Are you a fan of car racing? Speed and competitive racing? Well, if you are, then Project CARS will do the trick for you and your adrenaline-filled heart.
That’s right. The Project CARS video games is one of the many BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment games that we have on sale right now at IndieGala. Check them out.
Likewise, the motor simulation game is the perfect lock-down remedy for all of you racing fans out there. And yes, we already had a very similar post here at IndieGala that involved fast racing movies. You should check out Assetto Corsa’s inspired post that we did just a few weeks ago.
But for now, let’s focus on the game itself and the movies that also involve racing. There a lot of them, so we’ll try to select the best of the best. We’ll also try and explain the never-ending appeal of racing (and not just in movies) so stay tuned. Hope you’ll like it.
So, first things first.
Project CARS: What’s the game all about?
Well, much like the name suggests, it’s all about cars and racing.
First released in 2015, Project CARS is an exciting motorsport racing simulator video game. It’s also developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published and distributed by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
The game features 74 derivable cars, over 30 unique locations with at least 110 different courses. Next, 23 of those courses are real, with the remainder being fictional. Project CARS is intended to represent a realistic driving simulation.
Besides, the racing events in the video game can span multiple days, while changes in weather and lighting conditions are simulated dynamically. Furthermore, the game even has two fictional point-to-point roads inspired by California Pacific Coast and Côte d’Azur.
Project CARS and the love of racing
Why do people love car racing so much? Well, first and foremost, the love for cars, in general, goes hand in hand with the love of car racing. However, the car racing is so much more than that. The fans appreciate the adrenaline, speed, and the technical marvel of maneuvering the car through 300 km/h. The love for racing goes beyond the cars themselves.
Understanding the mechanical aspects of the vehicle is important, but the feel of racing is what gets people hooked. To be honest, there’s nothing quite like it. Car racing requires pushing the boundaries, breaking the laws of physics. Not to mention the excitement of being competitive in a fast-paced environment.
Most race car drivers are also addicted to the competitive nature of the sport. Always aiming to be the fastest and quite frankly the best. It can be quite addicting at times.
But more often than not it’s all about the adrenaline rush. Controlling a high-speed vehicle through an unpredictable circuit (or road) is always exhilarating. Whether you’re doing the racing or just being a spectator, it’s a thrilling spectacle. Watching a NASCAR event or an F1 race provides excitement and makes you sit on the edge of your seat. Hence, it’s so much more than cars driving in a circle for three hours. On that note….
Project CARS and the movies
In all honesty, very few people in Hollywood know how to make a decent racing movie. And of course, the racing movies are so diverse now, that we don’t have one single racing genre. There are the animated film series Cars, however Fast And Furious franchise set the tone for all the street racing movies to come.
But, when you think about racing in general (and it doesn’t involve street racing), most often than not, you think of sports car racing. Regardless of what version of racing you prefer, there are plenty of decent movies there. NASCAR, F1, Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 or the Daytona 500 are some of the best-known racing competitions for sure. And even Hollywood can sometimes do them justice with a fun and exciting movie.
Whether it’s a fairly recent movie or a relic of the past, Hollywood can surprise the racing fans with a great product. Granted, some horrible cinematic examples do exist. But in addition to the most existing racing movies, we’ll be focusing on the most acclaimed as well.
Who are the best racing movies?
Well, just last year Hollywood graced us with a fantastic racing movie. A biopic no less. I’m talking about Ford VS Ferrari. It showed us the battle and rivalry of the two automobile titans leading up to the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Ford and Ferrari of course.
And speaking of Le Mans, there’s the fantastic 1971 movie of the same name. Starring Steve McQueen, it depicts a single Le Mans auto race, and it’s incredible. But we can’t forget about Days Of Thunder, and 1973 The Last American Hero. With Jeff Bridges in the lead role, The Last American Hero is a biopic about the legendary NASCAR driver Junior Johnson.
Furthermore, the 1969 movie Winning depicts one driver’s obsession with winning the Indianapolis 500. While the 1966 movie Grand Prix was all about the fate of four F1 drivers in the 1966 F1 season.
And last but certainly not least, we can’t help but mention Rush. A Ron Howard directed movie centered on the Hunt–Lauda rivalry. Back in the 70’s, the rivalry between the British James Hunt and the Austrian Niki Lauda was legendary and intense. Likewise, it’s a fantastic movie with a brilliant performance from Daniel Brühl in the role of Niki Lauda.
What’s your favorite racing movie?
Seriously. What’s your favorite racing movie? Do you enjoy watching racing biopic movies or just the good old sports dramas? We’d love you to know your favorites. Tell us all about them in the comment section.
