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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Motor_racing
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1992-09-01
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Competitive motor racing began with a Time
Trial in 1894 between Paris and Rouen.
Apart from F1 racing there are several other
forms of legal speeding in motor-vehicles.
They are:-
Formula 3000.
Formula 3.
GT racing.
Touring Car racing.
Le Mans 24 hour.
Rallying.
Road racing.
F3000 Champion for 1997 was Ricardo Zonta
of the Super Nova team, despite him not
gaining a single point in the first three
races.
The cars in these events all have Zytek
engines, Lola chassis and Avon tyres.
The primary purpose of F.3000 was to prepare
future drivers for F1. but since 1992 only
one F3000 champion (Oliver Panis in 1993)
has gained a F1. drive.It is also used to
keep F1. team test drivers up to scratch.
F3 has five main championships- in Britain,
Germany,France,Italy and Japan-and three
non-championship events in Macau,Monaco and
Zandvoort(in Holland).
Jarno Trulli went straight into F1 after
winning the German championship but it is
usual to graduate to F3000.
GT(Grand Touring) racing.
These take place on the tracks at Hockenheim,
Silverstone,Helsinki,Nurburgring,Spa,
Knittelfeld(Austria),Suzuka,Donnington,
Scarperia(Italy),Sebring(Florida),and Laguna
Seca(California).
The 1997 winner was Bernd Schneider driving a
CLK-GTR.
Touring car racing.
This seems to be a diminishing sport,
although Britain,Germany and Japan are
maintaining championships.
The 24 hour Le Mans, first run in 1923 and
probably the most important sports car race
of them all,celebrated its 65th.race on
14th./15th. June 1997 with an overall win by
Alboreto,Johansson,Kristensen in a Porsche
WSC95.They had completed 361 laps of the 8.5
mile circuit in 24Hrs 2Min 40Secs.Raphanel,
Gounon,Olofsson won the GT1 cat.with 360 laps
in a MaLaren F1 GTR-BMW.Neugarten,Lagniez,
Martinolle were first in the GT2 cat.driving
a Porsche911 GT1,completing 307 laps.
The farthest distance driven at Le Mans was
3,315 miles(5,335 Klms.) on the old circuit
at Sarthe, Le Mans, by Marko & van Lennep,
driving a Porsche 917K group 5 car in the
1971 race.
The record on the present circuit is held by
Lammers/Dumfries/Wallace in a Jaguar XJR9 at
3,313 miles(5,331 Klms.) driving in the 1988
race.
Indianapolis 500.
First held in 1911, May '97 saw the 81st. run
of this famous race and it was won by Arie
Luyendyk, driving a G-Force-Aurora, in
3Hrs 25mins 43secs.
IndiCar racing:-now called Champ Cars.
These races are run over 400/500 miles on
oval tracks, over 30 rounds, at Hampton
(Georgia),Daytona Beach(Florida),Rockingham
(Nth.Carolina),Richmond(Virginia),
Hampton-again, Darlington(Sth.Carolina),
ort Worth(Texas), Bristol(Tennessee),
Martinsville(Virginia), Sonoma(California),
Talladega(Alabama),Concord(Nth.Carolina),
Dover(Delaware),Long Pond (Pennsylvania),
Brooklyn(Michigan),Fontana (California),
Daytona-again,Loudon(New Hampshire),
Long Pond-again,Indianapolis(Indiana),
WatkinsGlen(New York).With repeats at
Brooklyn,Bristol,Darlington,Richmond,
Loudon,Dover,Martinsville,Concord,
Talladega and Rockingham.
Rallying.
Motor rallies are for mass produced cars,
suitably modified.
Taking place over ordinary roads and rough
tracks, they are extremely tough on both car
and crew.Probably the toughest was the East
African Safari which,from 1953,took place
every Easter over roads in Kenya,Tanganyika
(now Tanzania)and Uganda. Now called the
Safari Rally,it is restricted to Kenya.
The longest rally took place in 1977 and was
from London to Sydney(Australia).Starting on
14th.August, the winners,Cowan/Malkin/Broad
driving a Mercedes 280E,arrived at the Sydney
Opera House on 28th. September.
Other famous rallies are the RAC Rally,which
takes place in the U.K. and the Monte Carlo
Rally,which has several start points at
various places in Europe all eventually
coming together for a final run to Monte
Carlo.
An attempt was made in 1992 to run a Paris to
Cape Town rally.Passing through France and
then eleven African countries it would have
covered approx. 7,900 miles(12,700 Klms.).
Because of various problems (flooding,wars,
the type of country) the distance was finally
reduced to 5,900 miles(9,500 Klms.) by either
shortening or cancelling several stages.
Road racing.
No longer a motor sport, these events were
regarded as very glamourous and included such
great races as the Mille Miglia,which took
place in Italy and the Targa Florio,which
took in the mountainous roads of Sicily.