PPo

I sporadically watched the NASCAR Sprint at Sonoma, and I PVRd the Indy race at Fontana and stayed up last night to watch the whole thing. I have to admit that the NASCAR race was not bad to watch, and the Indy race was enjoyable! Compared to F1 lately, these two races where solid examples of fun to watch car racing.

If you look at the struggle that Indy is going through... There is no way F1 can become popular in North America. Just too much competition with other sports and other forms of motorcar racing.

On the topic of the Indy race: Sato almost made me laugh out loud at his driving... that is one crazy guy. It was exciting racing, but wow, perhaps a little too much risk for the drivers.

The one thing that always stands out to me is the difference in pit stops. F1 has many more people "over the wall", but somehow seems safer. Then again, if F1 had larger fields like Indy and NASCAR, I am sure it would be a totally different spectacle...

Hope you all enjoyed the races...

Veloce Raptor

The Sears Point NASCAR race was fantastic !

Coochas

I'm generally not an oval fan but I saw some of the Indy Fontana race and thought it was pretty good. That track looks wider than other ovals and there seem to be fast lines low and high. It seemed like there were often 3-4 cars abreast in the corners which made it interesting.

TXE36

Paraphrasing a fellow Rennlister about Sato: "Always in the highlight reel, never on the podium".

-Mike

PPo

I was only able to watch parts of it on and off... the parts I saw where solid. Sadly, I missed the last quarter of the race entirely.

Thanks for chiming in and letting us know it was a great race. I didn't check the schedule yet, but NASCAR usually comes to Watkins Glenn in August... One of my favorite to watch on TV.

Watching these 2 races, F1 is in trouble...

Bull_D

it surprises me that AJ is willing to be patient with that crap, especially without any results to possibly offset a few bent cars. i agree it was exciting at times, but also a bit cringe worthy……they are going to have a seriously bad incident there. you can't have a nascar style race with open wheel cars, without eventually having a grim outcome.

OCturbo

I like almost all types of racing (except nascar on ovals and dirt track racing) and have been watching and going to Indy car races since the early 80's. I think that last weekend's indy car race in Fontana was the best I've seen. I was at the last race in vegas for Indy car and we all saw the results of pack racing at those high speeds. Since Vegas they have reduced the downforce a lot to spread out the cars on ovals (probably too much), but added more for this last race due to the high temps and because some of the recent oval races like Texas haven't been too exiting. I'm sure they'll reduce the downforce in upcoming races, because many of the drivers were not happy about it. F1 has been my favorite series for a while now, especially after going to some races like Monaco and silverstone, but the racing in Fontana last weekend was as good as it gets!

Carrera51

Though I hate the cars, Indy Car racing is fun to watch. 3 wide through the corners makes in interesting. I guess I have to accept the common chassis, but I would love to see them loosen up the aero rules and let the teams get creative so the cars all don't look the same. Also would be nice to see one more engine supplier and and maybe allow more than one engine formula. Too bad there aren't more fans in the stands. The NASCAR race was good and the finish exciting. Wish NASCAR would add a few more road course races to the schedule, like VIR, Road Atlanta, and Road America.

skl

I watch all the F1 races I guess because I've been doing it (or reading about it- Rob Walker's articles in R&T growing up) since the 60's, but this year hasn't been that exciting. Went to first Indy F1 in 2000 and almost wet my pants the first time Schumie went by as I didn't have my earplugs in yet... took my boys to COTA last fall for their first F1 race in person. Quite a show seeing them in person but the sound and obviously speed differential between qualy and the race was less than impressive. Also, the boys were spoiled as kids when we'd go to Road America for the CART races, and they actually could met and get autographs from the likes of AJ, Rick Mears, Emmo, Alex Z, Jeeemy, Greg Moore, etc.
Don't really care about the tintops but must admit they do entertain at the road courses.
The Nationwide boys always put on a great show at RA!!
Don't think the FIA greenies will get their heads out of their a$$es, so not sure what will happen to F1...will admit I watched most of the FE races this year- somewhat entertaining but the sound was weird, and some of the courses pretty mickey mouse. I think my driveway is wider than that Battersea course!!!

LuigiVampa

Same here - I watch all the F1 races just because. I used to watch practice and qualifying. Now I fast forward through qualifying and sort of watch the race as I type on my computer.

I still like the Tudor series - some good racing going on.

I do not like NASCAR. Just can't do it except for when they are on a road course.

Indy - funny that you bring it up as this is the first year where I said "I am going to commit to watching it". In the beginning it is not as much fun when you don't know who is who. I'm starting to become a fan.

Takuma "carbon fiber shards" Sato is a maniac!

Carrera51

It's a shame Indy hasn't been able to full recover from the split in 1996 with CART. They are putting out a good product. The races are exciting, they don't have bogus cautions, but they need more fans.

F1 hasn't been very exciting the past few years. I don't think it will be until they change the formula and make the cars generate mechanical grip as opposed to being entirely aero dependent like they are now.

Veloce Raptor

NASCAR is actively looking at adding more road course races, including possibly the short course at COTA ...

Agree that Indy car racing is pretty good, although the cars look like caricatures...

baddogz28

That would be a disappointment... Any idea why the aversion to the long course?

Veloce Raptor

No, and I could be wrong about it, but most likely because of brakes into such slow corners as 11 and 12, as well as lack of grandstands along those two long straights.