8 replies to this topic

[aportinga]

Off another recent thread regarding the 24 Daytona, I'd like to hear what the international audience sees as the best races America has to offer. Vote on the one which you see as the most significant today but also list others if you can.

1. Indy 500
2. USGP
3. 24 Hours of Daytona
4. 12 Hours of Sebring
5. Elkhart Lake (CART)
6. Michigan 500 (former CART)
7. Leguna Seca (CART)

[Kaiser]

I don't think the US has much to offer in terms of races with international signifigance. The USGP, IMO, isn't really an American race, it's a European race staged in the US.

[Garagiste]

Distancing oneself from Enron?

[John B]

Distancing oneself from Enron?;)




Being from the US I didn't vote, but purely from what I see from the media Daytona may have caught the Indy 500. And with Earnhardt's death, ironically may surpass it by a lot.

The most entertaining event IMO is the Bristol NASCAR event under the lights on a very high-banked, small oval. I also like the CART events at Elkhardt and Cleveland.

Long Beach for CART might also merit a place on the poll, at least as far as a 'flagship' event is concerned.

[sennadog93]

I went for Daytona as it's by far the best spectacle. The GP is held on a mickey mouse track IMO and the Indy 500 doesn't do it for me but the idea of the Daytona 24 Hour (like Le Mans) is appealing.

[davy boy]

I think Kaiser is right, American racing is virtually unheard of in Europe apart from the USGP, which is just seen as another F1 GP.

[ehagar]

Depends how you look at it. America's most important race internationally or domestically?

IMHO:

Domestically I would say the Daytona 500. In some ways the Brickyard 400 is probably just as big, but it isn't drawn out over weeks...

The Indy 500 is America's open wheel racing premier event. But open wheel racing is struggling for recognition in the states. The 500 has good TV ratings, but beyond that pickings are pretty slim in both CART and the IRL. Time to settle the bickering in my view. Both suffer.

Sebring is the Premier Sportscar race. It has a tradition, and unlike Daytona, people actually show up. Daytona seems so empty... People showed up at Sebring when there wasn't a race! I rank Sportscar racings big events as follows:

1. Sebring 12 hrs
2. Petite Le Mans
3. Daytona 24 hrs...

Internationally, Americas biggest events are....

1. USGP
2. 12 Hours Sebring
3. Laguna Seca WSBK versus AMA Superbike. It has developed quite a following, and is Superbike's second best attended events after rands Hatch.

Bike week at Daytona is a big event. But very few people seem to actually go to the event itself... It's more of a Harley-Davidson love in...

[The Swerve]

A lot of Americans that I have spoken to are amazed that the Indy 500 gets barely any coverage in Europe but the facts is most European's haven't ever seen an oval race even on TV.

As a racing fan I would say that Sebring is quite important or the Daytona 24hrs. I agree with others that the USGP is just another F1 race that simply happens to be at Indianapolis.

[Pikachu Racing]

I would say Daytona over Indy. Daytona got NASCAR biggest race (Daytona 500) and a 400 miler complete with support series along with with it (BGN and ARCA). When it comes to the road course add in the 24 Hours of Daytona and Superbikes on it. I think Daytona is more "diverse" when it comes to racing series.

Indy is still a great track. The Indy 500 still amazes me to this day along with the USGP. Brickyard 400 gets more attention due to NASCAR popularity and a very overrated race. I haven't seen a good BY 400 in the past few years. What I like to see in Indy are more races on the track. In the mean time, Indy Raceway Park gets more track action with the short track racing and the BGN and Super Truck series.