NASCAR considering European races

[HJJ]

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2013...AR01/130119858

[tux]

The time is right for Nascar to come over to Europe for an exhibition race or 2 in Europe. The NFL have seen huge success with their games held in London with British viewing figures at an all time high and have announced an additional game to be held at Wembley. WWE sell out events in the UK quickly and regularly and the NBA had no problems selling out their event in London as well.

[MagVanisher]

About damn time! Now if only they could race in either Motegi or Fuji, or even Calder Park...

Still, the only suitable ovals in Europe are EuroSpeedway and Rockingham... maybe add Monza too if they could revive the oval section.

[Paradise City]

Seeing them at Monza - even just the conventional track would be amusing. Spa. Alright, alright hold me horses.

[Marcus666]

Bumping this thread.

I think it's great that Nascar comes to Europe, we need all sorts of racing.
Sprint Cup at Lausitz, Monza, Rockingham and maybe Nurburgring (dtm sprint track) would be great! Even if the serie itself is not that high tech like formula one or likewise european serie, it definetly creates good on track action. But the thing that I would look forward most is Juan Pablo Montoya in Europe again!

[Jacques Rabbit]

Are there SAFER barriers at Rockingham or Lausitz?

I'd think a road course would be easier.

Another issue? Scheduling.

When are you going to have the time to do an exhibition race in Europe? December?

[Paradise City]

They might do one or two exhibitions in Europe. I don't think they'll be able to build a beachhead in Europe whilst needing to consolidate their way through an economic slump in their home market. Maybe they'll expand the franchise, OK, but not Cup.

[FIRE]

I have moved the posts to this seperate topic

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

Still, the only suitable ovals in Europe are EuroSpeedway and Rockingham... maybe add Monza too if they could revive the oval section.

Max Papis drove one of those at Monza It's a bit bumpy.

Nascar at road courses won't attract much public. It must be either short ovals or city races on wide streets.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

About damn time! Now if only they could race in either Motegi or Fuji, or even Calder Park...

Still, the only suitable ovals in Europe are EuroSpeedway and Rockingham... maybe add Monza too if they could revive the oval section.

Don't forget the half mile oval at Venray

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxmxZmZ4RWQ

[Matt]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Nascar at road courses won't attract much public. It must be either short ovals or city races on wide streets.

Uh, no.

Anywhere they'll go will draw a crowd, I think.

Road racing is the thing in Europe, so it makes sense to stick them on a roadie.

[FIRE]

If they have a few (show) events in Europe I am sure they attract a big crowd.

[fieldodreams79]

they'll run two or three races and then not come back. ask montreal, japan and mexico about it. i am sure it was fun while it lasted though.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Matt

Road racing is the thing in Europe, so it makes sense to stick them on a roadie.

It also makes sense from the perspective of not wanting to head to Europe and come back without a driver.

Lausitz and Rockingham don't have SAFER barriers. They are fast speedways and given the odd shape, they have harsh angles for crashes. It would be very ugly to race those ovals with these cars. You can get away with no SAFER at Eldora (and even then, some in the media had and have worries), but on big tracks with weird angles? No way.

Of course, they could just add SAFER, but why bother when there are many road courses in Europe that are being under-utilized?

Plus, these days, road racing seems to give you the purest taste of stock car racing: contact, hard battles, tough drivers in big burly cars with tons of power and not much capacity to corner...you even get some strategy in it. You put them on the speedways and you run the risk of putting on something a bit flat for the audience.

The real key? Access. You can get access in NASCAR, but you have to pay. They need to offer the access at European events and do it cheaper. That's what makes people fans and will help generate an atmosphere. Get up close to a stock car and suddenly these things stop being those ugly bricks you see on TV (well, the Cup cars aren't ugly bricks anymore, but you know what I mean).

[tux]

EDIT: Just noticed my post was added to thread above. Ignore this!

[PabloTeK]

I'd imagine NASCAR would go for one of the big circuits like Silverstone or Donington as they're set-up for such things if they were to go for a British round. Ovals and this country's current weather patterns would be a waste of everyone's time!

Mallory Park, come on NASCAR, you know it makes sense...

[Matt]

Originally Posted by PabloTeK

I'd imagine NASCAR would go for one of the big circuits like Silverstone or Donington as they're set-up for such things if they were to go for a British round. Ovals and this country's current weather patterns would be a waste of everyone's time!

Mallory Park, come on NASCAR, you know it makes sense...

Donington over Silverstone, please. New Silverstone has too many tight corners, Run the National circuit for stockcars, it's the best bet.

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by PabloTeK

I'd imagine NASCAR would go for one of the big circuits like Silverstone or Donington as they're set-up for such things if they were to go for a British round. Ovals and this country's current weather patterns would be a waste of everyone's time!

Mallory Park, come on NASCAR, you know it makes sense...

No!!!

Knockhill! Knockhiiiiiiiiilllll!!!!!!

[adam46]

BRANDS HAAAAAAAATCH!!!!!! That would be a dream come true for me!

[Matt]

You guys really don't understand how much a Cup car weighs.

They're made for fast road courses, the slow twisty ones will suck.

Brands would suck.

[fieldodreams79]

I'd like Donington or Knockhill, but if someone made me choose one; Spa it would be.

Originally Posted by Matt

Brands would suck.

I'd love to see 40 plus stockcars piling through Paddock, but then would come the inevitable; at least 10 of the 40 would be in the kitty litter and tire walls at Druids.

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

I'd love to see 40 plus stockcars piling through Paddock, but then would come the inevitable; at least 10 of the 40 would be in the kitty litter and tire walls at Druids.

10 of the forty would appear on a radar screen if they went piling through Paddock. Knockhill would have more launch potential than Cape Canaveral.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Matt

You guys really don't understand how much a Cup car weighs.

They're made for fast road courses, the slow twisty ones will suck.

Brands would suck.

The EuroRacecar series that supported the DTM at Brands really struggled at Druids - it's fair to say that they're not ideally suited to tight corners. Come to think of it the moment there was some damp in the air they all fell off the circuit at Paddock and/or Druids and/or Graham Hill. That kind of backs up your theory - they're not ideal at Brands. Castle Combe (without the chicanes) or Thruxton - now that would be interesting (although if they fell of the circuit at Church you'd never see them again).

[Matt]

Another thing people have to realize, while they're a bit frumpy through the corners, as soon as you get them pointed straight they are a rocket...they will most likely be the fastest thing down a straight bar an F1 car...but they weigh over 2200lb more.

For example, they're doing damn close to 190mph on the entrance to the inner loop at the Glen.

[Down F0rce]

I think they would end up at Silverstone, simply because Silverstone gets EVERYTHING these days. It seems that all major series have gradually migrated towards Silverstone, and the other tracks only get a couple of big races each. I'd rather see them at Rockingham though!

Assuming of course, they are thinking about the UK. They may want to have a race at the EuroSpeedway instead.