Wednesday, 23 February 2011
The history of Motorsport
The first races took place shortly after the internal combustion engine had been dropped into a car. The first race was organised on April 28 1887 by the cheif editor of publication in Paris. It ran for 2km and was won by Georges Bouton. But because he was the only person who took part, it is difficult to call it a race.
What is considered to be the first competitive race took place on July 22 1894. It was organised by the Parisian magazine Le Petit Journal and ran from Paris to Rouen. 102 people took part in the race each paying a 10 franc entrance fee.
69 cars started the equivilant of a qualifying event, and only 25 were selected for the actual race. Count Jules-Albert de Dion was the first to enter Rouen, but because the race was judged on speed, handling and safety characteristics, the official winners were Peugeot and Panhard. De Dion cars needed a stroker which was forbidden.
The first regular auto event took place in Nice, France in late march 1897 as a "speed week". Most of the types of racing we now today were invented here. Examples are Circuit, Drag racing, Sprint and Time trails.
The first purpose built racing tracks were built in in the early 1900's. The Milwaukee mile is the oldest race track in the world even though it started life as a mile long horse racing track. Brooklands in Surrey, England is was the first ever purpose built race track, opening in 1907. It featured a 2.75 mile concrete track complete with high speed banked corners. Unfortunatly damage caused to the track during WW2 meant that it was never re-opened.
Between 1910-1950 saw manufactures such as Mercedes, Bugatti and Auto Union transform standard road cars into purpose built race machines, producing in excess of 612hp. 6 times the amount of the average road car today. To comply with the 750kg mazimum weight rule, extensive use of aluminium alloys were used. In more exteme circumstances, paint was removed leaving the bare body panals. This saw the introduction of Mercedes famous silver arrows. Nascar also came to be in the 1930's. It became a motorsport as civilians of the southern American states decided to put their Moonshine to better use, and use it to fuel the cars they modified to outrun the police. This led to races at purpose built tracks.
After the second world war, motorsport really took off. with the FIA or
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, sports cars own championship. Nascar's own championship was also renamed to the "Grand National" division. Over the next decade, modification to car performance and especially safety were granted. Improving the safety was to ensure that a crash like the 1955 le mans tragedy never happaned again. 84 people including the driver died as the car broke and sent debris into the packed stands. Between the 1950's and 1960's powerful hybrid cars began to appear. These were usually European bodied with high output American engines. Notable examples are the AC Cobra and the Lotus 19. This lead to the Can Am series. The beggining of NASCAR's golden age truelly began in 1972 when stricter rules were enforced and a reduction of race from 48 to 31 a year was implemented. In Europe the FIA started the world sports car championship, with cars generally being high performance closed cockpit prototype cars. But it was short lived as smaller manufactures could not afford the more high tech engines. Eventually fans lost interest in the one sidedness of the series and it collapsed before the start of the 1993 championship. Since the humble begginings of motorsport, their are now over 100 different racing events all around the world. The most famous being Formula one, World Rally Championship, NASCAR and the Moto GP.
What is considered to be the first competitive race took place on July 22 1894. It was organised by the Parisian magazine Le Petit Journal and ran from Paris to Rouen. 102 people took part in the race each paying a 10 franc entrance fee.
69 cars started the equivilant of a qualifying event, and only 25 were selected for the actual race. Count Jules-Albert de Dion was the first to enter Rouen, but because the race was judged on speed, handling and safety characteristics, the official winners were Peugeot and Panhard. De Dion cars needed a stroker which was forbidden.
The first regular auto event took place in Nice, France in late march 1897 as a "speed week". Most of the types of racing we now today were invented here. Examples are Circuit, Drag racing, Sprint and Time trails.
The first purpose built racing tracks were built in in the early 1900's. The Milwaukee mile is the oldest race track in the world even though it started life as a mile long horse racing track. Brooklands in Surrey, England is was the first ever purpose built race track, opening in 1907. It featured a 2.75 mile concrete track complete with high speed banked corners. Unfortunatly damage caused to the track during WW2 meant that it was never re-opened.
Between 1910-1950 saw manufactures such as Mercedes, Bugatti and Auto Union transform standard road cars into purpose built race machines, producing in excess of 612hp. 6 times the amount of the average road car today. To comply with the 750kg mazimum weight rule, extensive use of aluminium alloys were used. In more exteme circumstances, paint was removed leaving the bare body panals. This saw the introduction of Mercedes famous silver arrows. Nascar also came to be in the 1930's. It became a motorsport as civilians of the southern American states decided to put their Moonshine to better use, and use it to fuel the cars they modified to outrun the police. This led to races at purpose built tracks.
After the second world war, motorsport really took off. with the FIA or
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, sports cars own championship. Nascar's own championship was also renamed to the "Grand National" division. Over the next decade, modification to car performance and especially safety were granted. Improving the safety was to ensure that a crash like the 1955 le mans tragedy never happaned again. 84 people including the driver died as the car broke and sent debris into the packed stands. Between the 1950's and 1960's powerful hybrid cars began to appear. These were usually European bodied with high output American engines. Notable examples are the AC Cobra and the Lotus 19. This lead to the Can Am series. The beggining of NASCAR's golden age truelly began in 1972 when stricter rules were enforced and a reduction of race from 48 to 31 a year was implemented. In Europe the FIA started the world sports car championship, with cars generally being high performance closed cockpit prototype cars. But it was short lived as smaller manufactures could not afford the more high tech engines. Eventually fans lost interest in the one sidedness of the series and it collapsed before the start of the 1993 championship. Since the humble begginings of motorsport, their are now over 100 different racing events all around the world. The most famous being Formula one, World Rally Championship, NASCAR and the Moto GP.
Other opinions
My best friend Reece Steel is also a massive motorsport fan. So I decided to do a quick interview with him. Its a text interview because he was at work while I was texting him.
Ravic: So what is your favorite motorsport?
Reece: As much as I like watching the F1, the Moto GP is my firm favorite.
Ravic: So I take it you prefer Bikes to cars
Reece: Of course, but there are still many cars I would love to own.
Ravic: When did your interest in bikes really develop?
Reece: Since my dad was and still is a bike fanatic, I suppose my interest came from him. I was always surrounded by bikes. and as soon as he thought I was old enough, he took me out on the back of his. Thats when I fell in love with them.
Ravic: You have had quite a few motorbikes and mopeds already. Which would you say is your favorite?
Reece: Well I know my 600cc Honda Hornet is the fastest, but whenever I saddle up on my Yamaha dt125, it always makes me so happy.
Ravic: What is it about bikes that keeps you thinking about them all day?
Reece: I love the fact that for £9000 you can by a Yamaha R1 and hit 200mph fairly easily. Not to metion accelerating past almost road lega any car in existance between the light. The best you can get for £9000 in terms of cars is probably a Suzuki Swift, which is a good car but can only just do half the top speed of the Yamaha.
Ravic: What makes the Moto GP such a big part of your life.
Reece: I think it's just how skilled you have to be to race like that. I'm not suggeting that any other types of motorsport require less skill, becuase each type of racing is unique. But I love watching the riders lean in so far that their knees scrape the floor. Then they level out and rocket up to 200mph like it was and everyday chore.
Ravic: One final question then, seeing as Jorge Lorenzo won the Moto Gp championship last year in the 2009/2010 season, who do you think will win the 2010/2011 season.
Reece: Valentino Rossi is my favorite rider, but I'm going to have to go with Casey Stoner providing he doesn't have any injuries like last year.
Ravic: So what is your favorite motorsport?
Reece: As much as I like watching the F1, the Moto GP is my firm favorite.
Ravic: So I take it you prefer Bikes to cars
Reece: Of course, but there are still many cars I would love to own.
Ravic: When did your interest in bikes really develop?
Reece: Since my dad was and still is a bike fanatic, I suppose my interest came from him. I was always surrounded by bikes. and as soon as he thought I was old enough, he took me out on the back of his. Thats when I fell in love with them.
Ravic: You have had quite a few motorbikes and mopeds already. Which would you say is your favorite?
Reece: Well I know my 600cc Honda Hornet is the fastest, but whenever I saddle up on my Yamaha dt125, it always makes me so happy.
Ravic: What is it about bikes that keeps you thinking about them all day?
Reece: I love the fact that for £9000 you can by a Yamaha R1 and hit 200mph fairly easily. Not to metion accelerating past almost road lega any car in existance between the light. The best you can get for £9000 in terms of cars is probably a Suzuki Swift, which is a good car but can only just do half the top speed of the Yamaha.
Ravic: What makes the Moto GP such a big part of your life.
Reece: I think it's just how skilled you have to be to race like that. I'm not suggeting that any other types of motorsport require less skill, becuase each type of racing is unique. But I love watching the riders lean in so far that their knees scrape the floor. Then they level out and rocket up to 200mph like it was and everyday chore.
Ravic: One final question then, seeing as Jorge Lorenzo won the Moto Gp championship last year in the 2009/2010 season, who do you think will win the 2010/2011 season.
Reece: Valentino Rossi is my favorite rider, but I'm going to have to go with Casey Stoner providing he doesn't have any injuries like last year.
Saturday, 29 January 2011
All in all
Millions and millions of people go to watch Motorsport all around the world every year. While we are all watching Hamilton, Button, Vettel and Massa fly past us on the pit straight, we all think the same thing. That is, those driver down there are my ideal self. They are who I want to be. Its the same with me, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Monday, 24 January 2011
Why do I love Motorsport?
I suppose my love for cars bikes and motor sport in general started when I was about three, because that's the legal age where kids can play with a hot wheels car. When ever I was in hospital due to my dodgy leg, the only toys I would play with would be the big box of cars. Come to think of it, I still have a big box of cars at home. If I wasn't eating, sleeping or crying the latter taking up most of my free time, I would be on the floor making up stories with my cars. Since at the time I was an "id", I wanted my cars and I wanted them now. I didn't want to wait until the weekend to get another five pack of Hot wheels, I want them ten seconds ago. So many police chases and Drag races took place in my living room, not forgetting the occasional pile up. The only other real interest I had was football, but due to me being about five, and Fratton Park never being without a riot on match day at the time, I didn't go many many matches then.
So football took a back seat up until I was about 12. But between that time, my love for cars just grew. Overall I reckon that I've had at least 200 toy cars. When I grew up a bit (still working on that), I found myself learning about how they worked. I also started obsessing slightly about certain parts or cars. Exhaust note, whether it was pulsing or smooth. The style of the cars, if it looked boring or angry. But the biggest obsession was the engine. I didn't want a car that had a pathetic 1.4l flat four. I wanted the engine from the Ascari A10. A 5l V8 with 4 valves per cylinder, individual throttle bodies and a straight through exhaust. I wanted a car that could eat corners like they weren't even there, hitting every apex and doing 200mph on the straights.
When I was fourteen, I got onto a Young apprenticeship course in car maintenance. I was working in a garage in my school holidays. during that time I learnt so much about cars, old and new. Also my other interest (football), kicked into overdrive, which is why I've been a season ticket holder at Fratton park for four years now, and I don't plan on giving it up. But nothing could keep me away from my cars. As a very early 14th birthday, My dad took me to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. I went on the Sunday of the weekend, and even though the weather was awful, it was one of the best Sundays of my life. I saw the best cars the past and present had to offer, I saw Lewis Hamilton do a burnout in his F1 car, and I stuck my head in the exhaust of the Bugatti Veyron because that's how big the exhaust was. I passed my apprenticeship course as one of the best the college had ever had. I chose to carry on and become a mechanic, but the people at my second garage didn't seem to understand the concept of hospital appointments, and due to that and my left leg getting quite bad, I quit the apprenticeship program and chose to pursue a career in Radiography.
Of course motor sport is dangerous, but that is part of the thrill as weird as that may sound. But we have to respect the mighty machines we create. Last year in the Moto 2 Shoya Tomizawa tragically died after the race at the Misano track. He lost traction and fell of his bike. The two rider behind him could not react quick enough as they were only a few yards behind him travelling at over 130mph. Both of the rider ploughed into Shoya and he died of his injuries at the hospital. Luckily incidents like these don't happen at every race, but this video clearly highlights the dangers of racing.
My interest in cars and motor spors will never leave me, I still watch races on TV, I go to many car shows a year, and I buy car magazines. I also have a need to buy a Mazda RX7 before I die. I don't think my life will be complete without owning one. As big as my love is for Portsmouth FC, it will never be a big as my love for cars.
So football took a back seat up until I was about 12. But between that time, my love for cars just grew. Overall I reckon that I've had at least 200 toy cars. When I grew up a bit (still working on that), I found myself learning about how they worked. I also started obsessing slightly about certain parts or cars. Exhaust note, whether it was pulsing or smooth. The style of the cars, if it looked boring or angry. But the biggest obsession was the engine. I didn't want a car that had a pathetic 1.4l flat four. I wanted the engine from the Ascari A10. A 5l V8 with 4 valves per cylinder, individual throttle bodies and a straight through exhaust. I wanted a car that could eat corners like they weren't even there, hitting every apex and doing 200mph on the straights.
When I was fourteen, I got onto a Young apprenticeship course in car maintenance. I was working in a garage in my school holidays. during that time I learnt so much about cars, old and new. Also my other interest (football), kicked into overdrive, which is why I've been a season ticket holder at Fratton park for four years now, and I don't plan on giving it up. But nothing could keep me away from my cars. As a very early 14th birthday, My dad took me to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. I went on the Sunday of the weekend, and even though the weather was awful, it was one of the best Sundays of my life. I saw the best cars the past and present had to offer, I saw Lewis Hamilton do a burnout in his F1 car, and I stuck my head in the exhaust of the Bugatti Veyron because that's how big the exhaust was. I passed my apprenticeship course as one of the best the college had ever had. I chose to carry on and become a mechanic, but the people at my second garage didn't seem to understand the concept of hospital appointments, and due to that and my left leg getting quite bad, I quit the apprenticeship program and chose to pursue a career in Radiography.
Of course motor sport is dangerous, but that is part of the thrill as weird as that may sound. But we have to respect the mighty machines we create. Last year in the Moto 2 Shoya Tomizawa tragically died after the race at the Misano track. He lost traction and fell of his bike. The two rider behind him could not react quick enough as they were only a few yards behind him travelling at over 130mph. Both of the rider ploughed into Shoya and he died of his injuries at the hospital. Luckily incidents like these don't happen at every race, but this video clearly highlights the dangers of racing.
My interest in cars and motor spors will never leave me, I still watch races on TV, I go to many car shows a year, and I buy car magazines. I also have a need to buy a Mazda RX7 before I die. I don't think my life will be complete without owning one. As big as my love is for Portsmouth FC, it will never be a big as my love for cars.
Friday, 21 January 2011
Motorsport Culture
The culture behind motorsport and any kind of racing, including street racing can be explained in many ways. Why people would choose to take part or watch a sport that is so extremely dangerous beggers belief sometimes. The simple answer to this question is, they love it. Just like some people like football, some people like Rugby and some people like food, petrol heads love to go fast.
Pushing your car to limits and flying past everyone gets your blood pumping and adreneline rushing. To some people, nothing is more fun. There is another reason behind the creation on motorsport. It could also reflect your persona. You want to show to people that you are are not afraid to put your life in immediate danger,m to prove you are the best. Even though deep in your unconscious you are absolutely terrified.
All around the world, people turn up in there millions to watch F1 races, WRC races Moto GP races and NASCAR races. Much like an international football match, fans turn up to support drivers from their own country or team. I for instance support Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button Who both race for Vodafone Mclaren Mercedes. I also have slight prejudices towards Micheal Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. Schumacher becuase he purposely crashed into our own Damon hill to stop him winning the world title, and Alonso becuase the fact they he is a whiney, annoying little boy.
Street racing has almost became a sub-culture of its own in recent years, since the release of the movie "The Fast and the Furious" and many other sequel's. The definition of street racing is very straight forward. It's racing that takes place on the streets. It is either spontaneous in which people flash their lights to each other and race, or it can be very well planned and co-ordinated. The co-ordinated races would be planned well in advance, and often would have people communicating via 2 way radio. People also use police scanners and GPS systems to track the police patrols and to mark the locations of police hotspots. Street racing originated during the 1930's in America, due to an alcohol probation in some parts. Drag racing is very popular. Participants find long, quiet roads to race on. The first passed the finish line is the winner. Other types of racing such as "touge" which is like a cat and mouse race which takes place in the Japanese mountains is very popular, and drift racing as become increasingly popular in many countires. The motivations behind street racing are usually to do with the racer. It gives them the opportunity to show their cars off to other people. Their self-concept is one of no fear I.E not being scared of being caught by the police. Normally their cars are a reflection of their persona. Noramlly the cars are loud and and very eyecatching. But other motivations are, just the simple exitement of racing, without entry fees and strict rules and regulations.
Motorsport also brings people together at car shows. Again, fanatics turn up in their thousands just to get a look at the best cars in the world, even though majority of them will never know what it feels like to drive them. The biggest car show in the world is, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, attracting more than 150,000 spectators over the weekend. It is a truelly amazing sight seeing almost everyone of the spectators gasp in aw at the sight of the best cars the past and present have to offer. Celebrities also turn up, regulars are Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. Tommi Makinen a retired WRC driver also rocks up, as do many retired F1 drivers, including Damon Hill and Jackie Stewart. As soon as we walk through the gates of the humble Goodwood manor, we all become the same. Our identity becomes the same. No-one is upperclass or lowerclass, we are all just nuts about cars. We all strive to prove how mad we are about cars and bikes. You wouldn't turn up to the Festival of Speed and expect a quiet, relaxing weekend. Expect to hear the roar of old V8's in American muscle cars, the rapid idle of F1 cars and the scream of motorbikes as they fly past you on the straights. Also make sure you have your camera ready for the Red Arrows display. It is these simple things that I love about cars. To some people, they are just machines with noisey bits of metal under the bonnet, but to me and so many around the world, they are a lifestyle and a love.
Pushing your car to limits and flying past everyone gets your blood pumping and adreneline rushing. To some people, nothing is more fun. There is another reason behind the creation on motorsport. It could also reflect your persona. You want to show to people that you are are not afraid to put your life in immediate danger,m to prove you are the best. Even though deep in your unconscious you are absolutely terrified.
All around the world, people turn up in there millions to watch F1 races, WRC races Moto GP races and NASCAR races. Much like an international football match, fans turn up to support drivers from their own country or team. I for instance support Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button Who both race for Vodafone Mclaren Mercedes. I also have slight prejudices towards Micheal Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. Schumacher becuase he purposely crashed into our own Damon hill to stop him winning the world title, and Alonso becuase the fact they he is a whiney, annoying little boy.
Street racing has almost became a sub-culture of its own in recent years, since the release of the movie "The Fast and the Furious" and many other sequel's. The definition of street racing is very straight forward. It's racing that takes place on the streets. It is either spontaneous in which people flash their lights to each other and race, or it can be very well planned and co-ordinated. The co-ordinated races would be planned well in advance, and often would have people communicating via 2 way radio. People also use police scanners and GPS systems to track the police patrols and to mark the locations of police hotspots. Street racing originated during the 1930's in America, due to an alcohol probation in some parts. Drag racing is very popular. Participants find long, quiet roads to race on. The first passed the finish line is the winner. Other types of racing such as "touge" which is like a cat and mouse race which takes place in the Japanese mountains is very popular, and drift racing as become increasingly popular in many countires. The motivations behind street racing are usually to do with the racer. It gives them the opportunity to show their cars off to other people. Their self-concept is one of no fear I.E not being scared of being caught by the police. Normally their cars are a reflection of their persona. Noramlly the cars are loud and and very eyecatching. But other motivations are, just the simple exitement of racing, without entry fees and strict rules and regulations.
Motorsport also brings people together at car shows. Again, fanatics turn up in their thousands just to get a look at the best cars in the world, even though majority of them will never know what it feels like to drive them. The biggest car show in the world is, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, attracting more than 150,000 spectators over the weekend. It is a truelly amazing sight seeing almost everyone of the spectators gasp in aw at the sight of the best cars the past and present have to offer. Celebrities also turn up, regulars are Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. Tommi Makinen a retired WRC driver also rocks up, as do many retired F1 drivers, including Damon Hill and Jackie Stewart. As soon as we walk through the gates of the humble Goodwood manor, we all become the same. Our identity becomes the same. No-one is upperclass or lowerclass, we are all just nuts about cars. We all strive to prove how mad we are about cars and bikes. You wouldn't turn up to the Festival of Speed and expect a quiet, relaxing weekend. Expect to hear the roar of old V8's in American muscle cars, the rapid idle of F1 cars and the scream of motorbikes as they fly past you on the straights. Also make sure you have your camera ready for the Red Arrows display. It is these simple things that I love about cars. To some people, they are just machines with noisey bits of metal under the bonnet, but to me and so many around the world, they are a lifestyle and a love.
Monday, 10 January 2011
The history of motorsport
The first races took place shortly after the internal combustion engine had been dropped into a car. The first race was organised on April 28 1887 by the cheif editor of publication in Paris. It ran for 2km and was won by Georges Bouton. But because he was the only person who took part, it is difficult to call it a race.
What is considered to be the first competitive race took place on July 22 1894. It was organised by the Parisian magazine Le Petit Journal and ran from Paris to Rouen. 102 people took part in the race each paying a 10 franc entrance fee.
69 cars started the equivilant of a qualifying event, and only 25 were selected for the actual race. Count Jules-Albert de Dion was the first to enter Rouen, but because the race was judged on speed, handling and safety characteristics, the official winners were Peugeot and Panhard. De Dion cars needed a stroker which was forbidden.
The first regular auto event took place in Nice, France in late march 1897 as a "speed week". Most of the types of racing we now today were invented here. Examples are Circuit, Drag racing, Sprint and Time trails.
The first purpose built racing tracks were built in in the early 1900's. The Milwaukee mile is the oldest race track in the world even though it started life as a mile long horse racing track. Brooklands in Surrey, England is was the first ever purpose built race track, opening in 1907. It featured a 2.75 mile concrete track complete with high speed banked corners. Unfortunatly damage caused to the track during WW2 meant that it was never re-opened.
Between 1910-1950 saw manufactures such as Mercedes, Bugatti and Auto Union transform standard road cars into purpose built race machines, producing in excess of 612hp. 6 times the amount of the average road car today. To comply with the 750kg mazimum weight rule, extensive use of aluminium alloys were used. In more exteme circumstances, paint was removed leaving the bare body panals. This saw the introduction of Mercedes famous silver arrows. Nascar also came to be in the 1930's. It became a motorsport as civilians of the southern American states decided to put their Moonshine to better use, and use it to fuel the cars they modified to outrun the police. This led to races at purpose built tracks.
After the second world war, motorsport really took off. with the FIA or
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, sports cars own championship. Nascar's own championship was also renamed to the "Grand National" division. Over the next decade, modification to car performance and especially safety were granted. Improving the safety was to ensure that a crash like the 1955 le mans tragedy never happaned again. 84 people including the driver died as the car broke and sent debris into the packed stands. Between the 1950's and 1960's powerful hybrid cars began to appear. These were usually European bodied with high output American engines. Notable examples are the AC Cobra and the Lotus 19. This lead to the Can Am series. The beggining of NASCAR's golden age truelly began in 1972 when stricter rules were enforced and a reduction of race from 48 to 31 a year was implemented. In Europe the FIA started the world sports car championship, with cars generally being high performance closed cockpit prototype cars. But it was short lived as smaller manufactures could not afford the more high tech engines. Eventually fans lost interest in the one sidedness of the series and it collapsed before the start of the 1993 championship. Since the humble begginings of motorsport, their are now over 100 different racing events all around the world. The most famous being Formula one, World Rally Championship, NASCAR and the Moto GP.
What is considered to be the first competitive race took place on July 22 1894. It was organised by the Parisian magazine Le Petit Journal and ran from Paris to Rouen. 102 people took part in the race each paying a 10 franc entrance fee.
69 cars started the equivilant of a qualifying event, and only 25 were selected for the actual race. Count Jules-Albert de Dion was the first to enter Rouen, but because the race was judged on speed, handling and safety characteristics, the official winners were Peugeot and Panhard. De Dion cars needed a stroker which was forbidden.
The first regular auto event took place in Nice, France in late march 1897 as a "speed week". Most of the types of racing we now today were invented here. Examples are Circuit, Drag racing, Sprint and Time trails.
The first purpose built racing tracks were built in in the early 1900's. The Milwaukee mile is the oldest race track in the world even though it started life as a mile long horse racing track. Brooklands in Surrey, England is was the first ever purpose built race track, opening in 1907. It featured a 2.75 mile concrete track complete with high speed banked corners. Unfortunatly damage caused to the track during WW2 meant that it was never re-opened.
Between 1910-1950 saw manufactures such as Mercedes, Bugatti and Auto Union transform standard road cars into purpose built race machines, producing in excess of 612hp. 6 times the amount of the average road car today. To comply with the 750kg mazimum weight rule, extensive use of aluminium alloys were used. In more exteme circumstances, paint was removed leaving the bare body panals. This saw the introduction of Mercedes famous silver arrows. Nascar also came to be in the 1930's. It became a motorsport as civilians of the southern American states decided to put their Moonshine to better use, and use it to fuel the cars they modified to outrun the police. This led to races at purpose built tracks.
After the second world war, motorsport really took off. with the FIA or
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, sports cars own championship. Nascar's own championship was also renamed to the "Grand National" division. Over the next decade, modification to car performance and especially safety were granted. Improving the safety was to ensure that a crash like the 1955 le mans tragedy never happaned again. 84 people including the driver died as the car broke and sent debris into the packed stands. Between the 1950's and 1960's powerful hybrid cars began to appear. These were usually European bodied with high output American engines. Notable examples are the AC Cobra and the Lotus 19. This lead to the Can Am series. The beggining of NASCAR's golden age truelly began in 1972 when stricter rules were enforced and a reduction of race from 48 to 31 a year was implemented. In Europe the FIA started the world sports car championship, with cars generally being high performance closed cockpit prototype cars. But it was short lived as smaller manufactures could not afford the more high tech engines. Eventually fans lost interest in the one sidedness of the series and it collapsed before the start of the 1993 championship. Since the humble begginings of motorsport, their are now over 100 different racing events all around the world. The most famous being Formula one, World Rally Championship, NASCAR and the Moto GP.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)