I think the spectator experience is a big reason why Nascar, and the Indy 500 are such big races; they are held on oval tracks with big seating areas and the fans can see EVERYTHING. As opposed to some miserable circuit race where fans can only see one corner. At the Nurburgring the shit's so spread out that the drivers can't even reach their crew on the radio for half the lap because they're so far away.