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Racing Sports Cars Articles And News
the sport of racing automobiles
Below, you'll find leading Racing Sports Cars articles and extensive
information on products for the auto racing enthusiast and the amateur motor car racer as well!
Speed Up Your Learning Curve on Sports Car Racing
By Toby Trumbill
So you want to know about sports car racing, don't you? Regardless of the reason behind your sudden pursuit for sports car racing knowledge, it's important that you know the history and basics of sports car racing before you start spouting out names of great sports car racers like you've been a fan all along. Knowing the origins of sports car racing will impress other people more than anything else!
It All Started in 1923
In that year Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race was born, an event that's often touted as the race that introduced sports car racing to the world. The race is held every year even up to the present, making it one of the oldest motor racing events in history.
The Big Three in Sports Car Racing
If tennis has the likes of the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and so forth to make up its four grand slam events, sports car racing just have three big races that fans worldwide look forward to every year: the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 24 Hours of Daytona race. Only one sports car racer, Ken Miles, had been able to win the Big Three events all in the same year. Unfortunately, a miscalculation on the part of Ford GT40 made Ken Miles' win unofficial in spite of placing first in the 1996 Le Mans racing event.
The Development of Sports Car Racing
We've already mentioned that sports car racing was born in the 1920's. By the 1960's, interest in this particular racing type was heightened when Hollywood star Steve McQueen acquired such fondness for it. It was only two decades after that, however, when sports car racing reached the height of popularity.
The 1980's gave
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way to Europe's World Sportscar Championship, then calledthe Group C World Endurance Championship, and an event associated with the FIA. This exciting competition featured vehicles from incredibly famous sports car makers such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and even Japan-based Nissan. The United States, of course, was not to be outdone and its IMSA Camel GTP showcased an equally impressive lineup of sports cars.
Types of Vehicles Used in Sports Car Racing
There are two types of sports car used in this particular race type: vehicles that are specifically built for sports car racing and road-going or stock sports cars. Nevertheless, the difference between both types of vehicles is far from obvious. Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, and Mercedes Benz are just some of the car-making companies that participate and sponsor teams in sports car racing.
Sports cars built specifically for racing purposes are called sports-prototype cars. The best sports-prototype cars are equipped with enclosed wheels and may or may not have open or closed cockpits. If you find this description impossible to understand, just think of sports-prototype vehicles as something similar to what's used in Formula 1, only this time with two seats.
Road-going cars are also called Grand Touring cars. Some GT cars nowadays however already resemble sports-prototype vehicles. While GT cars resemble the sports cars that you see being used frequently on the road, the differences can be quite glaring when it comes to the interior.
Why It's Important to Start Early
If you find yourself interested in having a career in sports car racing, no matter how improbable it is, you should start joining races as early and as often as possible. The more exposure you gain means the more chances you get of being sponsored by a car manufacturing company.
Toby Trumbill is a lifelong racing enthusiast, and amateur racer. He is the resident writer at http://motor-racing.com - You can reach Toby at toby@motor-racing.com
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A Fan’s Checklist Of What To Bring To A NASCAR Race
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By Toby Trumbill
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