Fun on wheels

Snowmobile racing

In Scandinavia and certain parts of North America Snowmobiles are a popular form of transport and it is not surprising that the individuals concerned decided that racing these contraptions was the next logical step. It is not surprising that it is the North Americans who have taken it to the next level.

Every year there is a race in Sault Sainte Marie called the International 500, it covers 500 miles (hence the name) and has a purse of US$40,000. And then, of course, there is Snowmobile drag racing which continues all year round and utilises concrete and asphalt drag strips. Like any other type of extreme sport there are also certain crazed individuals who try and demonstrate their ‘freestyle’ abilities. No wonder there are plenty of injuries!

Karting

It’s the obvious one isn’t it? However, karting is worth it because it is probably the most fun you can have on four wheels. It is fair to say that (bar a few) pretty much every professional racing driver started off in the little buggies. The fastest ones are lightening quick – in fact, a 250cc gearbox kart will do 160mph and has wings and downforce! But the main thing is that they are great fun, good value and easily accessible.

The other great thing about karts is that they are very competitive…you rely solely on talent to get you through. And, as someone who races full-size cars from time to time, I can honestly say that karting is still the most fun you can have on four wheels with some friends. You’re not even worried about bending your expensive machinery and having broken carbon fibre and bent metal to contend with in the garage in the evening…it’s brilliant.

Dirt racing

Dirt track racing has a long history…in fact NASCAR has its origins in dirt track racing. And, since NASCAR has moved into the big leagues through the last 100 years, dirt track racing has continued to exist for the amusement of those without multimillion dollar budgets. In fact, believe it or not, dirt track racing is still the single most popular form of motorsport in the USA.

It’s also popular here in the UK, but not to such a great extent – it tends to be centered around motorbikes too, although quad bikes are also popular. However, if you want to go racing in the US, you want to do it cheaply, and you want to go sideways…then get down to your local dirt track!

Banger racing

OK, so this is a less precise form of motorsport isn’t it? It’s also not one for anyone susceptible to whiplash (pardon my irony and views on that one) as it is all about collisions. If you used to like playing ‘Demolition Derby’ on the Playstation then this one may be for you.

The theory (and the reality) is very simple really. You go round in a circle crashing into one another until there is one car left standing or the number of laps has been completed by the quickest car/driver combination. Good, old fashioned hilarity for not a lot of money.

Soap box racing

In my mind at least this refers to wheeled carts flying down the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Lord March invites the great and the good of the motoring world each year to his estate in the south of England and one of the events has always been the soapbox race. Car manufacturers, universities and race teams are invited to create the fastest contraption they can to get down a section of the Goodwood hill climb...

...using only the power of gravity. The budget they get given is £1000 and they have to keep to it, however, that doesn’t include the salaries of some of the genius’s they invariably get working on it – it’s a matter of manly pride you see! Red Bull also hold numerous events each year and they’re the ones that you will see advertised on the television. The same rules largely apply but the public can get involved! Halleluiah!

Drag racing

For some reason this one has never really appealed to me, in much the same way as I can’t see the novelty value in planting your foot in something on the road…there doesn’t seem to be much skill in my mind – even if it is something as brutally quick as a Nissan GT-R.

That said, I can see why the idea of doing a hundred and fifty miles an hour might appeal to people without any chance of having their licence taken off them so we’ll let it slide shall we!? Anyway, you can head to Santa Pod, or its equivalent, with your own vehicle and line up on the quarter mile…now I come to think of it I’m actually quite tempted.