Car Racing and Sports Cars

Sports Cars and Car Racing

Every weekend thousands of spectators file into racetracks across the nation and the world to watch their favorite sports cars and car racing. The ones who aren't lucky enough to have tickets turn on the television and invite their friends over to enjoy the race.

For every kind of car enthusiast there's a race just for you. From the stock car racing of NASCAR, open wheel cars of IndyCar and endurance racing of Le Mans to drag racing and everything in between. The smell of the fuel, the tires squealing and pure adrenaline are the reasons we all love sports cars and car racing. Car racing enthusiasts are some of the most dedicated of all sports fans of any sport. We enthusiasts collect everything from stickers for our own auto with our favorite drivers’ number on our daily cars to flags in our front yards as well as dens full of mini replica models, signature apparel, and even driver bobble heads.

Most of us will never own a Ferrari, Lamborghini or a Porsche in our driveways but as we watch the drivers we can envision ourselves in that car, hear the rumbling of the engine and feel the tires hug the turns.

There is one car racing event where the average person can feel a part of the race and actually participate in and that is drag racing. This activity envolves more driving skill than is learned in ordinary traffic school, but with a little practice and learning from others it is a fairly safe pass time when done in the appropriate environments. For a daily participant fee you can line your own car up at the starting line, watch the Christmas tree as the lights drop and give your car all its got down the drag strip. You will see an occasional Porsche or Ferrari at the drag strip, and their numbers are pretty impressive. Everything from superchargers and nitrous-burning motors to alcohol funny cars can be seen at a drag race, including a jet-powered semi truck. The largest sanctioned organization for drag racing is NHRA (National Hot Rod Association), with IHRA (International Hot Rod Association) coming in a close second. They set the rules and standards for drag racing at race tracks across the nation.

The most popular of all car racing is NASCAR, with tracks located all over the country. While it began as a southern sport in Charlotte, North Carolina its popularity has become worldwide. Some places have 2007 Nascar tickets for sale for collectors but tickets to races each year become harder and harder to obtain. The largest racetracks can accommodate up to 190,000 people in the stands and the infield which is more than any other event in North America. Favorite drivers such as Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson, Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon have earned their place in the hearts of sports car racing fans everywhere. While NASCAR race cars began as stock, non-modified cars the race cars of today are far from stock. Speeds top at 188 miles per hour, all the while the drivers fight to earn their spot in the field.

One of the smallest sports cars to hit the racetrack is the Indy Car series. These cars only stand about 38 inches tall and weigh around 1600 pounds. The ultimate in open-body cars, they are all required to run the same engine, tires and chassis. Due to the high tech nature of these racers the cars are very expensive.  Many are sponsored by institutions such as financial services Cydcor.  They are the most technologically advanced cars in all of sports car racing, driving around the road courses at speeds of 230 mph. Well-known drivers such as Danica Patrick and Dan Wheldon have written books about their fascination and love for the sport, sharing with readers all they learned.


LeMans racing is the oldest of the endurance racing circuits. These races are held on closed public roads over a 24 hour period with a minimum of 3 drivers per car to reduce fatigue. There are open as well as closed-body cars in the race, each having its own class but racing till the first driver reaches the finish line. Separate awards are given to the winners of each class as well. Due to the excessive braking before hairpin turns, the use of carbon fiber brakes is implemented. Porsche has the most wins with its engineering and performance cars.