Here's a thought

BSchneiderFan · 24 Jun 2003, 16:03 (Ref:641577)

To boost the profile and popularity of sportscar racing, how about a race meeting some time in July at the Norisring? A pair of sprint races, one driver per car, easily televisable (or perhaps even four races, two for prototypes and two for GTs/GT), maybe half an hour long, just wheel-to-wheel action. It could be a way of pulling in the average punter to sportscar racing, weaning them on sprints and then on to the enduros.

JAG · 24 Jun 2003, 16:09 (Ref:641581)

This is what Mercedes wanted to do with FIA GT. Unfotunately this type of racing is not cost effective for privateers and will drive them away. The way to attract fans is to have true endurance races such as LM, Sebring, PLM, Spa 24 Hours and the new LMES 1000k races.

It seems after years of 3-4 hour sportscar races since the early 90s, fans are flocking to the longer races. Sebrings attendane has risen from the 35-45,000 mark in the late 80/early 90s to well over 120,000 since the ALMS came along.

Tim Northcutt · 24 Jun 2003, 16:10 (Ref:641583)

I like the concept, but I would definitely choose another circuit....

Personally, I'd like to see Zandvoort or Assen in Holland, Brno, or the A-1 Ring in Austria....

Big fan bases at some awesome race courses...

BSchneiderFan · 24 Jun 2003, 16:53 (Ref:641623)

I'm not suggesting that GTs or the SCC goes fully sprint-format, I'm suggesting a one-off event each year to boost the sport's popularity. I picked the Norisring because it does tend to get big crowds - plus the fact that Porsche, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are all German - but another track could work.

**FIRE** · 24 Jun 2003, 17:12 (Ref:641648)

No, I don't like this idea. I mean sportscar racing is endurance racing not sprint racing. I would go for a concept like the FIA GT championship.
Example a 4 hours race:
Do a 30 minutes long coverage of the first 3 hours and after that broadcast live the last hour of the race.

**Aysedasi** · 24 Jun 2003, 17:34 (Ref:641670)

I still remember the 1000 kms races with great fondness..... Half hour races hold no great interest for me, I'm afraid.

cybersdorf · 24 Jun 2003, 18:03 (Ref:641709)

Fact is, there can only be one per year at the Norisring - it's only a temporary track. For the organisers to lose the DTM, which creates good revenue there, the sportscars would have to offer an equally promising package. Right now, this is not the case.

So at the moment I'd say, forget about it. Maybe if the Le Mans series is a success, two or three years down the road.

Also, you don't run a 1000k race on the Norisring; not with this temporary pitlane. 100 miles, in two heats, were always the traditional sportscar distance there.

Tim Northcutt · 24 Jun 2003, 18:12 (Ref:641726)

I'd rather see two or three added races 1000 km each to LMES once it gets up and going in a few years (staring in about 2007 or 2008):

Zandvoort & Assen (rotated every other year)

Estoril and Barcelona (rotated every other year)

Brno and A-1 Ring (rotated every other year)

In other words, you would have the four original races announced, plus an annual race in Holland, an annual race in the Iberian peninsula, and an annual race in central Europe....

All six of those road courses would deserve to host a 1000 km race, but a 10 race season would be expensive....

rotating those tracks into the mix would be great for fans in other parts of Europe currently left outside looking in, and would make for a great LMES series....

Besides ALMS runs 9 or 10 races a year....four races for the LMES is not enough events...but 10 would be too many...

rdjones · 24 Jun 2003, 18:22 (Ref:641746)

I like the idea - but Sportscar racing in IMO is all about long distance races. If you want to watch a sprint race go watch the DTM or the BTCC......

Tim Northcutt · 24 Jun 2003, 18:27 (Ref:641758)

In the States, I'd like to see a July 4th weekend endurnace race at Road America -- a 6 hr timed-run or an 8 hr. timed-run...but I'm not sure about accommodations in that area for the fans you'd attract for it...

My second option would be VIR....closer to many metropolitan centers on the east coast and a great road circuit....

But I agree otherwise....sportscars should be longer events to showcase that type of racing....1000 km is a good distance to start...

BSchneiderFan · 24 Jun 2003, 18:30 (Ref:641765)

As I said before, of course sportscar racing is about enduros, but the fact is that if you say to the ordinary viewer, "Wanna watch a six-hour race?", he or she will run screaming from the building. But if you can give them a taste of the look and feel of sportscars in a one-off, sprint format (as they used to at the Norisring, as someone said), then they might be tempted to broaden their horizons and watch some proper endurance racing.

Tim Northcutt · 24 Jun 2003, 18:42 (Ref:641786)

That is a thought worth considering....give potential fans a taste to see some great action before going into the meat of the sport itself...

**FIRE** · 24 Jun 2003, 20:03 (Ref:641875)

I agree with BSchneiderFan that such a sprint race during a BTCC or DTM weekend could be a good promotion for sportscars and attract new fans.

[off-topic]
Why the hell is a guy from St. Andrews, Scotland fan of a German named Bernd Schneider???

[/off-topic]

BSchneiderFan · 24 Jun 2003, 20:58 (Ref:641939)

Excellence transcends national boundaries, my friend. I think he's an excellent - and much underrated - driver.

**Aysedasi** · 25 Jun 2003, 12:16 (Ref:642571)

Fair enough.

It's kinda like a guy from Hampshire being a Senna fan, I guess......

pirenzo · 25 Jun 2003, 13:08 (Ref:642644)

Does it matter? i am an Alesi fan FWIW (or was)

I really wish i owned a camcorder, i would have loved to have got him on film making sparks coming under the bridge at the Goodwood FofS last year, amazing.

**FIRE** · 25 Jun 2003, 17:02 (Ref:642827)

No it doesn't matter! I was just wondering. He is a very good driver and if he was 10 years younger he was racing in a F1 car.

Now back to the topic.
It's a shame that Le Mans is the only major sportscar race that's been left in Europe. In the past there were other 1000 km races that had a rich history. A new race needs time to get fans, media interest, etc.

JAG · 25 Jun 2003, 17:06 (Ref:642829)

Quote:

Originally posted by FIRE
No it doesn't matter! I was just wondering. He is a very good driver and if he was 10 years younger he was racing in a F1 car.

Now back to the topic.
It's a shame that Le Mans is the only major sportscar race that's been left in Europe. In the past there were other 1000 km races that had a rich history. A new race needs time to get fans, media interest, etc.

So lets bring on the LMES and revive those 1000K classics.

Mal · 25 Jun 2003, 17:11 (Ref:642835)

Quote:

Originally posted by JAG
So lets bring on the LMES and revive those 1000K classics.

Absolutely and I think this really has the chance to succeed, and with the ACO's progressive attitude to things such as new fuels (bioethanol) possible diesils then this could easily attract some major manufacturers back to sportscars for good or bad.

Waco Racer · 25 Jun 2003, 17:54 (Ref:642887)

I remember Grand-Am doing something similar to what you are suggesting a couple of years ago at the Lime Rock Memorial Day races. They had 2 sprint races, 1 driver in the first race, the other driver in the second race. I found it very exciting to watch. The drivers did not hold back, especially in the second race.

**FIRE** · 25 Jun 2003, 19:24 (Ref:642986)

Quote:

The drivers did not hold back,...

That's a positive aspect of sprint races. The races are shorter so drivers have to push harder because they have less time to get in 1st position. This results (maybe) in heavy fights on the circuit. Also reliability is less important.

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