Discover the thrills of car racing


Nascar?s Not The Only Race In Town

When you talk car racing most peopleINDY RACING LEAGUE:
think of NASCAR?National Association forThe Indy Racing League (IRL) sponsors
Stock Car Auto Racing. It is, perhaps,races primarily on oval tracks with the
the most popular sport in America. Alongcenterpiece being the Indianapolis 500,
with NASCAR, there are three other majorwhich is held every year on Memorial Day
types of car racing in America?Formulaweekend at the Indianapolis Speedway.
1, Champ Car, and Indy Racing League.The schedule, which has the fewest races
Taken together, these four racing groupsof the four major racing organizations,
offer a range of competition andproduces 14 events. The IRL season kicks
challenges for drivers and excitingoff in late March and runs until early
experiences for racing fans.September. The only road course for this
FORMULA 1:series in 2006 is the Infineon in
The Formula 1 race calendar starts inSonoma, CA and the only race held
March and goes into October with 18outside of the U.S. occurs at Twin Ring
races in 18 different countries. TheMotegi, Japan.
American race is held at theThe IRL was founded in 1996 and, since
Indianapolis Speedway, with the 2006that time, has gone through various
contest occurring on July 2nd. The racegrowing pains. Like the Champ Car World
covers approximately 190 miles or 73Series, its cars are open wheel racers
laps on the Indy road course.with a central cockpit. At first the IRL
Formula 1 cars have open cockpits, openhad difficulty attracting top drivers;
wheels, and are very low to the ground.however, as the organization gained
They?re made with one primary goal incredence, it was able to attract some
mind?speed. Extremely fast speeds definecompetitive drivers.
Formula 1 racing.In 2007, as part of an environmentally
The chassis, which must be constrictedfriendly policy, all IRL cars will be
by the racing team, are made ofrunning on ethanol. Indy circuit cars
ultra-light materials such as carbonhave tires that are similar to those
fiber, allowing the cars to jet down theused on Formula 1 cars, while their
track. They also have wings in the frontagility and weight are akin to that of
and back, which are designed to keep thethe Champ racers.
cars low to the ground and to help themOf the four racing groups, the IRL may
cut down air resistance. Every aspect isbe the weakest when it comes to
dedicated to precision and speed andfinancial stability and name
thus an unneeded feature like bumpersrecognition. Many fans, sports writers,
have been eliminated. The intimateand officials who are interested in open
cockpit is in the middle of the vehicle,wheel racing have called for the
giving the machine a strong center ofunification of IRL and Champ Cars,
gravity. All of these elements help makemaking one organization with the very
them extremely aerodynamic andbest drivers and most competitive races.
fast?their speeds top 200 mph.Many feel that American Indy car racing
One of the major challenges for driverswould benefit from the strength of
of these cars is the complex course theyhaving a single group in charge,
run. The Indianapolis track has 13resulting in a less diluted product
turns, including hairpins that demand awhile helping to establish dominance
driver quickly downshift from a speed ofover Formula 1.
almost 200 mph to 86 mph and then to 36NASCAR:
mph. Then the driver pushes the throttleEven if you don?t know what the letters
up to 160 mph. All of this happensstand for or you?ve never been to a
during a five-turn sequence that coversNASCAR sanctioned race, everyone knows
about 1/2 mile on the 2.6-mile course.that NASCAR is about stock car racing.
Many Formula 1 races are run in cityStock cars are simply racecars that take
streets that become racetracks just forroad models or common stock as the
that event.foundation from which the racecar is
Along with the blinding speed,created.
lightweight vehicles, and complexThe Nextel Cup Series, NASCARS? premiere
courses come the dangers of this sport.event, starts in February and finishes
When a car going 200 mph loses its gripup in November. Along with being the
on the track, spins and nails alongest of the race seasons, NASCAR also
retaining wall, other drivers have toboasts the most events?39! Additionally,
instantly adjust. If they don?t, thethey have the most drivers?50 as opposed
results can be deadly.to the approximately 20 involved in each
Of the four major categories of carof the other organizations.
racing, Formula 1 is the least popularNASCAR races are held on road courses,
in America. Perhaps this is due to theovals, irregularly shaped tracks, and
international nature of itscircular raceways. Three things that
venues?there?s only one race inmake NASCAR popular are the regularity
America?along with the fact that theof its schedule, the expert machines,
races are run every other week, unlikecrews, and drivers, and the ability of
NASCAR that runs every week except onthe organization to be innovative while
Easter Sunday.still holding to tradition.
CHAMP CAR:The look of the stock cars, unlike the
The 16-race Champ Car World Seriesracers for Formula 1, Champ Car or IRL,
starts in late March and run into themake NASCAR the race of the people
middle of November. Fourteen of itsbecause we all drive vehicles that look
races are in the U.S., Canada or Mexico,like the cars that Jeff Gordon. Sterling
with two other contests being held inMartin, and Jimmie Johnson maneuver each
Australia and South Korea. Bridgestoneweek. Few of us can see ourselves behind
is the major sponsor of Champ Car (Champthe wheel of a Formula 1, but many of us
Car is the short for Championship Car).drive a Chevy like Tony Stewart, a Dodge
Although a few of the races are run onlike Kyle Petty or a Ford like Dale
ovals, most of the contests are held onJarrett. This connection that fans make
road courses. In fact, many of the raceswith the stock car certainly helps
are held on city streets that have beenextend the popularity of the circuit in
converted for that one weekend into athe U.S.
road course. Cities that set upAlso, unlike the other three
temporary tracks include Long Beach andorganizations, NASCAR runs their races
San Jose, CA; Houston, TX; and Denver,every week. It?s grueling, but it also
CO. Although some are shorter and otherscreates a great competitive atmosphere
a bit longer, most Champ courses runand a large following that wants to know
about 2 miles in length. Like theirif Sterling Martin is going to cut off
Formula 1 counterparts, Champ Cars reachJeff Gordon just like he did last week;
speeds of close to 200 mph.and if he does, what will Gordon do
The Champ Car raceways, for the mostabout it?
part, are shorter than Formula 1 tracksStock car races tend to include many
and also have fewer and more graduallead changes, sparring amongst drivers,
turns. You?ll find Formula 1 coursesand athletic pit stops. Also, NASCAR
feature between 12 and 20 turns with atholds all of its races in the United
least one tight series of hairpins,States, giving the entire circuit a
while Champ Car tracks averagespecific national focus.
approximately 9 turns, and although theyAlthough NASCAR is not the only game in
certainly demand tight maneuvering, theytown, they are the best known and most
don?t offer the complex, extremelyorganized, offering fans weekly
narrow angles of Formula 1.competition with an intensity and drive
Because Champ cars race on ovals alongthat no other racing organization has
with street courses, they are heavierrivaled. The other groups certainly have
and have a longer wheelbase. Ovaltheir following and produce a great
courses with their lack of turnsproduct, but Formula 1 may be too elite
encourage higher speeds, and theseto ever reach Americans the way NASCAR
speeds put more stress on a car; thushas. Champ Car is more grounded in
the wheelbase on a Champ Car is sturdierAmerica but lacks the weekly
but less agile than those on Formulas 1head-to-head competition and IRL has
racers. These less maneuverablebeen unable to exploit the mystique of
wheelbases are one of the primarythe Indy racecar.
reasons that Champ Cars do not have toIt may behoove you to check out all four
negotiate the ultra-tight street courseof these major racing organizations and
curves that their counterparts do.their events. If you?re a NASCAR fan,
There is certainly a rivalry between theyou may find something unique in Formula
American based Champ Car enthusiasts and1 that you can also enjoy. Champ Car
the international Formula 1 fans thatlovers should be able to get into the
focuses on which is the better circuit,non-stop nature of stock car racing.
has more competitive races, and the bestFormula 1 folks may enjoy the variety
teams. In looking at each type of car,NASCAR offers, while IRL enthusiasts
it?s hard to tell the difference betweenmight like the international flavor of
them. They are very similar but each hasFormula 1.
unique characteristics.Then again?these camps and their
Formula 1 race cars are powered byallegiances may not be interested in
gasoline and are not turbocharged,ever crossing over to the other side.
whereas Champs burn methanol and utilizeONLINE BETTING
the turbo. Champ Cars also useIf you think that sports wagering is
non-grooved tires, and they are allowedlimited to the four major sports
to incorporate a set of softer compound(football, basketball, baseball and
wheels, providing them with an edge overhockey), think again. A number of online
other cars, making the outcome of thesportsbooks offer race fans an
race less predictable.opportunity to cash in on their
Some race fans prefer Champ Car tofavorites. You can easily find odds
Formula 1 due to the fact that leadonline on which driver or team will win
changes are more achievable in thea race, capture the pole position or
former and also because the lessfinish in the top three.
stringent tire rules allow forThe cars are running?take part in the
creativity that can yield excitement andexcitement on race day.
positive results on the track.



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