For current information on this topic, see 2008 in NASCAR

National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. 2008 in NASCAR can refer to any of the following NASCAR national series 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - The top racing series in NASCAR
Sport governing body
Category	Stock cars
Area of jurisdiction	United States
Formation date	1948
Headquarters	Daytona Beach, Florida Charlotte, North Carolina New York City, New York
President	Mike Helton
Chairman	Brian France
Website	www.nascar.com

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of stock cars in the United States. A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function Stock car racing is a form of Automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The City of New York Michael Helton is currently the president of the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR Brian France (born August 2, 1962) is the CEO and chairman of NASCAR, taking over the position from his father Bill France Jeffrey Brian Burton (born June 29, 1967 in South Boston Virginia) also sometimes referred to as "JB" is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Elliott William Barnes Sadler (born April 30, 1975 in Emporia Virginia) is a race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ricky Rudd (born September 12, 1956) is a retired American NASCAR driver Dale Arnold Jarrett (born November 26, 1956 in Newton North Carolina) is a former American race car driver Sterling Marlin (born June 30, 1957 in Columbia Tennessee) is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #09 Finch Racing car Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Casey James Mears (born March 12 1978 in Bakersfield California) is the driver of the #5 Kellogg's / CARQUEST Chevrolet Impala SS in the The 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup season began on Saturday February 7 and ended on Sunday November 21. Stock car racing is a form of Automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The three largest racing series sanctioned by NASCAR are the Sprint Cup, the Nationwide Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a Stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It also oversees NASCAR Local Racing, the Whelen Modified Tour, and the Whelen All-American Series. NASCAR Local Racing is a group of regional Stock car racing divisions sanctioned by NASCAR. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT (previously the NASCAR Winston Modified Tour and NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series) is a Stock car racing series The Whelen All-American Series (formerly the Dodge Weekly Series is a semi-professional and amateur Auto racing series sanctioned by NASCAR. NASCAR sanctions over 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 39 states, Canada, and Mexico. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. From 1996 to 1998, NASCAR held exhibition races in Japan and an exhibition race in Australia in 1988. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

With roots as regional entertainment in the Southeastern U.S., NASCAR has grown to become the second-most popular professional sport in terms of television ratings inside the U. The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region S. , ranking behind only the National Football League. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. ^[1] Internationally, NASCAR races are broadcast in over 150 countries. It holds 17 of the top 20 attended sporting events in the U. S. ,¹ and has 75 million fans^[1] who purchase over $3 billion in annual licensed product sales. These fans are considered the most brand-loyal in all of sports and as a result, Fortune 500 companies sponsor NASCAR more than any other governing body. Brand loyalty, in marketing consists of a consumer's commitment to repurchase the Brand and can be demonstrated by repeated buying of a product or service or other positive Please do not add the complete list of fortune 500 companies The list is copyrighted by Fortune which makes money by selling the content In 2007 NASCAR made a profit of just under $3 billion, and was the second richest motorsport (Formula One was first). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

NASCAR's headquarters are located in Daytona Beach, Florida, although it also maintains offices in four North Carolina cities: Charlotte, Mooresville, Concord, and Conover. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Mooresville is a town in Iredell County, North Carolina, USA. Concord (kän-kord is a city in the US state of North Carolina. Conover is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. Regional offices are also located in New York City, Los Angeles, Arkansas, and international offices in Mexico City and Toronto. The City of New York Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de México, México DF, México or simply Méjico) is the Capital city of Mexico Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Additionally, owing to its southern roots, all but a handful of NASCAR teams are still based in North Carolina, especially near Charlotte. The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early stock car racing 1.2 Significant people 1.2.1 William France, Sr. 1.2.2 Erwin "Cannonball" Baker 1.2.3 Bob "Barky" Barkhimer 1.3 Strictly Stock to Grand National 1.4 Beginning of the modern era 2 NASCAR-sanctioned series 2.1 Sprint Cup 2.2 Nationwide Series 2.3 Craftsman Truck Series 2.4 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series 2.5 NASCAR Corona Series 2.6 Regional racing series 3 NASCAR compared to other forms of motorsport 3.1 Crossover drivers 4 Driver safety 5 Criticism 6 Education 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 External links

History

Early stock car racing

In the 1920s and 1930s, Daytona Beach became known as the place to set world land speed records, supplanting France and Belgium as the preferred location for land speed records, with 8 consecutive world records set between 1927 and 1935. The land speed record is the fastest speed achieved by any wheeled vehicle on land as opposed to one on water or in the air or on rails. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those ^[2] After an historic race between Ransom Olds and Alexander Winton in 1903, the beach became a mecca for racing enthusiasts and fifteen records were set on what became the Daytona Beach road course between 1905 and 1935. Ransom Eli Olds ( June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the American Automobile industry, for whom both the Oldsmobile The Winton Motor Carriage Company was a pioneer United States Automobile manufacturer based in of Cleveland Ohio. Daytona Beach Road Course was a Race track that was instrumental in the formation of NASCAR. By the time the Bonneville Salt Flats became the premier location for pursuit of land speed records, in 1936, Daytona beach had become synonymous with fast cars. The Bonneville Salt Flats are a 159 square mile (412 km² Salt flat in northwestern Utah. ^[3] Drivers raced a 1. 5 to 2-mile (3. 2 km) stretch of beach as one straightaway and beachfront highway A1A as the other.

Stock car racing in the United States has its origins in bootlegging during Prohibition, when drivers ran bootleg whiskey made in Appalachia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Rum-running is the business of Smuggling or transporting of Alcoholic beverages illegally usually to circumvent Taxation or Prohibition. In the United States, the term Prohibition refers to the period from 1920 to 1933 during which the sale manufacture and transportation of alcohol for consumption Appalachia is a term used to describe a region in the eastern United States that stretches from southern New York state to northern Alabama, Bootleggers needed to distribute their illicit products, and they typically used small, fast vehicles to better evade the police. Many of the drivers would modify their cars for speed and handling, as well as increased cargo capacity, and some of them came to love the fast-paced driving down twisty mountain roads. One of the main 'strips' in Knoxville, Tennessee, had its beginning as a mecca for aspiring bootlegging drivers.

The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 dried up some of their business, but by then Southerners had developed a taste for moonshine, and a number of the drivers continued "runnin' shine," this time evading the "revenuers" who were attempting to tax their operations. The Twenty-first Amendment ( Amendment XXI) to the United States Constitution repealed the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Production Uses Usually large scale distillation is practiced for the purpose of making ethanol for drinking, yet it may also practiced for creating Biofuel ^[4] The cars continued to improve, and by the late 1940s, races featuring these cars were being run for pride and profit. These races were popular entertainment in the rural Southern United States, and they are most closely associated with the Wilkes County region of North Carolina. See also Entertainment (disambiguation and The Entertainer (disambiguation Entertainment is an activity designed to give people Wilkes County is a County located in the US state of North Carolina. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Most races in those days were of modified cars. Street vehicles were lightened and reinforced.

Significant people

William France, Sr.

Main article: Bill France, Sr.

Mechanic William France, Sr., moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, from Washington, DC, in 1935 to escape the Great Depression. William "Bill" Henry Getty France Sr "Big Bill" ( September 26, 1909 &ndash June 7, 1992) was the co-founder of NASCAR William "Bill" Henry Getty France Sr "Big Bill" ( September 26, 1909 &ndash June 7, 1992) was the co-founder of NASCAR Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D He was familiar with the history of the area from the land speed record attempts. France entered the 1936 Daytona event, finishing fifth. He took over running the course in 1938. He promoted a few races before World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

France had the notion that people would enjoy watching "stock cars" race. Stock car racing is a form of Automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain Drivers were frequently victimized by unscrupulous promoters who would leave events with all the money before drivers were paid. In 1947, he decided this racing would not grow without a formal sanctioning organization, standardized rules, regular schedule, and an organized championship. On December 14, 1947, France began talks with other influential racers and promoters at the Ebony Bar at the Streamline Hotel at Daytona Beach, Florida, that ended with the formation of NASCAR on February 21, 1948. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

NASCAR was founded by William France, Sr. , on February 21, 1948, with the help of several other drivers of the time. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The points system was written on a bar room napkin. The original plans for NASCAR included three distinct divisions: Modified, Roadster, and Strictly Stock. ^[5] The Modified and Roadster classes were seen as more attractive to fans. ^[5] It turned out that NASCAR fans wanted nothing to do with the Roadsters, which fans perceived as a Northeast or Midwest series. ^[5] The Strictly Stock division was put on hold as American automobile manufacturers were unable to produce family sedans quickly enough to keep up with post-World War II demand. ^[5] The 1948 schedule featured 52 Modified dirt track races. This article concerns auto racing motorcycles, horses, and dogs also race on dirt tracks The sanctioning body hosted its first event at Daytona Beach on February 15, 1948. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Red Byron beat Marshall Teague in the Modified division race. Robert "Red" Byron ( March 12, 1915 - November 11, 1960) was a NASCAR driver who was successful in the sanctioning body's Marshall Teague ( February 22, 1922 - February 11, 1959) was an American race car driver. Byron won the 1948 national championship. Things had changed dramatically by 1949, and the Strictly Stock division was able to debut with a 20-mile (32 km) exhibition in February near Miami.

Erwin "Cannonball" Baker

Main article: Erwin George Baker

The first Commissioner of NASCAR was Erwin "Cannonball" Baker. Erwin George "Cannon Ball" Baker ( March 12, 1882 - May 10, 1960) was a Motorcycle and Automobile racing A former stock car, motorcycle, and open-wheel racer who competed in the Indianapolis 500 and set over one hundred land speed records. Cannonball Baker earned most of his fame for his transcontinental speed runs. Baker would prove a car's worth by driving it from New York to Los Angeles. After his death, the famous transcontinental race the 'Cannonball Run' and the film that was inspired by it were both named in his honor. Baker is enshrined in the Automotive Hall of Fame, The Motorcycle Hall of Fame, The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, and The NASCAR Hall of Fame. This level of honor and success in each diverse racing association earned Baker the title "King of the Road".

Bob "Barky" Barkhimer

Main article: Bob Barkhimer

In the early 1950s the United States Navy stationed Bill France, Jr., at the Moffett Federal Airfield in northern California. Robert "Bob" "Barky" Barkhimer ( March 2 1916 &ndash June 17 2006) was a promoter on the West Coast of the United William Clifton France ( April 4 1933 - June 4 2007) nicknamed "Bill Jr Moffett Federal Airfield, also known as Moffett Field, is a joint civil-military Airport located 3 miles (5 km north of Mountain View, in Santa His father asked him to look up Bob Barkhimer in San Jose, California. Barkhimer was a star of midget car racing from the World War II era, and later ran about 22 different speedways as the head of the California Stock Car Racing Association. Midget cars are very small Race cars with a very high Power-to-weight ratios and typically using Four-cylinder engines Despite their name they are fully World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Young Bill developed a relationship with Bob Barkhimer and his partner, Margo Burke. He went to events with them, stayed weekends with them and generally became very familiar with racing on the west coast. "Barky," as he was called by his friends, journeyed to Daytona Beach and met with Bill France, Sr. In the spring of 1954, NASCAR became the stock car sanctioning body on the Pacific Coast under Barky.

Strictly Stock to Grand National

The first NASCAR "Strictly Stock" race ever was held at Charlotte Speedway (not the Charlotte Motor Speedway) on June 19, 1949 -- a race won by Jim Roper after Glenn Dunnaway was disqualified after the discovery of his altered rear springs. For the current NASCAR track in Charlotte North Carolina see Lowe's Motor Speedway. Lowe's Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) is a speedway in Concord North Carolina, north of Charlotte. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Christian David "Jim" Roper ( August 13 1916 &ndash June 23 2000) was a NASCAR driver Henry Glenn Dunnaway (1915 &ndash March 15 1964) was an American auto racer noted for initially winning and then being disqualified from what is today recognized Initially, the cars were known as the "Strictly Stock Division" and raced with virtually no modifications on the factory models. This division was renamed "Grand National" beginning in the 1950 season. However, over a period of about a dozen years, modifications for both safety and performance were allowed and, by the mid-1960s, the vehicles were purpose-built race cars with a stock-appearing body.

One of the tracks used in the inaugural season is still on today's premier circuit: Martinsville Speedway. Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation -owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Ridgeway Virginia. Another old track which is still in use is Darlington Raceway, which opened in 1950. Darlington Raceway is a Race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington South Carolina. (The oldest track on today's Sprint Cup circuit is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which dates back to 1909; however, the first Brickyard 400 did not take place until 1994. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway Indiana (an Enclave of Indianapolis) in the United States, is the home of the The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, introduced as the Brickyard 400 in 1994, is an annual 400-mile (644 km NASCAR Sprint Cup points race )

Most races were on half-mile to one-mile (800 to 1600 m) oval tracks. Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937) is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the Winston Cup Series The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird, a sister design to the Dodge Charger Daytona, was designed to beat the Ford Torino Talladega at NASCAR However, the first "superspeedway" was built in Darlington, South Carolina, in 1950. Darlington Raceway is a Race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington South Carolina. An oval track is a dedicated motorsport circuit primarily in the USA, which differs from a road course in that it only has turns in one direction which is almost Darlington is a city in and the County seat of Darlington County, in the northeastern part of the U This track, at 1. 366 miles (2. 22 km), was wider, faster and higher-banked than the racers had seen. Darlington was the premiere event of the series until 1959. Daytona International Speedway, a 2. Daytona International Speedway is a Superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. 5-mile (4 km) high-banked track, opened in 1959, and became the icon of the sport. The track was built on a swamp, so France took a huge risk in building the track.

The first NASCAR competition held outside of the U. S. was in Canada, where on July 1, 1952, Buddy Shuman won a 200-lap race on a half-mile (800 m) dirt track in Stamford Park, Ontario, near Niagara Falls. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Buddy Shuman ( September 8, 1915 - November 13, 1955) was a stock car driver for NASCAR when it was known as the Grand National Series The Niagara Falls are massive Waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario

Beginning of the modern era

NASCAR made major changes in its structure in the early 1970s. The top series found sponsorship from R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR). Reynolds American Inc ( is an American company whose holdings include R Tobacco companies, which had been banned from television advertising, found a popular and demographically suitable consumer base in NASCAR fans and engaged NASCAR as a promotional outlet. Tobacco advertising is the promotion of Tobacco use (typically Cigarette smoking) by the Tobacco industry through a variety of As a result of that sponsorship, the Grand National Series became known as the Winston Cup Series (today called the Sprint Cup Series) starting in 1971^[6], with a new points system and some significant cash benefits to compete for championship points. In 1972, the NASCAR season was shortened from 48 races (including two on dirt tracks) to 31. This article concerns auto racing motorcycles, horses, and dogs also race on dirt tracks ^[6] 1972 is often acknowledged as the beginning of NASCAR's "modern era". The next competitive level, called Late Model Sportsman, gained the "Grand National" title passed down from the top division and soon found a sponsor in Busch Beer.

ABC Sports aired partial or full live telecasts of Grand National races from Talladega, North Wilkesboro, Darlington, Charlotte, and Nashville in 1970. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. These events were less exciting than many GN races, and ABC abandoned live coverage. Races were instead broadcast, delayed and edited, on the ABC sports variety show "Wide World of Sports. ABC's Wide World of Sports was a long-running Sports Anthology show on American Television that ran as a series from 1961 to 1998 "^[6]

Finally, in 1979, the Daytona 500 became the first stock car race that was nationally televised from flag to flag on CBS. The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. The leaders going into the last lap, Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison, wrecked on the backstretch while dicing for the lead, allowing Richard Petty to pass them both and win the race. William Caleb (Cale Yarborough (born March 27, 1940 in Timmonsville South Carolina, near the famous Darlington Raceway) is a businessman and Dunkiny "Donnie" Allison (born September 7, 1939 in Miami Florida) is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/ Winston Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937) is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the Winston Cup Series Immediately, Yarborough, Allison, and Allison's brother Bobby were engaged in a fistfight on national television. Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937 in Hialeah Florida) is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's This underlined the drama and emotion of the sport and increased its broadcast marketability. Luckily for NASCAR, the race coincided with a major snowstorm along the United States' eastern seaboard, successfully introducing much of the captive audience to the sport.

The beginning of the modern era also brought a change in the competitive structure. The purse awarded for championship points accumulated over the course of the season began to be significant. Previously, drivers were mostly concerned about winning individual races. Now, their standing in championship points became an important factor.

NASCAR-sanctioned series

Sprint Cup

Main article: Sprint Cup Series

The "NASCAR Sprint Cup Series" is the sport's highest level of professional competition. It is consequently the most popular and most profitable NASCAR series. The 2006 Sprint Cup season consisted of 36 races over 10 months, with over $4 million in total prize money at stake at each race. Writers and fans often use "Cup" to refer to the Sprint Cup series and the ambiguous use of "NASCAR" as a synonym for the Sprint Cup series is common. The winner of the most recent season was Jimmie Johnson in 2007; Johnson was also the 2006 champion. Jimmie Kenneth Johnson

In 2004, NEXTEL took over sponsorship of the premier series from R. J. Reynolds, who had sponsored it as the Winston Cup from 1972 until 2003, and formally renamed it the NEXTEL Cup Series. Nextel Communications, styled NEXTEL, (Former NASDAQ: NXTL) now known as the Sprint Nextel Corporation, was a telecommunications firm based Richard Joshua "RJ" Reynolds ( July 20, 1850 - July 29, 1918) was an American businessman and founder of the R A new championship points system, "The Chase for the NEXTEL Cup " was also developed, which reset the point standings with ten races to go, making only drivers in the top ten or within 400 points of the leader eligible to win the championship. In 2007, NASCAR announced it was expanding "The Chase" from ten to twelve drivers, eliminating the 400-point cutoff, and giving a ten-point bonus to the top twelve drivers for each of the races they have won out of the first 26. Wins throughout the season will also be worth five more points than in previous seasons. In 2008, the premier series title name became the Sprint Cup Series and The Chase for The NEXTEL Cup became the "Chase for the Sprint Cup", as part of the merger between NEXTEL and Sprint. The Chase for the Sprint Cup, originally known as "The Chase for the Championship" during its creation and then "The Chase for the Nextel Cup" (from 2004 to 2007 is

Nationwide Series

Main article: Nationwide Series

The "NASCAR Nationwide Series" is the second-highest level of professional competition in NASCAR. The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a Stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. The most recent series champion was Carl Edwards in 2007. Carl Michael Edwards II (born August 15, 1979) is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series driver for

The modern incarnation of this series began in 1982, with sponsorship by Anheuser-Busch Brewing's Budweiser brand. Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc ( (ˈænhаɪzər bʊʃ is the largest Brewing company in the United States with a 48 In 1984 it was renamed to the Busch Grand National Series. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) The Anheuser-Busch sponsorship expired at the end of 2007, and the series is now sponsored by Nationwide Insurance. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company & Affiliated Companies is a group of large U Nationwide will also become NASCAR's official insurance agency replacing Allstate. The Allstate Corporation is the largest publicly held personal lines insurer in the United States and the second-largest of all personal lines insurers in the

The Nationwide Series is currently the only series of the top three to race outside the United States. The season is a few races shorter than that of the Sprint Cup, and the prize money is significantly lower. However, over the last several years, a number of Sprint Cup drivers have run both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup series events each weekend, using the Nationwide race as a warm-up to the Cup event at the same facility. Detractors of this practice believe this gives the Sprint Cup teams an unfair advantage, and that the presence of the Sprint Cup drivers squeezes out Nationwide Series competitors who would otherwise be able to qualify. These dual-series drivers have been labeled "Buschwhackers", a play on words which combines the original series sponsor's name with the notion of being bushwhacked. A Buschwhacker is a term for NASCAR drivers who are regulars in the Sprint Cup Series but who also compete in races in the Nationwide Series. In May 2007, NNS director Joe Balash confirmed that NASCAR is exploring options to deal with the Buschwhacker controversy. A Buschwhacker is a term for NASCAR drivers who are regulars in the Sprint Cup Series but who also compete in races in the Nationwide Series. One of the most often-cited proposals would be for Sprint Cup drivers participating in the Nationwide Series to receive no points for their participation in a Nationwide race. According to NASCAR Chairman Brian France, all options, except an outright ban of Cup competitors, are still being considered. ^[7]

Beginning in 2009, the Nationwide cars will adapt somewhat to the current "Car of Tomorrow" (or COT) design used by Cup cars, although initially only minor changes will be made. The Car of Tomorrow (CoT, occasionally called the "Car of Today" Some critics hope that the discrepancy between the Nationwide and Sprint Cup cars will help solve the Buschwhacker problem by reducing the advantages of running both series.

Craftsman Truck Series

Main article: Craftsman Truck Series

The '"NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series" features modified pickup trucks. A pickup truck is a light Motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area which is almost always separated from the cab to allow for chassis flex when carrying or pulling It is one of the three national divisions of NASCAR, together with the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup. The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a Stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. The most recent series champion was Ron Hornaday in 2007; Hornaday also won championships in 1996 and 1998.

In 1994, NASCAR announced the formation of the NASCAR SuperTruck Series presented by Craftsman. The first series race followed in 1995. In 1996, the series was renamed the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to emphasize Craftsman's involvement. The series was first considered something of an oddity or a "senior tour" for NASCAR drivers, but eventually grew in popularity and has produced Sprint Cup series drivers who had never raced in the Nationwide Series. The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a Stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.

It was reported that Craftsman would pull out as sponsor of the series after the 2008 season.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series

Main article: NASCAR Canadian Tire Series

NASCAR announced the purchase of Canadian racing series CASCAR in September of 2006. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is a NASCAR racing series in Canada. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Canadian Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( CASCAR) was the governing body for amateur and professional Stock car racing in Canada. The CASCAR Western Series will become NASCAR's fourth-tier series starting in the Fall of 2007.

NASCAR Corona Series

Main article: NASCAR Corona Series

In December of 2006, NASCAR also announced the creation of a new series in Mexico, the NASCAR Corona Series, replacing the existing Desafío Corona Series, to begin in 2007. The NASCAR Corona Series (formerly NASCAR Mexico Corona Series) is a NASCAR series in Mexico. The NASCAR Corona Series (formerly NASCAR Mexico Corona Series) is a NASCAR series in Mexico. The Desafio Corona was a Stock car racing series in Mexico. NASCAR founded the series in 2004 in conjunction with OCESA, a Mexican entertainment company ^[8]

Regional racing series

In addition to the five main series, NASCAR operates several other racing circuits.

Many local race tracks across the United States and Canada run under the Whelen All-American Series banner, where local drivers are compared against each other in a formula where the best local track champion of the nation wins the Whelen All-American Weekly Series National Championship. The Whelen All-American Series (formerly the Dodge Weekly Series is a semi-professional and amateur Auto racing series sanctioned by NASCAR. The Whelen All-American series is split into four divisions. Each division champion receives a point-fund money payout and even more goes to the National champion (driver with most points out of the four division winners). The Whelen All-American Series is the base for stock car racing, developing NASCAR names such as Clint Bowyer, Jimmy Spencer, Tony Stewart, the Bodine brothers and many others along the way. Clint Bowyer (born May 30, 1979, in Emporia Kansas) is an American NASCAR driver Jimmy Spencer (born February 15, 1957 in Berwick Pennsylvania) is an American NASCAR driver and commentator Anthony Wayne Stewart (born May 20, 1971 in Columbus Indiana) is an American race car driver/car owner/entrepreneur in NASCAR 's

NASCAR also sanctions two regional racing divisions. The Whelen Modified Tour races open-wheel "modified" cars in Northern and Southern divisions. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT (previously the NASCAR Winston Modified Tour and NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series) is a Stock car racing series The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour (WSMT is a stock car racing series owned by NASCAR and operated in the Southeastern United States as part of its Modified Division The Camping World Series, which consists of East and West divisions, race cars that are similar to Nationwide Series cars, although they are less powerful. The Camping World Series East (formerly Busch East Series & Busch North Series) is a regional Stock car racing series owned and operated by the National The NASCAR Camping World West Grand National Series (formerly the NASCAR Winston West Series the NASCAR Grand National Division Autozone West Series and In the past, NASCAR also sanctioned the AutoZone Elite Division, which raced late-model cars that were lighter and less powerful than Sprint Cup cars, and was originally split into four divisions: Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, and Midwest. At the end of 2005, NASCAR announced that the AutoZone Elite Division would be discontinued after the 2006 season due to having trouble securing NASCAR-sanctioned tracks to successfully host AutoZone Elite Division events, plus escalating costs of competing and downsizing of the Division in recent years.

In 2003, NASCAR standardized rules for its AutoZone Elite and Grand National divisions regional touring series as to permit cars in one series to race against cars in another series in the same division. The top 15 (Grand National) or 10 (AutoZone Elite) in each series will race in a one-race playoff, called the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, to determine the annual AutoZone Elite and Grand National champions. This event has been hosted at Irwindale Speedway in California since its inception. Toyota Speedway at Irwindale is a motorsports facility located in Irwindale California.

Many drivers move up through the series before reaching the Sprint Cup series. In 2002, over 9,000 drivers had licenses from NASCAR to race at all levels.

The winners of the Dodge Weekly Series National Championship, the four AutoZone Elite Divisions, the two Whelen Modified and Grand National Divisions, and the three national series are invited to New York City in December to participate in Champions Week ceremonies which conclude with the annual awards banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel is a famously luxurious hotel in New York

NASCAR compared to other forms of motorsport

NASCAR races take place predominantly on oval tracks of 3 or 4 turns, with all turns to the left. An oval track is a dedicated motorsport circuit primarily in the USA, which differs from a road course in that it only has turns in one direction which is almost Oval tracks are classified as short track (less than 1 mile), intermediate or speedway (1 to 2 miles) or superspeedway (over 2 miles). In North American Auto racing, particularly with regard to NASCAR, a short track is a Racetrack of less than one mile (1 Road courses are any tracks having both left and right turns. Road racing can be a term involving Road running, road bicycle races, or Automobile races Depending on the track, typical race speeds can vary from 90 miles per hour (140 km/h) at Martinsville to over 200 miles per hour (320 km/h) at Talladega. Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation -owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Ridgeway Virginia. Talladega Superspeedway is a Motorsports complex located in Talladega Alabama United States

As of 2008, the Sprint Cup series includes 36 points races, comprised of 34 oval-track races and 2 road course races. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The schedule is one of the longest in motorsports; by comparison, the 2008 schedule for Formula One has 18 races and the IRL schedule has approximately 20 races. Many Cup drivers also participate in Nationwide and Craftsman events, and some drivers, such as Kyle Busch, have run more than 60 NASCAR races in a single year. Kyle Thomas Busch (born May 2, 1985 in Las Vegas, Nevada) nicknamed "Rowdy Busch" "Wild Thing" or "Shrub"

NASCAR races are different compared to the rough terrain and sharp turns of Rally, as well as the complicated twists and turns seen in the Formula One course that put up to 5 or 6 g's of stress on the driver's body. Rallying is a form of motor competition that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars g-force (also G-force, g-load) is a measurement of an object's Acceleration expressed in g s NASCAR is not the only racing league to run a large number of races on oval tracks; the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series also runs many oval track races, although IndyCars usually average over 30-40 miles an hour faster than Sprint Cup cars due to lighter cars, high downforce designs, and wider tires. The Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is the sanctioning body of a predominantly American based Open-wheel racing series. The IndyCar Series is the premier series of the Indy Racing League. The term downforce describes the downward pressure created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a Car that allows it to travel faster through a corner by holding

NEXTEL Cup events start with 43 cars having qualified to race, compared to 22 for Formula One and 18-20 for the IndyCar Series. The IndyCar Series is the premier series of the Indy Racing League. NASCAR teams must endure a 36-race schedule over 41 weeks. Teams usually only have about five days to prepare before arriving at any given track.

Crossover drivers

While most NASCAR drivers get their start in local events and work their way up to the major series, some drivers have experienced success in other forms of auto racing as well. The most famous might well be Mario Andretti, who is the only driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500 (1969), NASCAR's Daytona 500 (1967), and the Formula One World Championship (1978). Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an Italian American former racecar driver and one of the most successful Americans in the The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. Juan Pablo Montoya is the only other driver with wins in all 3 series, with an Indy 500 win (2000), 7 Formula One wins and 1 Sprint Cup win (2007). Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán (born September 20, 1975, in Bogotá, Colombia) is a Race car driver in NASCAR for Chip

The end of 2006 saw a major migration of drivers from other series into NASCAR. Montoya initially surprised the auto racing community by leaving F1, but he was quickly followed by other drivers. Open wheel stars like Sam Hornish Jr., Patrick Carpentier, Dario Franchitti, Jacques Villenueve and A.J. Allmendinger all made the move to the Sprint Cup series, with varying degrees of success. Samuel Jon Hornish Jr (born July 2, 1979 in Bryan Ohio) is an American race car driver Patrick Carpentier (born on August 13, 1971 in Ville Lasalle Quebec) is a Canadian race car driver Dario J Franchitti (born 19 May, 1973 in Bathgate, West Lothian) is a Scottish racing driver of Italian descent Personal and early life Jacques Villeneuve was born in the Canadian city of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to then soon to be Formula One driver Gilles Anthony James Allmendinger (born December 16, 1981, in Los Gatos California) attended Leigh High School and is an American Racecar Two-time Australian V8 Supercar Champion Marcos Ambrose has competed in Truck and Nationwide Series events since 2007. V8 Supercars is a Touring car racing category operated under the regulations of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA Marcos Ambrose (born September 1, 1976 in Launceston Tasmania) is an Australian racing driver

Other drivers compete often in NASCAR but are well known for their success elsewhere. Ron Fellows and Boris Said are champion road racers and are often brought in by teams solely to compete in NASCAR's road course events. For the NFL player see Ron Fellows (American football. Ron Fellows (born September 28, 1959 in Windsor Ontario Boris Said (born September 18, 1962) is an American race car driver from Carlsbad, California but considers his hometown to Robby Gordon is one of NASCAR's few remaining owner-drivers, but he is most famous for his numerous off-road championships and his 3 Baja 1000 wins. Robert W Gordon (born in Bellflower California, on January 2, 1969) is an American Racing driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in the fall

Driver safety

Main article: NASCAR Safety

Although NASCAR frequently publicizes the safety measures it mandates for drivers, these features are often only adopted long after they were initially developed. The National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing ( NASCAR) makes and enforces numerous rules and regulations that transcend all racing series The impact-absorbing "SAFER Barrier" that is now in use had been proposed by legendary mechanic Smokey Yunick during the 1970s, but his idea had been dismissed as too expensive and unnecessary. The Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER barrier, sometimes called a soft wall, is a technology found primarily on oval automobile Race tracks and intended to make Henry "Smokey" Yunick (born May 25, 1923, Neshaminy, Pennsylvania, died May 9, 2001 of Leukemia Only after the deaths of Kenny Irwin, Tony Roper, and Dale Earnhardt in 2000 and 2001 did NASCAR revisit the idea of decreasing the G-forces a driver sustained during a crash. Kenneth Dale Irwin Jr ( August 5, 1969 &ndash July 7, 2000) was a NASCAR stock car driver Tony Roper ( December 13, 1964 - October 13, 2000) was a NASCAR driver Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr ( April 29, 1951 &ndash February 18, 2001) was an American race car driver best known for his career driving g-force (also G-force, g-load) is a measurement of an object's Acceleration expressed in g s Other examples of slow reactions include the mandating of a throttle "kill switch" (mandated after the death of Adam Petty) and requiring anti-spill bladders in fuel cells and improved fire-retardant driver suits following the death of Glen "Fireball" Roberts. Adam Kyler Petty ( July 10, 1980 &ndash May 12, 2000) was an auto racing car driver Edward Glenn "Fireball" Roberts Jr ( January 20, 1929 – July 2, 1964) was one of the pioneering race car drivers of Dale Earnhardt was killed after he received massive head and neck trauma from a hard crash in the 2001 Daytona 500. The death of Dale Earnhardt Sr on February 18, 2001 was a significant event in NASCAR and American sporting history which resulted in the Earnhardt's death prompted NASCAR to require all drivers to use the "HANS Device" (Head And Neck Restraint System), a device that keeps the driver's neck from going forward in a wreck. Also with the introduction of the COT(Car of Tomorrow), safety features of the car itself has been greatly improved. Foam is inserted between the sheetmetal and the driver`s cage to help absorb some of the shock during a collision. The driver`s seat has also been moved closer to the center of the car to help minimize injuries resulting from side collisions.

Criticism

Main article: Criticism of NASCAR

Similar to other professional leagues and sanctioning bodies, NASCAR has been the target of criticism on various topics from various sources. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR is the sanctioning body for the Sprint Cup, the Nationwide Series and the Craftsman Truck Series Some critics note the significant differences between today's NASCAR vehicles and true "stock" cars. Others frequently cite the dominance of the France family in NASCAR's business structure, policies, and decision making. The France Family is known as the "first family" of NASCAR racing Recently, the increased number of Cup drivers competing consistently in the Nationwide Series races has been hotly debated. A Buschwhacker is a term for NASCAR drivers who are regulars in the Sprint Cup Series but who also compete in races in the Nationwide Series. Another general area of criticism, not only of NASCAR but other motorsports as well, includes questions about fuel consumption, emissions and pollution, and the use of lead additives in the gasoline. As NASCAR has made moves to improve its national appeal, it has begun racing at new tracks, and ceased racing at some traditional ones — a sore spot for the traditional fan base. Most recently, NASCAR has been challenged on the types and frequency of caution flags, with some critics suggesting the outcome of races is being manipulated, and that the intention is not safety, as NASCAR claims, but closer racing.

Education

NASCAR Technical Institute located in Mooresville, North Carolina, is the country's first technical training school to combine a complete automotive technology program and a NASCAR-specific motor sports program, and is the exclusive educational partner of NASCAR. Universal Technical Institute Inc (UTI is a nationwide provider of technical education training for students seeking careers as professional automotive diesel collision repair Mooresville is a town in Iredell County, North Carolina, USA.

See also

• NASCAR rules and regulations
• 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
• 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup
• 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series
• 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
• Car of Tomorrow
• List of NASCAR champions
• List of NASCAR drivers
• List of NASCAR race tracks
• List of current NASCAR races
• List of NASCAR teams
• List of NASCAR drivers who have won in each of top three series
• NASCAR dad
• NASCAR Hall of Fame
• NASCAR Rookie of the Year
• NASCAR Video Games
• 7 post shaker

Notes

Note 1: The largest NASCAR tracks can accommodate upwards of 170,000 people in the stands and infield, far larger than any non-motorsport venue in North America. The National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing ( NASCAR) makes and enforces numerous rules and regulations that transcend all racing series The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series began on February 9 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday February The 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup consists of the final ten races that conclude the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series began on February 16, 2008, at Daytona International Speedway with the Camping World The 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season began on February 15, 2008 at Daytona International The Car of Tomorrow (CoT, occasionally called the "Car of Today" This is a list of National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) champions; that is a list of all the champions in NASCAR's three major series ( Sprint Cup Sprint Cup Drivers All statistics used in these tables are as of the end of the 2008 Camping World 400. NASCAR national series race tracks The following is a list of race tracks currently used by NASCAR as part of its Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, The following is a list of the 2008 NASCAR races from the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, and Craftsman Truck Series, along with their This is a list of NASCAR teams, a list of all teams that race in one of NASCAR 's top three divisions ( Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series and Craftsman Truck Below is a list of drivers who have won at least one race in each of the top three NASCAR divisions Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Craftsman Truck In North American social cultural and political discourse NASCAR dad refers broadly to a Demographic group of white usually middle-aged working-class The NASCAR Hall of Fame will honor drivers who have shown exceptional skill at NASCAR driving all-time great crew chiefs and owners and other major contributors to the sport The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season NASCAR, the most popular motorsport in the United States, has worked with Video game developers to design several video games The 7 post shaker is a piece of test equipment used to perform highly technical analysis for racecars

References

External links

• NASCAR.COM - The Official Site of NASCAR
• NASCAR Technology - from PopularMechanics. com
• Results of Every Race in NASCAR History at Racing-Reference.info

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