Le Mans is SO worth the money and the effort. It's an experience you'll never forget - I attended my first Le Mans this summer and it's truly awe-inspiring. I also saw Paul Ricard HTTT during the Blancpain Endurance Series weekend and that's a really nice top-notch facility that produces some great racing. The karting track is awesome, as well - I think I spent more time karting than watching racing and burned through at least 400 euros. I set fastest lap that weekend with a 00:58.4xx. If you beat 58 seconds in a rental kart, I'm impressed.
As far as North America goes, COTA is actually pretty amazing. The Grand-Am race isn't really all that special and I didn't even see the V8 Supercars race but the US Grand Prix was probably one of the most purely fun moments I've ever had. A crowd like you can't believe - 3/4s sufficiently drunk and stumbling across the track - epic.
It's truly one big party... almost as much as Le Mans, I'd say! I'll be at COTA in a few weeks for the ALMS/WEC doubleheader, and it's SO worth it. Road America is truly amazing as well (not as sterilized as COTA or Montreal) and nicer people you will never meet. I managed the 2007 Canadian GP and hope to go back... the track, although quite small, was very impressive.
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As far as my bucket list goes, I can cross off Le Mans now. Still looking to make the rest of the endurance classics:
1. 24 Hours of Spa
2. 24 Hours of Nurburgring
3. 12 Hours of Bathurst
4. Bathurst 1000
5. 24 Hours of Daytona
6. 12 Hours of Sebring
7. 6 Hours of Silverstone
8. 6 Hours of Spa
9. 1000 km/6 Hours of Fuji
10. Petit Le Mans
11. 24 Hours of Zolder
12. 24 Hours of Dubai
Also on my list to see is the Marina Bay Street Circuit and F1 race, the Monaco GP, the Sochi F1 circuit, Monza, Imola, Interlagos, Catalunya, the Macau GP, and Yas Marina. The Indy and Daytona 500 must be quite fun, as well.
As far as non-racing sporting events go, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 (just announced today!!) are must-see events.
