What IS "racing?"

[JohnBM01]

Hello, GTPlanet muchachos y muchachas (boys and girls).

I'm sure you all in pop-culture American racing culture have heard it advertised several times...

"Racin' the way it oughta be!" -Bristol Motor Speedway commercial
"Rubbin' is racin'." -NASCAR Talk

For us GT/Sportscar/road racing afficionados, racing (with a "G") involves high-speed, high-skill, high-caliber competition in no particular order. When I think of racing, I think of drivers of some caliber that marries car and driver, and they act in a tandem effort to win the race. When it comes to oval racing, racing is diving into the corners and making bogus passes for position. It can also mean bump drafting and fender-banging, as NASCAR fans have come to love. You obviously love racing no matter what it is. But I have to ask you. Even with NASCAR/oval racing terminology, what exactly is RACING? Be a lexicographer for a day. As I have learned, a lexicographer makes dictionaries. So if you became a lexicographer, how would you define "racing" in your dictionary. I'll start.

If I were to define racing, I'd say that it means "the act of competiting aggressively and carefully in a motor race." NASCAR and oval racing loves to throw around racing as "trading paint" and "banging fenders," but come on now. Being into Gran Turismo and all, racing is basically the marriage of car and driver who put their lives on the line (as a couple) to pursue a goal, to achieve an acheivable goal, to silence critics who daresay that failure will occur. A thing that goes in American culture is that sometimes, a foreign concept is as I called times before, "Americanized." If something foreign is "Americanized," it means that it is used in a way that only America will come to love and respect. For example (and this one is VERY popular), ninjas are perceived as humans with very capable abilities- scaling walls, able to bend their bodies to dodge projectiles, and throw shuriken like it is nothing. If that's not bad enough, some voice pretends to be a very wise old man and has a low voice offering wise advice. Racing is "Americanized" so that what goes on in Europe and Japan are nothing compared to the American definition of it. Even though England has its own stock car series, ASCAR, I don't even think Europeans are like us American folk who live to dominate Darlington and Talladega and Charlotte. However, we think of racing as fighting through a pack, and I have no problem with that. What I DO have a problem with, however, is how "racing" is thrown around and mutilated. NASCAR does have racing. I heard of people who start from the rear of the pack and fight their way to the top- and WIN. Regardless, you want to know what racing is? Think of having a purpose-built race car and push it to limits you normally wouldn't do in your daily driving. I'm talking about when Michael Scumacher takes his Ferrari out to the circuits of the world as he races with a carbon fiber car. You know, incredible suspension is impressive, VERY light weight from most street cars, handling on a dime, high speeds... The only catch is that even though your car is impressive, you must face 21 others who are like that. The only variables are driver talent and skill. Now THAT is racing. So those of you listening to the NASCAR/oval racing definition of "racing," mute the TV or change the channel and shut them out until they go away.

How would you define racing? Go ahead.

 

[Sleek Stratos]

Racing to me would be to engage in a competition going from point A to point B or in a closed course against another person.
Remember it doesn't necessarily have to involve cars or even an engine of any sort. A 'foot race' is racing after all.

 

[Gordonfan24]

I think racing is the ability to push yourself, a bike, a car, etc. to the edge while knowing how far you can go. If you know how far to push, you can go to the limit, and that's racing to me.

But, then again, that's just the opinion of a 14 year old that still has much to learn about the racing world.

Oh yeah, John. . . very respectable post you have there. You have some good points. (This coming from an overall racing fan, and yes, that includes NASCAR)

 

[millencolin]

car racing (so i can exclude all the foot races) i think is trying to go as fast as possible...without destroying your car....find the VERY VERY edge of the limit without stepping over it.......driving so you and the car is as one....


to me....the better form of racing is the presice, clean racing seen in most open wheel series (formula ford is the exception, they are crazy, gotta love them).....knowing that if you touch..chances are you or the car wil come off second best...so presice

 

[JohnBM01]

For the first post, I made it in response to what dirt track and oval racers think "racing" is. Like for example, "street course racing isn't racing," Dave Despain said once on WindTunnel. Also, more road racing events in NASCAR doesn't make for racing. And I mean, I think racing means more than just a bunch of circle-trackers beating and banging around the same three or four turns. I'm watching Andros Ice Racing, and there are sprint cars in the series. And to me, they road race on ice. Real ice, no dirtying up race tracks just to mimic an outdoor environment. And if I'm not mistaken, they race in snow. But sprint cars, all that horsepower, all that sliding, and they wimp out in the rain.

You want real racing? Bahrain is possible to run this weekend, but JGTC at TI Circuit Aida is definitely going to happen this Sunday (it will be Saturday in America, if not early Sunday morning at Midnight). To me, the BTCC is as dramatic about racing as the JGTC (more or less). BTCC is like NASCAR, but with a significant twist. I seen more drama in racing in that series than almost any other besides the JGTC. Road racing is RACING, no matter what American ovals daresay. The bigtime oval racers are coming to the Texas oval. NASCAR and NASCAR... I mean, IROC, will be "in the house" at Texas Motor Speedway (or is it Texas World Speedway now?). Let them say "racing" all they want at that oval. I'll be watching some road racing or do racing on my PS2 or PC.

 

[3rdgenracerX]

I define racing as:

People competting to be the best in a race from point A to point B. Wehter its on a oval, road course, figure 8, drag strip, body of water, up a mountain, on normal roads "WRC", or a plane race, the goal is to be the first compettitor to cross the finish line.


I'm suprized you dont dislike IRL as much as you do Nascar, they basically are the same thing. Only difference is that 1 is open wheeled and the other is full bodied cars. Both race on the same ovals.


EDIT: if you dont think oval racing is a real type of racing then I dare you to race bandeleros"sp" at TMS on the trioval mini oval. I bet you'll learn real fast that its real racing. Especially if you can manage to race clean yourself.

 

[JohnBM01]

"Surprised I don't dislike the IRL?" Well, I actually have reasons as to why I don't LOVE the IRL, but why I respect the IRL. The cars are pure race cars. That always interests me. The drivers come from around the world. Great competition there. The racing can get dramatic. Even NASCAR fans can appreciate that. IRL is ALLl-ovals, sure. But I am a racing fan, and I know what a good series and a bad series can be. I've kind of "grown up" with NASCAR until I became a CART fan in 1999. I seen ALMS and never looked back. I seen all different types of road racing. I even think it's nice to see NASCAR Winston Cup (because none of the other top series has the guts to do it anymore) race two tough road courses. I think NASCAR raced the Sears Point part including that long backstretch with the SLOW hairpin turn. And everyone used to talk about Riverside, I'd be interested in seeing what kinds of classic races were run there.

I think IRL is still very interesting no matter how you look at it. Remember, I'm a road racing fan and almost cannot stand anything in circles anymore. Thing is, I think (I'm sorry) that NASCAR is outdated. They want to pretend their cars are bone-stock racing around at mid-to-high speeds around ovals to show off their speed and action. The drivers are primarily family men who drive like they normally wouldn't in real life. And at one point, I called the series "the retirement home of auto racing." Maybe the all-American atmosphere and the fact that you can put 700+ hp V8 in them and make them as heavy as and as performing as old muscle and make them win races is why this series is so popular.

And oval racing? I seen Juan Pablo Montoya win at Indy, Rio, and maybe some other tracks back in 1999. I seen a three-wide finish at the IRL finale in Texas one year. But one NASCAR victory I will appreciate among others is Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning the Daytona 500 three years after his dad's tradegy. It was something I hoped for for "Little E" since Earnhardt's fatal crash. The next thing I hope (with all due respect to Jeff Gordon) is for him to win the Nextel Cup. America has too many ovals and too many cars with V8s dropped in them trying to perform around tracks they know they can't handle even if their lives depended on it. Crashes waiting to happen, I'd say. I just think it's all been done before. If you like NASCAR and/or oval racing, that's fine. "So why Indy and not NASCAR?" The IRL has real racing (for an oval series), pure race cars, higher top speeds, and are nowhere near anything you can race on the weekend at a dirt track. And like I said, road racing in video games... well, I like to bring fantasy to reality, so when I see some great race cars on road courses, that makes me happy. It isn't "just turn left." I think road courses... well, I guess I like challenges. The ovals provide a good amount of challenge, but road racing has me convinced. It doesn't matter if it is Lime Rock Park, Le Mans, or the Isle of Man, I been convinced since being devoted to road racing.

I know I've gone off-topic, but to me, pure race cars, knowing how to win races without referring to grooves or taking certain tires... I think that's racing. "Rubbing is racing," heh. I think I defined racing pretty well. And vividly, to boot.

 

[3rdgenracerX]

No offense taken.

You are right about the IRL being dramatic. At any moment someone will get hurt bad or can die in that series by a simple mistake where two cars touch or if they get air under the car and it takes flight. IRL is to dangerous with the speeds involved and the extreeme danger of what will happen when wheels touch. I dont know about you but I dont want to watch another person die in a open wheel car when it disentrigrates upon hitting a catch fence. Open wheeled cars were always ment to be driven around road courses not ovals. Ever since Zinardi lost his legs I stoped watching all types of super high speed open wheel oval track racing.

I like road racing more than I do nascar, but your wrong about Nascar not being real racing. It is real racing just as F1 is real racing. Any series where people compete against each other to see who is the best is racing. Even if its a moped race or a lawnmower race.

I agree that nascar shouldnt call the cars "stock cars" anymore. The late 70's was the last time that they used a stock showroom car and modified it for racing. I dont see why you cant call a oval track race car a race car. They have ALL of the qualifications to be called a pure bred race car. Full tublar chasis, roll cage, downforce producing bodies, racing tires, racing suspension, racing chasis, racing engine, high ammount of driver safety equiptment. Yes they run V8's with carburators, so what Nascar makes the rules. FIA Mandated the everyone run V10's in F1 thats no different from what nascar did mandating that everyone run a V8. Remember this, that V8 is the same basic engine block that was around in the 60's and they are pushing out just as much horse power as a modern F1 in a FAR less technoloigcal engine. Dont forget that nascar doesnt use any kind of electronic controls is all mechanical. I'm not sure what you mean about taking certian tires, nascar only brings one type of tire to each race. There's no special compounds made for teams no is there different grade of tires for teams to choose from. Being on the groove in nascar/ SPRINT cars use this term as well, means your on the racing line.

Racing is and will always be compettiors engaging in a competition to see who can go from point a to point b first.

 

[JohnBM01]

Well, when I say "taking certain tires" I mean, during a pit stop, you take 2 or 4 tires. Just a quick reply.