Is 2010 going to be your first NASCAR experience—or your 100th? No matter what, it’s sure to be a memorable one! Think of the cheering crowds, the roaring engines and the quest for victory. You can’t help but get swept away in the excitement. If you want to sound like a know-it-all while watching from the grandstands or if you just want to test your knowledge of NASCAR history, here’s some trivia:
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NASCAR stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Ed Otto, a pioneer race promoter, and William France Sr., a gas station owner and racecar driver, founded it in 1948. Today, it’s the largest sanctioning body of motor sports in the United States.
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The first NASCAR race was held June 19, 1949. It took place on a dirt track at the old Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina. Nearly 23,000 curious spectators showed up to see it.
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The victor of that first NASCAR race was Christian “Jim” Roper, who took home the $2,000 purse. Fonty Flock came in second, future Hall of Famer Red Byron was third, Sam Rice came in fourth and Tim Flock was fifth. Several other legendary racers competed at that first race including Lee Petty, Curtis Turner and Buck Baker.
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Red Byron was the first driver to be awarded a championship cup for that 1949 season.
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The racing series has changed names many times over the years. In 1949, it was called the Strictly Stock Series. From 1950 to 1970, it was known as the Grand National Series. From 1971 to 2003, it was known as the Winston Cup Series. And since 2004, it’s been called the Nextel Cup Series.
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Herb Thomas was the first driver to win two NASCAR cup championships (in 1951 and 1953) and Buck Baker was the first to win two consecutive cup championships (in 1956 and 1957).
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In the early years, most NASCAR races in the championship cup series were held on dirt-surfaced short ovals. During the ’60s, superspeedways were built and many of the old dirt tracks were paved. The last championship cup series race held on a dirt track was on Sept. 30, 1970, at the State Fairgrounds Speedway in Raleigh, N.C.
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The first NASCAR race to be nationally televised from start to finish was the Daytona 500 in 1979. Richard Petty won that day after the two leaders—Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison—crashed in the last lap while struggling for the lead.
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NASCAR’s main headquarters is located in Daytona Beach, Fla. The organization also has offices in Charlotte, N.C. Mike Helton is the current president and Brian France is the chairman.
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Dale Earnhardt won the most championship cups during the 1990s. He finished the decade with four (in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994). Earnhardt also dominated in the 1980s, when he won three championships (in 1980, 1986 and 1987). Sadly, Earnhardt’s career came to an end in 2001 at the Daytona 500, where he died in a crash during the final lap.
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NASCAR introduced roof flaps as a safety measure in 1994. They help eliminate the lift from airflow and prevents racecars them from rolling over at high speeds.
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The Las Vegas Motor Speedway held its inaugural NASCAR Winston Cup race on Mar. 1, 1998. Mark Martin drove his Ford Taurus to victory. Today, the race is known as the UAW Dodge-400.
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The closest finish in NASCAR history took place at the Darlington Raceway on Mar. 16, 2003. Ricky Craven beat Kurt Busch by a mere .002 seconds.
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There are seven members in a NASCAR pit crew. They are the front tire changer, the front tire carrier, the rear tire changer, the rear tire carrier, the jack man, the gas man and the gas catch can man.
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A yellow strip across the rear end of a car in a NASCAR race signifies a rookie driver.
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Cale Yarborough holds the record for winning the most consecutive championship cups. He won three in a row (1976, 1977 and 1978). Many drivers have won back-to-back titles—but have never managed to get that elusive third one! Jimmie Johnson is actually on a quest to do it in 2008, as he won the championship cups in 2006 and 2007.
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Two NASCAR drivers have won seven championship cups. Richard Petty was the first to do so, winning his last championship cup in 1979. Dale Earnhardt tied his record when he won his seventh championship cup in 1997.
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The NASCAR driver considered the greatest of all time is Richard Petty—dubbed “King Richard.” He won over 200 races in his career, which is more than any other driver in history. As mentioned above, Petty also won seven championship cups in 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979.
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The youngest NASCAR driver to win a championship cup is Bill Rexford. He won it in 1950. In 1995, Jeff Gordon won his first championship cup at the age of 24.
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The oldest NASCAR driver to win a championship cup is Bobby Allison. He won it in 1983 at the age of 45.
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Buddy Baker set the record for speed at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17, 1980. He was traveling at 177.602 mph!
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There are no speedometers in the racecars. NASCAR drivers gauge their speed based on the tachometers.
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NASCAR drivers have only one rear-view mirror in their cars. They rely on car spotters, who are members of their crew standing up in the rafters, for a perspective of the whole track. Car spotters communicate with the drivers via radio and tell them when they are about to be passed or when a car is spinning out of control nearby.
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Some cars are noisier than others at NASCAR races. This is because some teams elect to have their exhaust pipes running out of the driver’s side of the vehicle. Other teams run it out of the right side of the car—which sounds a lot louder to the spectators.
Take the Fast Track to NASCAR this year with Maverick Helicopters!!!
Written by Travel Gal, Renee Libutti