Winged warriors: a primer on 410 sprint cars

A 410 sprint car takes its name from its engine: a 410-cubic-inch, methanol-fueled V8 producing roughly 900 horsepower in a car that weighs about 1,400 pounds with its driver aboard.

There’s no transmission in the conventional sense and no onboard starter. Push trucks roll the cars onto the track to fire them, and drivers manage speed almost entirely with the throttle.

The towering top wing generates enormous downforce, and the car’s offset, staggered setup is designed to be driven sideways through the corners of tight dirt ovals.

A typical World of Outlaws night runs from hot laps and time trials through heat races and a last-chance showdown to the A-main feature — a format that rewards speed, adaptability and an instinct for a changing track surface.