Nepal

Car Racing

Car Racing

Student Name: Amer Abdulrahman

ID: H00155987

Car Racing

Car racing is a sport that involves the competition between cars in a race. The sport is commonly referred to as automobile racing. The sport was started back in the late nineteenth century immediately the discovery of a combustion engine that ran on gasoline. The first racing competition was carried out in 1894 between Paris and Rouen covering a distance of eighty kilometers. The winner of this race hit the average speed of 16.4 kilometers per hour (Charters, 2007).

The second race followed a year later taking place from Paris to Bordeaux and back. The winner hit the average speed of 24.15 kilometers per hour after covering a distance of one thousand one hundred and seventy eighty kilometers.  Later that year, automobiles racing spread to the United States of America on Thanks Giving day in a racing event that took place from Chicago to Evanston and back covering a distance of eighty seven kilometers. The races in the early days were sponsored by newspaper organizations purposely for promotion.

By the late nineteenth century, automobile racing had become a norm with frequent town to town races in France as well as races from France to other countries. However, the Paris to Madrid race through Bordeaux was stopped by authorities in 1903 citing the increased number of accidents (Charters, 2007). The closed-circuit racing that had been invented in 1898 was adopted after the closure of the Paris to Madrid race. It spread to other parts of Europe with the exception of England, Scotland and Wales.

Automobile racing as a professional and amateur sport is carried out around the globe in a number of forms such as closed circuit racing and tracks as well as roads. Automobiles racing is classified into categories based on the rues and regulations of the Federation of International Automobiles. The widely known events include the Grand Prix racing event, sports-car racing, speedway racing and rally driving.  

Grand Prix racing that commenced in 1906 takes place on closed roads as a measure to reduce fatal accidents. The race cars used in Grand Prix racing are the Formula One that is slightly smaller in size compared to other cars (Codling, 2011). The race follows the racing-car rules that are set by the Federation of International Automobiles. The cars participating in Grand Prix are single-seater and open wheeled with the size of their engine as well as fuel consumption under control by the Federation of International Automobiles. Since the mid of the twentieth century, Grand Prix racing has been the most popular global automobile racing. Grand Prix racing is held under national clubs as well as international events that involve competition between countries. Normally, cars from one country are painted with the same color to make identification simple. However, the competition has largely been between car manufacturing companies as a way of marketing their brands.

Speedway racing is the second automobile racing that involves motorcycles on racecourses or flat tracks. It originated in Australia in early twentieth century and spreads quickly to Europe and other parts of the world (Collins & Ireland, 2009). The racing is carried out on small oval tracks by use of light weight motorcycles that do not have brakes and their fuel tanks are very small. Ever since its inception, speedway racing has been known to pull large crowds with its competition ranging from local to global levels. The winners of the speedway racing are determined based on the Federation of International Motorcycles that is the body with the mandate of regulating motorcycle racing.

Rally driving is an automobile racing competition that uses public routes that are specified. The first rally racing competition was carried out in 1907 between Beijing and Paris covering a distance of twelve thousand kilometers. The widely known Monte-Carlo rally that started in 1911 has been held annually except for interruptions during war times (Nauright & Parrish, 2012). Another notable event is the Dakar rally that is believed to be the most grueling racing event began in 1978 covering a distance of fifteen thousand kilometers. The cars used have two seats for the driver and the navigator who helps in adhering to the prearranged schedule checkpoints that are completely concealed from the driver s until when the rally starts. Rally driving is still carried out until today with the most recent Dakar rally event in 2009 being relocated to Southern America as a result of terrorist concerns. Rally driving is currently all around the globe and ranges from inter-club competitions to events that get sponsorship from large organizations such as the Dakar Rally.

Sports-car racing is a racing event nearly the same as rally racing only that the cars used have a combined features of race cars as well as touring cars. They cars are meant for two or four people with high speed and power capabilities meant for touring on normal roads. Sports car racing events are mostly meant for amateur drivers by the organizing organizations both locally and internationally (Nauright & Parrish, 2012). The entrance of manufacturer sports cars championships in the mid twentieth century changed the participation in the event. This is because the manufacturers started using the events completely for marketing their new models and prototype cars.

Almost all sporting events have rules and regulations that govern how they are carried include racing events. Car racing events are required to adhere to the rules and regulations set up by the Federation of International Automobiles. The body is concerned with setting up of the required specifications for every car participating in the event. The body clarifies the differences that exist between the Grand Prix racing cars and the sports-car racing. On the other hand, the Federation of International Motorcycles sets the rules that should be attained by all those willing to participate in speedway racing.

It is a big challenge determining who stands out as the most famous driver. However, drivers have had different diverse abilities and they all have contributed to the sport immensely at different levels.  Ayrton Senna tops the list followed by Lewis as the most famous driver (Angus, 2013). Before his death almost two decades ago, Ayrton Senna had three world driving championships. He is remembered as being the most outstanding driver driving in rain and his ability to accommodate the weakness of the cars he drove. Lewis Hamilton as a Grand Prix driver is widely remembered for his prowess while at a tender age. He overcame a veteran driver Fellipe Massa in 2007 in what many viewed as a witty race. He later on broke the dry track racing record thereby stamping his authority. It is widely believed that Hamilton’s way of driving and his passion brought back excitement to Formula One racing.    

References

Angus, D. (2013). The Greatest Racing Driver The Life and Times of Great Drivers, With a Logical Analysis Revealing the Greatest. Balboa Pr.

Charters, D. (2007). The chequered past: sports car racing and rallying in Canada, 1951-1991. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Codling, S. (2011). Real racers: Formula 1 in the 1950s and 1960s: a driver's perspective: photography from the Klemantaski Collection. Minneapolis: MBI Pub. Co.

Collins, S. & Ireland, G. (2009). Speedway: auto racing's ghost tracks. Dorchester: Veloce.

Nauright, J. & Parrish, C. (2012). Sports around the world: history, culture, and practice. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO.

Horse Racing

Horse Racing

History of Horse Racing

Just like any other sport, horse racing is a competitive activity; the only difference is that it involves horses racing against each other. This can be for fun, entertainment or a price. Horse racing dates back to as early as the fifth century (Bareback and Chariot events, 2013). It is worth nothing that horse racing was not always a sport for the wealthy. Originally, horses were the primary mode of transport and communication besides walking (or running). Over time, it changed into a form of entertainment and finally, a race. During this time, it was in practice in the ancient Greece, Babylon, Syria, Roman Empire and Egypt, with the incorporation of the chariot and horse racing in the early Greek Olympics competitions by 648 BC. With horses being costly at the time, horse racing was a sport for the wealthy and the royalty, gaining the title of” Sport of Kings” in the British society(Prashanth, 2013).

The history of organized horse race cannot be well established, but scholars believe it to have originated in countries such as Persia, China, Arabia and Middle East countries and North Africa where horsemanship was early adopted. The European racing is believed to have developed between the 11^th and 13^th Century, which was contributed by the coming of the Arabian, Turk and Barb horses. However, up to date, the Persian and Arabian horses receive worldwide acclamation as the best and even fastest horses.

In early England, racing begun when horses met for sale were raced in contest by experienced riders to demonstrate the horses might in terms of speed to the potential buyers. The first horse racing price in the medieval England is alleged to have been forty pounds, this was during the rule of Richard the Lion Heart (1189), a contest run over 4.8km course with the knights as riders. This is because only the knights were very well versed in the art of riding, and as such, they could evaluate the best horses. The King would also choose to buy the best horses for his knights and court.

Types of Races

1.      Match Races

These were the earliest known horse races where two or at most three horses racing against each other. The owners of the horses were required to provide a purse (a simple wage) which would be given to the owner of the winning horse. It was a rule that if an owner withdrew before the race ended, he had to forfeit half of the purse he had provided for the race this later came to be known as the “play or pay” rule. The agreements for the races were recorded by non-partisan third parties who later earned the name of the match book keeper. One of the match book keepers, in new market, England was John Cheny, who began issuing Cheny’s Horse Matches, a compilation of match books at different racing centers. This was until 1773 when James Weather started a Racing Calendar.

2.      Organized Races

First established in England by Charles 11 (reigned 166—85) who later came to be recognized as “father of English turf, involved horses of the age of six. The horses carried 168 pounds and the victor won 6.4km heats. The king launches the King’s Plates competition for which awards were given to the winners.

3.      Open Field Racing

With public demand for more racing in the mid-18^th century in England, resulted to more open events with a bigger number of runners. The rules were based on the sex, place of birth and previous performance of the horses and the talent of the riders. The owners were to be the riders, in this case only gentlemen riders qualified. To ensure a fair ground, the British Parliament passed a law that the horses entering the race had to be legal possessions of the owners. The field was geographically restricted to the township or county.

The riders were as early as from the seventeenth century referred to as Jockeys –if professional in England and thereafter in French racing.

Jockey Clubs and Racing Commissions

In England, the Jockey Club was first founded at New market about 1750. It was responsible for writing racing rules, which made consideration to different kinds of contests involving horses of different ages and thus made more detailed. (Montgomery, 2013)The rules when printed in the Racing Calendar, later served as a model for rules everywhere.

In France, La Societed Encouragement pour Iamelioration des Races de Chevaux en France, established in 1833, administers French racing. In the United States, The North American Jockey Club established in 1894 in New York, used to administer the American horse racing, but later replaced by state commissions in the horse races governance.

Modern Horse Racing

Modern horse racing is not much different from the early horse racing, only a bit of change of things here and there, improvement or rules and regulations and also establishment of new types of horse races. The style, the types and the distances covered by the races vary from country to country. Its initiation is supposed to have been marked by the appointment of the English classic races, which were structured for three years old horses. These races included the St. Leger in 1776, the Oaks in 1779 and the Derby in 1780. Later come the French classics that included the Prix du Jockey Club in 1863 and then the American classics that included Belmont Stakes in 1867 and the Kentucky Derby in 1875.

There are three main types of horse races in modern racing. They are Flat racing, which involves horses running on a level ground, over a scheduled distance which involves horses racing and attach racing step.

Horse racing gained lots of popularity across generations especially due to its financial importance associated with gambling with an estimated market worth of around US $ 15 billion in 2008. Moreover, some have also come to appreciate it as a way of entertaining and for some as a way of just having fun. With all this in mind the horse race participants and audience continue to grow daily as some join for just fun while some just want to make more money.

Dubai

This is a famous city in the United Arab Emirates, and has the largest population among the emirates estimated at around 2.2 million, and has the second largest territory covering approximate, 1114 km squared. With Abu Dhabi, Dubai has the veto power in decisions involving critical matters. Although Dubai’s economy is greatly reliant on oil export, the western approach business model fuels its economy growth with the major revenues generated from tourism, real estate, aviation and financial services (Duncan, 2011). It is considered the most costly city in the contemporary world.

Dubai Horse Racing

Dubai horse racing has been around since the early times this was majorly contributed by the use of horses as means of transport. It is believed that the Arabic states were among the first people to practice organized horse racing. This was believed to be so due to their early horsemanship. Dubai may not have been in the publicity as far as horse racing is concerned, but with the conception of the annual Dubai world cup (considered to be the wealthiest in the world), when it comes to horse racing, Dubai is the place to be.

Dubai World Cup

With a visit to the England town of New market, (well known since the early times for its horse racing events) in 1960s on his first horse race (Borthwick, 2010), the Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bins Rashid al-Maktoum, was impressed and is now considered has an influential figure in sporting world and specifically horse racing. He is the man behind the Dubai World Cup.

This race is held annually since its beginning in 1996, at the Meydan Racecourse, which is suggested to be a meeting place for competing horses from Arab countries. The horse race is a thoroughbred horse race that is the race is done on a level ground across a common distance. It is managed by Emirates Racing Authority and is regarded the wealthiest horse race, with a purse of US $ ten million since the year 2010.

The race involves Thoroughbred four year olds for Northern Hemisphere and up and for Southern Hemisphere Thoroughbred three years olds and up race over a distance of 2000 meters about 10 furlongs.

References

Bareback and Chariot events. (2013, October 1). Retrieved November 21, 2013, from Equestrian Events: http://www.hellenism.com/olympics/ancientgames/equestrian.htm

Borthwick, M. (2010, March 26). BBC website. Retrieved November 21, 2013, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/business/2009/business_of_sport/8584923.stm

Duncan, G. (2011, November 30). Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the best places to live in the Middle East. The National, p. 1.

Montgomery, S. U. (2013). Horse Racing. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 5.

Prashanth. (2013, October 1). Earliest Record of horse racing. Retrieved November 21, 2013, from Library Index: http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2186/Animals-in-Sports-ROOTS-ANIMAL-SPORTS.html