In sports, racing is usually an competition of pace, typically to a fixed point, against an opponent, often a clock. The competing athletes in a sporting event attempt to accomplish a given task within the shortest period of time possible. Although the sports vary greatly from one to the next, some general rules of racing are used throughout all disciplines.
The primary objective in long-distance sports-car racing is speed. Cars are typically driven at very high speeds on race tracks. Racing is sometimes separated into two sections: short distance and long distance. Long distance is generally a competition between two cars, whereas short distance involves multiple cars. A race car can cover hundreds or thousands of miles in a race.
Another common feature in auto racing is traction. The ability of the wheels to roll over curbs and obstacles is essential in order to gain the most traction and maintain it throughout a race. Drifting is the most common form of traction. It consists of the vehicle rolling along the track in small circles. Many people confuse drag racing with street racing, but the difference is that drag racing is specifically conducted on a closed track with a defined starting and finish line.
One of the more popular types of auto racing occurs on an oval track. An oval track is made up of an oval loop with curves on the outside edges. Typically oval racing utilizes four wheel drive, which means that each car is driven directly to the end of the oval at the same time, without the help of another car. Some exceptions to this rule include circular track racing, in which the cars alternate being in front and behind the curve in clockwise and anti-clockwise motion respectively.
Bicycle racing on a public oval tracks has been a popular sport for years. Bicycles are designed to ride smoothly over the oval tracks at low speeds. They are also utilized in street bicycle racing, but there are no rules or regulations regulating it. Bicycle racing can be very entertaining, but like most forms of racing, caution should be used because some pedestrians or animals may be on the oval tracks at the same time as the racing vehicles.
Motor racing has grown in popularity over the years, and you can see this popularity on display at national and local events all around the country. Motor racing is extremely popular in Europe, especially in Great Britain, and in Australia. It is also becoming more popular in the United States, with events popping up in California, Nevada, and Alabama. NASCAR, is the name of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and it is a stock car racing championship. Since its inception in track racing in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1987, NASCAR has grown into one of the most popular stock car racing championships in the world.