31 replies to this topic

[biercemountain]

Why is it that races like LeMans, Sebring (and to a less degree as of late) Daytona get so much more attention than say, Spa, Silverstone and other world-class endurance races? Is it simply that they've been around longer and have more prestige.

Edited by biercemountain, 01 May 2013 - 17:03.

[Cavani]

yes lemans is the oldest motor race in history

[Red17]

prestige

[Risil]

yes lemans is the oldest motor race in history

Not even close

[Kingshark]

Le Mans of course.

[Victor_RO]

Why is it that races like LeMans, Sebring (and to a less degree as of late) Daytona get so much more attention than say, Spa, Silverstone and other world-class endurance races? Is it simply that they've been around longer and have more prestige.

Basically yes, prestige is built up over the years by building up the event and a dedicated and consistent fan base. It needs to get into the minds of people with something that sets it apart from the rest of the endurance racing calendar.

[TheWilliamzer]

Mille Miglia. huh

[BoschKurve]

Mille Miglia. huh

I wish it still existed as it did in the present.

Same with the Carrera Panamericana.

[ApexMouse]

Why is it that races like LeMans, Sebring (and to a less degree as of late) Daytona get so much more attention than say, Spa, Silverstone and other world-class endurance races? Is it simply that they've been around longer and have more prestige.

yes lemans is the oldest motor race in history

Le Mans of course.

[TheWilliamzer]

I wish it still existed as it did in the present.

Same with the Carrera Panamericana.

it still there but not like the post war days. no racing i guess.

[Rob G]

I think the fact that the endurance races at Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona are the most prestigious road racing events on those tracks probably has a lot to do with it. The endurance races at Spa, Silverstone and most other tracks play second fiddle to Formula One.

[Les]

Don't forget the Snetterton 24 Hours.

[gm914]

Oh you want prestige?
http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/

[noikeee]

I think the fact that the endurance races at Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona are the most prestigious road racing events on those tracks probably has a lot to do with it. The endurance races at Spa, Silverstone and most other tracks play second fiddle to Formula One.

I was going to come in and say this. Of course the Le Mans and Daytona events have some pretty huge history behind it that pre-dates even the return of the Spa F1 race in the 80s so not all can be explained by that, but that still plays a pretty big part.

[HopkinsonF1]

Oh you want prestige?
http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/

Competing in Le Mons is on my bucket list. Awesome event.

[biercemountain]

Thanks everybody. Everything pretty much confirms what I had suspected but it's interesting to hear everyone else's take on it.

BTW, I get a kick out of the fact that Grand Am is virtually ignored by Autosport on this site. It's not bad racing but I can understand the apathy. I'm guessing that will change next year with the unification.

[selespeed]

24h nurburgring...run on sunday 19th and monday 20th this year...

http://www.24h-renne...ficial-website/

[biercemountain]

Competing in Le Mons is on my bucket list. Awesome event.

That site's frickin hilarious.

[SonnyViceR]

Le Mans is so far ahead of the other endurance races and series in terms of popularity, history and prestigiousness that it doesn't really need to be mentioned here in this context at all, it is the holy mother of all sportscar racing and we all know why. It's competing in entirely different league, no other event reaches such status in all racing.

Comparing (relatively speaking) medium profile events like Daytona, Sebring etc to the more niche ones, like Spa 24, is more sensible. But Petit Le Mans proves that you can become highly claimed classic in just 15 years without prior history if you've got the right product and mindset

Edited by SonnyViceR, 02 May 2013 - 18:36.

[byrkus]

I still dream about re-inventing Targa Florio type of race. But until THAT happens, Le Mans is still head & shoulders above the rest.

[ApexMouse]

Le Mans is so far ahead of the other endurance races and series in terms of popularity, history and prestigiousness that it doesn't really need to be mentioned here in this context at all, it is the holy mother of all sportscar racing and we all know why. It's competing in entirely different league, no other event reaches such status in all racing.

Comparing (relatively speaking) medium profile events like Daytona, Sebring etc to the more niche ones, like Spa 24, is more sensible. But Petit Le Mans proves that you can become highly claimed classic in just 15 years without prior history if you've got the right product and mindset

I have no idea why the FIA ditched Sebring and Petit. I imagine you know a great deal more as the resident sportscar expert but it just seems a totally stupid decision.

Edited by ApexMouse, 02 May 2013 - 20:04.

[Victor_RO]

I have no idea why the FIA ditched Sebring and Petit. I imagine you know a great deal more as the resident sportscar expert but it just seems a totally stupid decision.

It seems a stupid decision until you consider the fact that they had to combine the WEC field with the ALMS field. And combining two championships with 30-35 full-season entries each means an overcrowded track at the best of times, and even having to turn full-season entries away from two of the biggest races of the season. FIA circuit/race guidelines impose upper limits of 64 cars at Sebring and 53 at Road Atlanta, and the pitlane and paddock spaces are maximized at those entry list sizes. At Sebring last year they actually got 63 cars to start the race itself, all the ALMS cars that were present and all but one of the WEC entrants (the one being kicked out for being too slow and erratic).

[SonnyViceR]

Yes that is true, but it still makes mockery of the fact that a regional series has better and more historical events (except Le Mans of course but again it's different) than the world championship and even if you forgive them for everything, FIA in all of it's geniusness has still managed to schedule Fuji WEC race for the same weekend as PLM this year! At least they managed to move away Borerain last season...

Not to mention these sterile 6 hour distances in Tilkedromes, and stupid stand-alone races with mediocre 30-35 car grids when (in Europe, and maybe Asia) they could join forces with the regional series to once again have 50+ car grids... let's see Spa 1000km/6h for example, the past five years
2009 with LMS - 51 cars
2010 with LMS - 50 cars
2011 with ILMC/LMS - 54 cars
2012 with WEC* - 42 cars
2013 with WEC - 35 cars

*last year the FIA refused to have more than 42 cars for the race, as they were too lazy to rent the second pit lane...

Anyone else seeing the wrong turn of evolution here? How is splitting the already myriad races into even smaller pieces gonna help anyone?

Edited by SonnyViceR, 02 May 2013 - 21:06.

[SonnyViceR]

Anyway, I think that the hierarchy of the endurance events is currently sth like this in terms of popularity

NIGHTMARE
1) Le Mans 24

Ultra-Violence
-

Hurt Me Plenty
2) Sebring 12
// Daytona 24
4) Petit Le Mans

Hey, Not Too Rough
5) Nurburgring 24
6) Spa 24
7) Le Mans Moto 24
// Bod'or

I'm Too Young to Die
9) Dubai 24
10) Bathurst 12
11) Zolder 24
12) Sepang 12

Then in the sewer division the rest like Abu Dhabi 12 etc

I don't count events like Bathurst 1000 or 6 hour events etc as they are kinda sprint races in comparison

Edited by SonnyViceR, 02 May 2013 - 21:58.

[Bob Riebe]

Le Mans is so far ahead of the other endurance races and series in terms of popularity, history and prestigiousness that it doesn't really need to be mentioned here in this context at all, it is the holy mother of all sportscar racing and we all know why. It's competing in entirely different league, no other event reaches such status in all racing.

Comparing (relatively speaking) medium profile events like Daytona, Sebring etc to the more niche ones, like Spa 24, is more sensible. But Petit Le Mans proves that you can become highly claimed classic in just 15 years without prior history if you've got the right product and mindset

The French 24 hrs was what inspired Bill France to do with Daytona what he did.
Very fast, and 24 hrs long.

Sebring, even as old as it is was always Daytona's little brother, even in the hay-days.

The Road Atlanta race isn't even on the map as far being a classic, it is merely just the latest version of an IMSA race at Road Atlanta.
Many non-fanatic racing fans are very familiar with Daytona and may even know about Sebring. Mention the race in Georgia, one is lucky if they even know there is a track there.

[EarnardBeccelstone]

Why is it that races like LeMans, Sebring (and to a less degree as of late) Daytona get so much more attention than say, Spa, Silverstone and other world-class endurance races? Is it simply that they've been around longer and have more prestige.

Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona form the triple crown of endurance racing, if someone hasn't beaten me to it.

Depends where you're from too.

In Australia, about the only endurance races that get coverage are the various runs at Bathurst (1000 and 12 hour), Le Mans and Daytona. Oh and the Isle of Man TT.

When I lived in Japan in the 90s, I got television coverage of the 1000 km races at Suzuka and Fuji, the Suzuka 8 hour bike race AND Le Mans and Daytona.

When I lived in the UK in the mid 00s, I had EuroSport, so I got coverage of pretty much every European endurance event, plus the US 3 hour Daytona prototypes (man they were ugly a few years ago), but bugger all of the Asian events.

Last year I spent a lot of time in Dubai, and guess what, I stumbled across the 6 hours of Bahrain on local TV, which for some reason was about as interesting as having my hairs pulled individually from my body, and I'll normally watch ANY form of motorsport. Maybe it was the jet lag.

Edited by EarnardBeccelstone, 03 May 2013 - 08:35.

[barrykm]

Although not up there with the likes of Le Mans and Daytona, the Kyalami 9hr Race had it's place in the sixties and early seventies.

[DampMongoose]

What was the name of the race on the Nurburgring that lasted 2 days and nights? I remember reading about it in Vic Elford's book...

Also in the 60's and 70's the longer/endurance events on the roads of Mugello and particularly the Targa Florio were very big!

[Victor_RO]

What was the name of the race on the Nurburgring that lasted 2 days and nights? I remember reading about it in Vic Elford's book...

Not sure about the name, but I do know that one year, during the 1970s, that particular race lasted a whopping 84 HOURS.

[DampMongoose]

Not sure about the name, but I do know that one year, during the 1970s, that particular race lasted a whopping 84 HOURS.

Had to look it up as it was bugging me...it was Marathon de la Route... Nord and Sudschleife combined, all sorts of penalties for not completeing laps in the same times at the end of the race to those at the beginning and penalties for pitstops longer than x min etc!

As you rightly said 84 hours not 'just' 48 ;)

Edited by DampMongoose, 03 May 2013 - 13:13.

[gm914]

86 hours.

[Bob Riebe]

particularly the Targa Florio were very big!

Hell yes!

Back in the day, this was the race for and won by, real men!

I remember that the Nurburgring was known for being long and challenging, while Spa was the speed king track later on.