Here's The Difference Between The 4 Big Types Of Auto Racing In America

For many, the differences that separate the varying forms of auto racing may be blurry. So we created a quick rundown outlining four of the world's most prominent forms of racing.

Formula One

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What are the cars like?

F1 cars are single-seat open-wheel racers constructed almost completely from carbon fiber composites. For the 2014 season, all cars will be powered by 1.6 litre turbocharged V-6 hybrid engines provided by Ferrari, Renault, or Mercedes-Benz. Although teams are pathologically private about the exact power output of their engines, Formula One technical regulations indicate that the V-6 engine will put around 600 horsepower with the hybrid drivetrain supplying an addition 160 ponies when needed.

Where do they race and when?

The 2014 Formula One season consists of 19 races in 19 countries covering five continents. Unlike NASCAR, which races predominantly on ovals tracks, the F1 calendar is made up strictly of purpose built road courses or temporary street circuits.

How fast do they go?

While F1 cars have been clocked at speeds upwards of 240 mph, actual race speeds are usually half of that speed due to the demands of the twisty courses the cars race on.

What makes Formula One special?

With annual team budgets running into the hundreds of millions dollars, Formula One is the most expensive and what many would consider to be the most prestigious form of auto racing in the world. With races in exotic locations like Monaco, Bahrain, and Singapore, F1 is often a hotbed of celebrity activity.

Who are the biggest stars?

Formula One is driven by big name teams like Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, and Red Bull. The series' biggest stars, including former champions Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso, are also some world highest-paid professional athletes.

IndyCar

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What are the cars like?

Like Formula One, IndyCars are all carbon fiber single-seat open-wheel racers. Unlike Formula One, IndyCar budgets are much lower because teams don't have to design and build a completely new design every year. Instead, all racing teams purchase their cars from Italy's Dallara Automobili. Power for IndyCars come from either a Honda or Chevrolet 2.2 litre twin-turbo V-6 engines producing 575-675 horsepower.

Where do they race?

The 2014 IndyCar season consists of 18 races around the U.S. and Canada on a mixture of road courses, temporary street circuits and high speed ovals.

How fast do they go?

On ovals like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCars can lap the track at an average of over 230 mph. On street courses, the speeds are much lower due to the twists and turns of the track.

What makes IndyCar special?

IndyCar is fastest form of motor racing in America. Its flagship event, the Indy 500, is an American institution and often referred to as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Due to the many different types of race tracks featured in the series, the diversity of racing conditions make the series truly unique.

Who are the biggest stars?

IndyCar is dominated by a trio of powerhouse teams in Penske Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Andretti Autosports. IndyCar's biggest stars include three-time Indy 500 and "Dancing With the Stars" champ Helio Castroneves, former F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya, and Marco Andretti, grandson of legendary racer Mario Andretti.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

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What are the cars like?

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars are front-engine rear-wheel-drive stock cars. Underneath the artfully decorated sheet metal, Sprint Cup cars are somewhat old-school, with a tubular spaceframe chassis and rollcage. Power for Cup cars come from an equally old-fashioned 5.9 litre pushrod V-8 engine pushing out as much as 900 horsepower in its most powerful setting.

Where do they race?

The 2014 Sprint Cup Series will feature 36 races around the U.S. on variety of oval race tracks.

How fast do they go?

On super speedways like Daytona, Talladega, and Charlotte, Cup Cars can reach speeds pushing 200 mph.

What makes it special?

NASCAR is America's number one spectator sport. According to Forbes, 17 of the top 20 attended sporting events in 2012 were NASCAR races. The Sprint Cup also has a unique "playoff" portion of the season called "the Chase" where the top 16 drivers spend the last 10 races of the season vying for the championship trophy.

Who are the biggest stars?

Unlike F1 and IndyCar, NASCAR's marketing machine has made many top drivers like Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jimmie Johnson into household names.

FIA World Endurance Championship

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What are the cars like?

The FIA World Endurance Championship races have four different classes of race cars on the same track at the same times These cars vary from the ultra-advanced Le Mans prototypes (pictured above) to more commonplace Corvettes and Porsches of the LMGTE classes. Power for the advanced Le Mans prototypes can come from a variety of six or eight cylinder gasoline or diesel powerplants. Last season's dominant Audi R18 e-Tron Quattro Le Mans prototypes featured a 3.7 litre 490 horsepower V-6 turbodiesel hybrid powerplant.

How fast do they go?

The championship-winning Audi R18 has a manufacturer's claimed top speed of 205 mph, but previous seasons have seen cars reach speeds as high as 250 mph.

Where do they race?

The 2014 WEC season consists of eight races in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America.

What makes it special?

Unlike most other forms of motor racing, endurance races last from six up to 24 hours. (In comparison, an F1 race runs about two hours). In an endurance race, two or more drivers share each racecar and divvy up the race into 40-minute shifts called stints.

Who are the biggest stars?

Over the past decade, Audi has experienced unprecedented success in endurance racing, racking victories at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans 12 of the last 14 years. This year, however, manufacturers like Porsche and Toyota have spent big money on their racecars and hired ex-Formula One stars like Mark Webber, Nick Heidfeld, and Alex Wurz in an attempt to dethrone the champions. In addition to the pros, endurance racing also allows amateur "gentlemen" drivers to enter its races. Over the years, actors like Paul Newman and Patrick Dempsey have raced and experienced varying amounts of success at the series' 24 Hours of Le Mans.