Best defunct racing series'

[AndyRAC]

As well as CanAm, what about the DRM? The forerunner to what we now know as the DTM, but far superior in every way.
I's agree with Ben about the British Open Rally series; a simply awesome series. To think there won't be a BRC in 2015.....
And with tongue in cheek may I suggest the WRC from 1979-1997; as that was when the dreaded 'cloverleaf' format was introduced, and the many issues the WRC faces now started.

[BDunnell]

Not mentioned to date is F2 (1966-70) a golden era when Rindt v Stewart was more often a real rivalry than in F1

Now there is an excellent nomination. I've read much about F2 in that period, and indeed post-1970 — the idea of its like today is simply fanciful — up-and-coming talent taking on the established stars. Given that, we really have lost something from motorsport today, haven't we?

The same, as I said, is true of British rallying's greatest era. Was this its apogee? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ6HrwIlzXQ

[anfield5]

I know these things were deadly, and caused a lot of injuries and deaths, but there was something incredible with the "Killer B's" in World Rallying. The cars (if you could call them cars) were astonishing things, the speed, noise and spectacle was something to behold. It is a shame some way to keep the show but mitigate the risks couldn't be found

[umatbro]

Have you heard of RGT? its a rally class for sports cars, so its going to be similar to group b.

[inimitablestoo]

Of course, the original version of the WR Car formula (1997) was supposed to be about recapturing some of Group B's visual drama - somewhere along the way that got lost again.

And yes, if we could get back to the pre-cloverleaf era of rallying, before the repeated stages and - even worse - SuperRally, the powers that be might find people start taking an interest again. Without contrivances such as final stage shoot-outs and the like.

[Starter]

My votes would go to CanAm in first place with Atlantic in second. Atlantic not only had several F1 drivers come out of it but many CART/IndyCar ones as well. Third place would be a tie between F5000 (in the states it was dominated by one car/team/driver combo) and the old US TransAm series. The TransAm had all the US factories competing and a number of name drivers. Competition was intense, but the glory years only lasted for three to four seasons. It wound up a pale imitation of itself when the factory teams left.

[umatbro]

Of course, the original version of the WR Car formula (1997) was supposed to be about recapturing some of Group B's visual drama - somewhere along the way that got lost again.

And yes, if we could get back to the pre-cloverleaf era of rallying, before the repeated stages and - even worse - SuperRally, the powers that be might find people start taking an interest again. Without contrivances such as final stage shoot-outs and the like.

1. Did you mean World Rally Car?
2. Whats a cloverleaf?

[inimitablestoo]

1. Did you mean World Rally Car?

Indeed I did - WR Car was a common abbreviation in the early years of the formula, and that's the era I had in mind, from 1997 to roughly about 2005. Aero wasn't quite as mad as Group B, but it did look distinctly aftermarket.

2. Whats a cloverleaf?

In rallying terms, essentially a route format with a central base, from which each day's stages head out and come back in again, forming a (rough) cloverleaf shape if you drew them all at the same time. Back in the day (how old do I sound? ) rallying was a proper A-to-B sport, and while it's difficult to argue with trying to save costs, the cloverleaf format cost the sport something of its character. These days the cars tackle something in the region of a dozen unique stages (usually repeated twice) at World Championship level, whereas events used to be considerably longer and a repeated stage would be a rarity, if it happened at all.

[AndyRAC]

I said it at the time, around 1995-7 when it was being introduced – it will kill/ severely damage the sport. And it has. Those that make these decisions think they know best – but time has shown they don’t; in fact, quite the opposite.
Compare a pre ‘cloverleaf’ RAC Rally to a current RallyGB….; one covered large parts of the country; the other is currently a Rally of Northern Wales…..

[Bruce D]

I would say A1GP. Ok, I still suspect that Bernie killed it in the end by being behind the Ferrari deal. The series was very good with the original cars/engine/tyres but then they changed it to the Ferrari chassis/engine and Michelin tyres and killed it overnight because the basic was that the cars could follow each other closely and overtake each other - the new cars were too aero dependent, being based on a F1 car. I still rate that 2007 / 2008 season as brilliant, so many different winners and unpredictable nature.