There are two types of people in this world: those who have and understand the passion for racing, and those who don’t. To those who don’t, videos such as this one might seem stupid. To them, cars are nothing more than a method of transportation – a way to get from point A to point B. The gearhead, on the other hand, probably has a better appreciation for the footage.

Why? Because for us, cars are a way of life. They are much more than just a way to get to work, or to bring home the groceries. It’s what you do on the weekends, and often times what most of your paycheck goes to. Rods, road racers, even drift machines – whatever your preference, that obsession is consistent. There’s just something so primally satisfying about the deep, thundering idle of a big-block V8, or the smell of hundreds of horsepower smearing rubber all over the asphalt.

So naturally, rather than trying to leave the smallest footprint or squeeze the most fuel economy out of a car, we tend to do just the opposite. We tune it, and upgrade it, and ultimately- we race it. This racing community, fueled over many different industries by a common passion, is one of the most competitive but tight-knit in the world. There is a reason, however, that racing is inherently a very masculine sport. The video is evidence of that – no safety harnesses, no airbags; just a car and a driver.

Between the open cockpits and absence of roll-cages, vintage-era racing could be deadly.

The need for speed is not a new concept; theses old-school racers make that obvious. Early-era racing, like the formula and derby racing seen in the clip, was effectively the adolescent stage of motorsport. The balance of safety and speed was an ever-present topic in these days, as engineers were rapidly discovering ways to push limits and set the bar higher and higher. Consequently, the battle between engineers and rule-developers was nearly ceaseless, especially so in formula racing.

A testament to the level of lightning-fast innovations developers were pulling off at the time, the displacement limit for Formula 1 was decreased from the 9.8-liter limit in 1913 to 2.0 liters in a matter of only 10 years. Later, in 1927, with the limit dropped all the way down to 1.5 liters, cars were still reaching speeds of over 120 miles per hour. Quite simply: cars were getting faster before safety could catch up.

Obviously, though, this didn’t deter enthusiasts. The truly amazing aspect of racing during these earlier decades was the amount of courage and dedication seen in the racers. The casualty rate was not a pretty figure, which is to be expected considering the extremely limited safety measures available. Regardless of the dangers that a driver was exposed to, however, auto racing continued to grow into the mind-blowing, incredibly-advanced industry that it is today.

This video, aside from just being really cool, is an excellent glimpse into the heritage of modern racing and the caliber of person that got behind the wheel back then. It’s always compelling to see just how driven someone can be by their passions, and it’s even cooler when it shows you a bit more about yours.