Nascar?s Not The Only Race In Town

When you talk car racing most people think ofyield excitement and positive results on the track.
NASCAR?National Association for Stock Car AutoINDY RACING LEAGUE:
Racing. It is, perhaps, the most popular sport inThe Indy Racing League (IRL) sponsors races
America. Along with NASCAR, there are threeprimarily on oval tracks with the centerpiece being
other major types of car racing inthe Indianapolis 500, which is held every year on
America?Formula 1, Champ Car, and Indy RacingMemorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis
League. Taken together, these four racing groupsSpeedway. The schedule, which has the fewest
offer a range of competition and challenges forraces of the four major racing organizations,
drivers and exciting experiences for racing fans.produces 14 events. The IRL season kicks off in
FORMULA 1:late March and runs until early September. The
The Formula 1 race calendar starts in March andonly road course for this series in 2006 is the
goes into October with 18 races in 18 differentInfineon in Sonoma, CA and the only race held
countries. The American race is held at theoutside of the U.S. occurs at Twin Ring Motegi,
Indianapolis Speedway, with the 2006 contestJapan.
occurring on July 2nd. The race coversThe IRL was founded in 1996 and, since that
approximately 190 miles or 73 laps on the Indytime, has gone through various growing pains. Like
road course.the Champ Car World Series, its cars are open
Formula 1 cars have open cockpits, open wheels,wheel racers with a central cockpit. At first the
and are very low to the ground. They?re madeIRL had difficulty attracting top drivers; however,
with one primary goal in mind?speed. Extremelyas the organization gained credence, it was able to
fast speeds define Formula 1 racing.attract some competitive drivers.
The chassis, which must be constricted by theIn 2007, as part of an environmentally friendly
racing team, are made of ultra-light materials suchpolicy, all IRL cars will be running on ethanol. Indy
as carbon fiber, allowing the cars to jet down thecircuit cars have tires that are similar to those
track. They also have wings in the front andused on Formula 1 cars, while their agility and
back, which are designed to keep the cars low toweight are akin to that of the Champ racers.
the ground and to help them cut down airOf the four racing groups, the IRL may be the
resistance. Every aspect is dedicated to precisionweakest when it comes to financial stability and
and speed and thus an unneeded feature likename recognition. Many fans, sports writers, and
bumpers have been eliminated. The intimateofficials who are interested in open wheel racing
cockpit is in the middle of the vehicle, giving thehave called for the unification of IRL and Champ
machine a strong center of gravity. All of theseCars, making one organization with the very best
elements help make them extremelydrivers and most competitive races. Many feel
aerodynamic and fast?their speeds top 200 mph.that American Indy car racing would benefit from
One of the major challenges for drivers of thesethe strength of having a single group in charge,
cars is the complex course they run. Theresulting in a less diluted product while helping to
Indianapolis track has 13 turns, including hairpinsestablish dominance over Formula 1.
that demand a driver quickly downshift from aNASCAR:
speed of almost 200 mph to 86 mph and then toEven if you don?t know what the letters stand
36 mph. Then the driver pushes the throttle up tofor or you?ve never been to a NASCAR
160 mph. All of this happens during a five-turnsanctioned race, everyone knows that NASCAR
sequence that covers about 1/2 mile on theis about stock car racing. Stock cars are simply
2.6-mile course. Many Formula 1 races are run inracecars that take road models or common stock
city streets that become racetracks just for thatas the foundation from which the racecar is
event.created.
Along with the blinding speed, lightweight vehicles,The Nextel Cup Series, NASCARS? premiere
and complex courses come the dangers of thisevent, starts in February and finishes up in
sport. When a car going 200 mph loses its grip onNovember. Along with being the longest of the
the track, spins and nails a retaining wall, otherrace seasons, NASCAR also boasts the most
drivers have to instantly adjust. If they don?t, theevents?39! Additionally, they have the most
results can be deadly.drivers?50 as opposed to the approximately 20
Of the four major categories of car racing,involved in each of the other organizations.
Formula 1 is the least popular in America. PerhapsNASCAR races are held on road courses, ovals,
this is due to the international nature of itsirregularly shaped tracks, and circular raceways.
venues?there?s only one race in America?alongThree things that make NASCAR popular are the
with the fact that the races are run every otherregularity of its schedule, the expert machines,
week, unlike NASCAR that runs every weekcrews, and drivers, and the ability of the
except on Easter Sunday.organization to be innovative while still holding to
CHAMP CAR:tradition.
The 16-race Champ Car World Series starts inThe look of the stock cars, unlike the racers for
late March and run into the middle of November.Formula 1, Champ Car or IRL, make NASCAR the
Fourteen of its races are in the U.S., Canada orrace of the people because we all drive vehicles
Mexico, with two other contests being held inthat look like the cars that Jeff Gordon. Sterling
Australia and South Korea. Bridgestone is theMartin, and Jimmie Johnson maneuver each week.
major sponsor of Champ Car (Champ Car is theFew of us can see ourselves behind the wheel of
short for Championship Car).a Formula 1, but many of us drive a Chevy like
Although a few of the races are run on ovals,Tony Stewart, a Dodge like Kyle Petty or a Ford
most of the contests are held on road courses. Inlike Dale Jarrett. This connection that fans make
fact, many of the races are held on city streetswith the stock car certainly helps extend the
that have been converted for that one weekendpopularity of the circuit in the U.S.
into a road course. Cities that set up temporaryAlso, unlike the other three organizations,
tracks include Long Beach and San Jose, CA;NASCAR runs their races every week. It?s
Houston, TX; and Denver, CO. Although some aregrueling, but it also creates a great competitive
shorter and others a bit longer, most Champatmosphere and a large following that wants to
courses run about 2 miles in length. Like theirknow if Sterling Martin is going to cut off Jeff
Formula 1 counterparts, Champ Cars reachGordon just like he did last week; and if he does,
speeds of close to 200 mph.what will Gordon do about it?
The Champ Car raceways, for the most part, areStock car races tend to include many lead
shorter than Formula 1 tracks and also havechanges, sparring amongst drivers, and athletic pit
fewer and more gradual turns. You?ll find Formulastops. Also, NASCAR holds all of its races in the
1 courses feature between 12 and 20 turns withUnited States, giving the entire circuit a specific
at least one tight series of hairpins, while Champnational focus.
Car tracks average approximately 9 turns, andAlthough NASCAR is not the only game in town,
although they certainly demand tight maneuvering,they are the best known and most organized,
they don?t offer the complex, extremely narrowoffering fans weekly competition with an intensity
angles of Formula 1.and drive that no other racing organization has
Because Champ cars race on ovals along withrivaled. The other groups certainly have their
street courses, they are heavier and have afollowing and produce a great product, but
longer wheelbase. Oval courses with their lack ofFormula 1 may be too elite to ever reach
turns encourage higher speeds, and these speedsAmericans the way NASCAR has. Champ Car is
put more stress on a car; thus the wheelbase onmore grounded in America but lacks the weekly
a Champ Car is sturdier but less agile than thosehead-to-head competition and IRL has been unable
on Formulas 1 racers. These less maneuverableto exploit the mystique of the Indy racecar.
wheelbases are one of the primary reasons thatIt may behoove you to check out all four of
Champ Cars do not have to negotiate thethese major racing organizations and their events.
ultra-tight street course curves that theirIf you?re a NASCAR fan, you may find
counterparts do.something unique in Formula 1 that you can also
There is certainly a rivalry between the Americanenjoy. Champ Car lovers should be able to get
based Champ Car enthusiasts and the internationalinto the non-stop nature of stock car racing.
Formula 1 fans that focuses on which is theFormula 1 folks may enjoy the variety NASCAR
better circuit, has more competitive races, andoffers, while IRL enthusiasts might like the
the best teams. In looking at each type of car,international flavor of Formula 1.
it?s hard to tell the difference between them.Then again?these camps and their allegiances may
They are very similar but each has uniquenot be interested in ever crossing over to the
characteristics.other side.
Formula 1 race cars are powered by gasoline andONLINE BETTING
are not turbocharged, whereas Champs burnIf you think that sports wagering is limited to the
methanol and utilize the turbo. Champ Cars alsofour major sports (football, basketball, baseball
use non-grooved tires, and they are allowed toand hockey), think again. A number of online
incorporate a set of softer compound wheels,sportsbooks offer race fans an opportunity to
providing them with an edge over other cars,cash in on their favorites. You can easily find odds
making the outcome of the race less predictable.online on which driver or team will win a race,
Some race fans prefer Champ Car to Formula 1capture the pole position or finish in the top three.
due to the fact that lead changes are moreThe cars are running?take part in the excitement
achievable in the former and also because the lesson race day.
stringent tire rules allow for creativity that can