Should race lengths be shorter?

I want to hear some of you guy's opinion on whether or not you think some races should be shorter. Personally, I have a hard time watching 2+ hours of racing but maybe I am in the minority. I just get bored because a lot of the time teams do not make major moves until the last 1/4 of the race. My favorite racing series are Pirelli World Challenge, AMA Supercross, and Moto GP (with F1 in the mix as well). All 3 have points rewarding races that last 40-60 minutes (Supercorss is shorter but with multiple races).I believe this leads to more action on the track. What are some of you guy's favorite race series?

I love endurance racing so longer race lengths, be it through laps or timers are fine with me. The only limits to me watching all the racing I would like is whatever os broadcast and weather or not SWMBO is home.

I like a mix of race lengths. I really like the V8 Supercars format where they have shorter (~40 min?) races all the way up to endurance races (Bathurst) during the season.

I wouldn't want to watch a 6 hour enduro every weekend, but they're fun to see once in a while. Having the different lengths really brings in different elements and strategies (tires, fuel, cautions, etc).

I know this isnt the same as what you're talking about.....

caught some "local" racing over the weekend while out of town for a cousins wedding. super short races in the first couple heats, 5 laps 1/4 mile oval.

5 wide into turn one! in hobby stock class i believe. you don't see 5 wide that often. wish i had a pic.

Maybe the longer races are not really relevant as they used to be. The cars last (24 hours races will of course still have some breakdowns), the drivers are in much better shape and the races tend to be like basketball games, not a lot of reason to watch anything but the end.

I prefer the longer races.

Endurance racing is the best racing. There's a lot more strategy involved than a sprint. I can watch Bathurst or Le Mans almost end to end, but a 1 hour race won't hold my attention.

I am all for the 1 hourish races. My 2 favorite series are Aussie supercar and PWC. It keeps the action tight and I rarely have time to devote 3-4 hours to watching a race.

There should be a good mixture of race lengths. Hows about the 1/4 Mile of Le Mans and 24 Hours of NHRA?

Shorter races are better for spectators, longer races are better for drivers - or moreso, teams with big money on the line (less consequences resting on each screwup).

Drag racing matches my attention span but getting seat time is tough.

Paul_VR6 wrote: Drag racing matches my attention span but getting seat time is tough.

There's a line for that.

longer races are better... it gives more time for errors to add up, for strategies to play out, for tempers to flare...

in other words, it's more time for entertainment to happen.

In reply to novaderrik:

If it happens is the question.

I've sometimes wondered how a NASCAR 500 would look if it was split into five 100s. Five times the end lap chaos!

Threadjack...

Where and how are you people watching v8 supercars this year?

Thanks!

Rob R.

P.S. Endurance racing for me please! I watched every single bit of coverage of teh 24 hours of Lemans. I might be sick.

I like watching sprint races on TV.

I like attending endurance races in the flesh.

They both have their pros-n-cons. Sprint racing is fun to watch because no one is taking it easy on their tires or fuel (relatively speaking). The action is non-stop and like the OP said I can use my increasingly-limited couch time to see an entire race.

If I'm spectating at the event, sprint races just go by too fast. A trip to the concessions or bathroom and you'll likely miss a good chunk of the race. Plus, a big part of spectating is sitting around with your friends talking smack and possible team strategies. I'd also imagine that longer races are much better for the teams financially as far as exposure, not to mention the costs to simply get to the track.

Yes, yes they should. Much shorter. Most folks, me included, haven't the time of energy to watch the damned five cars doing the same thing over two or more hours. ESPECIALLY if I'm watching the race on TV ! ! !

Short and sweet, with more coverage of the cars themselves and the pits, pre-race.

Hell, even quarter-mile six second drag races have been cut down to eight mile for some classes. They obviously realized that six seconds is just too much to demand from their viewers, and a full quarter mile . . . you GOT to be kidding me ! ? ! ? ! I've got stuff to do, can't be watching this crap all day you know ! ! !

I agree with the comments about the strategy of longer races being an important part of the sport, OTOH, as a spectator, there are few motorsports as riveting as MX/SX. The format of multiple heats of multiple classes is great fun to watch. The local roundy-round tracks are often similar.

I think it would fun to see a top tier pro racing series try that, with various 1/2 hour sprints of other miscellaneous cars (spec whatever, crapcans, CMC, formula whatever, vintage, ect) racing in between the pro's heat races.

I think that there are two things keeping that idea from working.

First, the size of the field in auto racing is usually quite small compared to MX, so qualifying heats leading up to a Main just aren't needed (Boy, that's a problem that I wish auto racing could have).

Second, that type of format would be hard to package for TV

HappyAndy wrote: I agree with the comments about the strategy of longer races being an important part of the sport, OTOH, as a spectator, there are few motorsports as riveting as MX/SX. The format of multiple heats of multiple classes is great fun to watch. The local roundy-round tracks are often similar. I think it would fun to see a top tier pro racing series try that, with various 1/2 hour sprints of other miscellaneous cars (spec whatever, crapcans, CMC, formula whatever, vintage, ect) racing in between the pro's heat races. I think that there are two things keeping that idea from working. First, the size of the field in auto racing is usually quite small compared to MX, so qualifying heats leading up to a Main just aren't needed (Boy, that's a problem that I wish auto racing could have). Second, that type of format would be hard to package for TV

I'd be interested to see if it could work. One reason Supercross takes so long is that they have to prep the track but man I love watching the races. For cars... Say there is a field of 40 cars. Split the field in 2 and do a 10-15 lap semi that rewards 10 pts to 1st, 8 pts to 2nd, and so forth. Then have 40ish lap final with a mandatory pit stop and the usually pts awarded (25pts for 1st). Do that once on Saturday and once on Sunday and you have great race weekend. Obviously I thought of this on the fly and it probably wouldn't be that easy

And to add to this, I like the idea of multiple races per weekend. I hate when a great team DNF's because someone punts them off the track and cannot do anything about it until the next race 2 weeks later. It would allow teams to salvage some of the damage is they have a bad/off race.

Sounds like you need to catch the Aussie V8 Super Sprint rounds. Two sprint races on one day and a longer race on the following day.

wvumtnbkr wrote: Threadjack... Where and how are you people watching v8 supercars this year? Thanks! Rob R. P.S. Endurance racing for me please! I watched every single bit of coverage of teh 24 hours of Lemans. I might be sick.

https://www.v8supercars.com.au/v8superview

Strike_Zero wrote: Sounds like you need to catch the Aussie V8 Super Sprint rounds. Two sprint races on one day and a longer race on the following day.

I've seen a few rounds and it is great racing. I wish it was on cable more here in the states.

Is this a debate about TV viewing or physically at the track? As an ALMS (read not TUDOR) fan, I love traveling around the country visiting new tracks, camping, cooking, drinking beer with buddies, and trying the local restaurants and bars. I have a tough time arguing that it's worth driving 8+ hours or flying across the country to watch a race that is only 2hrs 45min. After you have been to Petit Lemans, Sebring 12hr, Daytona 24, etc. its a turnoff. Take TUDOR series Belle Island Detroit for example: It's a 2:45 race and half of it was under caution. How does on justify attending the race, when there are other races on the schedule that are longer and much more exciting? The longer races have longer practice sessions, qualifying, warmups, recon laps, etc. There is more time to visit the pits, paddock, and wander around the track while cars are lapping and teams are prepping cars. In addition to the filler series' running during the weekend it makes for a full schedule, especially with if there are night practices. I was at Road America last August and it was kind of boring. Large gaps in the schedule meant excess downtime.