Car racing has been around for a long time and has become a global trend. As a result, races are being held in several historic race tracks across different locations. But when you don’t have a racing car, Can You Drive A Rental Car On A Race Track?”
Motorsport is often thought of as one of the best ways to burn money. As accurate as this sounds, not all forms of car racing have to be expensive. Car racing enthusiasts who want a bit of excitement over the weekend have many ways to go racing worldwide.
This article sheds light on popular race tracks in significant countries and all about rental cars on race tracks.
What Is A Race Track?
A race track is also known as a circuit, speedway, or race course. It is typically a road path for racing cars, horses, bicycles, etc.
Racing consists of several different forms. So naturally, your preference might differ from what I like or the likes of the guy next to you. Listed below are some of the most popular types out there, some of which you may already be familiar with.
There are three main types of professional racing:
Open Wheel Circuit
This racing involves cars with a single-seat cockpit and wheels exposed outside the car’s main body. Formula 1, Formula E, and Indy car series are popular forms of this open-wheel racing. However, you will rarely find any street-legal version of open-wheel racing cars. Their designs are not practical for regular use on city streets.
Closed Wheel Circuit
Closed-wheel racing typically occurs at an oval race track. Some of the tracks exceed the 200 MPH speed limit. The closed-wheel cars can be grouped into categories such as street cars, sports cars, touring cars, production cars, etc.
What the closed-wheel racing cars do have in common, however, is that their wheels are contained within the car’s body. NASCAR is an excellent example of a closed-wheel circuit series. Unlike open-wheel circuit cars, many closed-wheel racing cars have street-legal versions available.
Experimental Or Prototype
Experimental racing solely aims to compete at the highest level categories using a sports prototype/hybrid vehicle.
This type of racing is considered elite racing. Only the best race against each other, with sports cars designed and manufactured to win races.
Prototype cars are not for commercial use. However, many race tracks have prototypes that transfer to a racing series once the performance issues are checked out.
Types Of Racing Tracks
Within these three racing categories mentioned above, there are various types of racing tracks and courses, including:
- Stock Car (NASCAR)
- Formula 1
- Indy
- Drag Racing
- Autocross
- Dirt track / Circle Track
- Outlaws / Midgets
- Camion (Semis / Truck Cross)
- Endurance Racing
- Off-Road Racing
- Stadium / Arena Racing
Let’s look at some of the most famous race tracks across the USA, Australia, and Europe.
Popular Race Tracks In The USA
Among the numerous historic race tracks in the USA, these are the finest:
- Circuit of the Americas (Elroy, Texas)
- Daytona International Speedway (Florida)
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indianapolis, Indiana)
- Lime Rock Park (Lakeville, Connecticut)
- Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (Salinas, California)
- Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin)
- Utah Motorsports Campus (Tooele, Utah)
Popular Race Tracks In Australia
There are many popular race tracks in Australia, but here are a few of the most well-known:
- The Bend Motorsport Park (Tailem Bend, SA)
- Sandown Raceway (Melbourne, VIC)
- Sydney Motorsport Park (Sydney, NSW)
- Hidden Valley Raceway (Darwin, NT)
- Barbagallo Raceway (Perth, WA)
- Mallala Motorsport Park (Adelaide, SA)
- Mt. Panorama (Bathurst, NSW)
Popular Race Tracks In Europe
Europe has some of the most notable race tracks in the world. Here is a list of some of the best:
- Monaco (France)
- Nürburgring (Germany)
- Jerez (Spain)
- Spa Francorchamps (Belgium)
- Zandvoort (Netherlands)
- Silverstone (England)
- Anglesey (Great Britain)
What Is A Rental Car?
A rental car can be hired from a car rental company for a short period. They usually come in handy when you’d rather not wait for public transportation, a taxi, or walk a long distance.
Rentals are typically made hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on your agreement with the car rental company. It is usually referred to as leasing if there’s a need for a more extended hire period.
Rental car companies are competitive, meaning that car renters have many options to choose from. Here are some of the best rental car companies available:
| In Europe: | In The USA: | In Australia: |
| Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental | Alamo | Thrifty |
| Alamo | Enterprise | Avis |
| Enterprise | National | Budget |
| Budget | SIXT | East Coast Car Rentals |
| Europcar | Hertz | Hertz |
| Firefly | Budget | Enterprise |
| Hertz | Avis | |
| Avis | Dollar | |
| Keddy by Europcar | Thrifty | |
| National | ||
| SIXT | ||
| Green Motion | ||
| Surprise | ||
| Easirent |
Things To Know Before Renting A Car
“Information is the oxygen of the modern age.” It’s always important to research and take safety measures in advance, especially if this is your first time renting a car. Below are some things you need to consider before renting a car:
• Extra cost for under 25 drivers
The minimum age permitted to rent a car in the USA is 21. However, it wasn’t until recently that some rental companies started allowing drivers under 21. But there is an extra fee for drivers under 25.
• Left/Right-hand side driving
In the USA, you are supposed to drive on the right-hand side of the road. But that’s only the case in some places. You should drive on the left in Europe or former British colonies, including Australia, New Zealand, etc.
• Speed limits
The maximum limit in the United Kingdom is 70 MPH, found on dual carriageways and motorways. In the US, speed limits vary by state, with Texas allowing up to 85 MPH.
• Refills
Drop by a local gas station for a refill before returning your rental car. Most car rental companies require a full tank and tend to charge much more than a local gas station.
• Remain on paved roads
Many car rental companies only permit using their cars on paved roads. However, you can use them on unpaved roads if you wish to pay for your off-road trip.
• Credit card insurance policy
To cover any damages, rental companies will offer you expensive car insurance. However, before you indulge, check and confirm if your credit card covers insurance on car rentals. You might need additional coverage from them to avoid additional costs.
Can You Drive a Rental Car On a Race Track?
The answer is no, but there’s more to it. Rental cars come with terms and conditions, including what you can and cannot use the vehicle for. And, of course, racing or off-road driving is strictly prohibited.
Nothing stops you from taking a rental car onto a race track. However, we’d strongly advise against doing so. It is a terrible idea and scarcely ends well. Furthermore, you forfeit insurance and indemnities once you violate the terms and conditions. Finally, it leaves you liable for any possible damage or issue.
How Rental Car Companies Prevent You From Driving on Tracks?
There is no way for the rental car company to stop you from undertaking your off-road or racing adventure. However, they may be able to pick up clues or evidence to prove you’ve been to a race track. Some rental companies have In Vehicle Monitoring Systems tracking the car’s location, distance, and speed for the hire duration.
Penalties For Driving a Rental Car On a Race Track
Violating the terms and conditions provided by the rental car company will earn you some penalties:
- You will no longer be insured to drive the rental car
- You won’t be covered for any mechanical breakdown
- You’ll not be covered for any damage to the rental car
- You may be liable to repair costs for the racetrack itself
- If the car is seriously damaged, you could be liable for the ‘total loss.’
- If an incident is your fault, you could be liable for damages/costs to other circuit users.
Best Alternatives To Get Racing Car Experience
The best alternative to experiencing the thrill of racing is to rent a racing car at the race track itself.
Race car rentals are available in almost all the well-known circuits across the globe. It doesn’t require any prior racing experience. You can start by choosing an event and your preferred supercar. Then you can experience the thrill of driving on a real racetrack.
There are no speed limits, so explore the best backroads from an exotic supercar. The only downside is that they are a little expensive compared to regular rental car companies. But the entire experience is worth investing in.
Supercar Rental And Supercar Tours
Supercars can be incredibly expensive to own for some people. Not to mention changing tires and oil and the high maintenance of driving a billion-dollar horsepower. Unable to afford one, we have no choice but to watch from the sidelines or TV.
But thankfully, the industry responded to our desires, and prominent supercar companies started renting cars to regular folks like us. We know a few supercar rentals, but what about supercar tours? There’s a slight difference between these two services.
Supercar Rental
Most supercar rentals grant you an ‘unlimited’ number of miles, but how far can you drive in a few hours? Once you’re handed the keys, how far you push the car or where you go is up to you. That means you must come prepared because those miles run out faster than you think.
To rent a supercar, you will need to pay up the rental cost for the entire day. Whether you’re driving for a few hours or less doesn’t matter. You’ll also be charged a gasoline fee based on the number of miles you go, but that’s not all.
In addition, there’s a local tourism fee, delivery fee, and other things to pay for. Finally, you may need more than your insurance policies to cover the cost of damages if any ‘incident’ occurs. Therefore, you should consider purchasing a third-party insurance policy, particularly for your rental.
Supercar Tours
Although the supercar tour is no different from a supercar rental, except for a few things.
You may need to familiarize yourself with your location and need help determining where to spend your driving experience. Supercar tours offer you a guided journey.
So instead of wandering around without a plan, feast on some of the region’s best sceneries and driving routes. And guess what? There are no extra charges for miles or gasoline.
The supercar tours let you experience primo driving routes in places you may know but have never been to. Here is a list of some of the popular race car rentals available:
• Fastrack Experience (Australia)
The Fastrack V8 Race experience spans across Australia, hosting events at iconic race tracks. So if you are in Australia, you can give it a shot.
• Xtreme Xperience (America)
Xtreme Xperience has over 40 destinations spread across America. You can quickly start your racing experience from a track near you.
• Track Speed (Serres, Greece)
The Serres Motorway is the only track in the country and the Balkans that entirely complies with the FIA (International Automobile Federation) and FIM (International Federation Motorcycle) standards for running Formula 3 races.
• RSRSpa (Spa Francorchamps)
Enjoy a track day experience at the Spa circuit.
• Jaco’s Paddock Motorsport (Europe)
Jaco’s paddock offers race car rentals in circuits across Europe.
• RSRNurburg (Nürburgring)
Grab the chance to drive at the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife. RSRNurburg now offers hand-controlled vehicles, so wheelchair users can also experience the racetrack.
Other low–budget ways to go racing include:
- Funcup (Europe)
- Locost Racing (UK)
- Arrive-And-Drive Drag Racing (Australia)
- Champcar World Series
- 24Hrs of Lemons (USA)
Conclusion
Supercar rentals and tours are one of the best car travel experiences. As an automotive enthusiast, you can experience this while traveling to a new place. Although the charges may be high, you can live your dream of racing a supercar on a real race track. Or even surprise your loved one with a paid supercar tour. So start exploring those options and enjoying the thrill.