You take the controller in hand, rev the engine while awaiting the green light and you punch the control pad, accelerating your car while weaving in and out of other cars, running over anything that gets in your way until you cross the finish line or just before it, you turn the car around and try to hit all the other cars head on. Obviously, that is not really how it is done. The sport involves physics more than anything else. Cars have to be built to certain specifications and are tested in labs before they hit the track. The slightest imperfection on the car's body could hinder its performance.
Safety is the most important aspect in racing.
Cars are built to break apart upon impact to decrease shock to the driver and slow the car down. Drivers wear fire-retardant uniforms and helmets and are seated snugly between padding in their cars. Fire trucks and ambulances stand by during the entire race in case of an accident. Their bodies are in a noisy car for hours around the track as they fight the steering wheel and g-forces along 30 degree embankments. At times, the temperature can be more than 100 degrees inside the car because of the weather, engine, fumes and the driver's body suit.