What does racing sound like?
Not just the engines – but the atmosphere, the anticipation, the chaos, the reverence. In this special episode of the Break/Fix podcast, we journey through a full race weekend at Road Atlanta, exploring how sound shapes the motorsports experience – and what might be lost in a future of electric silence.
Ask any motorsports veteran what first drew them to racing, and you’ll hear it: the sound. The visceral roar of a V12 Ferrari, the bark of a turbocharged boxer six, the thunder of a big block Chevy. These aren’t just noises – they’re symphonies. One fan recalled the unforgettable harmony of Porsche six-cylinders and Ferrari V12s echoing through the trees during a Can-Am race. “It was like a symphony,” they said. “I’ll never forget it.”
But what happens when the soundtrack fades? As electric motors creep into the paddock, many wonder: will racing still feel the same?
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From the moment you arrive at Road Atlanta, sound surrounds you. The low rumble of idling V8s. The buzz of golf carts and generators. The announcers calling out lap times over the din of pit lane. Even the train to Newport seems to hum with anticipation.
Each car has its own voice: Corvette, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Cadillac, Acura. You can pick them out by pitch alone. Flat-plane cranked V8s scream. V10s wail. Muscle motors thump. And the 911s? They crackle and pop on downshifts, their exhaust notes trailing off like punctuation marks.
Synopsis
On this special Break/Fix episode, we delve into the significance of sound in motorsports, exploring how audio elements like engine roars and car noises enrich the race experience. Featuring perspectives on how the future of motorsports might change with the advent of electric vehicles, the episode narrates a full race weekend at Road Atlanta, complete with detailed descriptions of the auditory landscape. The podcast also highlights the juxtaposition between traditional combustion engines and emerging electric technologies, while emphasizing the irreplaceable sensory appeal of classic race sounds. Additionally, it includes reflections, prayers, and national anthem renditions as preludes to the main race event, adding to the emotive ambiance of motorsport gatherings. The episode encourages listeners to consider how the absence of traditional race sounds could alter the essence of motorsports in the future.
Transcript
[00:00:00] Grand Touring Motorsports started as a social group of car enthusiasts, but we’ve expanded into all sorts of motorsports disciplines, and we want to share our stories with you. Years of racing, wrenching, and motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge and information through our podcast, Brake Fix.
Can you imagine a world where ladies and gentlemen start your engines? doesn’t have the same meaning as it used to? Many of our guests, when asked the pit stop question, what would be different once the evolution has taken hold, their overwhelming consensus is the lack of sound, which begs the question, what if there was no sound in racing?
What attracted me to racing, one of the things, is the sound. The sound! I don’t care if it’s a Super Dos Wigo, a V12 Ferrari, something in between. It’s the sound. And there is no sound with [00:01:00] electric. Now, Van Donley’s developing some electric sprint cars, I guess, to run at his, uh, track up in Syracuse and maybe that’ll be cool.
But again, if you take the sound away to me, that you’ve taken away a very large portion of what we’re all learning in the tower now to go.
That’s sound I’ve ever heard. What’s up during the six hours in the K and M series where the two classes were allowed to race together, Porsche six cylinders, Ferrari V12s. Big block Chevys, small block Chevys, all resonating off the trees coming into the boot section. It was like a symphony, I’ll never forget it.
One of the best things I’ve ever heard. In this special episode of Break Fix, we take you, the listener, on a journey through an entire race weekend at Road Atlanta and explore all the different ways that sound influences the race experience. The[00:02:00]
50, 000 for winning this championship, and yes, I’m sure you can do it with 50, 000. For second place, you get 80 grams. And 80 grams is enough to run a few seasons in these cars, but it’s still not that true, is it? Well, yeah, I don’t mind. Remember, you could take [00:03:00] it as I’ve said before. Alright, that’s it. Our place will be here very soon.
We’re about to take the train to Newport, We’re about to take the train to Newport, Newport Newport will be going to Newport. Newport will be going to Newport. my video.
The announcers will always be there, with the hustle and bustle of the paddock and pit boxes, with small engine generators, golf carts, and equipment always in the background. Do you hear that low rumble of idling V8s? And what about that lap after lap buzz of the pack rushing by? Oh, Carderly, straight for the championship.
[00:04:00] Jarrett Thomas, in second position, third, Salim[00:05:00]
Ullam, fourth, Freshwater, fifth, 57th, then, the, rookie, of, the public, that’s up there, in the background. The storm is coming, and there is this crescendo before [00:06:00] the start of any race. You don’t just hear it, you feel it.[00:07:00]
And what of the distinct sound of the 9 11s during a cup race? The[00:08:00]
crackle and pop of downshifts and unburnt fuel backfiring, with exhaust notes trailing off in the distance.[00:09:00]
The sounds of preparation probably won’t change. But what is there to warm up when electric motors are ready to go immediately?[00:10:00] [00:11:00]
Excitement begins to mount as your favorite driver and their vehicle make their debut on pit road, heading out on the track for practice. You can almost single out each brand from Porsche to Corvette, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Cadillac, Acura. And everything in between.[00:12:00] [00:13:00]
The reverberation of engines at full song. Flat plane cranked V8s. Turbo boxer 6s. High strung V10s. And monstrous ground thumping muscle motors. Each with their own distinct pitch. What does the engine of the future sound like? Will you be able to tell them apart?[00:14:00]
There’s something comforting about the racetrack. And after a long day, many of us sleep really, really well. But it’s finally race day. There’s always the sobering quiet compared to the previous days. Less chaos as the teams and drivers are getting more serious in preparation for qualifying. Moto has brought a lubricant analysis machine machine, 24th annual Moto Lamont to both help competitors.
Finish line and provide free oil analysis to racing fans. Racing lab is a state of the [00:15:00] art mobile laboratory capable of analyzing the lubricants running in your engine. Now, what will these analyses bring to you? Well, this predictive tool will allow you to organize your vehicle’s maintenance schedule.
The Motul Racing Lab can also Search for metal elements present in the lubricant to detect premature or accelerated engine wear and thus know if it’s necessary to carry out replacements of parts. You will analyze the composition of the lubricant in use to highlight any coolant leaks or fuel dilution that may damage the engine and limit its performance with a pre oil analysis.
The remote racing lab in the fan zone. You can follow the evolution of these factors daily and recognize the development of lubricant agents and degradation due to extreme conditions of use from
the outside. Everybody seems to be scrambling to be the first ones out. The first one’s with clear track. The first one’s with clean air. The sound of the [00:16:00] track has changed. You can hear it all around you. It’s time for best and final laps.[00:17:00] [00:18:00] [00:19:00]
Teams frantically practice and repeat pit stops, refueling, as well as tire and driver changes. During the race, there’s no second chances. Every second counts. And you have to be as close to perfect as possible.
Staying in one place might give you the best vantage point for viewing the race, but does it evoke the same feeling? This next clip is taken from the [00:20:00] Road Atlanta start finish bridge as the cars pass underneath. It’s intense, and more so when you’re standing there as the sound of each car echoes through your chest.[00:21:00] [00:22:00]
Multiclass GT and prototype racing is one of the few disciplines of motorsport where you can get up close and personal. With the cars, the drivers, and the entire experience. It’s not circus and pageantry from a distance. You are shoulder to shoulder with thousands of other petrolheads, on grid, before the start of the main event.[00:23:00]
There’s always this constant hum and movement throughout the paddock. Even during opening ceremonies. Maybe in the future, that background noise won’t be there. Brothers and sisters, I love you today. Would you please just quiet your hearts and pray with me. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for this glorious and beautiful day, sunshine, this awesome weather, and us all here together.
Lord, I pray today on this Veterans Weekend that you would bless and [00:24:00] honor our veterans, that you would strengthen them, help them, give them everything that they need. Thank you for their service. And may their families be encouraged today. I pray that your glory would be here in this entire vicinity and should bless each and every each and every driver, every crew and everyone here today.
May your warrior fighting angels surround and protect on every side. Strengthen these drivers to race their very best today. Let them feel the life of God at every turn. And we thank you and we praise you in the name of the most high God. Amen. Yeah, thank you. Please welcome the report. Of today’s French national anthem, Jeffrey La.[00:25:00]
Please remain standing for the singing of our national anthem, performed today by Amanda Athens. [00:26:00] Oh
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there[00:27:00]
And
now, ladies and gentle listeners. It’s time for what we’ve all been waiting for. It
is the final of the [00:28:00] four most famous words in motorsports. Welcome back our Grand Marshal, Joey Camerota, from Motutal Technical Support, as he gives today’s command. Drivers, start your engines! And with that, ladies and gentlemen,
it’s the engine spring to life for this 24th running of the MotoGP Le Mans at Michelin Raceway World Class in the season finale of the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship. Thank you for the call for the next 10 hours, please. Welcome back in progress. Call from Kipsa radio with John Heindock, Jeremy Shaw and Kay Adams.
Welcome along.[00:29:00] [00:30:00]
As the safety car pulls into the pits to release the anxious drivers, just when you thought the noise around you was at its climax, It all seems to break loose. The race is on. Just 12 short hours to go until the checkered flag.[00:31:00] [00:32:00] [00:33:00] [00:34:00]
Even as the sun sets and the temperatures drop, there is no shortage of [00:35:00] fans. Watching, waiting, camping, and celebrating at nearly every corner of the track. The area between turns six and seven at Road Atlanta is a great place to be, but the sound is near deafening, albeit amazing, as the cars pour on the speed down the back straightaway.[00:36:00]
Surrounded by darkness, The drivers soldier on, fighting for every second, every lap, every position. Oddly enough, the darker it gets, the louder the track seems to become. There is no sleep for the fans. The[00:37:00] [00:38:00]
race is reaching its end, and you can hear the drivers pushing harder in those last moments. The engines straining, the brakes screeching, tires squealing, exhausts rumbling and popping. Take a moment and ask yourself, does this exist in the future?[00:39:00] [00:40:00]
And just like that, it’s all over almost as quickly as it began. A somber silence and calm has returned to the track. The results are in, and all that you hear now are the low mumbles and murmurs of fans making their way home from this spectacle of speed. And as we take a moment to reflect on this race, or any race you’ve been to, imagine a future where these sounds aren’t part of the experience.
Does that matter to you? How will it change the way you look at racing events in the future? Are you more or less likely to be there in person? Unfortunately, we don’t know what the future holds, but we can hope that motorsports will continue to have a place in it. And as we’ve said before, There’s a very good chance that the last petrol powered car to be driven will be a race car.[00:41:00] [00:42:00]
We hope you enjoyed another awesome episode of Brake Fix Podcast brought to you by Grand Touring Motorsports. If you’d like to be a guest on the show or get involved, be sure to follow us on all social media platforms at GrandTouringMotorsports. And if you’d like to learn more about the content of this episode, be sure to check out the article at GTMotorsports.
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Bonus Content
Motul’s Racing Lab adds another layer to the weekend’s soundtrack. Their mobile oil analysis station hums in the fan zone, offering predictive diagnostics for race teams and fans alike. It’s a quiet revolution – searching for metal particles, coolant leaks, and fuel dilution – all through the chemistry of soundless lubricant.
Race day dawns with a sobering quiet. Gone is the chaos of practice and qualifying. Teams are focused. Drivers are serious. The paddock hums with purpose.
Opening ceremonies bring reverence and reflection. A prayer for veterans. The French and American national anthems. And then, the moment we’ve all been waiting for:
“Drivers, start your engines!”
The command echoes across the track. Engines spring to life. The safety car pulls in. And just when you think the noise has peaked – it breaks loose. The race is on.
As the sun sets, the sound intensifies. Fans camp between turns six and seven, where the back straightaway becomes a tunnel of thunder.
The darker it gets, the louder the track seems to become. There’s no sleep – only celebration, adrenaline, and the relentless push toward the checkered flag.
As the race ends and silence returns, we’re left with a question: what if these sounds disappear?
Would you still come to the track? Would racing still stir your soul?
We don’t know what the future holds. But we do know this: the last petrol-powered car to be driven will likely be a race car. And we hope motorsports will always have a place in that future.
Want more behind-the-scenes action, Pit Stop minisodes, and VIP goodies? Support Grand Touring Motorsports on Patreon for as little as $2.50/month. And remember – without you, none of this would be possible. Follow us on social media @grantouringmotorsports and stay tuned for more!
