Most people have heard of the premier auto races in the United States, events such as the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. Millions watch those races to see superstars like Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Helio Castroneves push their cars to the limit at speeds of around 200 mph. And then we have the races on this list. Few people have heard of them, far fewer could name any of the drivers who compete in them. But make no mistake, these drivers are also pushing their cars to the limit, at speeds of more than 200 mph in some cases — and they’re doing it not on famous race tracks, but on two-lane public highways, in some cases getting sideways near drop-offs of hundreds of feet. Here are five extreme open-road races in the United States.
