Itching for a nerd fight? These contests might be up your alley.

Death Race
Who competes: Bored extreme racers
Venue: Pittsfield, Vermont (June)
Begin with an ultramarathon, add stages like crawling through barbed wire, eating raw onions, and completing Greek translations. Top with mind games: Last year’s race started at the “prerace meeting.” Surprise!

Steer Butchery Competition
Who competes: Hoof-to-snout enthusiasts
Venue: Varies (July 2011: Los Angeles)
The knives come out at the Eat Real Festival, where meat cleavers race to disassemble the hindquarters of a steer.

The Great Handcar Regatta
Who competes: Steampunk grease monkeys
Venue: Santa Rosa, California (September)
At your best in a corset and aviator goggles? Turn-of-the-century pageantry abounds as costumed teams pilot human-powered railcars. Awards are given for speed, showboating, and “fantastical pants.”

Super Art Fight
Who competes: Dramatic doodlers
Venue: Varies (March 2011: Frederick, Maryland)
Emcees toss out topics (kitten apocalypse, Conan O’Brien the Barbarian) for two dueling drawers. The winner is determined by audience cheers at the end of a 30-minute scrawl, so bravado is important.