Dirt track racing drivers#
Dirt track racing driver#

You will be hard pressed to find any tracks there running sprint cars on a weekly basis. For example, in the South and Southeast stock cars dominate the scene. Although dirt tracks are sprinkled throughout the United States and Canada the types of cars competing will vary from place to place. First and foremost one must understand that dirt track racing is a very regionalized sport and the types of cars, classes, and race procedures differ from region to region and track to track. How do you make sense of it all? Like what is that funny-looking car with the big wings on it, or is that really a go-kart zipping around the track, and what is that behemoth rumbling around the track shaking the grandstands as it speeds by?ДЄs any fan will tell you it all begins to make sense after you attend a few races and get to know what the different classes or divisions are and what types of cars compete in each. Walking into the gates of your local dirt track for the first time can be both exciting and a bit overwhelming with the plethora of different cars in the garage area and on the track. As opposed to off road racing an open wheel race car races on dedicated purpose built road courses or temporary street circuits, however these types of races and tracks are beyond the scope of this discussion and we will be focusing on dirt track oval racing from here on out. Both types of cars are rear wheel drive and depending on class rules many types are allowed to have wings at the front and rear of the vehicle, as well as a very low and virtually flat undertray that helps achieve additional aerodynamic downforce pushing the car onto the racing surface.

Dirt track racing driver#

In modern open wheel racecars the engine is typically located directly behind the driver such as in Indy Car and Formula One racing however modifieds and sprint cars retain the standard set up where the engine is in front of the driver.

Dirt track racing drivers#

The exception to this being modified stock cars which the drivers head and body is contained in the car similar to that of a conventional passenger car.

The standard open wheel race car is simple in basic design with a small cockpit sufficient only to enclose the driver's body, with the head exposed to the air.