China's first civil vehicle endurance racing opened in Darhan Muminggan Joint Banner, North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Sept 20, and 68 civil vehicles nationwide joined the competition.

China's first civil vehicle endurance racing opens in Darhan Muminggan Joint Banner, North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Sept 20. [Photo/Xinhua]

The racing lasted for 24 hours and took place in a fully enclosed car field with a 15.68-kilometer race track, the longest of its kind worldwide.

China's civil vehicle ownership hit 137 million by the end of 2013 and is growing at 8 percent annually year-on-year, said Xu Haidong, secretary-general of the China Automotive Industry Association's marketing committee. Xu said that the racing can help involve more residents in vehicle-related activities and test the development level of China's civil vehicle industry.

Xu added that China has entered the auto age, and auto events are part of the vehicle culture. The open will play a positive role in establishing China's own civil vehicle brands and upgrade industrial development.

The endurance racing was jointly held by the Automobile Sports Federation, the local sports bureau and the Darhan Muminggan Joint Banner government. It was divided into five teams by engine displacement, and the top speed was 100 miles per hour. The racing mainly measures vehicle safety, oil conservation performance and endurance. Every vehicle had three drivers and could stop for refueling.