Auto Race
Auto Race is a Japanese motorcycle speedway competition which is held on tarmac tracks. It is predominantly a gambling sport which takes place exclusively in Japan.
speedway race motorbike The course used is a banked oval track with an asphalt surface. The bikes used for Auto Race are typically 599cc, twin gear bikes that have no brakes. Since riders lean around the corners rather than slide, the handle bar used are higher on the left than on the right for stability on turns.
Since it is a gambling sport there are several restrictions enforced on riders before competitions to prevent the races from being fixed. All competing riders are required to stay at a dormitory prior to the race day and refrain from contact with anyone. Riders are only identified by their nicknames.
In each race, eight riders compete directly for six laps around the track. Each race lasts for no more than three minutes. On race day, a single rider will be a part of multiple races. After each race, the bikes are kept together in a cordoned off area to prevent them from being tampered.
The sport has currently regained its popularity in Japan after a period of downfall when the sport was plagued by race fixing scandals.
Similar Sports
- Motorcycle Speedway — the motorcycles have one gear and no brakes, and race around a circular track. Also commonly known as just 'speedway'.
- Long Track Motorcycle Speedway — a version of motorcycle speedway, but taking place on longer tracks at much higher speeds.
- Ice Speedway — similar to Speedway Racing, though using bikes developed specifically for racing on ice. The bikes race anti-clockwise around oval tracks between 260 and 425 meters in length.
Related Pages
- Sport in Japan
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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