The first American oval-track race was held in 1896 in Cranston, Rhode Island, where the winner averaged a speed of just 43.1 km/h.

The roots of automobile racing date back to the late 19th century:

Popular in the U.S., these high-speed, open-wheel cars often use a "staggered" tire setup—where the right rear tire is larger than the left—to help the car turn more effectively on dirt tracks.

Circuit racing occurs on closed tracks, while rallying takes high-performance vehicles onto public roads or off-road terrain. The Science of the Track

Teams constantly fine-tune engine management systems and aerodynamic profiles to shave milliseconds off lap times. The Human Element