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