Series

Because we know you love racing, we cover lots of leagues. If you’re a hard-core F1 fan, or think you only like NASCAR, why not check out what the other leagues have to offer? After all, they’ve all got hot rubber, metal gears, and go really, really fast. And hey, isn’t that why we fell in love with racing in the first place? Check out these leagues:

American Le Mans Series (ALMS)
What it is: Founded in 1999, the American Le Mans Series features long-distance races ranging from one hour and 40 minutes to 12 hours.Teams compete in one of four classes: LMP1 and LMP2 for Le Mans Prototypes, and GT1 and GT2 for Grand Touring cars. The Prototype cars are unique-looking, and much faster than the GT cars, which can be anything from Porsche to Audi and Ferrari. Each American Le Mans race produces four separate class winners, and one overall winner. Because of the emphasis on endurance, there are often two drivers per racecar, and sometimes more for longer races. The cars compete on temporary and permanent road courses across the United States and Canada.

Why follow it: All four classes are racing at the same time! This creates high-speed passes, and really gives you the chance to see the different makes of cars compete against each other. As well, many high-profile drivers you might know from leagues like F1 and IndyCar drive on this circuit in their down-time.

Formula 1 (F1)
What it is: The pinnacle of open-wheel racing, Formula 1 presents the fastest, biggest machines on the road. F1 holds races in top destinations around the world such as Monaco and Monza, and the elite manufacturers including BMW and Mercedes often incorporate their F1 racing designs into their retail car lines. F1 is the most-watched sport in the world, and teams have the biggest budgets in the world of racing: usually ranging from $60 million to over $400 million.

Why follow it: These guys take racing seriously. They’re also the fastest racing series in the world. They bring glamour and style to a sport that has more than its share of “down and dirty” leagues. And while the races are mostly in Europe and Asia (which can make watching live races a little hard), it’s hard not to feel your pulse race when you hear the unmistakable sound of an F1 engine.

IndyCar
What it is: Formed in 1996 as a breakaway from the Champ Car Series, the IndyCar Series sought to popularize the cars and drama of the annual Indianapolis 500 race, which is still the premiere event of this series. The premiere league of American open wheel racing, IndyCar has now reunited with Champ Car, and runs on a mixture of short ovals, road / street courses and superspeedways. Drivers come from around the world, although races run mostly in the United States and Canada.

Why follow it: If you love open-wheel racing and you live in North America, The IndyCar league might be your only chance to see it live (or see North American drivers compete). This is truly a dynamic series with racers from around the world. More and more women are also making their way into this series (i.e.: Danica Patrick), meaning there’s more for the ladies (and men) as well. ;)

Grand-Am Rolex
What it is:  A sports car road racing series, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series runs two separate classes of cars: prototype and GT. The GT series is a high-performance, production based series, and a true battleground for top vehicle manufacturers, as each vies to outdo the other. Both classes in this series race together, creating several races in one. An interesting format, and the ultra-competitiveness of this series keeps fans on the edge of their seats. Races are literally across the world (16 countries) so your odds of being able to catch a race live is pretty good.

Why follow it: Grand-Am is the most popular sports car series in North America, with a viewership of around 20 million. NASCAR bought this series in 2008 – so it now has the massive NASCAR promotional engine behind it. Like ALMS, the different classes of cars race together, creating some really interesting racing. And, the prototype series has attracted the attention of superstar drivers from the NASCAR series, and also features up-and-comers and veterans of the sport.

MotoGP
What it is: An adrenaline-fueled series, MotoGP is the premier world series of motorcycle racing and the oldest motorsport World Championship in existence. The F1 of motorcycle racing, MotoGP holds races across the globe–holding 18 Grands Prix in 16 countries. The bikes are prototypes and are not legal to drive on public roads. The bikes race on road / street courses, and with the allowance of four-stroke engines in 2002, they can reach scorching speeds of up to 215 miles per hour.

Why follow it: Do I really need to tell you?! These guys are FAST on two wheels. There’s no other race where the driver is within an inch of the asphalt in the corners, and all that’s between them and some major road rash is a bit of fabric. Plus, the races are shorter, so if the multi-hour racing marathons (ie: NASCAR) have you itching for the remote, these short, adrenaline-filled races will be right up your alley.

NASCAR Sprint Cup
What it is: The most popular league in the NASCAR series, the NASCAR Sprint Cup is also one of the most popular spectator sports in the USA. NASCAR uses a stock car that’s unique to the world of racing. Most races are run on oval speedways and superspeedways, with the occasional street / road circuit race being added in recent years. Races are held across the United States, with a focus on the Southeastern states. Sponsorship is King in this series, with companies paying millions of dollars to be associated with this wildly popular series. The NASCAR season is 10 months long—the longest of all major U.S. sports.

Why follow it: Their motto is “rubbin’ is racin!” There are so many drivers on the course at any one time (upwards of 40), bumping and grinding is expected – sometimes with spectacular crashes as a result. Not that crashes make the races… but there’s definitely no shortage of action on the track when these guys are racing.

NASCAR Nationwide Cup
What it is: The NASCAR Nationwide series runs in support of the Sprint Cup at many events (often the day before). It’s the proving ground for young drivers trying to make it to the big leagues, although many more experienced drivers from the Sprint Cup series drive in Nationwide as well – to give them an extra day of practice on the track before the big race.. Nationwide uses a stock car, and most races are on ovals, with the occasional street / road circuit race being added in recent years. Races are held across the U.S. with the most recent addition of one course in Canada.

Why follow it: Like the Sprint Cup series, Nationwide races are chalk full and see plenty of action. This league pits more experienced veterans against younger drivers, and the results can be surprising. Also, it’s probably the easiest series (alongside NASCAR Sprint) to catch on TV.

World Rally Championship (WRC)
What it is: Considered by many as the most challenging motorsport competition in the world, the WRC pits driver against the environment for a series of three-day events across five continents. Drivers race against the clock in a set of stages (ie: they race alone), and have to deal with surfaces ranging from slippery snow, to hard rock to loose gravel to smooth tarmac. Due to high speeds and uncertain terrain (i.e.: they have no idea where the heck they’re going!), co-drivers read the pace notes of each stage and tell the driver about upcoming turns and varying conditions of the road ahead. The cars competing in the WRC look like regular cars you might find on the road, but they are modified to become supercharged, four-wheel drive warriors of the road.

Why follow it: It’s unlike any other racing series out there. These tracks are set up on the backwood backroads around the world, and they’re going so fast they need a navigator. Plus, the races are visually stunning to watch (the scenery is great), and you get to see cars you might own (Ford, Citroen) ripping it up out there.