Automobile racing is a thrilling sport that tests the speed and performance of automobiles and the skill and daring of drivers. Each year, millions of spectators around the world attend a wide variety of automobile races. One of the most famous is the Indianapolis 500, which attracts hundreds of thousands of people yearly.
Much of automobile racing's popularity lies in the great variety of racing cars and racing events. The vehicles range in size from small, open karts (formerly called go-karts) to large sedans. However, all racing cars can be divided into two major groups: (1) production cars and (2) cars built specifically for racing. Production cars are factory-made passenger cars converted into racing cars. Most cars built only for racing are not designed to carry passengers. Automobile races range from 1/4 mile (0.4-kilometer) drag races that last only seconds to rallies that may cover great distances and last weeks.
There are two major types of racing tracks, oval tracks and road-racing courses. Oval tracks vary from less than 1/5 mile (0.3 kilometer) to more than 2 2/3 miles (4.2 kilometers) long. They have straightaways and banked turns. Most oval tracks have an asphalt surface, but some have a dirt surface.
Road-racing courses resemble country roads. They have straightaways, hills, and a variety of turns. Many turns are described by their names, such as hairpin, dogleg, and ess. Some courses include sections of public roads or are combined with oval tracks. Races are faster on big oval tracks than on road courses because cars can maintain higher speeds on banked turns than on sharp, irregularly shaped turns. Road courses in the United States range from less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) to almost 5 miles (8 kilometers) long.
Events called street races have become increasingly popular in automobile racing. Such a race is run on a temporary course on city streets. The most famous street race is the one held annually in Monaco. Street races have also been held in such cities as Detroit; Long Beach, California; and Toronto.
Alongside both oval tracks and road-racing courses are special areas called pits, where drivers make servicing stops and refueling stops during a race. In the pits, a skilled crew changes tires and may make minor adjustments and repairs. The pit stops often take only seconds to complete. A delay in the pits can lose the race for a driver. Pit crews are part of large professional racing teams. Such teams also include car designers and builders, engineers, computer technicians, mechanics, and a promotional staff.
