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"Sprint Cup" redirects here. For the horse race, see Haydock Sprint Cup. The Sprint Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in the United Kingdom open to Thoroughbreds which are three-years-old or above
Sprint Cup Series
Current season or competition 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Category Stock car racing
Country or region Flag of the United States United States
Inaugural season 1949
Drivers 49
Teams 22
Constructors Chevrolet
Dodge
Ford
Toyota
Engine suppliers 4
Last Drivers' champion Jimmie Johnson
Last Teams' champion Hendrick Motorsports
Last Makes' champion Chevrolet
Official website NASCAR.com

The Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. 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 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 Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Dodge is a United States -based brand of Automobiles Sport utility vehicles and Trucks manufactured and marketed by Chrysler LLC Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following (pronounced) is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and is currently the world's largest Automaker. Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Hendrick Motorsports is a Stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. It was formerly known as the Strictly Stock Series (1949), Grand National Series (1950-1971), the Winston Cup Series (1972-2003), and the NEXTEL Cup Series (2004-2007). [1]

Contents

History

Strictly Stock & Grand National

In 1949, NASCAR introduced the Strictly Stock division, after sanctioning only Modified division races in 1948. Eight races were run, on seven different dirt ovals and the Daytona Beach beach/street course. Daytona Beach Road Course was a Race track that was instrumental in the formation of NASCAR. [2] The division was renamed to "Grand National" (not to be confused with the later Busch Grand National Series, now called the Nationwide Series) for the 1950 season, reflecting NASCAR's intent to make its part of the sport more professional and more prestigious. The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a Stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It would retain this name until 1971.

The 1949 Strictly Stock season is treated in NASCAR's record books as the first season of GN/Cup history.

Rather than a fixed schedule of one race per weekend with most entrants appearing at every event, the Grand National schedule included over sixty events in some years, often with two or three on the same weekend, and occasionally with two races on the same day in different states.

In the early years, most GN races were held on dirt-surfaced short ovals (from under a quarter-mile to over a half-mile lap length) or dirt fairgrounds ovals (usually a half-mile to a mile lap length). 198 of the first 221 Grand National races were on dirt tracks. In 1959, when Daytona International Speedway was opened, the schedule still had more races on dirt racetracks than paved ones. Daytona International Speedway is a Superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Through the 1960s, as superspeedways were built and old dirt tracks were paved, the number of dirt races was reduced. [3]

Winston Cup

NASCAR Winston Cup logo from 2000-2003
NASCAR Winston Cup logo from 2000-2003

From 1972 through 2003, NASCAR's premier series was called the Winston Cup Series. It was sponsored by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco cigarette brand Winston. R J Reynolds Tobacco Company ( RJR) based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and founded by R Winston Cigarettes are manufactured for or by RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company or its newer incarnation as RJR Nabisco and/or its affiliates In its later years, RJR's sponsorship became more controversial in the wake of U. S. legislation that sharply restricted avenues for tobacco advertising.

The changes that resulted from RJR's involvement, established 1972 as the beginning of NASCAR's "modern era". The season was made shorter, and the point system was modified several times in the next four years. Races on dirt tracks were removed from the schedule, as were oval races shorter than 250 miles. This article concerns auto racing motorcycles, horses, and dogs also race on dirt tracks NASCAR's founder, Bill France, Sr., turned over control of NASCAR to his oldest son, Bill France Jr.. William "Bill" Henry Getty France Sr "Big Bill" ( September 26, 1909 &ndash June 7, 1992) was the co-founder of NASCAR William Clifton France ( April 4 1933 - June 4 2007) nicknamed "Bill Jr In August 1974, France Jr. asked series publicist Bob Latford to design a point system with equal points awarded for all races regardless of length or prize money. [4] This system insured that the top drivers had to run all the races to become series champion. It was used without change from 1975 until the Chase for the Championship was instituted for 2004.

Starting in 1981, an awards banquet has been held the first Friday evening in December, at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, initially in the Starlight Roof. The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel is a famously luxurious hotel in New York In 1985, the ceremony was moved to the much larger Grand Ballroom, where it would be held until 2001. In 2001, the banquet portion was dropped in favor of a simpler awards ceremony. In 2002, the awards ceremony was moved to the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center. The Hammerstein Ballroom is a two-tiered 12000 square feet (1115m2 Ballroom located within the Manhattan Center Studios on 311 West 34th Street The Manhattan Center building built in 1906 and located at 311 West 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan, houses Manhattan Center Studios (home to two In 2003, the banquet format returned, as the ceremony moved back to the Waldorf's Grand Ballroom.

NEXTEL & Sprint Cup

In 2003, RJR dropped its sponsorship of the top series, and NASCAR obtained a sponsorship from NEXTEL, a telecommunications company. Sprint Nextel Corporation ( is a Telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. In 2004, the series became known as the NEXTEL Cup Series.

The 2005 merger between Sprint and NEXTEL resulted in the cup series being renamed the Sprint Cup, beginning with the 2008 season. [5]

The Sprint Cup trophy is designed by Tiffany & Co., and is silver with a pair of checkered flags in flight. The Sprint Cup is a trophy that is awarded to the winner of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Tiffany & Co ( is a US jewelry and silverware company founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and Teddy Young in New York City

Chase for the Championship

Main article: Chase for the Sprint Cup

When NEXTEL took over NASCAR's premier sponsorship for the 2004 season, they used the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series as a model to develop major changes in scoring. 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 First, five additional points were added for a race win. Second, a new formula for declaring a series champion based on the ProCup system was devised. A cut was made after 26 races, with the high twelve drivers and teams plus ties placed in the Chase for the Championship (or simply "The Chase"). (Originally, the top ten teams plus any team within 400 points of the leader qualified; NASCAR changed this beginning with the 2007 season. 2007 in NASCAR can refer to any of the following NASCAR national series 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series - The top racing series in NASCAR ) The Chase participants have their points increased to a level mathematically unattainable by anyone outside this field (roughly 1800 points ahead of the first driver outside of the Chase). From 2004 to 2006, the leader's total was set at 5,050 points, with other positions dropping by ten points per position, with a limit of 5,000 points after ties and the 400 point cut. Starting in 2007, each driver who makes the Chase will receive 5,000 points, plus 10 additional points for each race he won during the first 26 races. Race layouts remain the same and points are scored the same way in the final 10 races. Whoever leads in points after the 36th race is declared the Sprint Cup champion.

The Sprint Cup trophy, shown with the NEXTEL Cup logo used between 2004 and 2007.
The Sprint Cup trophy, shown with the NEXTEL Cup logo used between 2004 and 2007. The Sprint Cup is a trophy that is awarded to the winner of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

To encourage continued competition among all drivers, a number of awards are given to drivers finishing outside the Chase. The highest finishing non-Chase driver (in 2007, 13th place at the end of the season) is awarded a bonus (approximately $1 million) and a position on stage at the postseason awards banquet. Awards are also given to the top 20 and 25 drivers and car owners. Finally, finishing in the top 35 is important, as those 35 car owners are guaranteed entry into the first 5 races of the next season without needing to qualify on speed.

This playoff system was implemented primarily to make the points race more competitive late in the season, and indirectly, to increase television ratings during the NFL season, which starts around the same time as the Chase begins. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. Furthermore, the Chase also forces teams to perform at their best during all three stages of the season -- the first half of the regular season, the second half of the regular season, and the Chase.

Previously, the Cup champion may have been decided before the last race (or even several races before the end of the season) because it was mathematically impossible for any other driver to gain enough points to overtake the leader.

From 2004-2006 the Chase was shown on NBC and TNT. NASCAR on NBC was a series of NASCAR races that aired on the network from 2001 - 2006. NASCAR on TNT is the tagname for any NASCAR series race that has been broadcast on Turner Network Television by Turner Sports. In 2007, ESPN on ABC telecast all ten races of the Chase as part of the new NASCAR television contracts that came in effect.

Beginning in 2006, the annual awards banquet in New York was divided into two functions. All of the series' sponsored and contingency awards were moved to a luncheon at Cipriani the day before the banquet. This streamlined the banquet to concentrate solely on the "Chase" drivers and the series champion.

Sprint Cup Owner's Championship

1992 Owner's championship trophy
1992 Owner's championship trophy

The Sprint Cup Owner's Championship operates in the same manner as the Driver's Championship, but with one addition. In the event of more than 43 cars attempting to qualify for a race, owner's points are awarded to each car in the following manner: the fastest non-qualifier (in essence, 44th position) receives 31 points, three less than the 43rd position car. If there is more than one non-qualifying car, owners' points continue to be assigned in the manner described, decreasing by three for each position.

There is a separate "chase for the championship" for the owners' points.

A 2005 rule change in NASCAR's three national series affects how the owner's points are used. The top 35 (Sprint Cup), or top 30 (other series) full-time teams in owner points are awarded exemptions for the next race, guaranteeing them a position in the next race. These points can decide who is in and out the next race, and have become crucial since the exemption rule was changed to its current format. At the end of each season, the top 35 in owner's points are also locked into the first five races of the next season.

In some circumstances, a team's owners' points will differ from the corresponding driver's points. In 2005, after owner Jack Roush fired Kurt Busch during the next-to-last race weekend of the season, the #97 team finished in eighth place in owner's points, while Busch ended up tenth in driver's points. Jack Roush (born April 19, 1942) is the founder CEO and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978 in Las Vegas Nevada) is a professional American Race car driver In 2002, when Sterling Marlin was injured, the #40 team finished eighth in owner's points, while Marlin was 18th in driver's points, because of substitute drivers Jamie McMurray and Mike Bliss, who kept earning owner points for the #40. Sterling Marlin (born June 30, 1957 in Columbia Tennessee) is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #09 Finch Racing car James Christopher McMurray (born June 3, 1976 in Joplin Missouri) is a NASCAR race car driver Michael Bliss (born April 5, 1965, in Milwaukie Oregon) is a NASCAR driver

Manufacturer's Championship

NASCAR does have a Manufacturer's Championship in their national series, although the Driver's Championship is considered more prestigious. In the past, manufacturer's championships were very prestigious because of the number of manufacturers involved, and the manufacturer's championship was a major marketing tool. In the Nationwide Series, the championship is known as the Bill France Performance Cup.

Points are scored in a 1960-1990 Formula One system, with the winner's manufacturer scoring nine points, six for the next manufacturer, four for the manufacturer third among makes, three for the fourth, two for the fifth, and one point for the sixth positioned manufacturer. This means that if Chevrolets place first through tenth in a given race and a Ford is 11th and a Dodge 12th, Chevrolet earns 9 points, Ford 6 and Dodge 4.

Sprint Cup cars

Sprint Cup cars are front engine rear-wheel-drive, high-powered, vehicles with a roll cage serving as a space frame chassis and thin sheet metal covering. A front-mounted engine describes the placement of an Automobile engine in front of the vehicle passenger compartment Roll bar redirects here For the suspension component called a roll bar see Sway bar. A space frame or space structure is a Truss -like lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric Pattern. A chassis (plural "chassis" (ˈʃæːsiː ˈtʃæːsiː consists of a framework that supports an inanimate object analogous to an Animal 's Sheet metal is simply Metal formed into thin and flat pieces It is one of the fundamental forms used in Metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety They have a closed cockpit, fenders, a rear wing, and an aerodynamic splitter. Fielding a car for one season usually costs $10-20 million[6]. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been

They are powered by carbureted V8 engines, with cast iron blocks, and a pushrod valvetrain actuating two-valves per cylinder, and limited to 358 cubic inches (about 5. A carburetor (North American spelling or carburettor ( Commonwealth spelling) is a device that blends air and Fuel for an Internal The cylinder block or engine block is a machined casting (or sometimes an assembly of modules containing cylindrically bored holes for the Pistons of a multi-cylinder 8 liters) displacement. Engine displacement is defined as the total Volume of air/fuel mixture an Engine can draw in during one complete engine cycle it is normally stated in Cubic However, modern technology has allowed power outputs near 850 horsepower in unrestricted form while retaining the conventional basic engine design. In fact, before NASCAR instututed the gear rule, Cup engines were capable of operating in excess of 9,800 rpm. The National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing ( NASCAR) makes and enforces numerous rules and regulations that transcend all racing series A Sprint Cup Engine with the maximum bore of 4. 185 inches (106. 3 millimeters), and stroke of 3. A stroke is a single action of certain Engines In a steam, Otto or Diesel Piston Engine, a stroke is the action of 25 inches (82. 55 millimeters) at 9,000 rpm a Sprint Cup Engine has a mean piston speed of 24. The mean piston speed is the average Speed of the Piston in a Reciprocating engine. 75 m/s (roughly that of a Formula One engine). Since its inception in 1947 Formula One has used a variety of Engine regulations.

The front suspension is a double wishbone design, while the rear supsension is a two-link live axle design utilizing trailing arms. Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, Shock absorbers and linkages that connects a Vehicle to its Wheels Suspension In automobiles a double wishbone (or "upper and lower A-arm " suspension is an Independent suspension design using two (occasionally Plan view The arms have to control toe /steer and lateral compliance A live axle is a type of Beam axle suspension system that uses the Driveshafts that transmit power to the wheels to connect the wheels laterally so that A trailing-arm suspension is an Automobile suspension design in which one or more arms (or "links" are connected between (and perpendicular to and forward Brake rotors must be made of magnetic cast iron or steel and may not exceed 12. The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a Wheel. 72 inches (32. 3 centimeters) in diameter. [7] The only aerodynamic components on the vehicles are the front splitter, rear wing (with endplates), NACA ducts in the windows only, and side skirts. A diffuser, in an automotive context is a shaped section of the Car underbody which improves the car's Aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between WING "ESPN 1410" is a commercial AM radio station in Dayton Ohio operating with 5000 watts at 1410 kHz with studios offices and transmitter located on David The NACA duct or NACA scoop is a common form of low- drag Intake design originally developed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics The use of rear diffusers, vortex generators, canards, wheel well vents, hood vents, and undertrays is strictly prohibited. A diffuser, in an automotive context is a shaped section of the Car underbody which improves the car's Aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between A vortex generator is an Aerodynamic surface consisting of a small Vane that creates a Vortex. While the cars may reach speeds of about 200mph (321. 8km/h) on certain tracks, Russ Wicks drove a stock car built to NASCAR's specifications 244. 9mph (394. 1km/h) during a speed record attempt at the Bonneville Salt Flats in October 2007. The Bonneville Salt Flats are a 159 square mile (412 km² Salt flat in northwestern Utah. [8]

The electronic systems on Sprint Cup Cars remains rudimentary. Since the engines are carbureted and the ignition system is mechanically timed there is no need for an electronic control unit. A carburetor (North American spelling or carburettor ( Commonwealth spelling) is a device that blends air and Fuel for an Internal An ignition system is a system for igniting a fuel-air mixture In automotive electronics an electronic control unit (ECU also called a Control unit, or Control module, is an Embedded system that controls one or more This prevents teams from using traction control, anti-lock brakes and telemetry. A traction control system ( TCS) also known as Anti-Slip Regulation ( ASR) on current production Vehicles are typically (but not necessarily An anti-lock braking system, or ABS (from the German, A nti' b' lockier' s' ystem) is a safety system on Motor vehicles Telemetry (synonymous with Telematics) is a Technology that allows the remote measurement and reporting of Information of interest to the system designer During free test sessions, NASCAR's regulations involving electronics are relaxed allowing teams to utilize technologies such as telemetry, oxygen sensors, pitot tubes, throttle position sensors, accelerometers, and many other devices to measure vehicle performance. An oxygen sensor, or lambda sensor is an electronic device that measures the proportion of Oxygen (O2 in the gas or liquid being analyzed A Pitot (ˈpiːtoʊ tube is a Pressure measurement instrument used to measure Fluid flow Velocity. A throttle position sensor (TPS is a Sensor used to monitor the position of the Throttle in an Internal combustion engine. An accelerometer is a device for measuring Acceleration and gravity induced reaction forces

Evolution of Sprint Cup cars

1949-1980

When the series was formed under the name, strictly stock, the cars were just that, production vehicles with no modifications allowed. The term stock car implied that the vehicles racing were unmodified street cars. Stock car racing is a form of Automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain Drivers would race with factory installed bench seats and AM radios still in the cars. The traditional seat installed in American Automobiles was the bench seat. To prevent broken glass from getting on the race track, windows would be rolled down, external lights would be removed, and wing mirrors would be removed. A wing mirror (or side mirror is a mirror found on motor vehicles for the purposes of helping the driver see areas behind and Before the early 1960s, cars were based on full sized cars such as the Chevrolet Impala or Ford Galaxie. The Chevrolet Impala was through 1996 a Full-sized Automobile built by General Motors for their Chevrolet division See also the Ford Galaxy Large MPV of the 2000s. The Ford Galaxie was a full-size car built in the As mid-size cars were introduced such as the Fairlane, they were adopted after the mid 1960s. A mid-size car (occasionally referred to as an intermediate) is the North American and Australian term for an Automobile with a size between

Richard Petty's Superbird

NASCAR once mandated that a homologation rule that at various times stated as few as 500 cars had to be produced, or as many as one car for every make's dealership in the nation had to be sold to the general public. Homologation is a technical term derived from the Greek homologeo (ὁμολογέω for "to agree" which is generally used in English to signify Sometimes cars were made expressly for NASCAR, such as the Ford Torino Talladega, which had a rounded nose. The Ford Torino Talladega was a car produced by the Ford Motor Company during 1969 only The most famous aero-warrior was the Dodge Charger Daytona and later Plymouth Superbird which had a rear spoiler raised above roof level and a shark shaped nose-cap which enabled speeds of over 220 mph, quickly outpacing most other cars. Dodge, an American Automobile Brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified 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 NASCAR soon rewrote the rules to effectively outlaw such outlandish aerodynamic trickery. Perhaps the least aerodynamic was the Penske-prepared factory backed 1972 AMC Matador piloted by Mark Donahue, dubbed the "flying brick". 1978 AMC Matador leftsidejpg|thumb|250px|1978 AMC Matador sedan]] The AMC Matador is an intermediate car that was built and sold by American Motors Corporation Mark Neary Donohue Jr ( March 18, 1937 - August 19, 1975) was an American Racecar driver known for his ability to set

1981-2007

Bill Elliott's Melling Racing car that set the record for the fastest lap in a stock car - 212.809 mph (342.483 km/h), 44.998 sec at Talladega Superspeedway
Bill Elliott's Melling Racing car that set the record for the fastest lap in a stock car - 212. William Clyde Elliott (born October 8, 1955 in Dawsonville Georgia) is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup History Owner Harry Melling first became involved in NASCAR when his company Melling Tool sponsored Benny Parsons in 1979 809 mph (342. 483 km/h), 44. 998 sec at Talladega Superspeedway

In 1981, cars downsized into Fairmonts and Thunderbirds along with the now smaller Monte Carlos. Talladega Superspeedway is a Motorsports complex located in Talladega Alabama United States The Monte Carlo adopted bubble back windows, while the Buick Regal would do well both on the track and as a street muscle car. The aero-Thunderbirds, driven by drivers like Mark Martin, did well. Mark Martin may refer to Mark Martin (racecar driver (b 1959 American racecar driver Mark Martin (cartoonist, American cartoonist

By the 1990s, GM had switched to V6-engined front-wheel-drive Luminas and Grand Prix, but the NASCAR racers only kept the body shape, with V8 rear-wheel-drive running gear. When the Ford Thunderbird was retired, without Ford having any two-door intermediate bodies, the four-door Ford Taurus was used for a body even though NASCAR racers actually have no opening doors. The Thunderbird is an automobile manufactured by Ford in the United States from 1955 through 2005 &mdash through thirteen generations and various The Ford Taurus is an Automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States.

While the manufacturers and models of automobiles used in racing were named for production cars (Dodge Charger R/T, Chevrolet Impala SS, Toyota Camry, and the Ford Fusion), the similarities between NEXTEL Cup cars and actual production cars were limited to a small amount of shaping and painting of the nose, headlight and tail light decals, and grill areas. The Chevrolet Impala was through 1996 a Full-sized Automobile built by General Motors for their Chevrolet division The Toyota Camry is a Mid-size car, formerly a Compact car manufactured by Toyota since 1980 The North American Ford Fusion (code name CD338) is a Mid-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company since the 2006 model year A decal (ˈdiːkæl ˈdiːkəl or transfer is a Plastic, Cloth Paper or ceramic substrate that has printed on it a Pattern Until 2003, the hood, roof, and decklid were identical to their stock counterparts.

Because of the notorious manner of the Ford Taurus race car and how the manufacturer turned the car into an "offset" car (the car was notoriously asymmetrical in race trim because of its oval shape), NASCAR ended this practice to put more emphasis on parity and based new body rules in 2003, similar to short track racing, where offset cars had become a burden for race officials, resulting in the "Approved Body Configuration" design. The Ford Taurus is an Automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Asymmetry is the absence of or a violation of a Symmetry. In organisms Due to how cells divide in Organisms asymmetry in organisms is

Car of Tomorrow (2007-present)

Main article: Car of Tomorrow
Car of Tomorrow at Infineon Raceway in 2007.
Car of Tomorrow at Infineon Raceway in 2007. The Car of Tomorrow (CoT, occasionally called the "Car of Today" Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains

In 2007, NASCAR introduced a radically new vehicle specification known as the "Car of Tomorrow" (CoT). Its debut was at Bristol Motor Speedway in March. Bristol Motor Speedway, originally known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track located in Bristol The design of this car has focused on cost control, parity, and driver safety. The car's width has been increased by 4 inches (10 centimeters), the bumpers have been re-designed to virtually eliminate bump and run tactics, and the height of the car has increased by 2 inches (5 centimeters) to accommodate taller drivers and increase aerodynamic drag. Bump and run is a technique for passing used in Stock car racing, but not in Open wheel racing. Note This article is currently under renovation and may at times appear disjoint The driver's seat was moved closer to the center of the car. New rules for the car eliminate the asymmetrical bodies on cars which had run rampant since the 1998 Taurus release. The most noticeable change to fans will be the addition of a rear wing (all of which are owned by NASCAR, not the teams) replacing the familiar spoiler. A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion The wings may be adjusted between 0-16 degrees and are used with multiple configurations of end plates. NASCAR distributes the wings in the same manner as restrictor plates. A Restrictor plate or air restrictor is a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power [9]

The CoT was used in 2007 events at all oval tracks shorter than 1. 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 5 miles (2. 4 kilometers), at all road courses, and at the October race at Talladega Superspeedway. Road racing can be a term involving Road running, road bicycle races, or Automobile races Talladega Superspeedway is a Motorsports complex located in Talladega Alabama United States While initially NASCAR planned to wait until the start of the 2009 season to use the CoT in every race, they have since changed that date to the start of the 2008 season. Many drivers still have complaints about the CoT, but this new timeline is expected to help teams save money by giving them only one car specification to work on. [10]

Setup

The automobiles' suspension, brakes, and aerodynamic components are also selected to tailor the cars to different racetracks. A car that understeers is said to be "tight", or "pushing," causing the car to keep going up the track with the wheel turned all the way left, while one that oversteers is said to be "loose," or "free," causing the back end of the car to slide around which can result in the car spinning out if the driver is not careful. Understeer is a term for a Car handling condition in which during cornering the circular path of the Vehicle 's motion is of a greater radius than the circle indicated Oversteer is a phenomenon that can occur in an Automobile which is attempting to turn The adjustment of front and rear aerodynamic downforce, spring rates, track bar geometry, brake proportioning, the wedge (also known as cross-weight), changing the camber angle, and changing the air pressure in the tires can change the distribution of forces among the tires during cornering to correct for handling problems. 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 A spring is a flexible elastic object used to store mechanical Energy. A Panhard rod (also called Panhard bar or track bar) is a component of a car suspension system that provides lateral location of the Camber angle is the angle made by the Wheel of an automobile specifically it is the angle between the vertical axis of the wheel and the vertical axis of the vehicle when Recently, coil bind setups have become popular among teams. Coil bind is a style of setup used in various levels of NASCAR racing.

These characteristics are also affected by tire stagger (tires of different circumference at different positions on the car, the right rear having the most influence in left turns) as well as the rubber compounds used in tire construction. These settings are determined by NASCAR and Goodyear engineers and may not be adjusted by individual teams. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling.

NASCAR will mandate changes during the season if one particular car model becomes overly dominant. However, almost all advantages of using one car over another have been nullified. NASCAR used to mandate stock or stock replacement hoods, roofs, and decklids. However, in recent years, NASCAR has begun to require cars to conform to common body templates, regardless of make/model. A template is a device used by NASCAR and other sanctioning bodies to check the body shape and height of racing vehicles This is more in-line with recent NASCAR tradition, because none of these stock cars have anything mechanically "stock" about them.

Specifications

Ricky Rudd's 2004 engine

Sprint Cup Series tracks

NASCAR races are not conducted on identical tracks. Power steering is a system for reducing the Steering effort on vehicles by using an external power source to assist in turning the roadwheels. Recirculating ball, also known as recirculating ball and nut or worm and sector, is a Steering mechanism commonly found in older cars and Oval tracks vary in length from 0. 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 526 miles (847 m) (Martinsville Speedway) to 2. Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation -owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Ridgeway Virginia. 66 miles (4. 28 km) (Talladega Superspeedway). Talladega Superspeedway is a Motorsports complex located in Talladega Alabama United States While some tracks are true ovals (Bristol Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway), many are tri-ovals (Kansas Speedway, Daytona International Speedway). Bristol Motor Speedway, originally known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track located in Bristol Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR -sanctioned Race track located in Dover Delaware, owned by and serving as the corporate headquarters of Kansas Speedway is a speedway in Kansas City Kansas, adjacent to the Village West area Daytona International Speedway is a Superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Other configurations are quad-oval (Lowe's Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway), D-oval (California Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Richmond International Raceway), oval with unequal ends (Darlington Raceway), triangular (Pocono Raceway), and almost-rectangular (Indianapolis Motor Speedway). Lowe's Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) is a speedway in Concord North Carolina, north of Charlotte. Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is an Intermediate track in Hampton Georgia, twenty miles (32 km south of Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U The Auto Club Speedway of Southern California (formerly California Speedway) is a two-mile low-banked D-shaped oval Superspeedway in Fontana California Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile (322-km moderate-banked D-shaped Superspeedway located off U Richmond International Raceway (RIR is a 3/4-mile (12 km D-shaped asphalt race track located just outside Richmond Virginia in Henrico County. Darlington Raceway is a Race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington South Carolina. Pocono Raceway (formerly Pocono International Raceway) is a Superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway Indiana (an Enclave of Indianapolis) in the United States, is the home of the Courses also differ in degree of banking on the curves, with differences in degree of banking and course length contributing to different top speeds on various courses. New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway are considered "flat" tracks as they have only 7 and 11 (respectively) degrees of banking in the turns. New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s as Phoenix International Raceway, or just PIR, is a one mile Tri-oval race track located in Avondale Arizona. Two courses (Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International) are complex shaped road courses and the only two tracks where NASCAR has developed rain tires. Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains Watkins Glen International (nicknamed "The Glen" is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. These tires have never been used in a competition setting, although they have been used during practices at Watkins Glen and during a qualifying session at Suzuka, Japan for an exhibition race. Suzuka International Racing Course ( Suzuka Circuit for short is a co-host of the Formula One Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix, and For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.

Race speeds vary widely based on the track. The fastest track is Talladega Superspeedway where the record race average speed is 188 mph (303 km/h) with the record qualifying lap of 212. 809 mph (342. 483 km/h) set by Bill Elliott in 1987. William Clyde Elliott (born October 8, 1955 in Dawsonville Georgia) is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup The slowest tracks are Infineon Raceway, a road course, with a record race average speed of only 81 mph (130 km/h) and qualifying lap of 99 mph (159 km/h); and Martinsville Speedway, a very short, nearly flat "paper clip" shaped oval, with a record race average speed of 82 mph (132 km/h) and a qualifying lap of only 98 mph (156 km/h). The average speed is figured out based upon the winner's race time throughout the entire race, from the waving of the green flag to the waving of the checkered flag, including laps spent under caution, divided by the number of laps. Racing flags are traditionally used in Auto racing and similar motorsports to communicate important messages to drivers Racing flags are traditionally used in Auto racing and similar motorsports to communicate important messages to drivers Time during red flag periods do not get added into the calculation of the average speed. Racing flags are traditionally used in Auto racing and similar motorsports to communicate important messages to drivers

List of Sprint Cup Series Tracks

List of current Sprint Cup series tracks
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, GA		 Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, TN		 California Speedway
Fontana, CA		 Chicagoland Speedway
Joliet, IL		 Darlington Raceway
Darlington, SC		 Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL
Dover International Speedway
Dover, DE		 Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead, FL		 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Speedway, IN		 Infineon Raceway
Sonoma, CA		 Kansas Speedway
Kansas City, KS		 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, NV
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Concord, NC		 Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville, VA		 Michigan International Speedway
Brooklyn, MI		 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Loudon, NH		 Phoenix International Raceway
Avondale, AZ		 Pocono Raceway
Long Pond, PA
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond, VA		 Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega, AL		 Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, TX		 Watkins Glen International Raceway
Watkins Glen, NY

Manufacturer Representation

Strictly Stock/Grand National Era (1949-1971)

Chrysler

Ford

General Motors

American Motors

Independent

Foreign

Winston Cup (1972-2003)

American Motors
Chrysler
Ford
GM

NEXTEL Cup (2004-2007)

Chrysler
Ford
GM
Toyota

Sprint Cup (2008-Present)

Chrysler
Ford
GM
Toyota

NASCAR Sprint Cup statistics

1. Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports)
2. Hendrick Motorsports is a Stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth (Roush Fenway Racing)
3. Roush Fenway Racing (formerly Roush Racing) is a racing team competing in NASCAR racing Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart (Joe Gibbs Racing)

Manufacturers Champion

Nextel Cup
Year Champion
Chevrolet Ford Buick Dodge Mercury Pontiac Oldsmobile Toyota
2007 Chevrolet
2006 Chevrolet
2005 Chevrolet
2004 Chevrolet
1992 Winston Cup trophy, won by Alan Kulwicki
1992 Winston Cup trophy, won by Alan Kulwicki
Winston Cup
Year Champion
Chevrolet Ford Buick Dodge Mercury Pontiac Oldsmobile Toyota
2003 Chevrolet
2002 Ford
2001 Chevrolet
2000 Ford
1999 Ford
1998 Chevrolet
1997 Ford
1996 Chevrolet
1995 Chevrolet
1994 Ford
1993 Pontiac
1992 Ford
1991 Chevrolet
1990 Chevrolet
1989 Chevrolet
1988 Ford
1987 Chevrolet
1986 Chevrolet
1985 Chevrolet Ford
1984 Chevrolet
1983 Chevrolet
1982 Buick
1981 Buick
1980 Chevrolet
1979 Chevrolet
1978 Oldsmobile
1977 Chevrolet
1976 Chevrolet
1975 Dodge
1974 Chevrolet
1973 Mercury
1972 Chevrolet

References

  1. ^ NASCAR.COM - Officials to announce series name change to Sprint Cup - Jul 6, 2007
  2. ^ "Strictly Stock Standings and Statistics for 1949" page of Racing-Reference website [1], retrieved 9 May 2007. Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Buick (ˈbjuːɪk is a Marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, and Dodge is a United States -based brand of Automobiles Sport utility vehicles and Trucks manufactured and marketed by Chrysler LLC Mercury is an Automobile Marque of the Ford Motor Company founded in 1939 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level-luxury Pontiac is a Brand of Automobiles produced by General Motors that has been sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico Oldsmobile was a brand of Automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. (pronounced) is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and is currently the world's largest Automaker. Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Alan Dennis Kulwicki (December 14 1954 &ndash April 1 1993 nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince" was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Buick (ˈbjuːɪk is a Marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, and Dodge is a United States -based brand of Automobiles Sport utility vehicles and Trucks manufactured and marketed by Chrysler LLC Mercury is an Automobile Marque of the Ford Motor Company founded in 1939 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level-luxury Pontiac is a Brand of Automobiles produced by General Motors that has been sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico Oldsmobile was a brand of Automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. (pronounced) is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and is currently the world's largest Automaker. Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Pontiac is a Brand of Automobiles produced by General Motors that has been sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Buick (ˈbjuːɪk is a Marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, and Buick (ˈbjuːɪk is a Marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, and Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Oldsmobile was a brand of Automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Dodge is a United States -based brand of Automobiles Sport utility vehicles and Trucks manufactured and marketed by Chrysler LLC Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Mercury is an Automobile Marque of the Ford Motor Company founded in 1939 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level-luxury Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM
  3. ^ a b Fielden, Greg, "NASCAR Cleans Up", Speedway Illustrated, September 2004.
  4. ^ Mitchell, Jason, "How Do They Do That?: Winston Cup Point System", Stock Car Racing (ISSN 0734-7340), Volume 36, Number 10, October 2001.
  5. ^ NASCAR.COM - Officials to announce series name change to Sprint Cup - Jul 6, 2007
  6. ^ NASCAR.com "Waltrip race team finds important asset in partner" 2/15/08
  7. ^ NASCAR.comArticle explaining brake systems
  8. ^ Russwicks.comarticle on the speed record
  9. ^ Speedtv.comArticle on CoT changes
  10. ^ Moving up the timeline; NASCAR wants Car of Tomorrow full-time next year. Associated Press (February 28, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-03. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian
  11. ^ Race Engine Technology Issue 027

See also

External links

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 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 As of the end of the 2008 Camping World RV 400 held at Kansas Speedway on September 28, 2008. 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 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, Stock car racing is a form of Automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a Stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. The Sprint Cup is a trophy that is awarded to the winner of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
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