Folkrace

About

Folkrace competitions are held on special gravel or tarmac tracks that are 2400 m in length. Although the tracks are designed to limit top speed to 80 km/h, speeds of over 120 km/h can be reached on most of them. Events are divided into classes based on age and gender, and participants can be as young as 14 years old. A race consists of several heats, with six cars typically competing in each heat.

The winner of a heat receives seven points, the runner-up five, the third-place finisher four, and so on. After all heats are completed, total scores are calculated; the top six drivers advance to the A final, the next six to the B final, and so forth, with the A final winner taking the event. To keep costs low, cars must meet minimum safety regulations and are standard family cars with at least four seats, no all-wheel drive, no diesel engines, and no mid-engine layout.

Anyone may place a fixed-price bid on any competing car, and the buyer is chosen by draw; the fixed price is €2,000 in Finland or 8,000 SEK in Sweden. Refusing to sell can result in revocation of one's competition licence, though participants with handicaps may obtain an exemption if they require special equipment. Personal items such as the seat and safety harness are not included in the sale. Folk racing is a full-contact sport, similar to banger racing, but intentionally ramming or obstructing a competitor is forbidden. Strict safety rules allow teenagers aged 14 to 17 and drivers without a regular driver's licence to participate.

In popular culture

Folkrace has appeared in several media. In Top Gear, James May competed in a Finnish event after training with Mika Häkkinen. The video game Wreckfest includes folk racing among its demolition derby modes. Teardown has a downloadable content pack titled Folkrace. A 2024 Swedish documentary follows two young women in rural Sweden. The game My Winter Car features folkrace on an ice track on a frozen lake.