Motorsports Trivia Thread!

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Part A: What could lap Watkins Glen faster, Bruce McLaren in his 1969 Formula One Car, or Bruce McLaren in his 1969 Can-Am car?

Part B: Same question except for Mosport Circuit?

Respectfully,
Steve
 
MazdaPrice
Trick question. Identical times?
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Bruce raced his McLaren M8 in the Can-Am and his M7 in F1. He raced at both circuits at different times in 1969. Times were not identical.

nitrorocks
How can you answer these quesions? I say the F1 car was faster with a lap of 59.905seconds?
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It is possible (if not entirely easy) to look up the records from the races in question, which I have done.

If you members think this question is not fair or too obscure, I will withdraw it.

Respectfully,
Steve
 
LancerEvo7
Going to guess F1 at The Glen, Can-Am at Mosport.
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Well, this is unacceptable because it is just guessing.
Hint: Also it is factually incorrect.

I'm really looking for the lap times, which would be the correct answer.

Respectfully,
Steve
 
Dotini
Part A: What could lap Watkins Glen faster, Bruce McLaren in his 1969 Formula One Car, or Bruce McLaren in his 1969 Can-Am car?

Part B: Same question except for Mosport Circuit?

Respectfully,
Steve
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I'm getting this monkey off my back.

A) In 1969 Bruce McLaren qualified on pole at 1:02.21 (133.1 mph) for the Can-Am event at Watkins Glen. He qualified his Cosworth powered F1 car 6th, at 1:04.22. Rindt in the Lotus was on pole at 1:03.62.

So the Can-Am cars were definitively quicker at the Glen.

B) Mosport was a different story. McLaren was again on pole in his powerful Can-Am M8-B Chevy at 1:18.2 (113 mph). He qualified his F1 machine at 1:18.5, with team mate Denny Hulme at 1:18.0 and pole man Jackie Ickx in a Brabham-Ford at 1:17.4.

So the F1 cars were generally quicker at the slower, twistier Mosport circuit.

Respectfully submitted,
Steve
 
Dotini
So the F1 cars were generally quicker at the slower, twistier Mosport circuit.
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RETROCRX
Since when has Mosport been a slow twisty circuit?
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Looking at a circuit map of the course from 1967, it had 10 turns in 3.957 km, with 3 of them over 90 degrees.

By contrast, Watkins Glen had 7 turns (counting the esses as 3 turns) over its 3.701 km, none more than 90 degrees.

Given that the 1969 Mosport Park lap record was 113 mph compared to the 133 for the Glen, I'd say (I think reasonably) that Mosport was slower and twistier than the Glen. That's not saying that Mosport was absolutely slow and twisty like, say, Monaco.

Respectfully,
Steve
 
You're right......After looking at a 1968 "bootless" Glen I'd have to agree.

However.......having been a regular at Mosport for over 20 years......it's FAR from a slow and twisty circuit.

Just slower and twistier than the Glen.

Actually, I wonder where these 2 road circuits stand as far as lap record average speed worldwide???

Now I'm curious.........

Rob
 
RETROCRX
You're right......After looking at a 1968 "bootless" Glen I'd have to agree.

However.......having been a regular at Mosport for over 20 years......it's FAR from a slow and twisty circuit.

Just slower and twistier than the Glen.

Actually, I wonder where these 2 road circuits stand as far as lap record average speed worldwide???

Now I'm curious.........

Rob
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In the late '60's? I'd say both Monza and Silverstone were probably quicker, but that era's Mosport and the 'Glen were probably up there with the fastest. Hockenheim prior to '68 must have been pretty quick too.
 
TheCracker
In the late '60's? I'd say both Monza and Silverstone were probably quicker, but that era's Mosport and the 'Glen were probably up there with the fastest. Hockenheim prior to '68 must have been pretty quick too.
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Spa, 1968:............... 151.2 mph pole speed by Chris Amon in a Ferrari
Monza, 1968:............150.97 mph fastest lap by JP Beltoise, Matra-Ford
Rheims, 1966:.......... 145.3 mph pole speed by Lorenzo Bandini, Ferrari
Silverstone, 1969:..... 130.4 mph pole speed by Jochen Rindt, Lotus-Ford
Watkins Glen, 1969:...130.1 mph pole speed by Rindt, Lotus-Ford
Hockenheim, 1970:.... 126.0 mph fastest lap by Jackie Ickx, Ferrari
Mosport Park, 1969:... 114.3 mph pole speed by Ickx, Brabham-Ford

Respectfully submitted,
Steve
 
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I was going to say Spa. I don't know what year it was, but it was during the race. It was the Belgian GP at Spa when Gurney won, and I saw this in a video he was narrating and he said that he got up to 186 mph at Spa when he won he GP. In those days it was the fastest road course in the world I believe. I can't wait until rF2 Modders come out with the 60s/70s WSC mod so I can take a 917k around the old spa......:drool:
 
Some other records of note:

2002, Italian GP, JP Montoya/Williams-BMW: 161.4 mph (qualifying lap, pole position)

1985, British GP, Keke Rosberg/Williams-Honda: 160+ mph (qualifying lap, pole position)

1971, Spa 1000K, Pedro Rodriguez/Porsche 917: 154.770 mph

1938, Autobahn, Caracciola/Mercedes-Benz: 268 mph

(Rudolf Caracciola's record of 432.7 km/h (268 mph) over the flying kilometre on 28 January 1938, still remains the fastest ever officially timed speed on a public road as of 2010.)
 
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Italian GP

'02 149.9 mph Avg (Barrichello)
'03 153.8 mph Avg (Schumacher)
'04 151.8 mph Avg (Barrichello)

Average speed of '85 Silverstone GP was 146.274 (Prost). Fastest lap was 151 mph (Prost). Rosberg's pole lap of 160+ was a stunner!
 
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Some officially recognized speed records:

Land Speed Record: 763 mph, ThrustSSC, Andy Green, 1997

Manned rocket sled: 635 mph, Sonic Wind No. 1, John Stapp, 1954

Wheel-driven: 458.4 mph, Vesco Turbinator, Don Vesco, 2001

Piston engine: 415.8 mph, Burkland 411, Tom Burkland, 2008

Motorcycle: 376.3 mph, Top Oil-Ack Attack, Rocky Robinson. 2010

Diesel-powered: 350.4 mph, JCB DieselMax, Andy Green, 2006

Electric-powered: 307.6 mph, Buckeye Bullet, Roger Shroer, 2010
 
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Glad to see this thread return. Will someone post a new question or shall I?
 
Name all cars entered in the BTCC during the super touring years that did not win a race outright.

This includes independents and Class B.
 
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Sure it's wise to jump straight in with another thread de-railer? Maybe I'll have a go at it later.
 
Some of us are heavily into our touring cars. It's dependent whether you're into the discipline or not.

I'm rubbish at any North American motorsports questions. CART, IRL, USAC, NASCAR etc.

It's a fun question. Say an answer, I'll tell you if it's right or not and keep an update of incorrect answers, like I do in the Guess That Car thread.
 
MazdaPrice
Some of us are heavily into our touring cars. It's dependent whether you're into the discipline or not.
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I do love touring cars, but my knowledge on the discipline is minute compared to my knowledge on F1. I'll have a go later if some die hard fan hasn't pipped me to it.
 
Peugeot 406 is one of the cars, yes. Arguably the greatest car to not win a race.

Peugeot 406 - 1996-1998. Best finish: 2nd, Thruxton/Donington Park 1997 (Tim Harvey)

But that of course, is not the only one.
 
MazdaPrice
Peugeot 406 is one of the cars, yes. Arguably the greatest car to not win a race.

Peugeot 406 - 1996-1998. Best finish: 2nd, Thruxton/Donington Park 1997 (Tim Harvey)

But that of course, is not the only one.
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Vauxhall Vectra?
 
Tom
Vauxhall Vectra?
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Incorrect. The saloon won races in 1996 and 1998, with the facelifted hatchback winning in 1999 and 2000.

Vauxhall Vectra - Wins: 10 (James Thompson, John Cleland x2, Derek Warwick, Yvan Muller x4, Jason Plato x2)

Peugeot 406 - 1996-1998. Best finish: 2nd, Thruxton/Donington Park 1997 (Tim Harvey)
 
nitrorocks
Volvo 850 Estate?
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Correct! The unique Volvo 850 SE/GLT was negated by the subsequent aerodynamic changes for 1995.

Vauxhall Vectra - Wins: 10 (James Thompson, John Cleland x2, Derek Warwick, Yvan Muller x4, Jason Plato x2)

Peugeot 406 - 1996-1998. Best finish: 2nd, Thruxton/Donington Park 1997 (Tim Harvey)
Volvo 850 GLT - 1994. Best Finish: 5th, Oulton Park/Brands Hatch 1994 (Rickard Rydell & Jan Lammers)
 

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