Fast Lane: Open-Wheel Racing

If you think go-karts are just a fun leisure activity, prepare to be amazed. Kart racing has been a competitive motorsport around the world since the 1950s. Kids and adults alike can race these tiny, yet powerful vehicles, on dirt and asphalt tracks. The most powerful racing karts today, known as superkarts, can speed along at close to 160 miles (257 km) per hour! Some top race car drivers, including Michael Schumacher and Tony Stewart, got their start in kart racing when they were kids. Informative text is paired with stunning photographs of karts racers in action.

Formula 1 is the top open-wheel racing series in the world. Its exciting history includes daring drivers, celebrated teams, and dangerous tracks. Today, fans all over the world eagerly watch F1 stars like Sebastian Vettel race through the twists and turns of famous tracks, such the street course of Monte Carlo and Italy's Monza. F1 teams and manufacturers are continually looking for ways to make this exciting sport even more exhilarating, with the cars reaching speeds up to 190 miles (305 km) per hour! Readers are sure to be amazed by the up-close photographs of F1 racers and cars.

Fans of sprint car racing know that every race is sure to be exciting. These odd-shaped, yet speedy, cars sprint and slide their way around tracks, throwing dirt and bumping into each other all the way. The first sprint cars, built just after World War I, were stripped-down Model T Fords. Today's sprint cars are hi-tech machines that travel close to 140 miles (225 km) per hour. Their giant upside down wings help keep their wheels on the track. However, sooner or later, there's going to be a crash! Readers will love the colorful photographs of these crazy sprint cars in action.

IndyCar might be a US open-wheel racing series, but the races take place on tracks around the world. With cars that can zip along at close to 200 miles per hour, it's no wonder IndyCar is a popular sport worldwide. Each year, IndyCar fans flock to the "Brickyard" in Indianapolis, Indiana, to watch the exhilarating Indy 500. This book follows IndyCar's electrifying history and features racing legends, such as A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, and Helio Castroneves. The amazing photographs take readers right into the pits for an up-close view of these amazing machines and their courageous drivers.

Midget cars might be small and light, but they're fast, traveling at speeds up to 150 miles (241 km) per hour! Originally called "doodlebugs," midget cars got their start back in 1919 in Los Angeles, California. Today, midget car fans from the United States to Australia and New Zealand love to watch these speedy little cars race. Midget cars were so popular in the 1950s that several movies were made about them. Inside, dazzling photographs of midget cars tearing up the track are sure to interest readers of all ages. Book Review: Midget Cars"This is a concise and well-written book about this topic. It follows the general format for nonfiction, so the students will be able to make use of the contents, bold type etc. that is needed to read about material and research what they are interested in."-Nancy Stabler, School Librarian, Louise Cabaniss Elementary