Features

Feature: A Brief History Of Auto Racing Speedsters - Part II

E365> Feature - Sunday October 07 2007

E365 -- There are few action sports more terrifying than those that put you in an iron-maiden-like cockpit alongside some guy with a map (as if that's gonna slow you down when you hit a tree) and tell you have five minutes to drive 15 kilometres. Yep, we're still looking at motor racing...

It all started in the United States with a bunch of guys in weird pants, but the balls to fill em. Then it crossed over the Atlantic, and before long, Paris, London and all the major cities were drag racing, boxcar racing, sports car racing and kart racing around anything that stayed put.

Motor racing is clearly a league above and beyond sports like skateboarding, for the simple reason that while you may shed blood wiping out, chances are higher that you'll be visiting St Peter should your steering slip behind the wheel.

On Extreme365, we take a look mainly at rally racing (and its newfound poster-child Travis Pastrana), but what else is on offer when it comes to mechanised action sports?

Well, we got single-seater racing, touring car racing, production car racing, one-make racing, stock car racing, targa Racing, drag racing, sports car racing, off-road racing, kart racing...take your pick.

But that's a Wikipedia-like dissection of the sport. What's important is that racing is defined by one thing: speed. That's the only criterion on the line, and style and technique take a back seat to the needle.

Of course, the same adrenaline is on offer, but when it comes to auto racing, you don't have to look far. Now go borrow your dad's car.