[rpoz-29]

I read the F1 vs. IRL vs. NASCAR vs. Touring Car debate and I wondered, what is the best race you have ever seen? SCCA , IMSA, AMA etc. Anything pros, amatuers, bikes, boats, whatever. In person, on TV, a participant etc. Lets hear from you guys.

[bubba353z]

I don't have a best - but a most memorable ending. I don't remember the exact year (I'm getting old), but it was the CART event Michigan.

Max Papis had replaced Bobby Rahal in the Miller Lite car. Max had absolutely dominated the race (Team Rahal really had the Hanford device figured out) and basically could pull away at will from the rest of the pack.

On the last pit stop there was a technical problem with the fuel rig / sensors, and they didn't get all of the fuel in the car. On the last lap, on the back stretch, he ran out of fuel. Max coasted it across the line (about 7th place) and made an immediate left turn across the grass - parking it perpendicular to the pit wall.

Max got out of the car, and sat on the wall in front of his car. He just sat there for about 5 minutes, head in his hands - not even bothering to take his helmet off. A few of his crew came down to talk to him, but he just sat there - heartbroken.

I was at the race, and my seats were right across from where he stopped. It wasn't until I got home that I heard the in-car and found out what happened. The emotion in his voice was obvious - I felt for him. Max later got his first win, but that one should have been it.