We need a Proper racing series!

"Jonathon Klein" (jonathon-klein) 03/24/2014 at 17:15 • Filed to: V8 Supercars, Aussie Grit

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American's love their V8's. We have them in trucks, cars, racecars, and Corvettes, lots of Corvettes. Some have even found their way into less likely showcases, like motorcycles and blenders among other contraptions. But what we don't have is a truly awesome V8 race series. Now here is where I will get all the hate and death threats from the NASCAR fans. Please don't hurt me! But admit it, going around in a circle for 500 laps can get quite tedious for the fans watching. Yes, NASCAR does involve a lot of driver skill and yes, the cars are unbelievable and amazing, and the race yesterday had a great finish. However, you are still just going around a ring. Really, the only exciting thing that happens in NASCAR is the crashes and the ending. This I feel takes away from the real talent of the drivers, and the brilliance of these machines. These cars have monstrous V8's, something that sounds like thunder rolling through your ears at 200mph! The sound is glorious. However, the lack of turns and lack of proper racing does this engine and indeed these drivers a disservice. What we need in the states is this.

( Holy Sweet mother of God, was that car just on two wheels !)

This my friends is Australian V8 Supercars. Now many of you might know about this series, about the drivers and even about the history of the sport and that's a good thing. For those that don't, this is what we need right now in American Motor Racing. With Formula 1 only coming to the States once a season and the whole mess of the Tudor United Sportscar Championship, there is a definite lack of proper racing here in America. Yes, we have Indy cars, but that is a whole other !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . What we need is our own version of the V8 Supercar Series.

V8 Supercars essentially take production cars, throws them out, and then build spec chassis where manufactures and teams can change the outer character of the cars to showcase the manufacturer's production cars appearance. This enables the cost to be kept down within the series and ensures that safety is first and foremost. Teams can use any engine supplier they wish to power the cars. And power they do! Think about the rivalries that can happen if we bring out a version of these V8 Supercars to the States. Finally, we could have semi production engines that are found in our actual cars, but turned up to eleven. Ford could showcase it's brilliant Coyote engine and Chevy could put that monstrous LSA lump into the cars. Now for those that don't know much about the series or much about the land down under, essentially the country could be divided or at least it used to be divided into two categories, Ford or GM. Now the old adage about these races was that there was usually a massive fight between Ford and GM fans and then sometimes a race broke out. However, with Ford and GM pulling out of Australia, more manufacturers have been infiltrating the series. The most notable new comer was that of Volvo with the help of their in-house tuner Polestar, who gave us this beautifully designed engine.

Now bringing this series to the states we could see the likes of GM, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, and maybe Mercedes who have also recently started in the V8 Supercar series. Bringing that level of engineering and the level of racing shown above could really make this series a true spectacle to watch. Throw in the added benefit that most of these Aussie races are held on street style courses and you have one hell of a series that can be dropped into any major city in the country! I can just imagine hearing those V8's roar through Lower Wacker Drive in Downtown Chicago! My god that might just bring on a few crisis's for Chicago race fans!

Essentially, these cars are very similar to DTM or Touring Cars and other road racing cars, but in this series, all of the engines are the same basic configuration. This combination of massive engines, and both right and left turns make for some of the best racing possible to enjoy. Now here in the states, we had a small wetting of our appetites with V8 Supercars last year when the series came over to the Circuit of the Americas for one race. They aren't coming this year, but will be back here next year. Nevertheless, I feel one race a season can definitely be improved if we can come up with a similar racing series ourselves. The Australians have really done all the hard work already for us with designing, rules, and regulations already in place. If we can copy them, then we can get our own series started fairly easily here in the States. If we can also get a few of the NASCAR teams who already are adept with these engines and the style of building the cars, then the turnaround shouldn't be that long. I know it would still take a few years, but at least we would have some more racing in the US. Something that is desperately needed right !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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This country needs properly good racing, and when your racing is this amazing and frantic, the success of this series is easily achieved. With the proper branding and showcase, we can definitely have another great V8 racing series. Moreover, with GM possibly bringing over the Holden tuners HSV, who coincidentally also run the Holden V8 Supercar team, then we could have a whole host of help just listening to them. Long live the Aussies and their lunacy. So what do you think everyone, should we also have a V8 Supercar series too? And remember, we could be watching this!

Follow me here on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O) > Jonathon Klein 03/24/2014 at 17:22

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I will admit that I haven't read anything you wrote yet (I will), but this is absolutely beautiful.

Bad Idea Hat > Jonathon Klein 03/24/2014 at 17:26

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The hell with that. Have Ford bring their Mustang, Chevy bring their Camaro, and Dodge bring their Challenger or Charger. Let them keep their production-based engines, and let them fly. Let other people join, too.

And call it...I don't know. Something involving America. Maybe shortened to Am. It would take place across the country, a sort of Trans-American muscle car series.

Dusty Ventures > Jonathon Klein 03/24/2014 at 17:26

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HammerheadFistpunch > Bad Idea Hat 03/24/2014 at 17:29

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Can Canada come?

Bad Idea Hat > HammerheadFistpunch 03/24/2014 at 17:30

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I don't knYES

Jonathon Klein > HammerheadFistpunch 03/24/2014 at 17:35

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Yes!

Team6.1 > Jonathon Klein 03/24/2014 at 18:10

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Yes nascar bodies start to look a little different now, but they certainly aren't the same cars. 'MURICA V8 ALL HORSEPOWER ALL THE TIME could be a great series in terms of racing action, but also to sell cars. Ford vs. GM vs. Chevy vs. BMW vs. anyone else who wants to come and play. Win on sunday sell on monday works a lot better when it's the same cars

ghosty - electric space wizard > Jonathon Klein 03/24/2014 at 18:32

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There're V8 Utes too!

Bandit > Bad Idea Hat 03/24/2014 at 18:34

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I have an idea of what to call it:

race72truck > Jonathon Klein 03/26/2014 at 16:50

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I wish I would have read this article Monday, but I think you are talking about Trans-AM TA3 racing. The whole Trans-Am series was almost lost a few years ago and is making an aggressive comeback. Make it more popular, more races, more tracks, more cars and BAM!

http://www.breathlessperformanceracingteam.com/newsandevents/…

Ugh so this is my life > Jonathon Klein 03/26/2014 at 20:50

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The series (Australian V8 Super cars) Raced at COTA in 2013, it has been canceled for 2014, unfortunately. They also do Abu Dhabi.

Australian V8 Super Cars is NASCAR Down Under, lets make that clear.

The problem is that road racing is kind of boring, especially to the non race fan, like say your wife, or daughter, or angsty teenager. Sorry NASCAR fans, but there are 2 categories of race fans in general, 90% of which watch for the crazy high speed crashes, then the rest who actually sit on the edge of their seat in awe and amazement at the shier driving skill and prowess on display...99% of NASCAR fans make up the former.

Another problem is getting the sponsorship necessary, not just for the cars, but for the actual series and races, then getting the TV cameras to show up, which in turn generates more revenue.

I don't disagree that we need an awesome, popular, racing series here in the states. I just don't think we have the fan base to support it. You have to remember the majority of the millennials have zero interest in cars , let alone a racing series.

Jonathon Klein > Ugh so this is my life 03/27/2014 at 09:02

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Are you trying to stoke the fire of millenials around here. We like cars, we can't afford them! Also, they are coming back next year to COTA. and I think with the right branding they could seriously do a great racing series. Throw a monster or RedBull into the mix and that alone will attract kids and GoPros, kids love GoPros!

Ugh so this is my life > Jonathon Klein 03/27/2014 at 13:25

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I should have said "Jalops not included"