Category Science

The three-hulled Yellow Pages Endeavour broke the sail-powered water speed record. With an aerofoil sail perched on its tiny hulls, Endeavour had a speed of 46.53 knots and a crew of just two who travelled in a closed cockpit.

Who races on a cat?

Catamarans, or ‘cats’ for short, are twin-hulled boats which can be raced, sailed for pleasure, or used as passenger boats. They travel through the water more easily than single-hulled boats, and are steadier in rough seas.

Amazing! Some boats race all the way around the world, using only wind power. The Round The World Yacht Race is held every four years. Highly skilled sailors can even race ‘the wrong way’ around the world, against the wind and currents.

Is it true? People race yachts on land.

Yes. Three-wheeled sand yachts race along beaches of about 125 kph. Other yachts race along disused railway tracks, and even across snow!

Which boats skate on ice?

Iceboats can reach speed of over 220 kph. They look like normal racing yachts, with tall sails and long ropes. But instead of hulls, they have skates which glide across the ice.

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American Gee Bee planes raced during the 1930s. The company which made them was called Granville Brothers (G. B). These short, fat planes used to race at speeds of nearly 480 kph, in 8,800 kilometre-long races! Plane races were run to show how reliable the aircraft were.

What was the longest air race?

The longest air race was the MacRobertson race from Mildenhall, England to Melbourne, Australia in 1934. It was won by the crew of a de Havilland in a time of 70 hours and 54 minutes.

Is it true? The first non-stop flight around the world was made in 1933.

No. Wiley Post did make the first solo round the world flight in Winnie Mae in 1933, but he had to stop several times to refuel. It was a 25,000 km journey, and it took him just over a week.

Amazing! The first non-stop around the world flight wasn’t until 1986. It took Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager nine days to make the 40,000 kilometre journey. Their lightweight aeroplane Voyager had just 68 litres of fuel left when it landed at Edwards Airforce Base.

When was the first air race?

The first air race was in 1909, near Reims in France. It took place only six years after the very first flight by the Wright brothers.

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A demolition derby is not so much of race as a test of strength. Modified road cars deliberately smash into one another, and the winner is the last car to keep moving. It’s a dangerous sport, and drivers are protected by harnesses and safety cages.

Amazing! Some tractors are powered by aircraft engines! Tractor Tuggers have to drag a sledge weighing a hefty 100 tonnes, for 100 metres along a dirt track.

Which racing cars have no engines?

Gravity Formula One cars are downhill racers, which have no engines, just a steering lever and a small brake. Drivers skid them down steep mountain roads at speeds of around 100 kph!

Is it true? People race lawn mowers.

Yes. Some people really do take their lawn mowers racing. It’s cheaper than Formula One, and it keeps the grass down as well. It just goes to show that if it’s got wheels, someone out there will race it!

Are there races for trucks?

Yes. Specially tuned trucks compete on racetracks. They look like ordinary trucks on the road, but they’re a lot faster. Some even have jet engines, reaching speeds of over 605 kph!

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There used to be a dangerous trend in America for racing at night through the streets in souped-up road cars, nicknamed ‘hotrods’. The official sport of hotrod racing was founded to put an end to racing on the road.

Is it true? Racing cars are not allowed to race in cities any more.

No. Several Grands Prix are still run on public roads. The event at Monte Carlo has been held on almost exactly the same circuit since 1929. The Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne is another example. The streets are cleared of public traffic in advance and crash barriers are set up. Dozens of classic car rallies also run from town to town.

Amazing! In July 1924, Ernest Eldridge broke the World Land Speed Record on a French public road. He was driving a specially built 1907 Fiat called Mephistopheles and reached 234 kph!

What were café racers?

Cafe racers were specially modified bikes, which were raced to and from roadside cafes. This craze started in England in the 1960s. Not surprisingly, cafe racing on public roads is against the law!

Who wears a yellow shirt if he’s winning?

The overall leader in the exhausting Tour de France bicycle race wears a bright yellow shirt. Recently some stages of the race have been run in southern England, Spain and Belgium, as well as France.

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Race officials aren’t allowed to talk with drivers during a race, so they communicate with flags. Different flags warn of danger, problems, or may order a driver off the track. The chequered flag is waved in front of the winning car.

Who wears fireproof underwear?

Underneath their overalls, racing drivers must wear fire-resistant ‘Nomex’ underwear, made up of a long sleeved vest, full length pants, socks and a balaclava. These protect the driver against a blaze of 700° C for twelve seconds.

Amazing! In dry conditions, bald tyres provide better grip than tyres with grooves. In the rain, cars switch to tyres with deep slots, to disperse as much water as possible and prevent skids. Each tyre can disperse 26 litres of water from the road per second!

Is it true? Racing cars could race across the ceiling.

Yes. The air pressure pushing a speeding racing car on to the track is so great that they could race upside down.

Who works in the pit?

About 20 mechanics work in the pits, where they make quick repairs and adjustments during a race. They can change a wheel in under five seconds!

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Riders in motorbike Grands Prix take corners verb quickly by leaning sharply into bends, scraping their knee against the track. This is called the ‘knee down’ position. For protection, they have tough nylon knee pads sewn into their leathers.

Which motorbike racers have three wheels?

Sidecar racing bikes have three wheels. The sidecar isn’t powered, but the second rider provides vital balance. On corners, the sidecar rider leans out, for extra roadholding, and the driver hardly has to reduce speed.

Amazing! Some bikes have tyres with metal spikes sticking from them, for riding on ice. The spikes pierce the icy surface and stop the bike from skidding. Without them, both bike and rider would go flying!

Which motorbikes don’t have brakes?

Speedway racing bikes don’t have brakes. Instead, the bike slows to an almost instant halt, as soon as the throttle is released. Riders wear extra sturdy steel boots, which they grind into the dirt, to bring the bike to a final standstill.

Is it true? Motorbike races last only one hour.

No. Different races have different lengths. The famous Le Mans race in France, for example, lasts for an exhausting 24 hours, while speedway races are often run over just four laps (1200 metres) and last for about a minute!

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