Risi Competizione Giuseppe Risi (right) with his regular season ALMS drivers Jaime Melo (far left) and Gianmaria Bruni (center). Photo credit: Rick Dole

This is the sixth part of a two-page centerfold on Racing in America in the the Road America issue of The Alley, Michelin’s trackside publication, which can be picked up around the paddock at the track. Stay tuned for additional sidebar posts from the story on michelinracingusa.com.

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Other Factors

Besides the competition, circuits, atmosphere, and fans, Fiona Miller, the always insightful press officer for Risi Competizione, sees two other factors why so many drivers like racing in America.

“In Europe many of the major sports car events are held at F1 designed circuits where the teams back their transporters up to the door of the garage and the teams stay sequestered in their garages,” she says. “In Europe, the teams, especially the drivers, can barely talk to one another as they move from garage to truck to hospitality all within a short location of each other.

“The culture is more closed and much less relaxed. Here we have big, open paddocks and
everyone gets along. The drivers enjoy being able to talk to each other in passing and mingling with the fans. It’s massively more fan-friendly here in the USA.”

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The full issue of The Alley for Road America can be downloaded as a PDF from the “The Alley: In Print” section of michelinracingusa.com.