I decided to have a shot at watching a downloaded version of the mid-ohio ALMS race tonight and while the racing wasn't too bad, I'm amazed at just how much the American commentators make the whole concept of the race seem different than European equivalents.

I've always enjoyed the commentators in FIA GT and Lemans coverage because they give detailed information, and stay quiet and let you watch the action when you want to.

When I popped on the ALMS race one of the first things I heard was "today we have 40 different cars in 4 different classes, and if you love passing, then this is the sport, we have lots of passing". "see that number on the steering wheel, yes, well thats what gear he's in."

I suddenly felt like I was watching a nascar race. It's amazing to see the different priorities of racing between the commentators.

Americans seem to want action, all the time. They want someone to get in your face and get you completely stoked to watch the race (on your couch :-). they also sort of assume that no one wants to hear the technical aspects of the sport. Mind you, I did hear some detailed information, It's just what I observed.

European commentators do the opposite. They welcome you to watching the race and then get on with it. It may not be as simple to get into the sport and learn about the drivers if your new to it all, but at least everyone else can get absorbed into everything going on.

Anyone else agree with me on this?
I suppose it may all the different stations way of marketing the sport, but I find it interesting.

I am American by the way, so not just going against American racing here.

The ALMS race at Mid Ohio was shown by NBC here in the US, if I'm not mistaken. Therefore, Bill Weber and Wally Dallenbach were calling the show. They're not real commentators ;)

eh...you've picked a really bad example for American commentators in this case. The normal commentators for the ALMS on Speed are okay. Not as in depth as maybe the Europeans, but they know what they are talking about. Same for Grand Am. F1 commentators Bob, David, and Steve are , IMO, probably the best in the states right now. But for the rest of the series (NASCAR, IRL), garbage.

I've seen some of the FIA GT stuff and haven't been too impressed with the commentating. I just finished up with a DTM race and same thing, bleh. On the other hand, they do allow you to actually watch the race without hearing all the fluff, kinda what you were saying. The Eurosport Le Mans coverage, however, was great!

Back to what you were alluding to...America is a stick and ball country right now. What auto racing we do have now is NASCAR and the rest is in their own niches. NASCAR purposely tries to stay in the stone age in terms of technology so they don't try to stuff the technical side down our throats. The commentators will try to provide some information, but its not in depth and will go straight back to racing action. To the fair weather fan (unfortunately, it seems they fill a large portion of NASCAR's fanbase nowadays), that side is not that important, and that's the sacrifice you take to try and bring a niche sport into the mainstream here in the US.

Wasn't aware that ALMS was shown on speed. Must pay more attention to that.
Bob, David, and Steve are definitely the best in the business in my opinion as well. They do some great F1 coverage.

Watch the Sebring race in 2007 the final laps of the porsche vs Ferrari battle had my skin inching. They really made the battle epic in my opinion. I mean you couldnt ask for a better finish, a F430 suffering on double stinted tires and a Porsche hard on the charge waiting for that perfect moment. The comentary made was the icing on the cake. I didnt care much for the Comentary in alot of the FIA GT races, as there were close battles that never get covered.

Us americans love excitment, its sad to say but alot of us dont care about all that technical mobo jombo. (atleased the people who came to race for the beer and the bitches dont) Thats one thing were good at is making things look better or worst than they really are, then you have us sim racers going. "He's suppose to do that." My all time favorite is listening to people yelling at the cars telling them to "GO GO GO!" as they are clearly braking for a corner that gives no passing chance.

What I do like about watching the FIA GT races is I gets my rocks off from the in car cams. Even though you dont get to hear the cars true form. The incar cams are awsome as you can almost compare some of the views to a sim racing experience, aslong as the camera is placed well.

The race as Oschersleben, the incar cames of the F550 was the first I've ever heard that car live. It was amazing, and and I was surprize to see it sounds much like an Aston martin DBR9, atleased by the cams microphone anyway. I wasnt impressed by the position of the cam but FIA tells them were to put them.

But you are right, the brits let you watch the race and comment as if they were sitting right in your living room drinking martinis shaken and not stirred.

Something will happen that you can clearly see and know whats going on and they almost pretend like they dont know whats going on. Kinda like that friend that comes over and tries to tell you whats going on but doesnt really have a clue, but you dont say anything and alomst agree just to make them feel good about themselves, lol. Its nice because they make the race seem more personal.

They give it to you as is, especially the FIA GT races and honestly I just enjoy watching the cars go around making specific corners, and I go "So that how you make that corner."

It was good fun to watch that 550 at oschersleban. The sound was none-the-less impresive in my mind as well. What a beautiful sound. Ferrari have always managed a way to put low grumble, and high scream in the same engine. Have to love it.
But then again we really don't see it enough in action. Too bad though.

I'll take a look at that race in 2007. And i agree with the "GO GO GO" bit. It's like fans in football... always screaming "catch the ball! run!"
as if the players don't know what they are supposed to do :-)