Top 10s: Must-sees at the 24 Heures du Mans:

By John LeBlanc LE MANS, France - Like the Indianapolis 500 or Monaco Grand Prix, the 24 Hours of Le Mans should be on every car enthusiast's bucket list. With the exception of a 10-year break for the Second World War, and in 1936 due to a strike, the race has been held every year since 1923, in the Loire Valley, a few hours south of Paris. Of course, for the quarter million spectators that showed up to this year's event, there's more to see than race cars lapping the 13.6-km circuit at speeds above 300 km/h. Here are 10 other reasons it's worth making the trip to see the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

10. the start

The traditional "Le Mans start" where drivers ran across the track to their awaiting cars, then raced away, was dropped in the late 1960s due to safety reasons. Today, it's still done as a part of the fanfare, but the actual race begins with a rolling start. This year's top qualifiers, three Audi R18 TDIs and a trio of Peugeot 908s, filled up the first three rows. Only 24 hours to go ...

9. the race cars

Unlike most racing series, the 24 Hours of Le Mans sees all sorts of different race car types battling it out on the track for space. The aforementioned Audi R18 TDIs (above) and Peugeots are in the top Le Mans Prototypes (LMP) class, followed by the LMP1 and LMP2 classes, which are categorized by speed, weight, and power output. The next two classes, GT Endurance Pro and GT Endurance AM, are production car-based classes, filled with Aston Martin Vantages, Porsche 911 GT3s and Ferrari 360s. Although the top LMP car usually claims the victory, lower classes have occasionally taken the checkered flag.

8. The accessibility

If you've ever attended a Formula One Grand Prix race, you know how hard it is to gain access to the pits. But sports car racers take themselves less seriously. A paddock pass will get you access to team personnel throughout the 24-hour event.

7. it's just not about the race cars

Many automakers take advantage of the race's car-friendly crowd to display new production or concept cars. This year, Audi sprinkled many of its recent creations around the race grounds this year, including the A1 Clubsport Quattro and E-Tron Spyder concepts, and debuted the R8 GT Spyder production model. Here it is, pictured with six times Le Man winner, Belgian Jacky Ickx.

6. it's just not about the new cars

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is part race weekend and part car mecca. With motorsport clubs and individual spectators across Europe gathering at the circuit, it's not uncommon to see six-figure Aston Martins and Ferraris parked next to mundane European econoboxes. There are also plenty of vintage cars to stumble upon, like this vintage Le Mans Jaguar D-Type race car, plus the historic race cars that are housed in the onsite museum.

5. the race fans

Imagine the legendary Woodstock musical festival, but with hardcore racing enthusiasts - that's the 24 Hours of Le Mans fan experience in a nutshell. And because the majority of the quarter-million attendees end up spending the weekend in a tent along the track, the opportunity to go all out in support of favoured teams only heightens the experience. Team flags as capes, face paint, wigs ... it's all part of the Le Mans race fan experience.

4. The Mulsanne Straight

Officially known as Ligne Droite des Hunaudières, the Mulsanne Straight is the race track's most distinctive feature. Originally six kilometres in length, it allowed cars to reach speeds as high as 400 km/h during the late 1980s. Since that time, two chicanes were installed to lower speeds; nevertheless, today's racers will still hit 320+ km/h before having to slow down.

3. the memorabilia

With hundreds of thousands of race fans on hand, its no wonder vendors take advantage of Le Mans's captive audience. Whether you're looking for rare scale model cars, or a $40,000 Rolex watch, you'll more than likely find it in and around the circuit's vendor booths. There's even a store exclusively for memorabilia associated with the 1970 Steve McQueen movie, LeMans.

2. racing at night

The highlight for many race fans at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is when the sun sets on Saturday evening. It's also a true test for the drivers - racing at over 240 km/h on a barely illuminated circuit means they must rely on instincts and trust their headlights, which only shine a few dozen metres ahead.

1. the finish

There's nothing quite like watching the checkered flag fall after a 24-hour race. Regardless of the outcome or what team or driver you've cheered for, the sense of accomplishment for fans and racers makes the finish at Le Mans one of the most emotional moments in racing. And the 79th edition offered one of the most dramatic finishes in the race's history. After two of Audi's three cars crashed, the last remaining R18 TDI fended off the three chasing Peugeot 908s to the finish line. The margin of victory for drivers Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer was just 13.420 seconds - one of the smallest ever seen at Le Mans. Photos by John LeBlanc & Audi Motorsport

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