Spirit of ALMS must continue
The American Le Mans Series is history but its spirit is living on in United SportCar's approach. GARY WATKINS explains why the ALMS caught Europe's imagination like US sportscar racing never had before
Coming up with a list of cracking American Le Mans Series races is easy. Whittling it down to the best 10 is much more difficult. Damn nigh impossible I'd say. So apologies to any driver, teams owner, engineer or mechanic who feels left out when they read my Top 10 for AUTOSPORT last week.
The short 15-season history of the ALMS provides an embarrassment of riches when it comes to classic racing. Which is why I was pulling my hair out as I put together my list of the best races ahead of the 149th and final ALMS race at Road Atlanta last weekend.
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Gary Watkins has, for reasons best known to himself, devoted all his working life to covering sportscar racing. This season is his 33rd as a motorsport journalist, during which time he has reported on major long-distance events on four continents and approaching 80 24-hour races. He reckons a degree in political philosophy makes him well qualified for covering the sometimes Machiavellian world of international sportscars.
Gary, who also writes for Motor Sport, Autocourse, RACER and others, lives in Surbiton close to the former workshops of the Cooper Formula 1 team but spends more time on the road than at home for most of the year.
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