

DeltAlum · #2 06-21-2005, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltaSigStan
Why can't F1 catch on here?

Here's my theory...

You can't see the whole track at the same time and Americans are too lazy to walk around.

The cars don't go 0-85 in 2.1 seconds. They're built for elegance, finese and grace -- not brute force.

F-1 cars turn right as well as left. It confuses some North American people.

Most Americans have lost the high frequency response in their ears due to rock and roll music, and the high pitched F-1 engines don't sound as loud.

Some of the races actually employ real teamwork among the marques.

A lot of the drivers don't speak English very well. On the other hand, I guess it's the same in NASCAR.

Americans seldom win.

(I used to love to go to the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, NY. I can't imagine it being run anywhere else. Talk about parties -- boy, could I tell stories...Of course then there's Road America, Road Atlanta, Mid-Ohio, Bridgehampton and lots of other places where we could drive to in a weekend...)

RACooper · #3 06-21-2005, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltAlum
F-1 cars turn right as well as left. It confuses some North American people.

(I used to love to go to the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, NY. I can't imagine it being run anywhere else. Talk about parties -- boy, could I tell stories...Of course then there's Road America, Road Atlanta, Mid-Ohio, Bridgehampton and lots of other places where we could drive to in a weekend...)

Hey now... us North Americans up here in the North get the F-1 thing.

I have to agree about the parties though - but then when your sponsor's race budget is about 50 times that of a Nascar budget then hey - that means the party budget is pretty kick-ass too.

DeltAlum · #4 06-21-2005, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RACooper
Hey now... us North Americans up here in the North get the F-1 thing.

I said "some..."

TristanDSP · #5 06-21-2005, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltAlum

Some of the races actually employ real teamwork among the marques.

Care to elaborate on why that is? This I find the most intriguing

DeltAlum · #6 06-21-2005, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TristanDSP
Care to elaborate on why that is? This I find the most intriguing

For instance, members of a team will take turns "drafting" each other to save their cars and fuel. Or a second place car might try to block another car from overtaking a leading team member.

In other words, I'm not talking about great teamwork in the pits, but rather team strategy on the course.

hoosier · #7 06-21-2005, 09:43 PM

I had hopes that putting F1 at Indy would lead to something, but this weekend's fiasco may end that.

The F1 leaders have their heads so far up their fannies that they ignored the problem, refused to adjust to accomodate it (let Mich. bring in new tires, add a she-kane {can you spell it?}, etc.), and ran a six-car race (and two of those cars finished two laps down.)

What I and many people like about NASCAR:

1 - there are a lot (43 per race) of cars - all colorful and loud and fast
2 - more TV coverage than you can digest
3 - real races, with lots of lead changes and competition
4 - near-equality in cars - a Dodge, Chevy, or Ford may win
5 - Bristol Speedway (I'll be there in Aug.)
6 - American drivers who speak English

What I and many people dislike about IRL, Champ Car, and F1:

1 - 20 cars is a big field (except Indy). 10 cars may finish.
2 - Fagility: if cars touch, they disintegrate
3 - Crummy starts (they make no attempt to start with cars side-by-side)
4 - Accents
5 - unequal cars, motors, and tires. Shumaker has been hot for several years, because he and Ferrari had the hot set-up. If MS was in a different kind of car, he'd be a loser.
6 - crummy races (passing seems to be frowned upon), no lead changes, many field-fillers

lindsay_iu · #8 06-26-2005, 03:40 AM

I'm a huge NASCAR fan, but I do try to make it to Indianapolis at some point during the Formula 1 weekend. I've also gone to the Indy 500 since I was seven. These are just some of my opinions.

Obviously, the Indianapolis 500 used to be THE place. And years (20+) ago, American open wheel racing beat out NASCAR any day. The split in 1995 has had a huge effect on open wheel. In my opinion, the IRL drivers are more talented (for the most part) than the Champ Car drivers. The racing is generally much closer, with cars going two- and three-wide in every race, most of the times without incident. Champ Car seems to be only single file and when cars do get close, there is generally a wreck. There's no question that having one major open wheel series in the US is the way to go, but I think that it's almost impossible. There's just too much bad blood between IRL leaders and Champ Car owners. And the driving styles are so different that it would be chaotic. Plus, there's the question of road courses or ovals, and how much of a mix do we have?

Formula 1...
I think that most American fans like to be able to attend a few races a year. The European and Asian schedule (aside from two N. American stops) makes this impossible for the average American.
The sheer wealth involved may be off-putting for some. The cars are so expensive. A lot of the sponsors are luxury or upscale brands. I think that US fans want to feel a connection to their favorite driver...hey, Dale Jr.'s sponsor is Budweiser, I drink Bud! or Mark Martin drives a Ford and so do I!..that sort of thing.
The politics of team rules isn't really an idea that most US fans would get behind. The Barrichello-Schumacher incident in 2002 left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths. Delt, of course teamwork like you mentioned does occur in NASCAR...drafting, pit stop strategy...but fans would be livid if their favorite driver was about to win and was then told to pull over and let their teammate take the checkered because of championship standings.
There's really not a lot of coverage in the US, especially when compared to NASCAR. Fans want to get to know the drivers and Formula 1 drivers seem kind-of untouchable.

All of that being said, I think that most can appreciate the technology and amount of work that's put into a Formula 1 car. There's nothing quite like watching one take off from a standing position and maneuver the corners.

DeltAlum · #9 06-26-2005, 01:48 PM

I grew up with local stock car racing. My mom and I went to two or three races a week because her brother built very competitive cars. Of course this was on the very local level -- basically junk in relation to NASCAR.

I've never really been a NASCAR fan, but I basically agree with Lindsay's overall evaluation of racing per se.

My initial comments were a lot of tongue-in-cheek, and a little bit of prejudice having been one of the few sports car drivers in high school and dealing with all of the muscle car muscle heads.

Opps, another prejudicial comment.

Oh well, I'll get over it.

Maybe.

RACooper · #10 06-26-2005, 03:50 PM

Okay a related question:

Why isn't motorcycle racing all that popular in the US (or Canada for that matter)? I mean the Moto GP World is incredible to watch - the speed and the athletacism of the riders... and besides the danger, with the riders being only an inch off the tarmac on those turns...

lindsay_iu · #11 06-26-2005, 07:20 PM

I think that American fans just respond more to oval track racing than road courses. Ovals fit into the instant gratification aspect of our society. It's the quickest way around, and at the right track, you can watch the whole field at the same time. *shrug*

Delt, I knew that your comments weren't meant to be taken at face value.