Anyone know why oval track racing in the USA is done counter clockwise, where UK oval track racing is done clockwise ?

 

Lol... Good one there HDDP and I'll bite.

British drivers sit on the right side of their cars as they drive on the left side of the road which puts them next to the centerline. We drive on the right sitting on the left to be next to the centerline. So, my guess is... driving counter clockwise in the US while sitting on the left puts the driver close to the inside of the track. The opposite goes for the British.

How many points do I get for that answer??? Ha ha ha...

 

this is just an assumption HDDP...years back... i've heard that we rode our horses on the RIGHT hand side of the road as we wanted to defy and deviate from the BRITs who rode their horses on the left hand side... which carried on into the driving of vehicles... i have also heard that brit drivers get fatigued quicker driving our courses, particularly the neck as they have to keep it stretched in position to (while driving from the right side of the car) look forward to the left turns.

when will you release the answer??? lol j.

 

yeah BEN47 the centerline theory seems accurate and sensible!!! cheers!!

 

Being the NASCAR fanatic that I am...they run counter clockwise because the driver is further from the wall...and, hence, the UK is run clockwise. Inquiring minds always want to know.

 

DANG... You all got it... There's no way to stump this forum... Cheers !

 

We don't actually have that many oval tracks over here apart from the small dirt tracks for banger racing. I think the only true US style oval we have is Rockingham Speedway about 30 miles from me. Even then for most club and national racing only part of the oval is used. Another local track Mallory is basically an oval with a hairpin, and more recently a chicane section. They sometimes run it in an oval format for the little Legends and Eurocar series. Its tiny compared to the US stadiums though, and there is no concrete wall, just tyre stacks and Armco set well back from the track. Strangely when people do 'loose it' they tend to end up heading into the infield rather than the outside.

Oval or not though, our tracks do usually go clockwise. Presumably this does originally stem from the LHD/RHD difference.

You also tend to find that most race cars in the higher echelon categories of racing are LHD as well. Usually due to the cars being homologated in LHD config only. I actually prefer LHD on the track as it seems more natural for sighting the RH bends in that you get can see through the apex earlier.

Simon.

 

But the original reason all of Europe rode on the left side of the road? This started back when horses were the main mode of transportation and lots of fighting was done from horseback. Because most men were right handed, they passed on the left side so they could strike the opponent as they passed by. Cars just followed suit . . .