Pirelli World Challenge

[Lizardfolk]

With the complaining of US Sports cars in the endurance side, does anyone here actually watch the Pirelli World Challenge? Why or why not? Just out of curiosity. I watched a bit of 2012 season and the cars are definitely not pretty spec (i wont even just say spec because the DPs aren't wholly spec like NASCAR but spec enough to be seen as "spec" by sports car fans), and it doesnt have a super tiny grid like ALMS.

But it's a sprint series with touring car rules

[FCYTravis]

The World Challenge has really had an up-and-down history... back in the early-mid 2000s, grids were oversubscribed, the racing was insanely good, every race had major TV coverage and it was the rare event that didn't end up with half a dozen cars coming back on tiltbed wreckers. At the time, it was just about the only American series doing standing starts, so there was a significant novelty factor as well.

When the economic crunch hit, grids faded, the SPEED contract went away and I think it came really, really close to dying out entirely. It's great to see the series starting to bounce back.

[Maelochs]

I would direct the poster to this thread (http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135630) where a few have weighed in on the 2013 version---better than 2012 so far.

I think a less-than-stellar TV product, taped in lo-def, compressed, and replayed at odd hours on off weekends, might be part of the problem. Otherwise, I can't figure why it isn't much bigger.

Since I can stream WC races but not FIA GT1, I think my new favorite sprint race GT series has been determined. The cars are about as good, the grids are bigger, the action is intense and the top drivers are about as good (Alex Figge, Randy Pobst, Johnny O'Connell, ryan Dalziel ... )

[Canada ALMS fan]

Originally Posted by FCYTravis

The World Challenge has really had an up-and-down history... back in the early-mid 2000s, grids were oversubscribed, the racing was insanely good, every race had major TV coverage and it was the rare event that didn't end up with half a dozen cars coming back on tiltbed wreckers. At the time, it was just about the only American series doing standing starts, so there was a significant novelty factor as well.

When the economic crunch hit, grids faded, the SPEED contract went away and I think it came really, really close to dying out entirely. It's great to see the series starting to bounce back.

I agree with this 100%, I was a huge fan around the turn of the Millennium but lost interest. This year, with the Audis, Mercedes', and Black Swan I find myself interested again. Being the only home for GT3 cars to race in North America could prove a bit of a coup. Hopefully the series can pull through the latest funding controversy.