Drag racing lines up two vehicles side by side for a straight-line sprint, typically over a quarter-mile or eighth-mile track, launched by a “Christmas tree” light system. The National Hot Rod Association, founded in 1951, has governed the sport’s major professional classes for decades, with elapsed time and top speed determining each winner.

Four-wheeler, or ATV, racing sends modified all-terrain vehicles through motocross-style tracks filled with jumps and tight turns, testing both machine and rider. The American Motorcyclist Association sanctions ATV Motocross racing nationally, turning what began as casual off-road riding into organized competition. Quad racing draws riders of all ages and often serves as an entry point into other motorsports.

Micro sprints are scaled-down sprint cars, typically powered by motorcycle engines, built to race on smaller quarter- to half-mile dirt tracks. Their lower cost and compact size make them a common starting point for young drivers working toward full-size sprint car or open-wheel careers. Sanctioning bodies such as POWRi organize regional and national micro sprint competition across the country.

Modified racing began after World War II, when drivers souped up older stock cars, sometimes called jalopies, to compete on local short tracks. Modifieds typically pair open wheels with tube-frame chassis and powerful engines, setting them apart from full-bodied stock cars. NASCAR’s Whelen Modified Tour, one of the sport’s oldest touring series, has showcased the class since 1985, largely on Northeast short tracks.

Monster trucks are pickup-style vehicles fitted with oversized tires built to crush cars and perform freestyle jumps for arena crowds. Bigfoot, built by Bob Chandler and first used to crush cars in 1981, is widely credited as the original monster truck. Monster Jam, now the sport’s largest touring promoter, brings competitions to arenas across the country each year.

Motocross racing sends purpose-built dirt motorcycles over natural terrain courses packed with jumps, turns, and rough elevation changes. The sport began in the United Kingdom as off-road “scrambles” before catching on across the United States by the 1960s. The American Motorcyclist Association now sanctions the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the sport’s premier outdoor series.

Slingshot dragsters are front-engine cars built with the driver’s seat pushed back behind the rear axle, a layout that dominated drag racing through the 1950s and 60s. The setup shifted weight onto the rear tires for better traction, and the sudden launch off the line felt like being fired from a slingshot. The National Hot Rod Association, founded in 1951, helped standardize the class before rear-engine dragsters eventually took over.

Sprint cars are lightweight, open-wheel race cars built for short dirt or paved ovals, recognizable by their high horsepower-to-weight ratios and the large wings mounted above the cockpit for downforce. USAC, which has sanctioned sprint car competition since 1956, and the World of Outlaws both run national series that draw devoted dirt-track crowds throughout the season.

Tractor pulling matches modified tractors against a weighted sled that grows harder to move the farther it travels, with the win going to whoever pulls it the greatest distance. The National Tractor Pullers Association, founded in 1969, formalized rules and weight classes for a sport that grew out of informal farm competitions. Pulls remain a staple at county and state fairs across the Midwest and beyond.

Demolition derby drivers deliberately crash old cars into one another until only one vehicle is still running, and that last car standing wins. Promoter Larry Mendelsohn is often credited with staging one of the earliest organized events at Islip Speedway in New York during the 1950s. Demolition derbies remain a fixture at county and state fairs across the country.