Gemopedia
Motor Sports🇺🇸United States21st century

Dirt Track Racing

Officially Dirt Track Racing (World of Outlaws / DIRTcar)

AMERICAN GRASSROOTS MOTORSPORT on OVAL DIRT TRACKS (typically 400-800 m; some 1-mile 'super speedways') using SPECIALIZED PURPOSE-BUILT RACE CARS — SPRINT CARS (900 hp on wings), LATE MODELS, DIRT MODIFIEDS. 700+ ACTIVE DIRT TRACKS across USA (majority in Midwest + Southeast). Feature sanctioning bodies: WORLD OF OUTLAWS (Sprint Car premier series since 1978), DIRTcar (regional Modifieds), LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT (Late Models). Highest-paying dirt race: KNOXVILLE NATIONALS ($150K to winner).

📐Clay + dirt oval track — heavily-groomed with high side-bite from moisture control⏱~30 min🌤outdoor

Quick facts

Category

Motor Sports

Type

Individual

Players

20–40

Duration

~30 min

Where played

outdoor

Field / court

Clay + dirt oval track — heavily-groomed with high side-bite from moisture control

Country of origin

🇺🇸 United States

Estimated origin

Dirt racing dates to horse-track adaptations 1900s+ USA Midwest; sprint cars pioneered 1930s; modified stock cars 1940s; Late Models 1960s; World of Outlaws founded 1978 by Ted Johnson (Sprint Car premier); DIRTcar est. 1997 (regional dirt Modifieds); Knoxville Nationals since 1961 (Sprint Car pinnacle).

Olympic

No

Popularity

regional

How it works

Objective

Complete FEATURE RACE LAP COUNT FIRST — dirt oval + slide-job cornering + door-to-door racing.

Rules

Basic rules

  • OVAL FORMAT: LEFT turns only on 400-800 m dirt oval; grip changes throughout event as track dries + rubbers-in

    Signature dirt-oval left-only.

  • HEAT RACES: 6-8 heat races of 8-12 laps each — top finishers transfer to FEATURE race

    Signature heat race format.

  • FEATURE RACE: main event 20-40 cars starting; winner takes largest purse

    Signature feature race.

  • SIGNATURE MOVE: SLIDE JOB — take outside line into turn, then slide across in front of opponent at apex, forcing them to lift throttle

    Signature slide-job move.

  • CAR CLASSES: SPRINT (410 winged, 360 sprint non-winged, 305 mini), LATE MODEL (super late, crate late), MODIFIED (dirt modified, IMCA modified, stock car modified), MICRO SPRINT, MIDGET

    Signature multi-class ecosystem.

  • TRACK PREP: HYDRAULIC CLAY WORK + WATERING; track surface changes DRAMATICALLY through race night (rubber → dust → dry-slick)

    Signature dynamic track prep.

  • SAFETY: HANS + full firesuit + helmet + 5-point harness + Halo roll cage; wheel-tethers prevent flying tires

    Standard modern safety kit.

  • SPECIAL EVENTS: KNOXVILLE NATIONALS ($150K, Sprint Car), CHILI BOWL ($30K, Midget/Sprint indoor, Tulsa Jan), DIRT LATE MODEL DREAM ($100K, Eldora Speedway)

    Signature crown-jewel races.

Scoring

Feature race finish points; season-long championships track points totals.

Win condition · First across finish line in feature race.

Playing area

Called

Clay + dirt oval track — heavily-groomed with high side-bite from moisture control

Dimensions

Standard 400-800 m oval; Knoxville is 800 m (1/2 mile); some 1-mile 'super speedways' (Springfield IL, Du Quoin IL)

Equipment

  • SPRINT CAR: purpose-built 900-hp methanol-fueled 410 cubic inch engine, ~625 kg with driver, WING on top (~5 sq m — provides downforce), OPEN COCKPIT + roll cage

    Signature Sprint Car — 900 hp.

  • LATE MODEL: 800-hp fabricated Chevy/Ford dirt-late-model with tubular chassis + fiberglass body

    Signature Late Model.

  • DIRT MODIFIED: 500-800hp modified stock body on tubular chassis; open wheel

    Signature Dirt Modified.

  • TIRES: soft-compound Hoosier / American Racer tires (fresh every heat)

    Signature dirt tires.

  • SAFETY: HANS + full firesuit + helmet + 5-point harness + Halo roll cage + wheel-tethers

    Signature safety gear.

  • PIT CREW + trailer + tow rig

    Standard team support equipment.

Terminology

Slide job
Signature move — slide across turn apex in front of opponent.
Wing
5 sq m aerodynamic wing on Sprint Cars — provides downforce.
Cushion
Berm of dirt on outside of track — grip line.
Rubbered in
Track after several races — grippy from rubber embedded.
Dry slick
Track dried out + slick — challenging late-race condition.
Feature
Main event of race night — 20-40 cars.
Heat race
Preliminary 8-12 lap qualifying race.
WoO
World of Outlaws — premier Sprint Car sanctioning body.

Major competitions

  • Knoxville Nationals ($150K to winner — Sprint Car pinnacle)

    annual (August) · Knoxville, IA, USA · since 1961

  • Chili Bowl Nationals (Sprint/Midget indoor, $30K)

    annual (January) · Tulsa, OK, USA · since 1987

  • Dirt Late Model Dream ($100K)

    annual (June) · Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, OH, USA · since 1994

  • World of Outlaws Sprint Car World Championship

    annual (Nov) · USA (Concord, NC finale) · since 1978

Where it is played

Governing bodies

  • World of Outlaws — Sprint Car Series

    Founded 1978 · Concord, NC, USA

  • DIRTcar — Regional dirt Modifieds

    Founded 1997 · Concord, NC, USA (WoO parent)

  • Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

    Founded 2005 · USA

  • IMCA — International Motor Contest Association (RaceSaver Modifieds)

    Founded 1915 · Vinton, IA, USA

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

  • Steve Kinser (US, 20× World of Outlaws Sprint Car champion — 'King of the Outlaws')
  • Donny Schatz (US, 10× WoO champion)
  • Kyle Larson (US, NASCAR champion + prolific dirt track winner)
  • Jeff Gordon (US, NASCAR Hall of Fame + Chili Bowl champion 2012, 2013, 2020)
  • Chase Elliott (US, NASCAR Cup + dirt track winner)

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-28.verified