Road racing started around 1895.  Compared to today, everything at that time was off-road!  Off-road racing consists of competing in specially modified vehicles that can withstand the punishment of racing in the desert, on rock courses, or on short courses with gravel pits and jumps.  The track or course just needs to be nasty enough to challenge the truck suspension and the driver's nerves.

 

Stage Rallies ​​​​​​are run on roads closed to other traffic, with one car at a time, over paved and unpaved surfaces, through snow, ice, and deserts.  These races against the clock are year-round and run regardless of weather conditions.  Crashes are common due to the high speeds on varied surfaces, resulting in cars sliding into ditches, slamming into trees, and colliding with other objects.  It is not uncommon for cars to jump vertically several feet and travel 50-plus feet horizontally through the air while going 100-plus kph!  Drivers are not provided with the exact route until they begin racing, so a navigator accompanies them to provide information on the road. 

 

Rallycross is a timed event held on a specially designed track for rallycross racing. Cars run simultaneously on the track, but not at the same time, eliminating the need for passing.  The events are open to any mass-produced passenger vehicle.

 

Desert racing originated in the early 1900s and gained formalization around 1967.  The most well-known off-road race is the Dakar (also known as a Rally Raid event), which has been running on some of the most treacherous and unforgiving terrain around the world since 1978.  Desert races can range in distance from 40 km (25 miles) up to 1,609 km (1,000 miles), such as the Baja 1000.  As with all motorsports, there are various classes of vehicles in which to compete. 

 

Short Course racing, on the other hand, runs on circuits less than five miles but includes plenty of turns, washboard runs, and gravel pits.  Some courses are set up inside stadiums.  Other off-road courses focus on hill runs or racing on snow-covered slopes. 

 

Monster Truck Racing and Freestyle involves massive trucks that are 3.6 meters tall (12 feet) and 3.6 meters wide and can weigh up to 5,443 kilograms (12,000 pounds).  These trucks have heavy-duty suspensions to cope with jumps that can cover over 12 meters (40 feet) as they soar through the air.    Races will feature a variety of jumps, including obstacles like cars.  In freestyle, drivers will perform flips, doughnuts, and several other tricks.  Jumps are also featured, as are obstacles like cars, buses, and motor homes that they simply plow into and over with their 1.7 meter (66 inches) tall tires.  The driver is evaluated by a panel of judges who award points for their performance.