A REAL International Race of Champions?

[JohnBM01]

Hello, GT Planet.

The International Race of Champions. A great concept. Racers from different countries putting themselves in the line of fire to win races and championships. It has been around for at least 2 decades.

There is a big problem. No Michael Schumacher. No Juan Pablo Montoya. No Juichi Wakisaka. No Peter Brock. No Mark Skaife. No Johnny Herbert. No Sascha Maasen. No Peter Solberg. No Johnny O'Connel. Instead, it's performers on American ovals (and Motegi in Japan, with the IRL). You race an identically=prepared Trans-Am with wannabe Ram Air against other champions. And not only race champions, but on... dare I say, American ovals. Sports fans want to say that the NFL Pro Bowl is pointless, but having people of different nations racing on American ovals American style defeats the purpose of an international race of champions. If the IROC series (now sponsored by Crown Royal) wants to have REAL racing, I have some suggestions, and I don't care what oval fans I offend.

SUGGESTION 1 of 2:

If you want to have racers come from many points around the world and come to America, that's fine with me. But have people race in identically-prepared prototypes. I think some identically-prepared Grand Touring Prototypes (GTPs) need to be the spec racing cars for the series. And you want to make it an IROC race? Power them with a spec motor that makes no less than 500hp. If GTPs can't be provided, then make a series filled with Mosler MT900Rs. The tracks? Here's a suggestion. NO OVALS. A racing champion has to be able to adapt to many different challenges on many different places. Of course, Daytona is different from Martinsville. But if you're in Nextel Cup, you race Sears Point. And I'll admit. Sears Point is as much of a challenge as Laguna Seca. You want to race in America? Race four or five bigtime road courses. Examples include:
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Barber Motorsports Park
Road America
Portland (the Oregon road course, not the Oval)
Sebring
Road Atlanta
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Limerock


SUGGESTION 2 of 2:

If you want to invite racing stars from all around the world, have them compete in the same spec cars from the previous paragraph. But instead of racing all in America, have venues around the world from the three sectors: the Americas, the Mediterrenean, and the Asia-Pacific (my favorite). By the way, here is another nice idea for a spec car: the Honda/Acura NSX or the Mugen/Dome GT500 NSX. Anyhow, international venues for international stars include:
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Autodromo de Hermano... (the road course in Mexico City, Mexico CART raced last year)
Circuit Le Mont-Tremblant
Silverstone
Bugatti
Spa-Francorchamps
Monza
Sepang
Shanghai Road Course (once its completed)
Suzuka
Fuji
Twin Ring Motegi (road course)
Phillip Island

Another interesting idea is to make a 6 or 8 lap race around the Nurburgring 24 Hour Endurance course (remember, the track is at least 16 miles in length, meaning it is more than 1/2 the length of the Isle of Man course that the bikes race). But have true racers meet other true racers.

Now with these ideas, you can also include international titles from the Americas, Mediterrenean, and Asia-Pacific. This championship is more like manufacturer's title in most racing series. So which idea do you like? Or does this American-rendition of an international race of champions need more fine tuning than what I specified? It's time to speak up.

 

[Sleek Stratos]

I believe Michael Schumacher has stated he's not interested whatsoever in oval racing.

JP Montoya was great in his CART days on the ovals they ran, the last Michigan race being one of the most memorable.

Isn't it "Wakasaka"?

If you want to see Petter Solberg you should turn to the more rally based' IROC', last held in the Canary Islands I think.

The main problem here is they only count racers who compete "close to home" (that is to say mainly in the US) Why 6 or 7 NASCAR drivers who aren't champions of anything are included I've yet to understand... oh yeah! They bring just enough ratings to keep the series alive. And it really helps to see them beat the other drivers who come from other forms of racing.

IROC is just the cover name, it hardly lives up to its title.
Again, I suggest to you to watch the more 'down-to-ground' IROC ran in a SSS (super special rally stage) where both dirt and tarmac are included in the challenge and, most importantly, you see actual champions and it all turns out actually international.

Your ideas are good, hardly anybody would disagree, but the odds of such changes happening are 'slim and none' (and "slim" just left by the way)

 

[JohnBM01]

I seen the Michelin Race of Champions. And that was cool. A combination of road and off-road in a minute-long lap. Then you do it again.

But I'm talking more about an on-road, closed-circuit deal with IROC.

 

[RandomHero]

Originally posted by Sleek Stratos
The main problem here is they only count racers who compete "close to home" (that is to say mainly in the US) Why 6 or 7 NASCAR drivers who aren't champions of anything are included I've yet to understand... oh yeah! They bring just enough ratings to keep the series alive. And it really helps to see them beat the other drivers who come from other forms of racing.

IROC is just the cover name, it hardly lives up to its title.
Again, I suggest to you to watch the more 'down-to-ground' IROC ran in a SSS (super special rally stage) where both dirt and tarmac are included in the challenge and, most importantly, you see actual champions and it all turns out actually international.

Nice.

IROC is a sort of support series for NASCAR, which is why it is run at each track the same weekend as NASCAR sanctioned events so it would make no sense to have the races held anywhere else. I am surprised it is still around and with what 7 races spread throughout the year it just seems pointless. Why even complain about it when there is no point in even watching it.

Second the remark you made about 6-7 NASCAR drivers being in the series is because many were previous champions or either were Rookie of the Year or had been competitive in the prior season, once again just to give them higher odds in proving NASCAR drivers are better than anyone else and/or ratings.

JohnBM01is not what you are describing the same thing essentially as the Michelin Race of Champions except held at different Tracks around the world. How could this happen anyway, when would all the Champions find time from their racing schedule to meet up and race against eachother.

And finally why do you think road-racers have more ability, just because they turn left as well as right. Sure they might be better drivers but better racers, I doubt that. Racing involves being around and passing other drivers and I see more of that on the ovals than on any road course. Must I point out that Jeff Gordon, a NASCAR driver, won the Michelin Race of Champions event held last year. Racing around in an oval requires more skill than you may think.