If there were a "Racing Capital of the World", where would it be?

Baketech · 07-04-2008, 06:33 AM

After being saddened to learn from posts 15 & 16 of this THREAD that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is indeed not "The Racing Capital of the World", I began to ponder...

So, for the sake of entertaining discussion, let's ignore the 20+ year registered trademark, and share our nominations...the question is simple:

Q: If there were such a thing as "The Racing Capital of the World", where would it be, and why?

proto · 07-04-2008, 06:43 AM

Wot sort of racing?

Shenders1 · 07-04-2008, 07:20 AM

Realistically, probably more like Monza than Indy. Though it depends on how/what you're measuring.

Baketech · 07-04-2008, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by proto

Wot sort of racing?

To keep it simple, use the same criteria that you relied on to make this assertion...

Quote:

Originally Posted by proto

Even if it is the 'capital' (which it isn't)

So c'mon then...it's bad form to refute something without offering alternative...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shenders1

Realistically, probably more like Monza than Indy. Though it depends on how/what you're measuring.

So in "World" terms, if I travel the globe and ask the citizenry which place they most associate with racing, I would get Monza?

proto · 07-04-2008, 07:36 AM

Daytona. Nascar, Sports cars, Bike Week. It's got the lot.

Indy has only got roundy, roundy thingee that nobody likes.

Shenders1 · 07-04-2008, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baketech

So in "World" terms, if I travel the globe and ask the citizenry which place they most associate with racing, I would get Monza?

Mmm - More explanation needed, I guess.

If we assume the criteria used is some combination of 1) # of races held at the local venue, 2) level of local ardor for racing, and 3) history, then yes, I'd vote for Monza.

Baketech · 07-04-2008, 07:39 AM

So that's...

Daytona - 1

Monza - 1

proto · 07-04-2008, 07:41 AM

It was not my intention to get into a argument about 'where is the capital of racing?', because as this thread will no doubt demonstrate, there isn't one.

My point is that such a bold proclaimation on the Brickyard wall is vulgar, tacky and arrogant. By pointing this out, I was only trying to help you (i.e. the USA) improve your place in the world of diplomacy and friendship. Maybe.

Baketech · 07-04-2008, 07:43 AM

That's a wonderful discussion, but it belongs in politics...this is the definitive "Racing Capital of the World" thread...

proto · 07-04-2008, 07:48 AM

abtech · 07-04-2008, 08:05 AM

Simple: Willow Springs

Baketech · 07-04-2008, 08:07 AM

Daytona - 1

Monza - 1

Willow Springs - 1

Sprint-1050 · 07-04-2008, 08:13 AM

IoM or LeMans... (if i were to be biased... Phillip Island!

)

Shenders1 · 07-04-2008, 08:19 AM

What the heck, no votes for Brainerd?

ND4SPD · 07-04-2008, 08:30 AM

Grattan of course. Nobody does benchracing better than this crew.

DUX · 07-04-2008, 08:52 AM

Hopefully this place soon.... Welcome to New Jersey Motorsports Park

Only a few hours away from me!

Maybe a motorcycleaddicts.org day Part II next year?

proto · 07-04-2008, 09:00 AM

Wherever Bernie says it is.

Or you could build a good case for this place:

8, Place de la Concorde
75008 Paris
France

proto · 07-04-2008, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baketech

.........................the 20+ year registered trademark, .....................

20 years, eh? Is suppose that just about makes an ancient monument in your neck of the woods.

Baketech · 07-04-2008, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by proto

20 years, eh? Is suppose that just about makes an ancient monument in your neck of the woods.

The irony...

phobiaphobe · 07-04-2008, 09:48 AM

Nuremblurgerkhinring?

CBRVFR · 07-04-2008, 09:49 AM

There are few places that I'm aware of that have consistently used for motorsports for nearly a century -

Isle of Man
Indianapolis
Le Mans
Bonneville Salt Flats
Nurburgring

Pick the racing capital from one of those and you wouldn't get much argument worldwide, I would think.

To narrow it down:
IOM has been mostly bikes -
Indy has been mostly cars.
IOM and Bonneville are time trials rather than heads up racing.
They fucked up the Ring as well as Assen, and are thus disqualified.

Le Mans has featured heads up racing of 2 and 4 wheel vehicles for over 100 years - I think that gets my vote.

phobiaphobe · 07-04-2008, 09:52 AM

Ya but Edmonton is the capital of Alberta, where Calgary is clearly the better city.

SheepOfBlue · 07-04-2008, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by proto

It was not my intention to get into a argument about 'where is the capital of racing?', because as this thread will no doubt demonstrate, there isn't one.

My point is that such a bold proclaimation on the Brickyard wall is vulgar, tacky and arrogant. By pointing this out, I was only trying to help you (i.e. the USA) improve your place in the world of diplomacy and friendship. Maybe.

Diplomacy

you do know that a large percentage of US racing was started by and made up of US rednecks correct?

slickwill · 07-04-2008, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Le Mans has featured heads up racing of 2 and 4 wheel vehicles for over 100 years - I think that gets my vote.

I agree. Le Mans immediately brings all the right images to my mind. I'm going to call my dad (who doesn't particularly follow any form of racing) and ask him what comes to mind first. Then I'll also give him a list to choose from and then see if that changes his answer.

f1_hurricane · 07-04-2008, 10:59 AM

I'd say Bonneville's salt flats
But for racing other then land seed vehicles I'd have to say Le Mans

Baketech · 07-04-2008, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

There are few places that I'm aware of that have consistently used for motorsports for nearly a century -

Isle of Man
Indianapolis
Le Mans
Bonneville Salt Flats
Nurburgring

Pick the racing capital from one of those and you wouldn't get much argument worldwide, I would think.

To narrow it down:
IOM has been mostly bikes -
Indy has been mostly cars.
IOM and Bonneville are time trials rather than heads up racing.
They fucked up the Ring as well as Assen, and are thus disqualified.

Le Mans has featured heads up racing of 2 and 4 wheel vehicles for over 100 years - I think that gets my vote.

Good post...

For my money, Le Mans is the only place that would rival Indy for the make believe title. The history and mystique are definitely on par with Indianapolis...

I'll have to ignore the fact that Indy has been around longer, is the world's largest stadium, and hosts the top two world's largest single-day sporting events annually, but I'm willing to concede those points if it brings us peace, love and happiness...but my concession will have to wait until tomorrow....

proto · 07-04-2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baketech

I'll have to ignore the fact that Indy has been around longer, is the world's largest stadium, and hosts the top two world's largest single-day sporting events annually, but I'm willing to concede those points if it brings us peace, love and happiness...but my concession will have to wait until tomorrow....

Yes, all this may be true, but only Americans turn up, or have any interest in watching the dizzying spectacle. Curiously, an event that Brits seem to win on a fairly frequent basis.

07-04-2008, 06:33 AM	#1
Baketech Packing up for Elba... Join Date: 12-14-2006 Bike(s): VFR800 - CBR929 - VFR800 Posts: 1,380	If there were a "Racing Capital of the World", where would it be? After being saddened to learn from posts 15 & 16 of this THREAD that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is indeed not "The Racing Capital of the World", I began to ponder... So, for the sake of entertaining discussion, let's ignore the 20+ year registered trademark, and share our nominations...the question is simple: Q: If there were such a thing as "The Racing Capital of the World", where would it be, and why? __________________ "Ten times more charming than that Arnold on Green Acres..."

07-04-2008, 07:39 AM	#7
Baketech Packing up for Elba... Join Date: 12-14-2006 Bike(s): VFR800 - CBR929 - VFR800 Posts: 1,380	So that's... Daytona - 1 Monza - 1 __________________ "Ten times more charming than that Arnold on Green Acres..."

07-04-2008, 07:43 AM	#9
Baketech Packing up for Elba... Join Date: 12-14-2006 Bike(s): VFR800 - CBR929 - VFR800 Posts: 1,380	That's a wonderful discussion, but it belongs in politics...this is the definitive "Racing Capital of the World" thread... __________________ "Ten times more charming than that Arnold on Green Acres..."

07-04-2008, 08:05 AM	#11
abtech Believe Join Date: 12-14-2006 Age: 58 Bike(s): 66 Puch Scrambler Posts: 3,061	Simple: Willow Springs __________________ Now in stereo AAA doesn't only refer to the Auto Club . . .

07-04-2008, 08:07 AM	#12
Baketech Packing up for Elba... Join Date: 12-14-2006 Bike(s): VFR800 - CBR929 - VFR800 Posts: 1,380	Daytona - 1 Monza - 1 Willow Springs - 1 __________________ "Ten times more charming than that Arnold on Green Acres..."

07-04-2008, 06:43 AM	#2
proto Join Date: 12-20-2006 Location: Oxford, UK Age: 55 Posts: 334	Wot sort of racing?

07-04-2008, 07:20 AM	#3
Shenders1 2 Cylinders, 4 Valves, No Waiting Join Date: 01-14-2007 Location: South Lyon, MI Age: 43 Bike(s): Ducati HM Posts: 921	Realistically, probably more like Monza than Indy. Though it depends on how/what you're measuring.

07-04-2008, 07:36 AM	#5
proto Join Date: 12-20-2006 Location: Oxford, UK Age: 55 Posts: 334	Daytona. Nascar, Sports cars, Bike Week. It's got the lot. Indy has only got roundy, roundy thingee that nobody likes.

07-04-2008, 07:41 AM	#8
proto Join Date: 12-20-2006 Location: Oxford, UK Age: 55 Posts: 334	It was not my intention to get into a argument about 'where is the capital of racing?', because as this thread will no doubt demonstrate, there isn't one. My point is that such a bold proclaimation on the Brickyard wall is vulgar, tacky and arrogant. By pointing this out, I was only trying to help you (i.e. the USA) improve your place in the world of diplomacy and friendship. Maybe.

07-04-2008, 07:48 AM	#10
proto Join Date: 12-20-2006 Location: Oxford, UK Age: 55 Posts: 334

07-04-2008, 08:13 AM	#13
Sprint-1050 Urban Myth Join Date: 12-18-2006 Location: Victoria, Australia Age: 40 Bike(s): Triumph Sprint ST '07 Posts: 38	IoM or LeMans... (if i were to be biased... Phillip Island! ) __________________ I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. - Douglas Adams

07-04-2008, 08:19 AM	#14
Shenders1 2 Cylinders, 4 Valves, No Waiting Join Date: 01-14-2007 Location: South Lyon, MI Age: 43 Bike(s): Ducati HM Posts: 921	What the heck, no votes for Brainerd?

07-04-2008, 08:30 AM	#15
ND4SPD Dreaming of a day.... Join Date: 12-12-2006 Bike(s): Trek Posts: 6,863 Images: 9	Grattan of course. Nobody does benchracing better than this crew. __________________ "This is your life - are you who you want to be?" Learn all you need to know about Mac OS X

07-04-2008, 08:52 AM	#16
DUX Join Date: 12-28-2006 Age: 37 Bike(s): '07 R1200 GSadv,'06 GSX-R Posts: 491	Hopefully this place soon.... Welcome to New Jersey Motorsports Park Only a few hours away from me! Maybe a motorcycleaddicts.org day Part II next year? Attached Thumbnails __________________ Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. -Reggie Leach

07-04-2008, 09:00 AM	#17
proto Join Date: 12-20-2006 Location: Oxford, UK Age: 55 Posts: 334	Wherever Bernie says it is. Or you could build a good case for this place: 8, Place de la Concorde 75008 Paris France

07-04-2008, 09:49 AM	#21
CBRVFR Godspeed, #20 Join Date: 12-13-2006 Age: 55 Bike(s): VFR750 SV650 TZ250 Posts: 4,648	There are few places that I'm aware of that have consistently used for motorsports for nearly a century - Isle of Man Indianapolis Le Mans Bonneville Salt Flats Nurburgring Pick the racing capital from one of those and you wouldn't get much argument worldwide, I would think. To narrow it down: IOM has been mostly bikes - Indy has been mostly cars. IOM and Bonneville are time trials rather than heads up racing. They fucked up the Ring as well as Assen, and are thus disqualified. Le Mans has featured heads up racing of 2 and 4 wheel vehicles for over 100 years - I think that gets my vote. __________________ "I tell ya, I'm feeling pretty good right now, I'm only five-foot-five, but I'm feeling five-foot-eight." Chris Carr, after breaking the motorcycle land speed record in 2007 Rich Herald, the Gentle Giant

07-04-2008, 10:59 AM	#25
f1_hurricane Trust me, I'm a ninja Join Date: 01-06-2007 Age: 20 Bike(s): 1998 GSXR 750 Posts: 649	I'd say Bonneville's salt flats But for racing other then land seed vehicles I'd have to say Le Mans