All terrain vehicles, also known as ATVs, are the rage now for many uses. Farming uses them to round up cattle, police use them to search crime scenes, neighbors use them to visit, hunters use them to carve their way through the woods, and people ride them just for fun. Of course, just like motorcycles, go-carts and anything else on wheels, eventually people start racing for the bragging rights of who is fastest.

ATVs riders are no exception. There is a companion organization with the American Motorcycle Association, or AMA, that represents the quad wheeler, ATVA. Born in Japan as a utility vehicle, the quad wheeler has evolved into a lean, mean racing machine. There are several types of races for ATVs. They race on tracks similar to motocross motorcycle tracks, with jumps, sharp turns and rippled straights.

One of the more popular forms of ATV racing is on a dirt track. The tracks are dirt ovals around 3/8 of a mile in length. The ATVs line up at a starting line with engines running. At the drop of the green flag, all riders go flat out to the first curve where they fight for the best line. Here, they begin to bunch up and slide around the oval. The ATV in front when the checkered flag drops is the winner and gets points based on their finish position.

Each heat consists of a set number of laps, called a "moto." After two or more motos, the rider with the highest number of points is the winner. There are events for kids on 50cc ATVs, all the way up to an unlimited class featuring ages 16 and up.