Automobile racing (edit: circle track) , horse racing and even highschool track races are counterclock wise.
Why is this?
Thank you.



Modified by Penfold at 4:44 PM 6/19/2006

 

You know Earth turns one way and you have to run with it. It will be harder to run against it.
JK


Edo

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Penfold &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Automobile racing , horse racing and even highschool track races are counterclock wise.
Why is this?
Thank you.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not entirely true. There are some tracks (Interlagos comes to my mind) where they race in the other direction.

Dunno why's that...maybe just because the first race in a particular venue was held that way and it stood during the years?

 

putnam is run clockwise.. as is mid-ohio.. and beaver run..

just to name a few..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mstewar &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">putnam is run clockwise.. as is mid-ohio.. and beaver run..

just to name a few..</TD></TR></TABLE>

And Summit Point (main).. VIR full/north... CMP... Watkins Glen.. Lime Rock..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Penfold &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Automobile racing , horse racing and even highschool track races are counterclock wise.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Blame it on the French. Napoleon, actually.

You see, Napoleon always mounted his horse from the left side, like everyone else in the aristocracy. But once on the horse he broke tradition and held the reins with his left hand instead of the right, as was more the fashion of the period. He did this for two reasons. First, so he could wield his sword with his favored hand. And second, he was a chronic masturbater and liked to have his right hand free with which to twiddle his nipples and stroke himself. Because the reins were constantly held from the left, there was ever so slightly more guidance for the horse to go in that direction. This was not a problem when following roads and trails as the horse always had visual cues of where they were headed. But in the open fields of battle, the horse would generally travel in a counter clock-wise manner. Since everyone else in the battle was either trying to kill him (he was French, after all) or protect him, everyone else followed in the same circular, counter clock-wise path. Ironically, the exact same thing happened when he would ********** atop his mount (with eyes rolling back in his head) and the rest of his army following in suit. That is how another French tradition, the circle-jerk, was invented.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Penfold &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Automobile racing, counterclock wise.</TD></TR></TABLE>?

clockwise tracks:
-CMP
-LMS
-VIR
-Watkins
-Gingerman
-Road Atlanta
-Lime Rock
-Mid Ohio
-Beaver Run
-etc.

Counterclockwise tracks:
-Laguna Seca
-Dirt track at LMS
?

Bothwise:
-Jefferson Circuit
?

 

Thanks for the replies. Perhaps I should have specified circle track racing.
Did anyone go school where the track events ran clockwise?


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thawley &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Blame it on the French. Napoleon, actually.

You see, Napoleon always mounted his horse from the left side, like everyone else in the aristocracy. But once on the horse he broke tradition and held the reins with his left hand instead of the right, as was more the fashion of the period. He did this for two reasons. First, so he could wield his sword with his favored hand. And second, he was a chronic masturbater and liked to have his right hand free with which to twiddle his nipples and stroke himself. Because the reins were constantly held from the left, there was ever so slightly more guidance for the horse to go in that direction. This was not a problem when following roads and trails as the horse always had visual cues of where they were headed. But in the open fields of battle, the horse would generally travel in a counter clock-wise manner. Since everyone else in the battle was either trying to kill him (he was French, after all) or protect him, everyone else followed in the same circular, counter clock-wise path. Ironically, the exact same thing happened when he would ********** atop his mount (with eyes rolling back in his head) and the rest of his army following in suit. That is how another French tradition, the circle-jerk, was invented.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I really dont know what to say to this.

 

Brilliant Thawley, just brilliant. I smell an honor thesis...

 

SMMP / Spring Mountain / Pahrump / Radical West = Clockwise
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Club Course = Clockwise
SOW = I've only ran it clockwise.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">?

clockwise tracks:
-CMP
-LMS
-VIR
-Watkins
-Gingerman
-Road Atlanta
-Lime Rock
-Mid Ohio
-Beaver Run
-etc.

Counterclockwise tracks:
-Laguna Seca
-Dirt track at LMS
?

Bothwise:
-Jefferson Circuit
-Shenandoah Circuit (Summit)
</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Hallett goes both ways.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris F &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hallett goes both ways.</TD></TR></TABLE>

On a related note, so did Napoleon.

 

Sebring and Roebling are both run Clockwise.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Penfold &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks for the replies. Perhaps I should have specified circle track racing.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Don't know for sure but the fact that the drivers didn't want to be right against the wall I think would have something to do with it. I know I would want the crumple zone of the passenger side of the car.

 

I remember reading about this somewhere. I think in Europe horse races were run clockwise, so the guys over in the U.S. and A. wanted to do the opposite. Also from what I've read, it's because the drivers in the U.S. and A. are on the left side of the car so they'd be farther from the wall (as was posted below by Markos).

Another theory is that most car races in the U.S. and A. were first held at horse tracks where the horses ran CCW.

Or maybe since we race "against" the clock (best benchmark ever) we do it CCW.

 

shenandoah is not run clockwise


thawley

 

I heard that if you have a circle track race in Austrailia, it runs the other direction.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Outrun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I remember reading about this somewhere. I think in Europe horse races were run clockwise, so the guys over in the U.S. and A. wanted to do the opposite. Also from what I've read, it's because the drivers in the U.S. and A. are on the left side of the car so they'd be farther from the wall (as was posted below by Markos).

Another theory is that most car races in the U.S. and A. were first held at horse tracks where the horses ran CCW.

Or maybe since we race "against" the clock (best benchmark ever) we do it CCW.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Outrun is correct. When the American colonies seperated from Britain, they wanted to be as different as possible from British traditions and that included racing and the direction of travel during a race. Circular races held in Britain (and other British colonies) still run races clockwise, whereas in the US they are run CCW.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FlyZlow &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I heard that if you have a circle track race in Austrailia, it runs the other direction.</TD></TR></TABLE>

that is a myth. it is run the same way. its just that we are looking at it upside down.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tom91ita &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

that is a myth. it is run the same way. its just that we are looking at it upside down.</TD></TR></TABLE>

*snicker*

 

Modified by thawley at 10:46 AM 6/21/2006

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by C-speed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Circular races held in Britain (and other British colonies) still run races clockwise, whereas in the US they are run CCW.</TD></TR></TABLE>

As noted above, most road courses in North America run clockwise, not counter-clockwise.



Modified by nsxtasy at 2:29 PM 6/21/2006

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">As noted above, most tracks in North America run clockwise, not counter-clockwise.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Tell that to the NASCAR boys, and all the other roundy-round guys.

You and everyone else who has noted it above are thinking of road courses, which are traditionally clockwise. Circles, Ovals, Tri-ovals, etc. are traditionally counter-clockwise.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thawley &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Blame it on the French. Napoleon, actually.

You see, Napoleon always mounted his horse from the left side, like everyone else in the aristocracy. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hmmm, I thought the French always mount their horses from behind.