World's Greatest Racetrack
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Interesting choice given that it's only four corners in an oval.
First of all, how are we judging the "greatest" race track? Are we considering the fastest course or the most challenging? The one with the most history or the one most people recognise? The one that has hosted more events than anyone else?
Because there's three distinct possibilites that I see: La Sarthe, Monaco or the Nurburgring-Norschliefe. And I'm inclined to go with the latter.
EDIT: completely forgot Spa. Which is just weird because it's my favourite ...
First of all, how are we judging the "greatest" race track? Are we considering the fastest course or the most challenging? The one with the most history or the one most people recognise? The one that has hosted more events than anyone else?
Because there's three distinct possibilites that I see: La Sarthe, Monaco or the Nurburgring-Norschliefe. And I'm inclined to go with the latter.
EDIT: completely forgot Spa. Which is just weird because it's my favourite ...
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- RykonZero
Camp Zoom-Zoom.
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3. Indianapolis- hosts the most famous motorsport event in the world. Sure it might be 4 corners and a oval (with a golf course and infield track),but it's the most dangerous rectangle you will ever drive,just look at the 60's through the late 70's,when indycars were more like turbocharged speed missles that aren't forgiving.
2. Circuit De La Sarthe- In the Group C era, this was the track (along with the ring and Indy) for guys with Balls of steel. 235+mph on a 4 mile stright (now split up for that reason) into a 90 degree kink,only to repeat 235 mph down a 1 mile straight into a set of technical corners. This is the ultimate speed base road course and home to the most brutal test of man and machine on pavement.
1. Nurburgring "the Ring'- 100+ turns,endless elevation changes and 14 miles of pavement. This is any car lover's wet dream. In the country,surrounded by vegetation- just you, the car,and the super narrow,bumpy pavement.
2. Circuit De La Sarthe- In the Group C era, this was the track (along with the ring and Indy) for guys with Balls of steel. 235+mph on a 4 mile stright (now split up for that reason) into a 90 degree kink,only to repeat 235 mph down a 1 mile straight into a set of technical corners. This is the ultimate speed base road course and home to the most brutal test of man and machine on pavement.
1. Nurburgring "the Ring'- 100+ turns,endless elevation changes and 14 miles of pavement. This is any car lover's wet dream. In the country,surrounded by vegetation- just you, the car,and the super narrow,bumpy pavement.
toyota_gt1
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Indy might be one of the more historic, but as far as favorites goes, Daytona is my favorite. The Daytona 500 on an oval, the Rolex 24 at an oval and road course combined. It's all great. Plus it even has a lake in the middle (more like a massive pond).
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Also, it's worth considering that Indianapolis is considerably more challenging than most any other oval out there. The straights are flat, and the corners are 90 degrees with tight radii and almost no banking. Indy's been described as a road course with four corners, and qualifying at Indy is still a huge test of driver skill (perfection for four laps).
I will say that Monza and and Monaco street circuit are very VERY high on the list, too. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that tracks constructed postwar should not be considered for this title.
I will say that Monza and and Monaco street circuit are very VERY high on the list, too. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that tracks constructed postwar should not be considered for this title.
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Piccolo Madonie? Monza? Suzuka? Guia?
How can you have a course situated on an airfield and two ovals on there and not some of the most historic and challenging circuits ever.
How can you have a course situated on an airfield and two ovals on there and not some of the most historic and challenging circuits ever.
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Hmmm... Macau GP Circuit (an awfully difficult course)? Laguna SECA (fer-chris'sakes... how can you skip SECA?)? Suzuka?!?
You can't make a poll about the "World's Greatest Racetracks" without having nominations first (search and check the way YSSMAN did the "Engines" Threads). Pre-listing a bunch of tracks and asking for opinions about the "World's Greatest" when most of the tracks on many people's "Top Ten" lists aren't even there.
You can't make a poll about the "World's Greatest Racetracks" without having nominations first (search and check the way YSSMAN did the "Engines" Threads). Pre-listing a bunch of tracks and asking for opinions about the "World's Greatest" when most of the tracks on many people's "Top Ten" lists aren't even there.
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They hold the LeMans 24hour race at Indianapolis?
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toyota_gt1
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Are you saying that you have no idea where the 24 hour race is held or questioning if indy has the biggest event?
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No, he was poining out that Le Mans is the biggest (well, but it´s certainly the most famous, prestigious and popular) motorsport event in the world...
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It's like saying the Superbowl is the biggest sporting event in the world. It's obviously massive in the US but has little impact elsewhere in the world. The last Indy 500 was won by a British driver, yet even for a big motoracing fan like myself, this news took at least a couple of days to filter through the general media to me.
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That was news to me right there!
And just because one is a motorsport fan, doesn´t necessarily mean that you like oval racing. My own interest in that is minimal to say the least, so for me, the Indy 500 is nothing I care about at all, whilst the 24 heurs du Mans is the motorsport event of the year for me.
Oval racing is like Superbowl or Major league baseball I guess - Huge in the US, but little cared for in the rest of the world.
And just IMO, no oval track - no matter what - can compare with the likes of Spa-Francorchamps, La Sarthe or the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
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I was undecided between SPA and Nuerburgring. Both are very iconic race circuits, internationally. Monaco, as well.
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OH, god...
Spa's pretty neat, but I don't know much other than Eau Rouge. That puts it between two of my favorite natural, open-to-the-public road courses, the Nurburgring, and Mt. Panorama.
The Nurburgring may be the last of the great epic courses in auto racing. Yes, F1 doesn't race there anymore, instead driving on a somewhat more disappointing, "Safe" racetrack. Get out on the Nordschleife, and things change. it's narrow. It's rougher than a Bastard file. It reminds me of the roads that weave up and down the Illinois River Valley. actually, scratch that, the Black Hills. It's the world's greatest toll road...but...
Mt Panorama could basically claim that it's the same thing, but smaller. Actually, scratch that: It's free to drive on. sure, you have to follow the speed limit, and the police will crack down hard on you if you don't, but you could always sign up for one of the amateur series if you felt the need for speed. It's a track that's a bit rougher around the edges, too, and I do like "Rougher around the edges." The walls are close and unforgiving, and many turns are as challenging as anywhere in the world.
So I guess the main thing is what series each track hosts. Nurburgring gets VLN, and used to get DTM; I'm not sure they get it anymore. Auto manufacturers test their cars there, and it's becoming even more well known as a test track. But, professionally, is it going the way of it's ancestors? The new course gets all the attention from the FIA series, which is everything in Europe. Could the Nordschleife become a test track that holds a privateer open-class 24-hour race?
Panorama, on the other hand, Is like Daytona; danger? Fah, we'll put up with it for Tradition's sake. And the V8s do. It doesn't hurt that the V8 Supercar series is one of my favorites, and that I think they should expand worldwide and allow more makes. Yes, The Chase kind of takes the thrill out of it, Kind of like the GP course took away some of the charm of the Sudschleife, but I still like it.
So...I guess, the wierdo I am, I'm gonna give Panorama some love.
Spa's pretty neat, but I don't know much other than Eau Rouge. That puts it between two of my favorite natural, open-to-the-public road courses, the Nurburgring, and Mt. Panorama.
The Nurburgring may be the last of the great epic courses in auto racing. Yes, F1 doesn't race there anymore, instead driving on a somewhat more disappointing, "Safe" racetrack. Get out on the Nordschleife, and things change. it's narrow. It's rougher than a Bastard file. It reminds me of the roads that weave up and down the Illinois River Valley. actually, scratch that, the Black Hills. It's the world's greatest toll road...but...
Mt Panorama could basically claim that it's the same thing, but smaller. Actually, scratch that: It's free to drive on. sure, you have to follow the speed limit, and the police will crack down hard on you if you don't, but you could always sign up for one of the amateur series if you felt the need for speed. It's a track that's a bit rougher around the edges, too, and I do like "Rougher around the edges." The walls are close and unforgiving, and many turns are as challenging as anywhere in the world.
So I guess the main thing is what series each track hosts. Nurburgring gets VLN, and used to get DTM; I'm not sure they get it anymore. Auto manufacturers test their cars there, and it's becoming even more well known as a test track. But, professionally, is it going the way of it's ancestors? The new course gets all the attention from the FIA series, which is everything in Europe. Could the Nordschleife become a test track that holds a privateer open-class 24-hour race?
Panorama, on the other hand, Is like Daytona; danger? Fah, we'll put up with it for Tradition's sake. And the V8s do. It doesn't hurt that the V8 Supercar series is one of my favorites, and that I think they should expand worldwide and allow more makes. Yes, The Chase kind of takes the thrill out of it, Kind of like the GP course took away some of the charm of the Sudschleife, but I still like it.
So...I guess, the wierdo I am, I'm gonna give Panorama some love.
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- GTP_TheCracker
Are we voting for the greatest actual circuit or the race track with the greatest history?
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I think the chase adds thrills. The right-hander entry is the fastest corner in the world for touring cars, and it's one of the best places for overtaking. Not to mention the spectacular offs that happen each year.
I voted for Bathurst, but only just over the 'ring. I think the Nurb Nors is actually too long for anything other than endurance races.
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I have no idea why Sebring is on the list. The only place I've ever seen it is BATracer. There are so many others that could go in its place: Monaco, Monza, Hockenheim (pre-Tilkeage), Laguna Seca, Montjuich Park, the Osterreichring (sp?), Suzuka and so on.
Maybe this thread would have been better as a kind of round robin: we vote for the greatest American circuit, the greatset French, German, and so on and then have a Grand Finale where we pick the winner from the circuits voted the best of each country (or region as places like Monaco and Austria only really have one).
Maybe this thread would have been better as a kind of round robin: we vote for the greatest American circuit, the greatset French, German, and so on and then have a Grand Finale where we pick the winner from the circuits voted the best of each country (or region as places like Monaco and Austria only really have one).
Cap'n Jack
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I voted for Mt. Panorama. It's the only circuit on the list where I've actually had the chance to go there to watch some racing and it's the only circuit on the list which I've gone around in a real car.
The lap of Mt. Panorama was just awesome, TV does no justice to how cool it is.
The lap of Mt. Panorama was just awesome, TV does no justice to how cool it is.
MagpieRacer
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The trick is to convince the Mods to let someone do it, because such things inevitably lad to spam.I eagerly await this being put into practice
MagpieRacer
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Its a possibility, but at the same time could also be a huge success.
GilesGuthrie
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Go ahead. Someone shoot me a PM when you need a thread closed.
Circuit nominations should be accompanied with some sort of link to the circuit's web site (if it has one) a track map (where possible) and a reason for the nomination. Just posting the name of a circuit won't really mean anything to anyone.
I suggest that all nations except the US get a single vote. Count Monte Carlo as its own country, so Monaco gets a bye.
The US gets two votes: one for ovals, one for road courses.
Semi final is by continent, the top two from each continent go through, except Australia & New Zealand, which get one.
So:
Round 1: Best track for each country. Monaco gets a bye, USA gets one road course, one oval. Multiple selections possible, top one goes through.
Round 2: Best track for each continent. North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia & New Zealand. Multiple selections possible, top two go through.
Round 3: The Final: Top three tracks. Only one selection possible.
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Alright, I'll base it off this. It won't be identical to your format, but I'll try and work something out.
Roo
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I voted Mount Panorama. Awesome track, so much history behind it as well. As Jackington said "TV doesn't do it justice". When you actually drive around it is simply awesome.
That picture says it all.
View attachment 67467<--Click to enlarge and see how amazing Mount Panorma's 'Skykine' really is.
That picture says it all.
View attachment 67467<--Click to enlarge and see how amazing Mount Panorma's 'Skykine' really is.
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