In the UK since 1993, Yamaha has been the Legend Car's official engine provider. The MT09, which powers the Legend Car today, is a liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 12-valve, DOHC, inline-three-cylinder engine. At a championship round, there are three races: two heats and a final.
The heats last anywhere from seven to twelve laps, depending on the length of the circuit. The final grid position for the last race of the day is worked out by where they finished in their previous races -- meaning the top driver of the day starts at the back in the final race.
2. F1
Do you know what F1 stands for?. It's a set of rules that's referred to as Formula 1. They must be followed by every driver. The engine's weight, capacity, and aerodynamics are all governed by the formula's criteria. Thus, the formula demonstrates the technological requirements that each racing car must meet. F1 is the highest level of any racing series in any motorsport. F1 is a worldwide sport and can be watched in the USA, Canada, China, and the UK, among other places. The first-ever official World Championship for Drivers was in 1950, and the first Drivers' Champion was Giuseppe Farina.
Fun fact - F1 teams employ an average of between 300 and 1,200 staff and their two main drivers. Pit crews have been known to change all four wheels in under two seconds.
3. Formula Ford
The history of Formula Ford can be traced back to the 1960s. In the 1960s, motor racing schools were the place to learn the craft of single-seater race cars. Jim Russell opened up a school at the Snetterton race circuit called Jim Russell Racing Driver School. Several well-known drivers attended the school, future stars like Emerson Fittipaldi, Derek Bell, Danny Sullivan, Tiff Needell, and Jacques Villeneuve. Formula Ford uses 1600 engines and is a step up the ladder in single-seat racing. Several countries around the world have some form of this class of racing. Formula Ford champions Ayrton Senna and Jenson Button all owe their F1 careers to the entry-level single-seater racing.
4. Formula 3
You can find Formula 3 championships in Europe, Australia, South America, and Asia. It's a huge stepping stone to pave the way into an F1 drive. The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, or FIA, is the organization behind the third-tier international single-seater racing competition known as the FIA Formula 3 competition.
The cars are powered by a 3.4-litre V6 naturally aspirated direct-injected engine supplied by Mecachrome, who are a precision engineering company based in France. Hewland is the company that supplies the six-speed gearboxes with a sequential gearbox configuration with electro-hydraulic control that uses paddle shifters to change gears. While they're not as fast as an F1 or F2 car, they are the next best thing. Several drivers have gone from F3 and reached the top flight, F1.
5. Rallycross
In the UK, the first Rallycross event was organized at Lydden Circuit, near Canterbury in Kent, on Saturday, 4 February 1967. It used to be called the British Rallycross Championship. The name changed in 2020 when it became known as the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy. The highest class is the supercars, which have 600 bhp+ and are four-wheel drive. All the cars are based on the hatchback models.
For those people that don't know, rallycross is a mixture of circuit racing and a loose surface, which can be gravel, mud, or both!. Depending on the event, each race can have between four and eight cars on the grid.
6. Rallying
In the UK, stage rallies are probably the most popular. There has not been a stage of the WRC in the UK since 2019; this was because of Covid and the Welsh government no longer supporting the stage.
The British Rally Championship is, however, still going strong, with six rounds scheduled for 2024. The first round is the Legend Fires North West Stages, which is held in Lancashire, England. The championship was won by the driver Chris Ingram and the co-driver Alex Kihurani, driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. The Rally2 car is built by Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT based on the GR Yaris production car. The car is powered by the 1.6 L (98 cu in) 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 276 bhp @ 6500 rpm and a 0-62 mph in 5.2 sec. These figures are for the standard car that came fresh from the factory.
Stage rallies are usually held in forests, on private roads, and in some cases on public roads that have been closed.
7. Drifting
One of the fastest motorsports to gain in popularity is drifting. Maybe the film "Tokyo Drift" (2006), which was the standalone sequel to the first three "The Fast and the Furious" movies, captured the public imagination.
What exactly is drifting, then? In order to propel the car sideways, the driver must essentially place it in a situation where the wheels turn more quickly than the traction can keep up. It's then down to the driver to control the drift of the car. Most cars have a limited slip diff, and a car with a lower center of gravity is better for control. Nissan, Mazda, Toyota, and Honda are all very popular choices of drift cars. Drifting can be on any type of track but usually has short straights and lots of corners. Most of the action is on the curves, with the straights being used to gain speed.
8. Stock car
Stock car racing all started in 1954 at the New Cross Stadium, London, on 16 April. Racing was on speedway tracks and, in some cases, greyhound racing tracks. Nowadays, stock cars cover a range of different classes of oval racing. This can be Hot Rods, Bangers, and Formula 1 and Formula 2 stock cars, among others.
BriSCA Formula 1 Stock Cars are the top level, with cars developing approximately 650 bhp from their V8 engines. Many cars use the small or big block Chevrolet V8 engine and a two-speed gearbox. Contact is allowed; if the car in front is too slow or in the way, you're allowed to push them out of the way. The best drivers start from the back and hope to work their way to the front over the 16 or 20 laps in a standard race. The World Championship, British Championship, and European Championship could consist of 20 to 25 laps. All cars have a different colour roof depending on their status.
9. Midget
In the UK Grand Prix, Midgets (GPM) are usually self-built and have to follow the rules and regulations. They race on short track ovals around the UK and Europe. The engines are 4-cylinder, naturally aspirated with a maximum capacity of 1427cc. Racecars can have the engine at the front or the side.
The cars put down the power by the use of slick tires to give maximum grip. Drivers take part in three races, two heats, and a final. The winner receives 15 points, second scores 12, and third gets ten points. Points go all the way down to tenth, scoring one point.
The car in the photo shows a Canadian midget racecar.
10. Grasstrack
From standard 1000cc Minis to specially made space-framed single-seaters with small or big block V8 engines or even twin bike engines, grass tracking is very popular in the UK. Many drivers race and build their cars under the "NASA" rules; there are eleven NASA classes that vary in layout and engine capacity.
At the top of the chain are classes eight, nine, and ten. The engine, gearbox, and axle are entirely free in accordance with each class's cc restriction and specifications, and changes are permitted indefinitely. These cars are very quick and can reach speeds up to 100 mph on a 1/4 oval track that is made up of mainly grass and, in most cases, mud!
Class seven is also very popular with drivers. Many of the racecars are based on the Mini or the Mini pickup. Any engines can be used but must have a minimum capacity of 1421cc. The spec of the engine has unlimited modifications, and even two bike engines can be used. Most use the bike gearbox and chain setup.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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