Poll: Grand Prix, best auto racing movie ever?

[Salvador]

They filmed a lot of it at the Chicago Motor Speedway. I was there when they were filming it. There was a scene that was supposed to be in Japan or Germany where one of the drivers was running the bleachers. That was Chicago. It's a good thing that they didn't pan over a few more feet because it would've shown the Chicago skyline.

There were more than a few laughable moments. One of my favorites is when they were running a race in Germany. I think it was supposed to be Germany. It was the race where the car ended up in the retaining pond. Anyway.. How slow is the safety crew that a driver has enough time to turn his car around, then get out of his car, go save the guy in the pond before the safety trucks even roll up? They shouldn't have hired a safety crew from another country. What about some of those crashes? They had Max Papis' car flying about 50 feet in the air, but then they never went back to whether he was all right or not.

A few other very funny moments. How did they get the cars started on the street racing scene? They do realize that the CART cars need auxiliary starters, don't they? Nice flames in the accidents too. You can't see Methanol when it's burning.

They made so many technical mistakes, it wasn't funny. I couldn't even sit through the movie the first time that I watched it.

Sal

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Salvador
They filmed a lot of it at the Chicago Motor Speedway. I was there when they were filming it. There was a scene that was supposed to be in Japan or Germany where one of the drivers was running the bleachers. That was Chicago. It's a good thing that they didn't pan over a few more feet because it would've shown the Chicago skyline.

There were more than a few laughable moments. One of my favorites is when they were running a race in Germany. I think it was supposed to be Germany. It was the race where the car ended up in the retaining pond. Anyway.. How slow is the safety crew that a driver has enough time to turn his car around, then get out of his car, go save the guy in the pond before the safety trucks even roll up? They shouldn't have hired a safety crew from another country. What about some of those crashes? They had Max Papis' car flying about 50 feet in the air, but then they never went back to whether he was all right or not.

A few other very funny moments. How did they get the cars started on the street racing scene? They do realize that the CART cars need auxiliary starters, don't they? Nice flames in the accidents too. You can't see Methanol when it's burning.

They made so many technical mistakes, it wasn't funny. I couldn't even sit through the movie the first time that I watched it.

Sal

Yeah, it sucked bad. I've actually seen a methanol fire in the pits in Long Beach. You're correct, you cannot see the flame. Just massive heat plumes and people running around like they are on fire (because they are, you just can't see it). Very scary. I've been down in the pits at Long Beach and have followed CART for years until it became kind of a stepping stone for F1 or a dumping ground for F1 rejects and pretty much went to hell (which is where it's at now). Still, I'm going to Long Beach again this April because it's so close to where I live and it costs me practically nothing to go now.

That Germany race was supposed to be some 'Stallone' version of the old Nurburgring I think. That track was deadly and very long (like 20+ miles in one lap through forests and small towns in Germany) they haven't held a Grand Prix race there since the 70s because it is so dangerous. The track is still there though. CART would never run on a track like that now. Nor have they ever. CART is barely hanging on and I think they are going in the wrong direction with some of the temporary street circuits like Denver and Miami (really boring races). IRL sucks though and NASCAR is just plain unwatchable...too boring. I'd rather watch golf.

 

[Salvador]

Yeah, it sucked bad. I've actually seen a methanol fire in the pits in Long Beach. You're correct, you cannot see the flame. Just massive heat plumes and people running around like they are on fire (because they are, you just can't see it). Very scary. I've been down in the pits at Long Beach and have followed CART for years until it became kind of a stepping stone for F1 or a dumping ground for F1 rejects and pretty much went to hell (which is where it's at now). Still, I'm going to Long Beach again this April because it's so close to where I live and it costs me practically nothing to go now.

Heh.. I know I shouldn't laugh, but it's funny to watch the pit crews running around when there is a Methanol fire because you can't see anything. It's like a bee is in their shorts or something. You see the initial plume, but that's it.

Being at a CART race and a F1 race is totally different partly because of the smell. F1 cars use regular gasoline and I was shocked at how different the atmosphere was at the track just due to the difference of the smell of Methanol and gasoline at the track. I prefer the smell of burned Methanol actually.

I didn't mind that people wanted to try their hand at F1 if they had the opportunity. I didn't really see CART as a stepping stone to F1, though it sort of was. I think that it gave more credibility to CART because their drivers were good enough to compete with the best in the world. Wish I could say the same about the IRL. Tony George is the Anti-Christ. Heh.. Of subject, but I just had to throw that in there. I won't EVER watch an IRL race just out of principle. I think the series sucks and I hope that everyone that defected to the series gets what they deserve. Even Mario Andretti turned his back on Michael when he defected. He told Michael that he'd only go to the Indy 500 last year. Michael's retirement was sooo.. Anticlimactic. Serves him right IMO.

Anyway.. I'm rambling here. I really wish that CART survives. In some ways, I think it's superior than F1. I love that they race on Road Courses, Street and Ovals. I think that they have a lot of technology, without going nuts. I just wish that they would cut down on the yellow flags. That's it. Other than the money problems, I thought it was the best overall race series available. If CART fails, I guess I'll be watching F1, ALMS and World Challenge.

The 'Ring or Green Hell is still there. The Northern Loop (Nordschleife) is 14 miles long with about 170 turns and you can still run it. A lot of car companies test their cars there now. They tested and tuned the Corvette Z06 and Cadillac CTS-V there. I believe that Porsche and BMW also test and tune all their cars at the Nurburgring track. It's much too dangerous for cars like F1 cars though because of their speeds. The new F1 track is rediculous by comparison. It's far too short and not very interesting.

Sal

 

[thebestMAX]

OK, got the Le Mans DVD today.


From Box:

Widescreen version enhanced for 16:9
English subtitles
Dolby digital
English 5.1 Surround
English Stereo Surround (????)
French Mono


1971/color/108min

Let you know more after I get a chance to see it this weekend or sooner.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Salvador

Yeah, it sucked bad. I've actually seen a methanol fire in the pits in Long Beach. You're correct, you cannot see the flame. Just massive heat plumes and people running around like they are on fire (because they are, you just can't see it). Very scary. I've been down in the pits at Long Beach and have followed CART for years until it became kind of a stepping stone for F1 or a dumping ground for F1 rejects and pretty much went to hell (which is where it's at now). Still, I'm going to Long Beach again this April because it's so close to where I live and it costs me practically nothing to go now.

Heh.. I know I shouldn't laugh, but it's funny to watch the pit crews running around when there is a Methanol fire because you can't see anything. It's like a bee is in their shorts or something. You see the initial plume, but that's it.

Being at a CART race and a F1 race is totally different partly because of the smell. F1 cars use regular gasoline and I was shocked at how different the atmosphere was at the track just due to the difference of the smell of Methanol and gasoline at the track. I prefer the smell of burned Methanol actually.

I didn't mind that people wanted to try their hand at F1 if they had the opportunity. I didn't really see CART as a stepping stone to F1, though it sort of was. I think that it gave more credibility to CART because their drivers were good enough to compete with the best in the world. Wish I could say the same about the IRL. Tony George is the Anti-Christ. Heh.. Of subject, but I just had to throw that in there. I won't EVER watch an IRL race just out of principle. I think the series sucks and I hope that everyone that defected to the series gets what they deserve. Even Mario Andretti turned his back on Michael when he defected. He told Michael that he'd only go to the Indy 500 last year. Michael's retirement was sooo.. Anticlimactic. Serves him right IMO.

Anyway.. I'm rambling here. I really wish that CART survives. In some ways, I think it's superior than F1. I love that they race on Road Courses, Street and Ovals. I think that they have a lot of technology, without going nuts. I just wish that they would cut down on the yellow flags. That's it. Other than the money problems, I thought it was the best overall race series available. If CART fails, I guess I'll be watching F1, ALMS and World Challenge.

The 'Ring or Green Hell is still there. The Northern Loop (Nordschleife) is 14 miles long with about 170 turns and you can still run it. A lot of car companies test their cars there now. They tested and tuned the Corvette Z06 and Cadillac CTS-V there. I believe that Porsche and BMW also test and tune all their cars at the Nurburgring track. It's much too dangerous for cars like F1 cars though because of their speeds. The new F1 track is rediculous by comparison. It's far too short and not very interesting.

Sal

I know the 'Ring' is still there. Wasn't there a driver killed there a few years ago while testing a Porsche or something?

Funny you mention Mario Andretti. I saw him in the pits at Long Beach the year after his son split from CART. I remember thinking to myself that it was kind of strange and wondered why he was there but whatever. I had him sign my ticket anyway.

I like CART but that series is barely hanging on by the thinest of threads. I won't watch IRL either. If I wanted to watch cars go around in circles I'd watch nascar. To me that is the most uninteresting form of motor racing. I can't even sit through the Indy 500 on TV. Once every couple years I watch it. Seemed to be dominated by CART drivers anyway.

 

[Dominionion]

Step back and let Dominionion set ya all strait...

A) Le Mans is the #1 racing film. Watch the DVD with the sound turned up till your ears bleed!

B) Gran Prix. A great film badly in need of audio remastering. The video and laser had awful sound.

C) Michael Vaillant Haven't seen this one yet, but racing films are still being made!

 

[prvteye2003]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Never heard of it

 

[boyRacer]

OWRS only has one oval in their schedule... but yes i like it when they go on street circuits. Their survival looks iffy... even moreso when Adrian Fernandez switched to IRL. As of right now theres around 16 cars for next year... and some of those arent even confirmed yet. By the way things are looking... IRL and OWRS will both die.