What are the best races you've seen?

[chunterer]

I've been fortunate to witness some cracking drives and races in the years i've been mad on the sport, both trackside and a couple on telly (which don't count.)

What are your best memories?

Here's a list of mine:

1/ '84 Tourist Trophy - Jags and Alfa's sounded glorious, massive Rover v Volvo v Bee-em scrap and a nail biting finish with Walkinshaw breaking down having clawed back huge deficit to Brancatelli.

2/ '88 Tourist Trophy - Dick Johnson slaughtered the ETCC boys for pace, Rouse beat Eggenberger to win.

3/ Birminhgam F3000 '90 - Barbazza drove the rubbish Leyton House like a man posessed until drove over back of stubborn Irvine. Fabrizio had started midfield and got upto sixth. Brilliant!

4/ '92 Silverstone F3000 - Gounon recovered from first corner spin to storm upto fourth at flag, did a car a lap right in front of us at Priory for many laps.

5/ '95 Donington F3 - Rodriguez and Castroneves side by side down 'Craners' on second lap, mm's apart - both guys i reckoned to be on same level as Montoya for pace and bravery. Gonzo much missed.

there's more but this should get everyone thinking?!

[BootsOntheSide]

The 1993 European Grand Prix comes to mend, for Senna and Barrichello's awesome displays. Brazil this year was the msot dramatic race I've seen in my 11 years of watching F1, and Barcelona 1996 stands out as a classic.

In other championships, my faovurite is probably the seocnd Donington 1998 BTCC race, the one with Mansell in, when he ran last halfway round lap 1, but fought through to briefly lead in dismal contditions ebfore finishing fourth. For a few laps there were half a dozen guys battling for the lead, with a change at almost every corner.

2000 Michigan is my favourite from CART, with Andretti and Montoya toughing it out right at the end. I also remember Carpentier and Al Unser jr side by side for 2 laps on a one-mile oval (Milwaukee, I think)

I'm sure I can think of more, given time. Great thread, whcih I'm sure will stir some emotions.

[Aysedasi]

There's a difference to me between best races and best race experiences. I actually struggle on the best race front - I'd probably have to cite one of the numerous FF1600 or F3 races I watched back in the mid to late 80's, but it'd be impossible for me to identify a single race.

But as far as race experiences are concerned, that's easy. Le Mans 1986. My first Le Mans. My baptism. Watching GroupC Jags, Porsches, Mazdas and the like scream past while I leant over the fences at Les Hunaudieres at mdnight during the race will be an experience I will never ever forget.

[gfm]

Well it was THAT race at Brands 1970 (?) wet 1000 kms with the 917s etc Siffert Rodriguez Elford etc etc opposit lock all afternoon. Quite unforgetable. You'll know ...

[HiRich]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
2000 Michigan is my favourite from CART, with Andretti and Montoya toughing it out right at the end.

My favourite (though only on telly). the last 15 laps were edge-of-your-seat, jaw-on-the-floor stuff on a par with the Barbars beating the All Blacks.

[chunterer]

Good stuff! Lets have some more of your fav's!

Good point Ayesdasi, on whether to include races seen or races done? I can only comment on those seen, as haven't competed myself....yet!

Yes GFM, BOAC 1000 Brands legendary but unfortunately i only arrived on this planet four years later, so i could only read about it.
Rodriguez cracking driver, much like namesake, one of my heroes, who i mentioned in fav races i've listed so far!

Michigan race a cracker, '98 Moore win also brilliant - he was another who had that something and would've been in F1 by now. Shame CART is going down tubes. Although Rockingham 2001 was a bit 'staged' still a phenomenal race between De Ferran and Brack, a couple of proper blokes and proper drivers too.

Have fav F1 races too but lets keep things real and down to earth for the mo?!

[Kojima_KE007]

I still can't forget the last few laps of 1992 Monaco Grand Prix, where Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell had that epic battle for the lead.

[Dan Rear]

Best races, may be some of the '76 FF1600s, with Daly, Warwick, Kennedy, Devaney, Walsh, Morris, Bright, van Rooyen, Bremner,Argenti, Blanchet, Paul Smith, Mansell,Kenny Gray, plus many many others. The highpoint ever of 1600, quite possibly I'd think. A good number of these carried their battles over to F3 the next year, again a tremendous series that year. Sorry this is supposed to be great races isn't it, not great series/years. I'll start another thread on that !

[Aysedasi]

Yes, that was a corker, I must admit. But if we're talking of F1 races we've watched on the TV, I still drool over those opening laps at Donington........ sublime.

[JP]

The best race I ever saw was when I was least expecting it - Brands Hatch 1974 (?), support race to the "Tour of Britain" which passed through Brands in the morning (the year James Hunt won the Tour in a Camaro).

It was a round of the Kent Messenger Special Saloon Championship but a lot of the regular names were missing and we ended up with five Minis (from memory Terry Attoe, John Schneider, Tony Apcar, John Walsh plus Phil Spurling's Miglia car) swapping places on every corner; three/four/five abreast into Paddock (the "old" Paddock!). Can't even remember who won, but have never forgotten the race.

Coming close was a Mini 7 slipstreamer on the Silverstone club circuit (Patrick Watts was involved, so it must have been 1978/79). Chris Tyrrell went from about 15th to 1st into Woodcote on the last lap because he didn't brake - just jammed it in second at the end of the straight. Then, halfway round the corner his one piece fibreglass front flipped up over his screen and arch-rival Graham Wenham got the win.

[Aysedasi]

Most of the really great races I've watched have involved supposedly lesser classes and formulae. Minis, Metros, FF1600, FF2000 and F3. Even down to some great MG and Wendy Wools scraps. You don't need F1 for great close racing. In fact, F1 generally is the last place I'd look for a really cracking race......

[gfm]

Do you guys mind if I do some name dropping here? The very best race I ever enjoyed as a competitor was in '97 in the British GTs, the final round at Silverstone.
I was in the Blue Coral GT1 with the Boss Greasley. We were second on the grid to Ian Flux in a Lister, with Win Percy in another quick little 500 bhp sports racer and an XJ220 racing with Tommy Erdos also right there.
Basically the Championship was still undecided and whoever won this final race would take the series.
So at the rolling start, Flux went so slowley that he dragged me off boost and then made a dash for the line. So with it all to play for, I got into Copse in 4th place! Well, the Jag wasn't too difficult
But Win was all over Ian and frankly there wasn't much room at all. A lap later once all the tyres were up to temp, I got past Win and tried to work out where to do Ian - without letting Win back through. It took a couple of goes but I found a way and thought, this is good, now we'll get away.
But there wasn't much more for me to use and Ian and Win were RIGHT THERE hussling for the next 15 or so laps.
Which wouldn't have been so bad, but this of course was in the days where the GTs were fairly widley spaced in terms of speed differential. Not only that, but for whatever reason, each class seemed to be very hotley contested that day.
So this manifested itself clearly as we barrelled along into lapping the slower traffic with Ian and Win just waiting for me to get chopped. It seemed like EVERY LAP we'd pour through one part of the circuit only to be confronted with three slower cars all at it just as fiercly as we were. Then if that wasn't enough, we'd fetch up behind another three would-be class winners contesting their own punch up, so you'd have sometjing like nine cars all at it, all of differing performances an all out to take an advantage out of the turmoil.
Christ it was exciting! I can remember moaning out loud as we came across someone else at absolutely 10/10ths with others breathing down his neck. The blue flag marshalls never did have to work so hard.
The game only split up when we all dived into the pits to hand over to respective co-drivers. Actually my boss won the race and championship just half a lap from the flag but watching the tape today takes your breath away at the sheer frentisism of chopping and passing and avoiding that went on that day.

[glyn parham]

I agree with gfm on THE sportscar race of 1970, opposite locking a Porsche 917 along the top straight is a memory that will never fade.
The other race I will treasure was the 1988 BTCC round supporting the F3000 at Brands Hatch when Steve Soper and Andy Rouse spent the entire race dicing for the lead, swopping places two or three times a lap and not a single flake of paint was traded. If any of the current crop of so called Touring car drivers could manage that I would be very surprised.
Glyn

[Woolley]

Originally posted by gfm
I was in the Blue Coral GT1 with the Boss Greasley.

You tried to nick my blue flag once. Dear Leap, Oulton, wet day. I stuck the blue out, you dived up the inside of the back marker, and before I could get the flag out of the way it stuck to the wet windscreen and nearly took me with it. Fortunately, as I lost my grip it dropped behind the barriers.

Anyway. Best race. ALMS, Silverstone (there was only one). Everyone I know that was there quotes that race as the best ever. I've seen plenty of great races, but nothing comes close to that one.

[gfm]

Sorry!

[Woolley]

No need to apologise. It's one of my best stories! And despite that it is still the best flagging spot in the country. Do miss the GT1s, don't you?

[ascarracinguk]

best races

long beach 2003
spa 1000k 2003
alms silverstone
touring cars...matt neals independant win
cart at rockingham both times
ascar...august with proccy nearly winning it
silverstone 97 fia gt washout
and....pretty much every 750mc race lol

[dretceterini]

I was lucky enough to have been at the Traga Florio in the 1960s and 1970s.

[krt917]

Does that mean you witnessed Elford's great comeback drive in 1968(?)?

[Andrew Kitson]

From races I have witnessed, far too many to mention them all! Numerous FF races on the old Silverstone club circuit,four/five or six abreast into the final corner! The old 1 litre F3 slipstreamer battles.
That wet Rodrigues BOAC 1000 race at Brands. A fantastic Atlantic Computers historic GT race on the Silverstone GP circuit in 83, which showed that a McLaren M8F and March 707 could go through the chicane side by side!
The old silverstone layout had so many good races. BTCC in the days of the Capris / Rovers on the GP circuit. An eight car fight for the lead for the whole race - think it was '82. The FF festival final at Brands in '88 when Sospiri won. Although there are still some cracking races today,pity there are not more - too many safety cars, red flags ruining races.

[chunterer]

Hey guys just returned from a busy weekend to find all your comments. This is great stuff!
Glyn, i'm only going from memory as a spectator but i don't think Soper did the 88 Brands F3000 support race, i thought it was the July WSPC round, a month before?(I was unfortunate enough to be stood between Surtees and and Pilgrims Drop at the restart when Herbert touched with Foitek and had that awful accident. I remember looking at his gearbox as he speared into the wall right in front of me.) But yes the three of four confontations Soper and Rouse had were excellent, and picked up where they previously left off in '84 when TWR entered a ETC Rover for Soper to take on Rouse's ICS car and to back up the Sanyo cars. Saw them at Donington and Thruxton that year and they were at it hammer and tongs then too!
Other TV races spring to mind...Zanardi's CART races were always top value, particuarly if he had to come back through the field - ditto Montoya.
JJ Lehto at Spa '97 in the McLaren GTR? He was several seconds faster than anyone else in the wet including Ralf Schuey, Wurz etc... makes you wonder what he still could've achieved in F1 if Benetton had let him fully recover from neck injury?
Wish i'd been around in 60's and 70's though judging by what some of you have said
Special saloons were fab...screaming round Thruxton

[Jeremy Jackson]

The Silverstone Historic Sports/GT race taht Andrew mentioned is high on my list too. Brilliant 3-way battle between Foulston, Mike Wheatley & Ted Williams.

For spectacle, if not close racing, the Interserie races at Croft & Silverstone in the early 70s. Plus any F5000 race!

You may detect a theme here - Big, beefy cars, with more power than grip....

[Junior Senior]

Best race no 1 - Mallory Park, 1989. BARC Junior FF1600.
David Coulthard, Kelvin Burt, Steve Deeks and Mark Cole, scrapping from lights to nearly the flag[the hairpin slabs intervened...followed by the scrutes who threw out either Deeks or Cole for a "hot" motor!]
No 2 Brands Festival 88 Sospiri, Higgins, Cordova, Dolan etc, great win for Sospiri who missed the flag being dropped to start the race as the sun was too low in the drivers eyes to use the lights!
No 3 Any 70/80's slipstreamer at Silverstone, what have they done to that place???????????????????

As you can see i'm not biased towards Formula Fords......

[chunterer]

By coincidence I was watchin a BBC recording of the '88 festival the other day...Tiff Needell commentating!!?! Interesting punt from Vivion Daly into Niko Palhares in a heat or qrt final i think!

Looked at B'ham superprix vid from 1990 again and Barbazza actually got upto fifth before massive Irvine shunt!

[dhart]

The 90 festival was my favorite - Dave Coyne what a weekend he had!