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Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing[1] or automobile racing) is a sport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. The main aim of an individual event is to set the fastest time in a set number of laps or time limit. The finishing order is determined by race time, with the fastest time in first place, second-fastest in second place and so on. Any driver failing to complete a race for any reason is deemed 'retired', or more commonly 'out'. Retired drivers will have their positions determined by the order in which those retired, with the first to retire finishing last, the next second-last and so on. In most events a driver may be classified their final race position if he/she completes a certain amount of the race distance, usually just short of completing the full race (for example, in Formula 1, a driver's race position is classified if he/she completes 90% of the full race distance). There are numerous different categories of auto racing, each with different rules and regulations, such as compulsory pit stops and car regulations, for all cars and drivers to comply.

Auto racing events began soon after the construction of the first successful gasoline-fueled automobiles. The first organized contest was on April 28, 1887, by the chief editor of Paris publication Le Vlocipde, Monsieur Fossier.[2] It ran 2 kilometres (1.2mi) from Neuilly Bridge to the Bois de Boulogne. It was won by Georges Bouton of the De Dion-Bouton Company, in a car he had constructed with Albert, the Comte de Dion, but as he was the only competitor to show up it is rather difficult to call it a race.[2]

Another solo event occurred in 1891 when Auguste Doriot and Louis Rigoulot of Peugeot drove their gasoline-fueled Type 3 Quadricycle in the bicycle race from ParisBrestParis. By the time they reached Brest, the winning cyclist Charles Terront was already back in Paris. In order to publicly prove the reliability and performance of the 'Quadricycle' Armand Peugeot had persuaded the organiser, Pierre Giffard of Le Petit Journal, to use his network of monitors and marshalls to vouchsafe and report the vehicle's performance. The intended distance of 1200km had never been achieved by a motorised vehicle, it being about three times further than the record set by Leon Serpollet from Paris to Lyon.[3][4]

On July 22,[5] 1894, the Parisian magazine Le Petit Journal organized what is considered to be the world's first motoring competition from Paris to Rouen.[2] Sporting events were a tried and tested form of publicity stunt and circulation booster. Pierre Giffard, the paper's editor, promoted it as a Competition for Horseless Carriages (Concours des Voitures sans Chevaux) that were not dangerous, easy to drive, and cheap during the journey. Thus it blurred the distinctions between a reliability trial, a general event, and a race. One hundred and two competitors paid 10 francs entrance fee.[2]

Sixty-nine cars started the 50km (31mi) selection event that would show which entrants would be allowed to start the main event, the 127km (79mi) race from Paris to Rouen. The entrants ranged from serious manufacturers like Peugeot, Panhard, or De Dion to amateur owners; only 25 were selected for the main race.[2]

The race started from Porte Maillot and went through the Bois de Boulogne. Count Jules-Albert de Dion was first into Rouen after 6 hours and 48minutes at an average speed of 19km/h. He finished 3'30" ahead of Albert Lematre (Peugeot), followed by Auguste Doriot (Peugeot) at 16'30", Ren Panhard (Panhard) at 33'30" and mile Levassor (Panhard) at 55'30". The official winners were Peugeot and Panhard as cars were judged on their speed, handling and safety characteristics. De Dion's steam car needed a stoker which was forbidden.[2]

The ParisBordeauxParis race of June 1895 has sometimes been described as the "first motor race", despite the 1894 event being decided by speed and finishing order of the eligible racers.[dubious discuss][6] The first to arrive was mile Levassor in his Panhard-Levassor 1205cc model. He completed the course (1,178km or 732miles) in 48 hours and 47minutes, finishing nearly six hours before the runner-up. The official winner was Paul Koechlin in a Peugeot.[7] Nine of twenty-two starters finished the course.[6]

The first American automobile race is generally held to be the Thanksgiving Day Chicago Times-Herald race of November 28, 1895.[8] Press coverage of the event first aroused significant American interest in the automobile.[8] The 54.36-mile (87.48km) course ran from the South side of the city, north along the lakefront to Evanston, Illinois, and back again. Frank Duryea won the race in 10 hours and 23 minutes, beating the other five entrants.[9]

The first regular auto racing venue was Nice, France, run in late March 1897, as a "Speed Week."[citation needed] To fill out the schedule, most types of racing events were invented here, including the first hill climb (Nice La Turbie) and a sprint that was, in spirit, the first drag race.

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Auto racing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia