Best Endurance races
Author
Discussion

jpf

Original Poster:

1,342 posts

305 months

Friday 27th July 2007
quotequote all
I see that SPA's 24 hour race is this weekend.

Where does that rank (after Le Mans of course) on the calendar of endurance races?
Nurburgring (spelling)? Sebring? Daytona? Local traffic jam?

No coverage in the USA!

belleair302

7,008 posts

236 months

Friday 27th July 2007
quotequote all
Europewide I would say it is top five, worldwide top eight. Daytona would be top five as would Bathurst in Australia.

Obviously Le Mans and Nurburgring are one and two, Daytona three, Bathurst Four (if they allowed foreign cars top three). Dakar Rally would be in my top five.

Spa 1000km six
Suzuka 1000km seven


Coca Cola 600 in Nascar would also squeeze into the top ten because of the conditions, from huge heat into darkness and a cooler circuit at night. It comes in at just short of 1,000KM but without driver changes.

Edited by belleair302 on Friday 27th July 08:51

GravelBen

16,482 posts

259 months

Friday 27th July 2007
quotequote all
belleair302 said:
...Bathurst Four (if they allowed foreign cars top three). Dakar Rally would be in my top five.
The Bathurst 12-hour (used to be 24) enduro isn't restricted to Aussie V8's - I think any production-type cars are allowed, previously Ferrari 360CS's etc have done well. This year iirc it was won by a BMW 335i, with an Impreza spec-C driven by a bunch of Aussie rally drivers coming in second.


I'm in NZ and we don't seem to get Le Mans, Nurburgring etc on tv here so Bathurst (both the 1000km and 12h) are fairly big highlights of the year as far as racing goes.



ETA 12hr not 24hr race now.

Edited by GravelBen on Friday 27th July 11:38

SimonY

348 posts

237 months

Friday 27th July 2007
quotequote all
Although it is unquestionably a great challenge I don't rate the Nurburgring due to its loose class divisions. A bit like Britcar I suppose. Is Bathurst similar?

PulsatingStar

1,719 posts

277 months

Friday 27th July 2007
quotequote all
SimonY said:
Although it is unquestionably a great challenge I don't rate the Nurburgring due to its loose class divisions. A bit like Britcar I suppose. Is Bathurst similar?
Agree. I would have had Lemans first and Daytona 2nd, but thats dropped down the ranking now imho as the Daytona prototypes are rubbish. Id probably have Sebring 12h as 2nd these days. Possibly with Petit Lemans 3rd, then Nurburgring followed by Spa.

GravelBen

16,482 posts

259 months

Friday 27th July 2007
quotequote all
SimonY said:
Although it is unquestionably a great challenge I don't rate the Nurburgring due to its loose class divisions. A bit like Britcar I suppose. Is Bathurst similar?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathurst_1000

The Bathurst 1000 only has the one class, Aussie 'V8 supercars' (still can't make myself call them that). 6-700 bhp 5.0 V8 RWD Ford and Holden touring cars. Like this:





So not much variety in cars, but very close racing from some very talented drivers.


Edited by GravelBen on Friday 27th July 11:38

zac510

5,546 posts

235 months

Friday 27th July 2007
quotequote all
GravelBen said:
The Bathurst 24-hour enduro isn't restricted to Aussie V8's - I think any production-type cars are allowed, previously Ferrari 360CS's etc have done well. This year iirc it was won by a BMW 335i, with an Impreza spec-C driven by a bunch of Aussie rally drivers coming in second.


I'm in NZ and we don't seem to get Le Mans, Nurburgring etc on tv here so Bathurst (both the 1000km and 24h) are fairly big highlights of the year as far as racing goes.
I didn't think there'd been a Bathurst 24hr for a few years?

GravelBen

16,482 posts

259 months

Friday 27th July 2007
quotequote all
zac510 said:
I didn't think there'd been a Bathurst 24hr for a few years?
Not sure about the last few years, checked up on this years and it was only a 12hr race, had thought it was 24 for some reason. Missed the TV highlights etc when it was on but got the folks to video it for me, just need to get round to watching it sometime.

Edited by GravelBen on Friday 27th July 11:37

RichUK

1,334 posts

276 months

Friday 27th July 2007
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Clearly the best one not yet mentioned is the 24hr 2CV race!

Kawasicki

14,355 posts

264 months

Friday 27th July 2007
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Nurburgring is tops for me....makes all the other tracks look easy.

Simon Mason

579 posts

298 months

Friday 27th July 2007
quotequote all
Endurance racing now thats my thing and I'm bored so here goes bounce.

1. Le Mans 24hrs (the most famous and most prestigious of them all, not the toughest to drive in though but then that depends if your paying or paid)

2. Nurburgring 24hrs (the toughest race in Europe, no mater how well you prepare, you still need some luck)

3. Sebring 12hrs (simply the hardest circuit on cars, tyres and drivers in the game, made worse because it is seriously competitive)

4. Spa VW Fun Cup 25hrs (its great value non stop slip streaming racing for 25hrs. If you take it for what it is and ignor the silly looking cars its a proper long distance hoot)

Now go forth and join in people. The Britcar 24hrs is only 6 weeks away smokin and I am sure there are still some drives available.