Daytona 500 (NASCAR)
The Daytona 500 is the zenith of stock car racing. It is the opening round of NASCAR’s arduous season and has produced some of the most spectacular moments in the sport’s 65-year history. A continuation of the early Daytona Beach races held in the years prior to Daytona International Speedway’s 1959 opening, the Daytona 500 draws the largest US television audience of any motor race. The 1979 edition of this race rocketed NASCAR into the national spotlight and helped make it the multi-million dollar sport it is today.
Le Mans
Le Mans depicts every facet of motorsports in one weekend in the French countryside. This racing is conducted with multiple classes of race cars, each with differing levels of performance, and, therefore, provides some of the most exciting overtaking experiences of any racing format. Teams use multiple drivers who take turns in multiple stints throughout the race. The race is 24 hours long, so there is an amusement park near the grandstands for the thousands of fans who attend each year.
Indy 500
The Indianapolis 500 celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011. It is known around the world for its incredibly high average speeds. At Indy, 33 cars bolt around a 2.5-mile circuit at speeds approaching 230 mph for 500 miles straight, so a crash at Indy is colossal. The venue was once paved entirely in bricks and is still known as the “Brickyard”. With traditions such as a bottle of milk being presented to the winner and the kissing of the brick finish line, Indy 500 is the race everyone wants to win.
Monaco Grand Prix (F1)
The Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, run since 1929 in the streets of Monte Carlo, is undoubtedly the most popular form of auto racing in the world. This street course has a plethora of twists and severe elevation changes. There is even a point on the track where the drivers must race through a tunnel. The Monaco GP is the most glamorous race of them all.