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Even if you’re only casually into motorsports, it’s still important to know the big names.  You can fake your way through a conversation about football or the latest Seahawks loss, but do you really know what you’re talking about when the name Shumacher comes up?  If not, then here are a few of the most noteworthy drivers out there today:

Michael Shumacher

Michael Shumacher, though recently retired, is a former Formula 1 driver that is generally considered to be the best of all time.  He’s a seven time world champ, and still holds the record for the most points scored in one year.  On the car show Top Gear, Shumacher was revealed as The Stig, the show’s own anonymous race driver, who has motor oil instead of blood, and is afraid of stairs.

Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick is, hands down, the most successful woman in the history of American open wheel racing.  She got a start in karting, but moved up in the ranks quickly, eventually competing in NASCAR.  To date, she is the only woman to have won a race in the IndyCar series, and currently races full time for Stewart-Haas Racing in the Sprint Cup.  She also moonlights as a model and spokesperson for the domain and hosting website GoDaddy.

Jeff Gordon

Mr. Gordon is another NASCAR star, racing full time for Hendricks Motorsports, alongside Danica Patrick in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series.  He has won the Daytona 500 three times, and has won the Sprint Cup series four times, so he definitely has some chops when it comes to stock cars.

Sebastian Vettel

It is said that Vettel is a genuinely friendly, decent person, but you would never know that if you only raced against him.  A perfectionist that drives for Red Bull, he is basically an expert on driving technique.  He managed 2^nd  overall in the 2012 Formula 1 US Grand Prix, and is a favorite for 2013 as well.  Sure, he’s on a smaller team, but he is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Jenson Button

A Brit driving for McLaren, Button managed 5^th overall in the US Grand Prix, but climbed his way to the #1 slot in the Brazilian Grand Prix.  Not too shabby for a racer who, at 33, is notably older than many of his peers.  Especially when you look at his record, which boasts 49 podium finishes, and two awards for Man of the Year from Top Gear magazine.

Yes, there are a ton of other exceptionally talented drivers out there, like Ana Beatriz and Scott Tucker, but this is a good primer on some of the most interesting ones.  Know of a driver they everyone else should follow?  We’d love to know!

Tennis is one of the most favored international sports to watch; with its intensity and unpredictable outcomes its one of the most popular to play as well. It seems that everyone is watching and talking about the French Open right now, so here is some information and fun facts you might not have known.

First, the French Open is one of four grand slam tournaments. The grand slam tournaments are the Australian Open, US Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. These are the four major events that athletes strive to play in each year and which help determine their rankings.

Next, the French Open is held in Paris, France at Stade Roland Garros. The stadium, Roland Garros, was named after a notable French World War I pilot. The courts are made of clay and the French Open is the only grand slam tournament to be played on clay courts. Now, the difference between clay courts and hard or grass courts is that the ball bounces higher on clay and travels slower, making it a very physically demanding game.

Finally, the tournament was established in 1891, it was originally a national championship but was then changed allow international talent to compete.

As one of the largest tennis events of the year, the French Open attracts all the best players from all over the world. With the tricky surface, the tournament is full of surprises and you never know who will win. The French Open has a lot of history behind it and is definitely one of the major sporting events you won’t want to miss out on.