Motor Car Racing - Part3

'It's a matter of spirit. Not just strength...'

Hello, you race enthusiasts out there... We meet once again through yet another article on more types of motor car racing. We've got a few more racing types for you to look into, before we wrap up the series.

Drifting

Drifting! The ultimate test of a driver's manoeuvrability! In this type of racing, the driver has to basically get the car along the road, sideways. What you see in certain movies where the hero would slide the car in a bend and drive along thereafter, is not drifting. It is called the 'power slide'.

Drifting is getting the car to another slide just as you end one slide, so that most of the time the car travels sideways. Pretty impressive, isn't it? A good drifter can manage up to about six counter slides.

Techniques of drifting vary (change) depending on whether the car is front or rear wheel driven, where the handbrake and the clutch are extensively (widely) used in each type of car, respectively. Mountain areas with a lot of bends are preferred for this type of racing although it is done on circuit tracks as well.

Hill Climbing

This is a type of racing where the focus is on negotiating steep hills which may be steep slopes or uneven rocky areas.

Hill climbing can be considered as a variant (alternative form) of off road racing as we have looked into above. Although four wheeled vehicles engage in hill climbing, it is dominated by motor cycles which are suited better for this type of racing.

Sports Car Racing

This type of racing is a hybrid (cross) between single seater racing and touring car racing. Top class races in this category emphasis on endurance where the duration of the race may range from 2.5 hrs to even 24 hrs. This results in the competition being a team effort rather than just testing the driver's capabilities, where the total output results from the combination of good team management, efficient pit crew and regular driver changes.

The sports cars can be broken down in two categories, namely 'Sports-Prototype' and 'Grand Touring (GT from the Italian word Gran Turismo)'.

Sports-prototypes are cars which are specifically built as the next generation of road going super cars, with advanced technology, whereas GT cars are made based on road going cars with the interior parts drastically (severely) modified.

Off-road Racing

Off Road! As its name implies, these races really go off from the conventional roads to challenge the rugged terrains. This is a class of racing where specially modified vehicles, which may be cars, trucks, motorcycles or buggies, compete on rough tracks.

The general idea of 'off-road racing' can also extend any other form of racing that does not occur on a specified, paved track. Endurance is the major concern in this type of racing which results in the usage of tougher vehicles unlike the usage of modified cars in Rally Racing.

The racers may have to drive from several to hundreds of kilometers per day across dunes, mud, camel grass and rocks. The famous 'Dakar Rally' is the premier annual off road competition.

Kart Racing

Does this bring in to your mind about carts? If so, you are on the wrong track. Kart racing or 'Karting' is a variant of 'single seater racing' which we discussed in the last article. These cars, or more specifically 'karts', are extremely simplified machines without even suspension or a differential and every feature of these is actually 'small' as it implies.

Surprisingly, Karts have a really high power to weight ratio which can even surpass that of a Ferrari F50. Karts which can be powered by gasoline, gas or electricity, engage in circuit, sprint and endurance races. Karting has been identified as a good learning tool for new racers.

Apart from pure racing this has become a leisure activity too. Now, doesn't that sound exciting to you?! Racing drivers and all of us pursue victory. But, just keep in mind that, even though every win feels great, there will always be some that will stick out from others.

Aravinda Dassanayake

Look forward to more interesting information through the 'Sports track' page.

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