top of page

MSCS
INFORMATION CENTER

MSCS Logo_no brandeis_no background.png

SPONSORS

Screen Shot 2021-12-12 at 11.13.57 PM.png

WHAT IS SPRINT CAR RACING?

Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

 

Sprint cars have a high power-to-weight ratio, making speeds in excess of 140 miles per hour (230 km/h) possible on some tracks. 800 horsepower (600 kW) is commonplace for these machines.[1] The safety record of sprint car racing in recent years has been greatly improved by the use of roll cages to protect the drivers. Many IndyCar Series and NASCAR drivers used sprint car racing as an intermediate stepping stone on their way to more high profile divisions, including Indianapolis 500 winners AJ FoytMario AndrettiJohnny RutherfordParnelli JonesJohnnie Parsons, and Al Unser Jr.Jeff GordonKasey KahneTony StewartJ. J. YeleyP. J. ChessonSarah Fisher, and Ed CarpenterSteve Kinser, Doug Wolfgang, Sammy Swindell.

​

NON-WINGED SPRINT CAR

There are a few sanctioning bodies for non-winged sprint cars. The United States Automobile Club (USAC) has become the premier series for non-winged sprint car racing throughout the United States, especially after taking over the Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) and turning it into the USAC/California Racing Association (USAC/CRA). This series has become the premier non-winged sprint car series on the west coast of the United States. USAC also has hosted the Silver Crown series based in the Midwestern United States state of Indiana for decades. The Silver Crown series was started in 1972 as an offshoot of the series that competed for the National Championship Trail including the Indianapolis 500, known as "big cars".[2]

(Information taken from Wikipedia)

bottom of page