Different Types of Race Cars: A Breakdown

Can you name all the different types of race cars? These days, It’s hard to keep track. Check out the most popular cutting-edge speed machines and how they differ.
Written by Elaine Duvet
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Auto sports
are a huge part of the auto industry. Between different race cars, racing series, sponsorships, and racing wins, it's hard to keep track. 
Jerry
, the
trustworthy insurance comparison app
, breaks down the most popular types of race cars in today’s racing scene. 

Down and dirty types of race cars

Rally cars have been a part of the international racing scene since the ‘50s. Essentially, a rally car is a conventional production vehicle that’s been transformed into a speed machine capable of taking on mud, asphalt, gravel, or snow.
While these types of race cars are designed to drive on less-than-perfect roads, don’t mistake them for full-fledged off-road racers. Rally cars are typically fitted with all-wheel-drive trains, a custom-made suspension, sequential gears, and cutting-edge safety equipment. 
Inside of just one seat for the driver, rally cars usually have two seats, all-terrain rubber tires for off-roading, and spiked tires.
Cup racing cars mean business—literally. These types of race cars give drivers identical race vehicles of the same model. Teams can make minor adjustments to the suspension and alter the tires, but they can’t touch the handling and performance. 
In this case, it’s not the technology, but the driver that wins the race. Cup racing cars are typically identical to the standard manufacturing examples and are usually stock. Races tend to be regional and feature small oval tracks and shorter races.
Open-seaters have been around since the start of the auto industry and are a pretty extreme form of racing machinery. The single-seaters feature pointy noses, countless aerodynamic aids, and large wings in the back that look like low-flying fighter planes. 
These types of racing cars house a mounted engine behind the driver, with low weight, large rear wheels for optimal traction, and exposed suspension components. Open-seaters are skillfully engineered with unusual materials and offer superb handling. Indy Cars and Formula One are the most well-known open-seater races. 
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High-status and high class

Touring cars are custom-built from the ground up. Derived from regular two-doors or sedans, these types of race cars are equipped with advanced technology and are known to produce about 600 hp. At times, they appear identical to conventional models, but with racing tires and a lowered suspension.  
Touring Car racing is more popular in the Netherlands, Australia, Germany, and the UK. Different races include sprints (short distances) and endurances (three or more hours). Enthusiasts love to follow the World Touring Car Cup (WTCC), the Supercars Championship (SC), the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), and the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).
We all know about NASCAR. It stands for
National Stock Car Racing
. These types of race cars were stock vehicles back in the day and inspired by models you could find at the dealership. 
Today’s NASCAR autos are almost pretty much the spitting image of production automobiles. But under the hood, it’s all custom. NASCAR vehicles have signature features like a suspension that allows cars to tilt to the left and a carburetor-fed V8 engine.  
Prototype race cars are custom-built autos with engine architecture and unique tech that you can’t find on an existing production model. You may recognize the prototype class as LMP in the FIA specification. 
These racers compete in the top-of-class Sebring, the American Le Mans Series or the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The pinnacle of race car design, most LMP racers are now hybrids.

Fun types of race cars

Ever heard of top fuel dragsters? The triple-digit speedsters are a unique type of racing car and a form of acceleration competition. The two cars start lined up next to each other and race for a quarter-mile. The winner is the first one to complete it. 
These race cars have excellent acceleration statistics and can hit 60 mph much faster than most sports cars can. Top fuel dragsters sport a long front end, a narrow body, large black tires, and an engine behind the driver. The biggest crowd-pleaser is when the parachute is deployed at the end of the run to help the car slow down from its high speeds. 
Drag racing may seem easy, but this type of motor racing requires much more technology than you think. Drag cars have impressive construction, style, and technology. Modified from their standard production, these race cars offer drivers exceptional acceleration figures
Typically, engines are revamped with twin-turbo or supercharger setups, and unnecessary weight has been kicked to the curb. It’s also common to have a reworked suspension and add a short-radio gearbox. 
Drift cars aren’t exactly what we’d call road legal, as they feature the art of driving sideways. The sport is especially popular in Japan and has recently made a splash in the mainstream racing scene. 
In order to win a drifting competition, your vehicle must drift sideways at the fastest speed possible for as long as possible. These types of race cars possess unique technical elements, a special handbrake, negative suspension camber, close differentials, and massive engines.
Other popular race car types include off-road and simulation race cars.
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