What are the Ultimate Motorsport Events

[steviegunn]

So with Alonso going for and failing (at least on first attempt) of the so called triple crown of Monaco GP, Indy 500 and Le Mans, what do people see as the top or Ultimate events across the motorsport disciplines?

I've stuck to 4 wheels as I don't know much about 2 wheel events other than the IoM TT.

My suggestions:

Open Wheeled - Indy 500
Rally - Dakar Rally
Endurance - Le Mans 24 Hours
Touring / Stock Car - Bathurst 1000
Hill Climb - Pike's Peak

Any others that should be added, Ice Racing, Drag Racing, etc?

I wasn't thinking purely about prestige but the most challenging events which have some prestige and history and that attract significant public interest (and to have a list ready for when my lotto numbers come up).

What do others think would be the ultimate list of motorsport events (feel free to add two wheel events too)?

[Truckosaurus]

Other stand alone events of note:

Endurance: Sebring 12hrs, Daytona 24hrs, Spa 24hrs

NASCAR: Daytona 500

F1: Monaco GP

Touring Cars: Macau GP

Historics (Various Classes, but cars become massively more valuable if eligible): Goodwood FoS, Goodwood Revival, Le Mans Classic, Mille Miglia, Carrera Panamericana.

[evilmiyagi]

I don't think Monaco cuts it any more... A race won in qualifying (more or less), little overtaking...

I personally think Abu Dhabi is now the F1 spectacle race.

[anonymous-user]

British hillclimb championship at Shelsley Walsh. 140mph up a ten foot wide driveway...

The problem with historic is the number of replicas with HTPs now, It makes for great racing having big grids but it's taking a little of the spirit away when you can just buy a brand new lister knobbly

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 5th June 21:36

[anonymous-user]

British hillclimb championship at Shelsley Walsh. 140mph up a ten foot wide driveway...

The problem with historic is the number of replicas with HTPs now, It makes for great racing having big grids but it's taking a little of the spirit away when you can just buy a brand new lister knobbly

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 6th June 18:11

[37chevy]

Got to add I. The NHRA US Nationals for drag racing

[37chevy]

Also the chilli bowl for short oval racing in the USA (YouTube it!!!!)

[RegMolehusband]

pablo said:

British hillclimb championship at Shelsley Walsh. 140mph up a ten foot wide driveway...

Edited by pablo on Monday 5th June 21:36

This is what I was planning to post as I scrolled down.

[Turn7]

Whilst not a competitve event, it would be hard to ignore Goodwood FOS in a list like this.

[Vocal Minority]

RegMolehusband said:

pablo said:

British hillclimb championship at Shelsley Walsh. 140mph up a ten foot wide driveway...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxfdTVLpj2o

Seldom seen angle from the weekend, braking from 110-130 odd mph - finishing straight speeds as high as 150 mph


I guess what you believe to be ultimate depends on what you want. For its old fashioned gladiatorial nature, you have to say Motorcycle Road Racing is it, and the IOM TT is the ultimate version of that

In terms of endurance - Le Mans is the iconic one but always looks....possible. The N24 on boards, especially at night....I honestly don't know how a human can process that much information and operate at that level.

It looks genuinely unachievable to an outsider like me....so is that arguably the ultimate?

Edited by Vocal Minority on Tuesday 6th June 09:23

Edited by Vocal Minority on Tuesday 6th June 09:25

Edited by Vocal Minority on Tuesday 6th June 14:20

[DanielSan]

Baja 1000 seems pretty nuts for those of an off road disposition.

[andye30m3]

For endurance racing the Nurburg 24 would have to be up their for me.

[c6r]

F1 - Spa - popular with fans and drivers, wacky weather, great track. Monaco sort of in a way but not really.

However, where Monaco would fit in is for the rally category - Rallye Monte-Carlo still the ultimate test there I reckon because of the random mixture of all kinds of road and weather conditions mixed in with great scenery and fairly easily accessible. Dakar more extreme but almost a completely different category in its own right.

Endurance - hard to look past LeMans but arguably N24 should be the main one. I can sort of imagine driving a 2-3h stint round LeMans, but nurburgring is so difficult I can't imagine doing more than a lap or two of it.

[lucido grigio]

World Rallycross.

The Swedish round is named "The magic weekend"

I went in 2015 ,it's excellent.

Venue is a bit of a dump but who cares about that.

If you can spare the time ,combine it with a visit to Hell ,the round in Norway ,3 weeks before Sweden.

Epic potential road trip.

[henrycrun]

2CV Cross

[lucido grigio]

Having just watched highlights from Mugello.

The commentators said that moto GP from here is the pinnacle of the championship.

That's one I've ticked off as I went last year.

[hkp57]

If you want oval action it has to be Outlaw Sprint Cars on dirt - Spectacular.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbxPclvOkuA

[coppice]

I attended probably 30 different events last year ; the three stand outs were -

HSCC at Cadwell - you will not see closer, better racing at a prettier track than FF1600 here .

British Autograss Championship Round - utterly bonkers spectacle . Crazy speed , hugely sideways and wheelies galore

Euro Finals Santa Pod - nothing faster, nothing noisier , nothing scarier .


Sure you can blow thousands and globe chase o watch things like Indy etc - but never overlook what's virtually on your doorstep.

[boxedin]

Le Mans [1] or the Bol d'Or - 24hr motorcycle endurance races.
Spa 24HR GT endurance race.


[1] in April - so it can be freezing during the night then up to the high teens during the day.

[chevronb37]

I think there are two different conversations happening here: the OP is asking about which banner events are the most significant in terms of shaping the ultimate CV; then there is the notion of which events are particularly special as a spectator.

I'd say the 'ultimate' events stand alone from their respective series as taking on a unique significance. For example, Takuma Sato will forever be regarded as the chap who won the 2017 Indy 500, rather than the 2013 Long Beach GP - or whatever. Ditto, a Le Mans win will stand head and shoulders over Bahrain WEC victory.

For what it's worth, the three events I've attended which have given me chills and genuinely made me emotional are Le Mans 24 Hours, Bathurst 1000 and Indy 500. I've just booked to go to next year's IOM TT and I suspect that will do the same.