Ten Cities That Would Make Amazing Race Tracks
Purpose-built race tracks are great, but they'll never have the glamour of circuits cutting through urban streets. Jalopnik readers know ten cities that are dying to host motor racing.
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The golden age of street circuits has passed. They used to serve as convenient in-city entertainment, just like in-city amusement parks. Most people own cars nowadays and can afford to drive out of the city to see motor racing at dedicated tracks. There's no real need for street circuits.
Street circuits, however, are making a comeback. Formula One races in Melbourne, Valencia, and Singapore in addition to the classic Monaco Grand Prix. In America we've had races in Long Beach, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Dallas, New Orleans, Miami, Phoenix, Detroit, and many more. The more racing we have in cities, the better.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
10.) Rio de Janeiro
Brazil loves motor racing. The Brazilian Grand Prix in São Paulo is wildly popular. A race in Rio would be another sure hit. And perhaps the drivers would keep their racing clean under the watchful eye of Christ the Redeemer.
Suggested By: emmanuel.transmission, Photo Credit: Mark Goble
9.) Seattle
Seattle is one gorgeous city with a ton of crazy roads and crazier drivers. Looping from Seattle across the water and through Bellvue would be absolutely amazing.
Suggested By: Lockon Stratos, Photo Credit: Dave Morrow
8.) Cape Town
South Africa used to be one of the greatest hubs for motor racing. While Europe was suffering through winter, its drivers would race in South Africa's summer. A street circuit could bring that back, looping straight along the tip of Africa.
Suggested By: Gary Knoetze, Photo Credit: Getty Images
7.) Manhattan (Central Park)
The New York metropolitan area is already getting a major race (the 2013 2014 New Jersey Grand Prix), and there are always plans to race cars down Manhattan's canyon-like avenues, but there's another option for racing in NYC. A vintage car racing circuit running through Central Park would be unbelievably cool, and would rival Pittsburgh's outstanding Vintage Grand Prix.
Suggested By: mers, Photo Credit: Automobile Quarterly via Automobiliac
6.) Chicago
Admit it, hearing racing engines echo through Chicago's below-ground streets would be the greatest thing ever.
Suggested By: Birddog, Photo Credit: Eugene Wei
5.) Henningsvær, Lofoten, Norway
It's impossible to look at this bridge complex in Norway and not imagine race cars screaming by. Safety, though, would be a bit of a challenge.
Suggested By: Gimmi-Sagan-Om-Draken, Photo Credit: Asbjørn Floden
4.) Hong Kong
Gran Turismo 4 has already detailed how a street course would run through Hong Kong. We just want to see the track in real life.
Suggested By: d3v, Photo Credit: Alfonso Jimenez
3.) Los Angeles
LA's canyon roads are some of the greatest in the world. Looping up around Mulholland Drive would make a track like an American Nürburgring. It was designed for enthusiastic driving, after all.
Suggested By: DoctorSuarez, Photo Credit: Sam Smith/Jalopnik
2.) San Francisco
Because jumps.
Suggested By: Proud to drive a beater, Photo Credit: Gymkhana
1.) London
There are always touristy street circuit proposals for London hitting all the major tourist spots — Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, etc. — these will never work. London does have one amazing circuit that has been forgotten for decades: the Crystal Palace circuit, site of some of England's greatest races.
Take a look through its history and you'll know we need to bring it back.
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