From the time cars were invented just before the turn of the 20th century, men have loved driving fast in them. It was almost a compulsion of pioneers like Emile Levassor and Karl Benz to make their machines go fast. Racing fever began in Europe, with races happening from point to point, city to city, on existing roads. Open-wheel road racing there evolved into the super high tech, big budget sport of Formula One racing. American open-wheel racing matured on oval tracks, most famously the one at the Brickyard in Indianapolis, home to the world's most famous auto race, the Indianapolis 500, the crown jewel of the IndyCar circuit. Racing also took on a distinctly American form, with stock car racing evolving into one of the most popular spectator sports in the country, with NASCAR as its multi-billion dollar brand. Each book in the Inside the World of Sports series takes you from the very beginning of a sport to a look at its future. Inside these pages, learn more about auto racing's greatest moments, iconic athletes, and what the future holds for racing.
