All About Auto Racing
What is 'stock car racing'?
Stock car racing generally is "cars" that look like the cars that people drive on the streets - the Fords, the Chevys, the Dodges - but most of the stock car races are sanctioned by NASCAR. They're called stock cars, but about the only thing stock in them is the front emblem that says Ford or Chevy or Dodge or Toyota, or whatever it is. They're full-blown race cars, with full roll cages and fire systems, you name it, to keep the driver safe. A lot of the safety equipment that's on cars now has been integrated into street cars to make them safer.
What are the different types of race courses?
A NASCAR runs on basically an oval. Some are short ovals. Some are super speedways like in Talladega and Daytona, and they also run on road courses. I think, they have two road courses a year, at Walkensland and up at Infineon Raceway. Straight line courses are mainly a quarter mile dragsters. I think they have eight mile dragsters too, probably for the younger generation, but quarter mile drags are obviously straight line. That's an art form in itself - the speed they go now is incredible.
What is 'NASCAR'?
NASCAR is a sanctioning body for most of the stock car racing that's done in the United States, arguably the most popular form from a spectator standpoint racing in the United States.
What is 'formula one'?
Formula one is an international form of racing that is probably from a technology standpoint, arguably the ultimate form of racing as far as the technology that is brought in and the aerodynamics and everything that's built into the cars. It is also the most expensive form of racing in that teams will spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year putting out a two car team. They travel all over the world. Again they probably have the fastest cars, road racing cars because of the technology that it has allowed in formula one. The aerodynamics, the tire technology, everything is just a whole package that is the ultimate, fastest form of road racing.
What is the 'Indy Racing League'?
IRL is the Indy Racing League, and it's owned by Tony George, who also owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where the Indy 500 is run once a year in May. It's comprised of cars that are similar to Formula 1, but they don't have quite the technology, nor do they allow some of the technology, mainly to keep the cost down.
What is the SCCA in auto racing?
The SCCA is the Sports Car Club of America. There's regions all over the United States. They're into amateur racing, professional racing, pro rallying, road rallying and all kinds of different sports. They're all over. Other than their professional divisions, it's basically an amateur club.
What are 'dragsters'?
Dragsters are straight-line race cars. And it's amazing the horsepower they put out. In one burn out to warm up the tires, because tire temperature is very critical in a dragster as well as Formula 1 or NASCAR, champcar, or IOL. I think they run these thirteen gallons of fuel in one burn in one quarter mile.
What are 'open-cockpit sports cars'?
Open cockpit sports cars are purpose-built race cars with fenders, which actually gives them a lot of aerodynamic surface. But the open cockpit, in other words is that it doesn't have a roof over the driver's head, so you can actually see the helmet.
What are 'open-wheeled vehicles'?
Formula 1 would be considered open-wheeled, Champ Car, and ARL, because you can actually see the tires on the outside of the body.
What are 'closed-wheel vehicles'?
The cars behind us would be considered closed-wheel because you cannot see the tires. They could have a rip on them. They could be a sedan, a Mustang, a Camero, or a Toyota. A NASCAR would be considered closed-wheel from the standpoint you don't see the tires on the outside of the car.
