There are various forms of auto racing all over the globe, but this is America! Land of the free. Home of the brave. So sit down, strap in, shut up, and hold on!
America is a diverse nation with car nuts from sea to shining sea. Almost every region has had its own particular input in the shaping of car culture, so it goes without saying that auto racing is the ultimate combination of our freedom of expression and our passion for anything relating to cars.
Mix in the highly competitive spirit of this country, and it's easy to see why auto racing is such an important part of our culture.
The U.S. Through and Through
Nothing screams America like our independent spirit, which is a key reason why there are so many levels of auto racing for the do-it-yourself racer. Casual racers will probably get the most excitement for their money participating in weekend autocross events, but if you're looking to do some good, old wheel-to-wheel racing, you can't do it any cheaper than 24 Hours of LeMons (a play on France's famous 24 Hours of Le Mans), which is just pure endurance racing without the multi-million dollar budgets.
Of course, there are still other auto racing outlets with relatively low costs of entry, such as competitive go-karting (not the go karts down by the putt-putt golf course) and drag racing.
Americans also love to flex their muscles, and that is also apparent in auto racing. NASCAR might be the most iconic form of American racing with 725-horsepower cars whizzing by at speeds of up to 200 mph and seats close enough to the track that you can feel the wind of the cars as they drive. But that is nowhere close to the awe-inspiring power exhibited from a Top Fuel dragster.
These cars literally shake the ground when they launch off the line with an 11,000-horsepower engine that rockets the car to speeds of well over 300 mph.
Matching the gritty, frontier spirit of Americans, there are some great auto racing series that take place on dirt instead of pavement. From an entertainment perspective, auto racing fans will get a kick out of watching monster trucks, trophy trucks, and Global Rallycross. There are also affordable ways to get into such competitions such as circle dirt track racing, demolition derby, and amateur rally racing.
Whether you're just a fan or a willing participant, auto racing is without a doubt one of the greatest ways to exercise your rights as an American.
This post was originally published on August 28, 2017.
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