endurance racing

Information about endurance racing

Endurance racing is a form of motorsport which is meant to test the durability of equipment and endurance of drivers. Teams of multiple drivers attempt to cover a large distance in a single event, with drivers given a break with the ability to change during the race. Endurance races can be run either to cover a set distance in laps as quickly as possible, or to cover as much distance as possible over a preset amount of time.

One of the more common lengths of endurance races has been running for 1000 km, or roughly six hours. Longer races can run for 1000 miles, 12 hours, or even 24 hours. Teams can consist of anywhere from two to four drivers per event, which is dependent on the driver's endurance abilities, length of the race, or even the rules for each event.

Triple Crown

In endurance racing, three events have come to form a Triple Crown. They are considered three of the most challenging endurance races over the decades: the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ken Miles came close to winning all three events in the inaugural year for the 24 Hours of Daytona, but would lose out at Le Mans due to an error in his team orders, relegating him to second.

The last car to win all three events in the same year was the Porsche 962 in 1986. However, since 2003, Daytona has fallen under different rules from those used as Sebring and Le Mans, meaning that car regulations make it impossible for any racing car to win all three events. Drivers are still able to run all three events, although none have yet to win all three in the same year.

Due to the regulations, the American Le Mans Series' Petit Le Mans has become a third endurance event to match the regulations of Sebring and Le Mans.

Notable endurance races

Some of the more famous endurance races include:

See also

The Rolex 24 at Daytona (frequently referred to by its historical title, the 24 Hours of Daytona) is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is held on a 3.
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The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Air Force base in Sebring, Florida.

History

The track opened in 1950 on an airfield and is a road racing course styled after those used in European Grand Prix
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The 24 Hours of Le Mans (24 Heures du Mans) is a sports car endurance race held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance
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Ken Miles (born 1 November 1918 in Sutton Coldfield near Birmingham, England - died 17 August 1966 in Riverside, California, United States) was a sports car driver.

Background

Miles raced motorcycles before he served as a tank sergeant in the British Army in World War II.
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Porsche 962 (also known as the 962C in international competition) was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed to mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as
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Category Sports car racing
Country or region United States, Canada
Inaugural season
Prototype Classes LMP1, LMP2
GT Classes GT1, GT2
Current Drivers' champion/s P1:Rinaldo Capello, Allan McNish
P2:Lucas Luhr, Sascha Maassen
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The Petit Le Mans (French for little Le Mans) is a sports car endurance race held annually at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, USA.

The race was first run on October 10, 1998 as part of the IMSA season, then in 1999 became one of the original events of the
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The 1000 km Buenos Aires was an endurance sports car event held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The race mostly run on the Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, although it would run the Costanera circuit in 1957.
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The 1000km Monza is an endurance race mainly for sports cars held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy.

In the early 1960s, the race was originally held as a three hour event for production-based cars in the World Sportscar Championship before being expanded to a 1000
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The ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring is an endurance race for sports cars held on the Nürburgring in Germany and organized by the ADAC since 1953.

History

On the traditional 22.
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The 1000km Spa is an endurance race for sports cars held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

History

The Spa 24 Hours had been introduced in 1924, and other races followed.
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The 1000km Suzuka is an annual 1000 kilometer endurance race for sports cars held at the Suzuka Circuit. It is a round of the Japanese Super GT championship.

The race was previously part of the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship and later of the World Sportscar
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The 24 Hours Nürburgring is a GT and touring car endurance racing event on the Nürburgring, inspired by the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Spa 24 Hours.

Officially called ADAC 24h Rennen Nürburgring
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The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Air Force base in Sebring, Florida.

History

The track opened in 1950 on an airfield and is a road racing course styled after those used in European Grand Prix
..... Click the link for more information.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona (frequently referred to by its historical title, the 24 Hours of Daytona) is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is held on a 3.
..... Click the link for more information.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans (24 Heures du Mans) is a sports car endurance race held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance
..... Click the link for more information.
The Spa 24 Hours is an endurance racing event held annually in Belgium at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Conceived by Jules de Their and Henri Langlois Van Ophem just one year after the first 24 Hours of Le Mans, the race was run under the auspices of the Royal Automobile Club
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Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000
Venue Mount Panorama Circuit
Race Format
Race 1
   - Laps 161
   - Distance 1,002km km

Last Race (2007)
Winning Driver Craig Lowndes / Jamie Whincup

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Bol d'or is the world's most famous motorcycle endurance race, held annually in France.

Bol d'or means literally "Gold cup" in English but the name has some ironic understatement inside as "bol" is a trivial kitchen device while the more prestigious
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The Petit Le Mans (French for little Le Mans) is a sports car endurance race held annually at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, USA.

The race was first run on October 10, 1998 as part of the IMSA season, then in 1999 became one of the original events of the
..... Click the link for more information.
Suzuka 8 Hours (Japanese: 鈴鹿8時間耐久ロードレース - Trans: Suzuka hachi-jikan taikyū rōdo rēsu, Literal Translation: Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race)
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Gran Turismo is Italian for Grand Touring or "Grand Tourisme." in reference to the Grand Tour. The GT naming tradition comes from Italy, eg. Alfa Romeo and Ferrari named often their cars as Gran Turismo. 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT was also one of the first cars to have such name.
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Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars.
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