An Egg Is All Racing Needs To Be The Worlds Best Sport

"Grab Paddle" (grabpaddle)
08/12/2013 at 13:01 • Filed to: racing, f1, nascar, le mans, formula

Do you watch racing out of habit or excitement? I believe today's races are generally out of habit, and honestly, you know you've seen it before. Its the same thing, every year, nothing really changes. I know how to fix racing.

Racing used to be about putting the most power in the lightest structure and going as fast as possible. People used to watch it, to seek it out. It used to be one of the most popular events on the planet. People would come from miles around to watch the fastest moving objects on the ground being barely controlled by insane maniacs with a death-wish. It was exhilarating, exciting, technologically advancing and poetic. Race car drivers used to be treated as royalty.

Now, not so much. F1, restricting (is DRS really that exciting?). NASCAR, same old thing. Le Mans, Audi. The technology, speed and excitement have leveled off for the past decade. Nothing is pushing this sport forward and I know how to fix it: an EGG and nothing else.

We need a new worldwide racing series based upon two principles:

1. The Egg -

Since safety of the driver is of the upmost importance, we need to develop an egg shaped cockpit that can withstand an impact at the highest speeds, can help protect against blackouts at these speeds, and can push the limits of human capability on a racetrack. This structure must be used in every car. This is the only part of the race car that must be regulated and developed by the sanctioning body which will control the series.

2. No other rules.

This is where we get to have fun. Since the safety of the driver is uniformly regulated, everything else is up to the team and their ability to develop new technologies and explore new possibilities. No engine restrictions. No tire restrictions. No fuel restrictions. The only thing that matters is getting to the finish first by any means necessary. Want an electric powered race car? Do it. Diesel? Do it. Turbine? Do it. Rockets? DO IT. DO whatever you want however you want to achieve the only goal of finishing first.

This is the only way to bring racing back to the masses. It has to be wild again. The delta wing is the only car out there that is pushing a complete rethinking of the sport. Everything else is the slow evolution of the exact same thing. If this series were to come to fruition, I would watch it not only for the racing, but to see new technologies, new ideas, new limits of human capabilities. It would be a showcase of human possibility, again.

What do you think? What would your car have?

DISCUSSION (19)

William Byrd > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:07

Why do I have sort of a "Wacky Races" image in my head? haha Of course, that would be pretty awesome.

I like it, and totally agree that racing, writ large, has lost its way. Maybe WRC is close in the sense that it's totally balls-to-the-wall racing through trees, over jumps, and right past onlookers. But even then there are regulations as to the specs of the cars. Your version would be completely up to engineering and driving ability. I'd watch the World Egg-Racing Challenge.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:08

Aw yiss.

Jayhawk Jake > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:09

Or just take the driver out. Unmanned cars, no more restrictions due to humans being inside.

minardi > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:16

Most of the rules aims to reduce the cost to the team so the ones with the most money would not win all the time. F1 started as teams owned by car club members not international multi brand international constructors with mega R&D resources.

Bakkster, touring car driver > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:16

I honestly don't think safety is what's holding racing back. It's money. Aside from Group B, basically every 'unlimited' class that has existed, died because it became too expensive to compete.

Look at Pikes Peak. they have an unlimited class that is still truly unlimited. They had three entries this year, three the year before that... without money to buy these unlimited racing cars there is no point.

The top F1 teams are already outspending the backmarkers 5:1 or more, $200 Million per season. How much more do they need to spend for you to be happy? If they each spend a Billion dollars a season, will more than 4 teams show up? Will anyone care to watch 8 cars circulate, especially if everyone knows the car that will win?

Z_Stig > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:23

You say bring racing back to the masses, yet you would allow rocket powered race cars? John Doe can't go to his local dealer Chevy or BMW dealership on Monday and buy a rocket powered car, can he?

The things you suggest would probably destroy racing as a spectator sport.

Now, you are right, sometimes racing can get somewhat boring; but all we need is more level playing field. Parity is great in stick and ball sports, and it's great for racing too.

Grab Paddle > Bakkster, touring car driver
08/12/2013 at 13:27

I understand what you're saying. Its not about money. It's about pushing technology and ability. It's about pushing the limits again. The Pikes Peak Unlimited class cars are amazing and I watch it, but lets put them on a track and have them try and win after 3 hours of lapping Laguna Seca. I would watch that. And F1 is boring, the cars aren't being pushed to the limit, they're being pushed to the limit of the tires, and it sucks.

Grab Paddle > Z_Stig
08/12/2013 at 13:30

Wrong. Racing is about pushing the limits. Developing new technologies to push us to places we never thought possible. You sound like Enzo Ferrari, "NO, I will never put the engine in the back."

And who cares if you can't buy a rocket powered car at your Chevy dealership, it's not about you, its about the race.

Grab Paddle > minardi
08/12/2013 at 13:31

Let them loose. Let's see what happens! Explore new ideas!

Grab Paddle > Jayhawk Jake
08/12/2013 at 13:31

There has to be a human element.

Bakkster, touring car driver > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:33

A Pikes Peak car wouldn't last 3 hours, they aren't designed to do that.

That's why I'm looking forward to LMP1 next year. They have so much technical freedom and push the cars 100%. There's some cost limiting (primarily in terms of exotic materials and non-relevant technologies), but overall the cars are allowed to do whatever they want within the dimensional box they're provided.

I agree on F1 being boring, but I wouldn't say the solution is less restriction necessarily. Of course, it depends what you're looking for: technology or on-track action.

Z_Stig > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:36

Well, Protoype racing is about pushing the limits. I do wish they would really open up the P1 category. But racing technology has always found it's way to the streets, so it is important to have some connection to the road cars. Racing in general is about beating the guy behind you and promoting the brand.

Bakkster, touring car driver > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:39

BARRY - What's wrong with the Righteous Brothers?
DICK - Nothing. I just prefer the other one.
BARRY - Bullshit.
ROB - How can it be bullshit to state a preference?
BARRY - Since when did this shop become a fascist regime?

You're reminding my of Barry from High Fidelity. That isn't a good thing...

William Byrd > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:40

It's actually about entertainment, selling tickets, marketing, advertising, etc. And I'd pay to see the egg race over most current racing series.

Grab Paddle > William Byrd
08/12/2013 at 13:42

You're absolutely right. And thats why its boring, and thats why we need Egg.

Jayhawk Jake > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 13:56

Why? How much more exciting would it be to watch truly unlimited cars drive around a track at ludicrous speeds. Where crashing doesn't matter because no one gets hurt.

Z_Stig > Grab Paddle
08/12/2013 at 15:10

Have you ever watched V8 Supercars? Or British Touring Cars? Or Grand-Am? Those are exciting without all of the F1 political bullshit tire-gate if that's what you're after.

GreenN_Gold > Jayhawk Jake
08/13/2013 at 15:29

Super-Mega-Uber-Ultimate RC racing series! When I was a youth there as a place that had indoor offroad RC races, and I loved watching it.

Kinja'd!!!

Jayhawk Jake > GreenN_Gold
08/13/2013 at 17:49

Now take that, and do it with full scale cars. How freaking awesome would that be to watch?!