Here in America, we are often guilty of overlooking overseas sporting events and writing them off as not as exciting as our home-grown equivalents. Soccer – the world’s most popular sport by far – is the prime example of a sport that we routinely disregard.
Well, if you want to buck that trend and broaden your horizons to take in more overseas sporting events and love motorsports, this is the article for you.
We will take a look at some great British motorsport events that offer just as many thrills and spills as NASCAR. Even if after reading this article you still can’t be persuaded to watch British motorsports, at least you’ll have enough knowledge on the topic to wow your friends!
Without further ado, here are some must-watch British motorsports that are every bit as good as NASCAR.
The British GT
Where? Various Locations
When? July/August- October/November
What? Gran Turismo Championship
In 1993 the British Racing Driver’s Club organised the inaugural British GT Championship which featured 4 classes won by Charlie Cox, Nigel Barrett, John Greasley and Thorkild Thyrring respectively.
Since then the Championship has become perhaps the most famous GT race series in the world, with drivers from far beyond British shores competing in the various class events.
What makes this racing series so exciting is the blend of different manufacturers that regularly feature in the Championships. Unlike F1, the British GT never tends to be dominated by one particular manufacturer over another.
In the past 5 years for example, there have been victories for Aston Martin, BMW, Ginetta and Bentley. Similarly, there always appears to be an open field of winners with new names featured on the winning podium every year.
That’s one of the reasons why the British GT is so popular with sports betters, UK online betting fans love the unpredictable nature of the Championships, which often sees a relative unknown emerge from obscurity to win the tournament!
Isle of Man TT
Where? The Isle of Man
When? May/June
What? Motorcycle public road race
The Isle of Man TT is a time-trial held on the public roads of the small Isle of Man Island located in the Irish Sea between the mainland UK and Ireland.
The very first TT was held on the island in 1907 and featured 10 laps of a 15 mile long loop around the island’s public roads. Since that initial race the course has improved and adapted to meet the needs of modern super bikes.
Now the course has all the ingredients needed to make the most exciting racing spectacle on the planet. There are high speeds with racers averaging 130mph across a lap, but there are also some really difficult to navigate, technical corners that test riders to their limits.
So much so in fact, that it is rare to watch an Isle of Man TT without witnessing at least one rider coming off their bike. It is very challenging and dangerous event, make no mistake about that.
If that isn’t enough to get your pulse racing, there is the stunning backdrop of the scenery to delight TV viewers as the racers are getting up to top speed.
Goodwood Revival
Where? Goodwood Estate, Sussex
When? Mid-September
What? Classic Car Race
Just 3 years after the war, the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex opened its doors to the public, welcoming in a crowd of 1,500 spectators to watch 85 drivers race around its motor circuit.
The meet became an annual fixture that attracting more and more fans as the years went by, but 18 years later the organisers decided to close Goodwood’s doors.
Fast forward 50 years and the 9th Grandson of the Duke of Richmond reopened Goodwood for contemporary racing, which still continues to this day.
The Goodwood Revival is a three-day event held every September to commemorate the circuit’s history. The circuit is unchanged from the last race held there in the 1950s and racers must drive classic cars around the historic track.
If you love classic cars there really is no better event on the planet than the Goodwood Revival.
(The majority of F1 cars are taken for a spin at Goodwood before making their debut in the racing championships.)
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Where? Goodwood Estate, Sussex
When? Early July
What? Super Cars & Bikes
Held at the same venue, just 2 months earlier is the Goodwood Festival of Speed which is the most unique motorsport event in the UK.
Over the space of 3 days motorsports fans get to see classic sports cars, Formula 1 machines, Le Mans winning vehicles, drag racers, supercars and vintage bikes all speed down the 1.16 mile driveway past Goodwood house.
It’s not just the cars that are a draw either, every year the biggest names from F1, MotoGP and more descend on Goodwood to check out the vehicles and to meet fans.
There’s something for every taste too, with a hill race which was won surprisingly last year by an electric car, the Forest Rally Stage and a donut competition.
If you are ever in the UK during the month of July, make sure to try and get tickets for this amazing event, it won’t disappoint!
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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