Top Gear

[Mark]

Richard Hammond did a good piece on NASCAR during Top Gear last night (5th February 2012). It's the first item on the programme and should be on iPlayer if you are in the UK, and I'm sure there are other means of obtaining it if you are not!

[wedge]

That was utterly brilliant.

Hammond driving a Ford Coupe like Tim Flock and Fireball Roberts used to drive.

I loved how intimidating driving the pace car can be. It was captured so well as its often said by guest drivers so many times how intimidating it is.

[Alexamateo]

A check of BBC America reveals that Season 18 will premier here in the US on April 16. It mentions Richard Hammond at Nascar in the teaser. Which episode is it?

[Forum Buddy]

This is taken from UK BBC website.

Top Gear - Series 18
- Episode 2


Motoring show. Jeremy Clarkson and James May travel to Beijing for a look at China's ever-expanding car industry and a violent encounter with The Stig's Chinese cousin.

Jeremy Clarkson and James May travel to Beijing for a look at China's ever-expanding car industry and a violent encounter with The Stig's Chinese cousin.

Meanwhile, Richard Hammond is in Texas to immerse himself in the surprisingly interesting world of NASCAR racing.

Plus, the Mercedes SLS Roadster makes an enormous amount of noise and smoke on the test track, and Matt Le Blanc is the star in the Reasonably Priced Car.

[MAX_THRUST]

Think they did a good job of it. I was expecting it to be a micky take of NASCAR instead they showed what a competive and succesful series it is. Really enjoyed it. Some big names involved too.

[DBell]

This is taken from UK BBC website.

Top Gear - Series 18
- Episode 2


Motoring show. Jeremy Clarkson and James May travel to Beijing for a look at China's ever-expanding car industry and a violent encounter with The Stig's Chinese cousin.

Jeremy Clarkson and James May travel to Beijing for a look at China's ever-expanding car industry and a violent encounter with The Stig's Chinese cousin.

Meanwhile, Richard Hammond is in Texas to immerse himself in the surprisingly interesting world of NASCAR racing.

Plus, the Mercedes SLS Roadster makes an enormous amount of noise and smoke on the test track, and Matt Le Blanc is the star in the Reasonably Priced Car.

Thanks for this info. I'm looking forward to it. And Matt Leblanc??? Why is he on it? It's been a few years since I've really heard him mentioned here in the US. Is he working on British TV now?

[Mark]

He did a British (but set in America) comedy series last year called 'Episodes' and is currently in the UK filming Series 2.

[EavesFan09]

It is mainly due to Hammond's visit to NASCAR I am not into it.

[wedge]

Think they did a good job of it. I was expecting it to be a micky take of NASCAR instead they showed what a competive and succesful series it is. Really enjoyed it. Some big names involved too.

Did you see the America/Xmas special? They took supercars round North Wilksboro Speedway.

Is Clarkson a closet NASCAR fan?

[Allyc85]

It is mainly due to Hammond's visit to NASCAR I am not into it.

Explain? :confused:

I thought he did a decent job of showing the sport to those who know nothing of the sport and maybe changing the minds of the narrow minded, who think its just flat out foot to the floor for hundreds of laps :rolleyes:

[EavesFan09]

Explain? :confused:

I thought he did a decent job of showing the sport to those who know nothing of the sport and maybe changing the minds of the narrow minded, who think its just flat out foot to the floor for hundreds of laps :rolleyes:

Apologies. I see I made a spelling mistake which may have mislead you. I had meant to say "It is mainly due to Hammond's visit to NASCAR I am now into it". Instead I had typed 't' instead of 'w' when writing the word 'now' which turned 'now' into 'not'. Which changed things a lot into misleading you into perhaps thinking I am not into NASCAR when I am.

The moment I saw him drive Kurt Busch's car and have to race it against Jeff Burton's car, together with the moment he explained what the series was all about, I was sold. He indeed put over the series better than anyone and made better sense of it. But only because he has been the only one to invest attention into it. I don't know of anyone else who has showcased NASCAR on our TV. The only thing now I don't quite follow is the Gatorade Duel. :)

Looking forward to Hendrick Motorsport showing it's stuff. Seems to have the best lineup of all. Gordon, Johnson and Earnhardt Jnr.

[wedge]

The moment I saw him drive Kurt Busch's car and have to race it against Jeff Burton's car, together with the moment he explained what the series was all about, I was sold. He indeed put over the series better than anyone and made better sense of it. But only because he has been the only one to invest attention into it. I don't know of anyone else who has showcased NASCAR on our TV.

Fifth Gear did a good feature some years ago. Tiff's description of a stock car being a race car is better.

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The only thing now I don't quite follow is the Gatorade Duel. :)

It's a bit like quali for karting, FF, blue riband F3 races.

First part are speed trials that lock the front row. Second part are the Duels which basically set the grid for for odds and evens positions.


Looking forward to Hendrick Motorsport showing it's stuff. Seems to have the best lineup of all. Gordon, Johnson and Earnhardt Jnr.

Don't forget about Kasey Kahne! The kid can win races but what about a championship?

[call_me_andrew]

Fifth Gear does everything better.

[Mark]

Fifth Gear does nothing.

I've fixed your post.

[call_me_andrew]

Having now seen the episode on BBC America, I reaffirm my previous post in its original form.

[Lee Roy]

I caught the Top Gear episode on NASCAR. I enjoyed it.

[inimitablestoo]

I loved the fact that, when there was a story about the upcoming broadcast on the NASCAR website, a caption referred to Richard Hammond simply as "Top Gear host" without mentioning his name... :D

[Lee Roy]

I loved the fact that, when there was a story about the upcoming broadcast on the NASCAR website, a caption referred to Richard Hammond simply as "Top Gear host" without mentioning his name... :D

For a long time, I thought it was going to be done by Jeff Hammond.

I got a kick out of the teasing about "Americans" when the "gang" were talking. I thought it was funny and done in good taste.

[Mark]

When my first word in this thread was 'Richard' :D

[Mark in Oshawa]

I enjoyed it too...and I love how Clarkson and May did their usual teasing...