I would have loved to win the Daytona 200, best I ever got was a 10th there. Started the F1 race at the TT, but didn't finish. Art
Definitely Monaco because while the others have lost some of thier aura, Monaco still continues to hold its mystique, glamor and historical significance.
For me toss up between Carrera Panamericana or Mille Miglia. Would require time travel however. Otherwise Le Mans. Struggle with Monaco as a current race but if I could have done it in, say, '66 then would go with that (time travel problem again, though). Cheers Kevin
Neat question. I have given this much thought and although when I first read the question I jumped at the answer of Le Mans, I have decided that I would like to win the Monaco GP. Very close decision though...
Easy for me, Le Mans. In the rain. Now, coming back off the top of Mt. Ego, I've made the decisions in life that kept me from being competitive in racing and am happy with my "also ran" status in NCAR...
Way cool, yep the Mille Miglia proper would be an all time amazing win ... those were real races where the racer's had balls! Pete
Exactly how I feel. That's modern day, of course. IF we're talking vintage, it's gotta be either Targa Florio or Mille Miglia...very tough decision. --Dan
I don´t think Monaco would do it for me. If I were to win it, it would mean I were to drive it and I think Monaco is more for spectators than it is for drivers. As a driver it is just too frustrating to wiggle your way through down town Monte Carlo with about 850 HP at your disposal. Great if your a spectator, rubbish when your a driver. So, Monaco is off the list then. I don´t dream about winning the Indy 500 either. Allthough I have high regard for anyone taking part in that monsterrace, it is just a bit too much of fueltactics and turning left for my taste. Nascar just doesn´t rock my boat. No Daytona 500 for me. Same goes for motorcycles, so no Isle of Man TT either. But then there´s the 24 heures du Mans and now you´ve got my full attention. This one has got to be it. Just imagine, running down the Mulsanne-straight in a high-powered Ferrari (could it be a 333 SP please? It screams beautifully). Even with the chicanes, speeds are awesome and to top it all off the track has some nice corners as well. The 24h format is a bonus too. It must be something truly special to race at dawn, following a night full of racing exitement and everything that allows this race to be oozing with atmosphere. Wouldn´t it be a dream to play a major role in this amazing drama, and play it in a Ferrari 333 SP? Le Mans definately takes the cake.
Check out the current issue of RACER magazine. They have an interesting article that poses a similar question: A fantasy championship to crown the master of all motorsport drivers. To do that they put together a list of THE pinnacle races in motorsport. Of course Monaco and the Indy 500 are in that list. Oddly enough they left out Le Mans (which caused me to write them a letter) and threw in some US races. But apart from that their list is similar to the sentiments you made in this thread.
It would be the Le Mans 24 hour. That is one hard core race. The drivers, cars, and pit crew, all have to be at their best, other wise you won't even finish the race. My second choise would be to win the Dakar Rally. That is even more brutal.
Indy 500. "The greatest single day spectacle in the world." Monaco is definitely cooler but Indy is a childhood thing. DL
I can see that none of you guys have ever done an endurance race. The longest one I did was a 6 hour (at Ontario Motorspeedway) and we got 2nd. I've done some 4 hours, but don't consider those endurance races though. Endurance racing means running at a pace that the vehicle will survive the entire race. That generally means about 90 - 95% of what the vehicle can do. Maintaining discpline at that level is very hard, especially when someone is going faster than you around the track. It gets boring after a very short time, in my humble opinion. Art
I take Monaco. The Indy 500 is very historical, but winning it recently (after the CART/IRL split) doesn't mean ****. It's a bunch of no-names, has beens, and never will bes.
HMMMMMMMMMM interesting one, but for me LeMans !!!! Definitely NOT the TT, seriously dangerous. Respect to all racers that go there !!!
I would take Le Mans. Simply getting there is an accomplishment in itself and means that you are one of the best in the world. that, or maybe the Race of Champions.
I would take the time transporter back and win Monaco, LeMans, the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio.
Phillip: I walked Brae Hill after the race in 88. Noticed that all the houses along the road had steel piked fences. Since we were going about 150mph that year I wondered if anyone had gotten into the fences, but didn't ask the neighbors. Last time I rode there. Art
But you have to admit that "endurance" races have become 24 sprint races during the last decade or so. The cars have become that reliable. Le Mans is a sprint race now, so is Daytona, so is Sebring. A win in the context of this thread should mean OA, if you win overall in a sprint race driving the top class car, you'll be doing a lot of passing, not getting passed a lot. Yes, you will be driving the car at 95%, but then again, even the F1 cars don't drive at 100% for the entire race, there is pacing at every level of racing.
LeMans. In one of the GT40's. Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash in the Jag XJS. Monaco
2000 yellow 360 -> re endurance racing: we've participated in endurance racing but not with cars - but in 24 hour motorcycle enduros. These were 2 people, one bike. John rode and I was part of the pit crew for the guys. Last one done was (many years ago) in the Davy Crockett Forest east of the Houston area. The guys scores were all so close at all the check points so in order to spread them out a bunch of gals in bikinis set up an entertainment/beer stand out in the middle of nowhere during the middle of the night - it caught a number of riders and low and behold was a check point not far ahead. John & Jeff didn't fall for it. Another good one was in Weatherford, TX when the property owner sported a gorilla costume and lurked in the woods, unfortunately the son portion of a father/son team somehow managed to run him over but fortunately the gorilla wasn't hurt. Your comment is definitely well founded about "Endurance racing means running at a pace that the vehicle will survive the entire race". Carol
