17 Jan An In Depth Look At ATV Racing
ATV racing is a sport that has been around for over 40 years. Did you know that? Before you get into ATV racing, let’s first tell you more about it. Well, it started in the early 1970s as a way to test the new machines that were being created at the time. ATVs were still in their infancy, and racing them was a way to see how they performed under pressure. It was not initially intended to grow into a sport or even for it to be considered entertainment; ATV racing was simply about seeing what the machines could do.
ATV racing is built around several different types of races, but most revolve around dirt bikes that are outfitted with an engine capable of speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.
Categories Of ATV Races
ATV races can be divided into two major categories: endurance and speed. The former are full-length ATV races that are designed to test the machine’s durability, while speed races are short in duration but intense in their velocity. Each type of race has several different variations, allowing for a larger variety of events.
Endurance Races
Endurance races are the most common form of ATV race and have been around since the industry was first introduced to them in 1970. These endurance races can last up to three hours, with most lasting between two and a half and four hours.
The courses for these types of races are designed to test both the machine’s durability as well as its rider’s physical stamina. Depending upon the type of course, it normally includes dozens of jumps that must be negotiated successfully by both racer and mount, with many resulting in free falls onto solid terrain.
There are also often deep water crossings where riders must navigate treacherous currents while standing on their machines above choppy waters. These events are all about surviving, and sometimes they can tax a rider to his or her limits.
Speed Races
Speed races are the shortest type of event. They can last from minutes to hours, but most speed races last somewhere between fifteen minutes and an hour. The point of these short-term races is speed, pure and simple.
The courses that are used for these events tend to be similar in some respects to those of endurance races, with hills, jumps, dirt trails, and the like all coming into play as obstacles for racers to overcome while trying their best not to fall off their machines.
Types Of ATV Races
ATV racing has several different types of races for riders and fans alike.
Cross Country ATV Racing
One of the most popular forms of ATV racing is cross country racing, which involves a race from point A to point B that may take any number of paths to get there. This type of racing has riders navigating off-road terrain at high speeds while trying not to crash their vehicle.
Off-Road ATV Racing
Possibly the most well-known form of ATV racing, this event focuses on entering a pre-defined area and going around it in a circular motion as quickly as possible without falling off one’s machine. The object of these races is simply to do laps, and the faster they are completed the better.
Extreme ATV Racing
One of the newest forms of ATV racing, extreme racing consists of races on courses that were designed with the sole intent of causing riders to crash. There is no other goal than to see which rider can go around a track without wiping out more than anyone else. Riders tend to rely more heavily on brother racers than their own abilities, as these events put riders’ bodies on the line every lap.
Professional Races
While there are several amateur ATV racing organizations throughout North America, sometime after its inception in 1970, one organization became known as professional ATV racing: National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA). NORRA itself has roots in off-road racing events of the 1960s, but it did not become known as a professional organization until 1972.
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