"The Most Passionate Country in Motorsports Is..."

[JohnBM01]

Poll question time. Who's the most passionate when it comes to racing? You have a bag of choices. You have:

America - horsepower crazy in straight lines and on the banking
Brazil - cradle of great South American racers in history
United Kingdom - glorious machinery and stellar racers
Germany - home to Green Hell, the Nurburgring Nords.
France - home to Le Mans and exciting action
Italy - Forza Italiano from Modena to Maranello to Monza
Japan - always looking to try new things
Australia - unique, mean machines

GTPlanet, in the world, who do you think is the most passionate about motorsports? If I had to choose, I'd say that I'd be torn between the U.K. and Italy. I'd probably put the U.K. ahead because of all the history and all the successful racers from the United Kingdom. Italy, however, I think they are kind of like myself. You know, being passionately into racing no matter what it is. In fact, when Speed Channel's "The World's Greatest Auto Shows: Bologna" was on, there was some racing outside the show. So I admire the Italians for their love of not only automobiles, but also racing.

Poll closes in two weeks, so get your choices in! Reply now if you want to add more to this discussion.

 

[a6m5]

I voted for Japan, because I'm from there and know that we are crazy about cars and racing. In reality though, Europeans and maybe Brazilians might be more passionate, but I just don't know.

 

[JohnBM01]

Okay, I made an error. I said "within 2 weeks," and unfortunately, this will be an on-going poll discussion until this thread completely retires! So go for it!

 

[TheCracker]

I know i'm probably biased with my vote (i voted uk) but i suppose it depends on whats ment by 'Who's the most passionate' - if your talking about fans, apart from The British GP, BTCC and British Superbikes - all of which have bumper crowds, all other motorsport have very poor crowd turn out, i suppose our weather if partly to blame. On the other hand America, Brasil and especially Italy all have very passionate fans who give great support to their favourite series. If we are talking about passionate about competing in motorsport i would have to say the UK. Britain has such a strong history of manufacturing and engineering for motor racing which has filtered down to 'grass roots' level - motor racing in the UK is not just the sport of the wealthy as it is in most countries.

 

[DRIFT4EVA]

Italy. So many exotics come from there. All of a performance and speed nature.

 

[Cosmic]

Japan. Beacuse of JGTC and drifting 👍

 

[TheCracker]

Italy. So many exotics come from there. All of a performance and speed nature.

Exotic road cars don't mean that they are passionate about motor sport!

Japan. Beacuse of JGTC and drifting

Drifting isn't motorsport - its organised showing off

 

[DRIFT4EVA]

Exotic road cars don't mean that they are passionate about motor sport!







Drifting isn't motorsport - its organised showing off

So trackdays mean that no matter how fast you go, it's just a Sunday drive???

You need the exotic road cars before the race cars. Race cars are modified versions of those exotic cars. I hope I don't have to go over the whole concept of race cars for you???

Do you still want to stick with that statement???

I fully agree with you on the drifting bit though.

 

[Cosmic]

Drifting isn't motorsport - its organised showing off

Whatever, for me drifting is a motorsport but I know what you mean

 

[TheCracker]

So trackdays mean that no matter how fast you go, it's just a Sunday drive???

Trackdays aren't motorsport

You need the exotic road cars before the race cars. Race cars are modified versions of those exotic cars. I hope I don't have to go over the whole concept of race cars for you???

Do you still want to stick with that statement???

There's nothing exotic about an Astra, a Civic or a Seat Cupra - but the BTCC is a pretty popular form of motorsport. I can't remember seing a road going version of a Van Diemen Formula Ford or Formula Renault.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

I voted Australia. So many people go to V8 Supercar rounds each year, but not just for the V8's, but for the Carrera Cup, APCC, Nations Cup, Brute Utes, and many more. We also have some big fans of sprint cars, we get the Pors from the US racing over here. The Australian Rally Championship is ver popular too!

 

[livemusic]

I voted for Japan, they are the most passionate country when it comes to motorsports in my opinion. Brazil is too, but most people here only like it when there´s a Brazilian pilot racing (which usually happens, we´re everywhere ). Football is our religion, racing is our passion.

UK, America and Italy are also very passionate for racing, I guess UK is a little bit more than the other two.

 

[slimer90210]

NASCAR fans have to be the most passionate motorsports fans out there...

 

[TheCracker]

NASCAR fans have to be the most passionate motorsports fans out there...

They are certainly the most dedicated fans out there

 

[kart racer]

I voted for America but I feel that all of the above could have been a option.Each location has a rich history in auto racing,(motorcycles included).You don't have to look very hard to find the rich history in every country. 👍

 

[DRIFT4EVA]

Trackdays aren't motorsport



There's nothing exotic about an Astra, a Civic or a Seat Cupra - but the BTCC is a pretty popular form of motorsport. I can't remember seing a road going version of a Van Diemen Formula Ford or Formula Renault.

Just because trackdays don't have a start and finish flag, or are marshaled properly. It doesn't mean they're not motorsport. You take your car out for fun. It's a sport. You drive that car as hard and as fast as you want. You can race other trackday goers. It's motorsport.

I knew you'd try and bring those into the equation. The Van Diemen or Formula Renualt or some LeMans cars etc, are purpose built. They mostly come directly from the manufacturer themselves. Or the teams build them. The cars I'm talking about are as you said the BTCC cars and so on. Sure there's nothing exotic about those cars. But still. With out them there would be no BTCC. If Holden didn't create the Commodore VY (God forbid). There would be no Holden Commodore VY in the V8 Supercars today.

NASCAR, IRL and so on, are sucky motorsports

 

[RandomHero]

I voted Australia. So many people go to V8 Supercar rounds each year, but not just for the V8's, but for the Carrera Cup, APCC, Nations Cup, Brute Utes, and many more. We also have some big fans of sprint cars, we get the Pors from the US racing over here. The Australian Rally Championship is ver popular too!

Off Topic: Mike Pickens had a hell-uva run at this year's O'Reilly Chili Bowl Midget Nationals 👍 Transferring from the B-main to finish 6th in the A.

 

[a6m5]

NASCAR, IRL and so on, are sucky motorsports

They are extremely popular here(U.S.A.), but I agree with you, they are the most boring form of racing IMO. Ok, oval might still be better than, just going straight.

 

[Schrodes]

I voted Australia. So many people go to V8 Supercar rounds each year, but not just for the V8's, but for the Carrera Cup, APCC, Nations Cup, Brute Utes, and many more. We also have some big fans of sprint cars, we get the Pors from the US racing over here. The Australian Rally Championship is ver popular too!

As far as sport in general goes, Australia is one of the most passionate. Australia V Pakistan in the cricket was sold out in Melbourne last night and is sold out in Sydney tomorrow night. AFL, League and Union matches get 80,000 people to their finals and Australia is the best performing country per capita in the Olympics and all of that is reflected in the participation levels through the age groups in local sport.
However, I disagree that Australians are passionate about motorsport. You and I might be but we are the exception. When was the last time you saw the V8 Supercars, the countries biggest series, in the newspaper or on the 6 oclock news? Was it hidden 6 or 7 pages back in the sport section? Australias Super Touring category died because of poor crowd attendance as did the PROCAR series last year. the V8 Supercars and speedway meetings are the only meetings that are well attended. At most other meetings it is almost a case of the drivers knowing the crowd by their first name.
I can't choose between Italy and the UK as the most passionate country toward motorsport. There is a lot of history in the UK and Italy but you can see just how passionate Italians are when the Ferrari F1 team are performing poorly, which is becoming a bit of a distant memory.

 

[a6m5]

I'm surprised by 0 vote for Germany at this point. Arguably, they make the best cars in the world. Aren't the Germans into motorsports?

 

[DRIFT4EVA]

I'm surprised by 0 vote for Germany at this point. Arguably, they make the best cars in the world. Aren't the Germans into motorsports?

No. They are into Chocolate, Wine and women that weigh 120 lbs (Pure muscle), that have facial hair and are named Helga Schnitzel.

I had to choose out of Germany or Italy. To me Italy has a better track record, so I stuck with them.

Oval racing sucks! Only Speedway (Muddy style) is ok. The thought of going left everyweekend is not appealing. I wish that the stewards would change the track configuration to include a right-hander, mid-race, whilst no one knows about it. That would make it interesting.

 

[Omnis]

america. everyone wants to be racers (voila...the ricer formula) and we are all passionate about every other country's motorsports too.

i dunno.

 

[slimer90210]

NASCAR, IRL and so on, are sucky motorsports

This thread is about how countries in general respond to their chosen motor-sport, not what you personally think of it. There are alot of die-hard NASCAR fans out there that would punch you square in the mouth for saying that. So lets try to keep our personall thoughts on particular motorsports out of this thread, or say something like:

To me NASCAR and IRL are not as interesting as WRC, V8 Supercars, Le Mans, etc because I get bored watching cars go round an oval.

Don't just bash it because you do not like it. Thats a good way to upset people.

 

[Omnis]

oh wait...

duh....how come Bahrain isnt in the poll? its like supercar capital of the world.

 

[Omnis]

No. They are into Chocolate, Wine and women that weigh 120 lbs (Pure muscle), that have facial hair and are named Helga Schnitzel.

I had to choose out of Germany or Italy. To me Italy has a better track record, so I stuck with them.

Oval racing sucks! Only Speedway (Muddy style) is ok. The thought of going left everyweekend is not appealing. I wish that the stewards would change the track configuration to include a right-hander, mid-race, whilst no one knows about it. That would make it interesting.

by the way....mr. ignorance. germany is not known for their wine OR their chocolate.

that would belong to france and belgium (or switzerland), respectively.

germany is all about beer and cars.

 

[livemusic]

And their sausage!

 

[JohnBM01]

Of course, if your country isn't listed, I've included "None of the Above" as one of the choices. Just represent your homeland in a reply. No shame in the game, alright?

Just to reiterate, which country has about the most unconditional respect for motorsports, whether on four wheels, two wheels, on pavement, in the desert, on snow/ice, 200 mph, 300 kph, 60 mph, 100 kph, or whatever? I've seen some pretty nice responses, so I'll just lay back and keep watching. Carry on.

 

[DRIFT4EVA]

This thread is about how countries in general respond to their chosen motor-sport, not what you personally think of it. There are alot of die-hard NASCAR fans out there that would punch you square in the mouth for saying that. So lets try to keep our personall thoughts on particular motorsports out of this thread, or say something like:

To me NASCAR and IRL are not as interesting as WRC, V8 Supercars, Le Mans, etc because I get bored watching cars go round an oval.

Don't just bash it because you do not like it.

Well who made you the GTP post detective??? Atleast I'd know which way those idiots would go if they were to try and punch me square in the mouth. They are all die hard fans of left handers, so they'll try and get me with the round house punch, using the right hand. That's easy enough to dodge.

I really should've expected some gay remark from someone who incorporates a gay TV shows title in their username. Don't try to be cool by trying to flame an older member than you. You'll just get burned yourself. Huh. Kinda like this isn't it.

I got bored reading your post as much as I get bored watching anything on an oval, then again I did crack up at your pathetic comebacks.

 

[Schrodes]

Just adding to my previous post, there was an article in the Sydney Morning Herald today about the teams that have to catch up to Stone Brothers Racing and their driver Marcos Ambrose, the article was way back on about page six of the SMH, as was the article about Kenny Brack looking for a drive in the V8 Supercar endurance races. While I didn't take much notice to anything else in the sports section, I'm sure there was an article about some football player breaking his nail or going shopping at a trendy shopping centre on page three.

 

[TheCracker]

Just because trackdays don't have a start and finish flag, or are marshaled properly. It doesn't mean they're not motorsport. You take your car out for fun. It's a sport. You drive that car as hard and as fast as you want. You can race other trackday goers. It's motorsport.

Trackdays don't have a start and finish flag, therefore they are not a competition, therefore they are not a sport. Trackdays are a leisure pastime nothing more. When you go swimming at your local pool you are not competing in a sport are you? Trackday organisers totally discourage 'racing' between punters.

I knew you'd try and bring those into the equation. The Van Diemen or Formula Renualt or some LeMans cars etc, are purpose built. They mostly come directly from the manufacturer themselves. Or the teams build them. The cars I'm talking about are as you said the BTCC cars and so on. Sure there's nothing exotic about those cars. But still. With out them there would be no BTCC. If Holden didn't create the Commodore VY (God forbid). There would be no Holden Commodore VY in the V8 Supercars today.

I think you'll find that Holden created the Commodore VY so they could homologate it for motoracing. Most 'sporting' versions of road cars are there because of motorsport, not the otherway around. Do you think we would have Impreza WRX's, Sierra Cosworths, BMW 'M-power's AMG Mercs, Lancer Evo's etc if it wasn't for these manufactures motorsport ambitions? - Your arguments are very nieve.