National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series race cars at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2009
Sport	Stock car racing
Category	Auto racing
Area of jurisdiction	Canada Europe Mexico United States
Formation date	1948 (1948)
Headquarters	Charlotte, North Carolina Daytona Beach, Florida New York City Houston, Texas
President	Mike Helton
Chairman	Brian France
Chief Exec	Brian France
Other key staff	Robin Pemberton John Darby Jim France
Official website
www.nascar.com

Current NASCAR President Mike Helton (left) being presented a Commandant Coin by Admiral Thomas H. Collins (right) in 2005.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of Bill France Sr.^[1] NASCAR is the largest sanctioning body of stock car racing in the United States.^[2] The three largest racing series sanctioned by NASCAR are the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. It also oversees NASCAR Local Racing, the Whelen Modified Tour, the Whelen All-American Series, and the NASCAR iRacing.com Series. NASCAR sanctions over 1500 races at over 100 tracks in 39 US states and Canada. NASCAR has presented exhibition races at the Suzuka and Motegi circuits in Japan, Mexico, and Calder Park Raceway in Australia.^[3]

NASCAR's headquarters are located in Daytona Beach, Florida, although it also maintains offices in four North Carolina cities: Charlotte, Mooresville, Concord, and Conover.^[4] Regional offices are also located in New York City, Los Angeles, Bentonville, Arkansas, and international offices in Mexico City and Toronto. Additionally, owing to its Southern roots, all but a handful of NASCAR teams are still based in North Carolina, especially near Charlotte.

NASCAR is second only to the National Football League amongst professional sports franchises in terms of television ratings in the United States.^[5] Internationally, NASCAR races are broadcast in over 150 countries.^[6] In 2004 NASCAR's Director of Security stated that NASCAR holds 17 of the top 20 regularly attended single-day sporting events in the world.^[7] NASCAR has 75 million fans who purchase over $3 billion annually^{[citation needed]} in licensed products. Fortune 500 companies sponsor NASCAR more than any other motor sport,^[8] although this has been in decline since the early 2000s.^[9]

History[link]

Early stock car racing[link]

Junior Johnson, seen here in 1985, was a popular NASCAR driver from the 1950s who began as a bootlegging driver from Wilkes County, North Carolina.

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 eight consecutive world records set between 1927 and 1935.^[10] After a historic race between Ransom Olds and Alexander Winton in 1903, the beach became a mecca for racing enthusiasts and 15 records were set on what became the Daytona Beach road course between 1905 and 1935. 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.^[11] Drivers raced on a 4.1-mile (6.6 km) course, consisting of a 1.5–2.0-mile (2.4–3.2 km) stretch of beach as one straightaway, and a narrow blacktop beachfront highway, State Road A1A, as the other. The two straights were connected by two tight, deeply rutted and sand covered turns at each end.^[12]

Stock car racing in the United States has its origins in bootlegging during Prohibition, when drivers ran bootleg whiskey made primarily in the Appalachian region of the United States. 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.

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.^[13] 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. Most races in those days were of modified cars. Street vehicles were lightened and reinforced.^[14]

Significant people[link]

William France, Sr.[link]

Mechanic William France, Sr., moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, from Washington, D.C., in 1935 to escape the Great Depression. 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.

France had the notion that people would enjoy watching "stock cars" race. 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.^[15]

Erwin "Cannonball" Baker[link]

The first Commissioner of NASCAR was Erwin "Cannonball" Baker. A former stock car, motorcycle, and open-wheel racer who competed in the Indianapolis 500 and set over one hundred land speed records. 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, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame. This level of honor and success in each diverse racing association earned Baker the title of "King of the Road".^[16]

Bob "Barky" Barkhimer[link]

In the early 1950s the United States Navy stationed Bill France, Jr., at the Moffett Federal Airfield in northern California. 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. 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 a stock car sanctioning body on the Pacific Coast under Barky.

Founding[link]

On March 8, 1936, a collection of drivers gathered at Daytona Beach, Florida. The drivers brought coupes. hardtops, convertibles, and sports cars to compete in an event to determine the fastest cars, and best drivers. Throughout the race, the heavier cars got bogged down in the sand, while the lightweight Fords navigated the ruts of the course, eventually claiming the top 6 finishes for the race. Of the 27 cars that started the event, only 10 managed to survive the ordeal, as officials halted the event 10 miles short of the scheduled 250 mile distance. Driver Milt Marion was declared the winner, and a young Bill France placed 5th at the end of the day.^[17]

By early 1947 Bill France saw the potential for a unified series of racing competitors. France announced the foundation of the "National Championship Stock Car Series", otherwise known as NCSSC. France approached the American Automobile Association, or AAA, in hopes of obtaining financial backing for the venture. When the AAA declined support of the venture, France proceeded to announce a set of rules and awards for the NCSSC. France declared that the winner of the 1947 NCSSC season would receive $1000.00, and a trophy. The season would begin in January 1947 at the Daytona Beach track, and conclude in Jacksonville the following December. Nearly 40 events were logged during the season, and attendance often exceeded the venue's capacity. The competitors were paid as promised, and by the end of the season, driver Fonty Flock was declared the season champion after winning 7 events of the 24 that he entered. Bill France delivered the $1000 and 4 foot high trophy to Flock at the end of the season, along with $3000 in prize money to other drivers who competed throughout the season.^[18]

At the end of the 1947 season, Bill France announced that there would be a series of meetings held at the Streamline Hotel in Florida, beginning on December 14, 1947. At 1:00 pm, France called to order the 35 men who represented the NCSCC on the top floor of the hotel. The meeting was the first of four seminars in which France would outline his vision of an organized group of race car drivers.^[19] The name originally chosen for the series was National Stock Car Racing Association; when it was pointed out that that name was already in use by a rival sanctioning body, "National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing", proposed by mechanic Red Vogt, was selected as the organization's name.^[20]

NASCAR was founded by William France, Sr., on February 21, 1948 with the help of several other drivers of the time. The points system was written on a bar room napkin. The original plans for NASCAR included three distinct divisions: Modified, Roadster, and Strictly Stock. The Modified and Roadster classes were seen as more attractive to fans. It turned out that NASCAR fans wanted nothing to do with the roadsters, which fans perceived as a Northeast or Midwest series. The roadster division was quickly abandoned, while the modified division now operates as the Whelen Modified Tour. 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.^[21] The 1948 schedule featured 52 Modified dirt track races. The sanctioning body hosted its first event at Daytona Beach on February 15, 1948. Red Byron beat Marshall Teague in the Modified division race. 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.

The first NASCAR "Strictly Stock" race ever was held at Charlotte Speedway, although this is not the same track as the Charlotte Motor Speedway that is a fixture on current NASCAR schedule. The race was held on June 19, 1949 and won by driver Jim Roper when Glenn Dunnaway was disqualified after the discovery of his altered rear springs. Initially, the cars were known as the "Strictly Stock Division" and raced with virtually no modifications on the factory models. This division was renamed the "Grand National" division beginning in the 1950 season. Over a period of more than a decade, 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.

Richard Petty's 1970 426 C.I. Plymouth Superbird on display.

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.

Sanctioned series[link]

Sprint Cup[link]

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 2012 Sprint Cup season consists of 36 races over 10 months. 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 2011 Sprint Cup Series Champion is Tony Stewart. Jimmie Johnson won 5 consecutive Sprint Cup Series drivers' championships from 2006–2010. Previously, the most consecutive championships had been three in a row by Cale Yarborough in the late 1970s, the only other time when a driver has won more than two Sprint Cup championships in a row.

The Cup Series had its first title sponsor in 1972. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, 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. 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,^[22] with a new points system and some significant cash benefits to compete for championship points. In 1972, the season was shortened from 48 races (including two on dirt tracks) to 31.^[22] 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.

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. 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.

In 2011, NASCAR announced a number of major rules changes. The most important was a simplified points system that is also being adopted by the Nationwide and Truck Series. The winner of a race now receives 43 points, with one-point increments for each subsequent position (42 for second, 41 for third, and so on). The winner also receives 3 bonus points, and single bonus points are awarded to all drivers who lead a lap plus the driver who leads the most laps. Another significant change involves the qualifying process for the Chase. The number of qualifying drivers will remain at 12, but only the top 10 will qualify solely on regular-season points. The remaining two Chase drivers will be the two drivers in the next 10 of the point standings (11th through 20th) with the most race wins in the regular season.

Nationwide Series[link]

The Nationwide Series field following the pace car at the O'Reilly 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series is the second-highest level of professional competition in NASCAR. The most recent series champion is Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in 2011.

The modern incarnation of this series began in 1982, with sponsorship by Anheuser-Busch Brewing's Budweiser brand. In 1984 it was renamed to the Busch Grand National Series. The Anheuser-Busch sponsorship expired at the end of 2007, and the series is now sponsored by Nationwide Insurance. Nationwide will also become NASCAR's official insurance agency replacing Allstate.

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^[who?] 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. In May 2007, NNS director Joe Balash confirmed that NASCAR is exploring options to deal with the Buschwhacker controversy. 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. In 2007, NASCAR Chairman Brian France indicated that all options, except an outright ban of Cup competitors, are still being considered.^[23] On January 11, 2011, NASCAR.com reported that beginning with the 2011 season, drivers will be allowed to compete for the championship in only one of NASCAR's three national series in a given season, although they can continue to run in multiple series.^[24] This change was officially confirmed by France in a January 26 press conference.^[25]

Beginning in 2010, the Nationwide cars adapted somewhat to the current "Car of Tomorrow" (or COT) design used by Cup cars, with different bodies from the Sprint Cup Series. Some critics^[who?] 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.

Camping World Truck Series[link]

Mike Skinner racing Todd Bodine in the Texas Craftsman Truck Series race.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series features modified pickup trucks. It is one of the three national divisions of NASCAR, together with the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup. The most recent series champion was Austin Dillon in 2011; It was Dillon's first championship in the series.

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.

Beginning in 2009 the series became the Camping World Truck Series.^[26]

Canadian Tire Series[link]

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is a NASCAR racing series in Canada that derives from the old CASCAR Super Series (founded in 1981 and bought out by NASCAR in 2006). The new series has races through six of Canada's provinces for a total of 13 events with TV coverage on TSN. Many drivers are content running in Canada while others move up to bigger NASCAR series including J.R. Fitzpatrick and Andrew Ranger. The cars are a bit different from the cars seen in America with more a street look with steel tube-framed silhouette bodies powered by carbureted spec V8 engines.

Corona Series[link]

In December 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.^{[citation needed]}

Racecar Euro Series[link]

In early 2012, NASCAR announced that it would sanction the existing European-based Racecar Euro Series as a "NASCAR Touring Series".^[27]

Regional racing series[link]

In addition to the five main series, NASCAR operates several other racing circuits.^[28][29]

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 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.^[30]

NASCAR also sanctions two regional racing divisions. The Whelen Modified Tour races open-wheel "modified" cars in Northern and Southern divisions. 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. 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.

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.

Driver safety[link]

2008 Dodge Charger Car of Tomorrow, driven by Kurt Busch

Although NASCAR frequently publicizes the safety measures it mandates for drivers, these features are often only adopted long after they were initially developed, and only in response to an injury or fatality. 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. Only after the deaths of Kenny Irwin, Tony Roper, Adam Petty, and Dale Earnhardt in 2000 and 2001 did NASCAR revisit the idea of decreasing the G-forces a driver sustained during a crash. Other examples of available safety features that were slow to be implemented include the mandating of a throttle "kill switch". The "kill switch" was mandated after the death of Adam Petty, along with the requirements of an anti-spill bladder in fuel cells. Fire-retardant driver suits were required only after the death of Glen "Fireball" Roberts, who died from complications of burns suffered in a crash when flames engulfed his car during a Charlotte race.^[31] Dale Earnhardt was killed after he received massive head and neck trauma from a hard crash in the 2001 Daytona 500. Earnhardt's death prompted NASCAR to require all drivers to use the "HANS Device" (Head And Neck Support Device), a device that keeps the driver's neck from going forward in a wreck. In the mid 2000s, NASCAR redesigned the racing vehicle with safety improvements, calling it the Car of Tomorrow. The car has a higher roof, wider cockpit, and the driver seat was located more toward the center of the vehicle.

Criticism[link]

Similar to other professional leagues and sanctioning bodies, NASCAR has been the target of criticism on various topics from various sources. Some critics^[32] note the significant differences between today's NASCAR vehicles and true "stock" cars. Others^[who?] frequently cite the dominance of the France family in NASCAR's business structure, policies, and decision making. Recently, the increased number of Cup drivers competing consistently in the Nationwide Series races has been hotly debated. Another general area of criticism, not only of NASCAR but other motorsports as well, includes questions about fuel consumption,^[33] emissions and pollution, and the use of lead additives in the gasoline. NASCAR moved to unleaded fuel for all three top series in 2007, fully one year in advance of the planned switch in 2008. In 2011, Nascar switched to E15 "green" fuel (15% ethanol and 85 % gasoline) for all three touring series^[34] 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^[35][36][37] suggesting the outcome of races is being manipulated, and that the intention is not safety, as NASCAR claims, but closer racing. There have been a few accidents involving fans during races and even some off the tracks, but no spectator has ever been killed during a race.^[38][39] It was revealed in 2008 that a wrongful death lawsuit against NASCAR stemming from the crash of a company plane was settled for $2.4 million.^{[40] [41]}

Global expansion[link]

In 2006, Toyota announced they would be joining NASCAR's ranks.^[42] Toyota generated early success winning several races off performances from Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.^[43] Other foreign manufactures are looking to jump in the mix of NASCAR. Honda is speculated to be interested in joining the NASCAR ranks in the near future.^[42] The increase in foreign competition is expected to raise the price of putting a car on the track.^[42]

Another topic on the NASCAR circuit is the increase in foreign born drivers and the effects they may have on the future of NASCAR.^{[citation needed]} Juan Pablo Montoya, Patrick Carpentier, and Dario Franchitti are among the foreign-born big names who have crossed over from Formula One and the Indy racing circuit.^[44] These drivers have made an impact on NASCAR not only by winning races and dominating road courses, but by expanding NASCAR's point of view.^[43]

NASCAR has incorporated a race in Mexico City for the Nationwide Series and possible expansion with exhibition races in Japan and Canada.^[45]

Expanding into international markets could increase NASCAR's popularity and allow foreign sponsors and manufactures to get involved in the sport.^{[citation needed]} Some think this could be a very positive move for NASCAR, which has seen its television ratings drop 21 percent between 2005 and 2007.^[46] During the same 2 year period, NASCAR also saw the greatest drop in tickets prices observed in over a decade.^[46] In 2010, NASCAR saw television ratings drop 10% from the year before, which was down 33% off its peak in 2005.^[47] Some think that an increase in international diversity would translate into growth and generate greater opportunities for NASCAR fans.^[44]

NASCAR.com[link]

In October 2000, the Time Warner Company, Turner Sports Interactive, acquired all of NASCAR's interactive rights and the rights to the nascar.com domain. As of January 2001, Turner Sports Interactive is the exclusive producer, and NASCAR.com is the official site for NASCAR Inc. The NASCAR.COM staff is located in Atlanta, with additional personnel in Charlotte and Daytona Beach.^[48] The nascar.com domain is currently leased through Network Solutions, and extends through the year 2016.^[49]

Subsidiaries and ‘sister’ organizations[link]

NASCAR Digital Media[link]

NASCAR Digital Media is a television production company located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. The company is a subsidiary of NASCAR and produces programs designed to promote the sport of professional stock car racing.

International Speedway Corporation[link]

While not officially connected to NASCAR, International Speedway Corporation (ISC) was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1953 to construct and manage tracks that NASCAR holds competitions at. Since several members of the France family are executives at ISC, it is sometimes the subject of antitrust lawsuits.^[50]

Grand-Am[link]

The Grand American Road Racing Association (Grand-Am) is a sanctioning body of sports car racing. While it was founded independently of NASCAR by several members of the France family, NASCAR has since taken over Grand-Am, but allows it to operate autonomously.

Education[link]

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.

See also[link]

NASCAR portal

	Book: Auto racing in North America
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• NASCAR rules and regulations
• NASCAR lore
• List of NASCAR champions
• List of NASCAR drivers
• List of NASCAR race tracks
• List of NASCAR seasons
• List of NASCAR teams
• List of NASCAR drivers who have won in each of top three series
• Closest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series finishes
• NASCAR dad
• NASCAR Hall of Fame
• NASCAR Rookie of the Year
• NASCAR Video Games
• NASCAR Angels
• NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers

Notes[link]

Note 1: The largest NASCAR tracks can accommodate upwards of 190,000 people in the stands and infield, far larger than any non-motorsport venue in North America.

[edit] References

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: NASCAR

• Official website
• NASCAR Technology – from PopularMechanics.com
• Results of Every Race in NASCAR History at Racing-Reference.info
• NASCAR Video on ESPN Video Archive
• All About NASCAR

Clint Bowyer
Born	(1979-05-30) May 30, 1979 (age 33) Emporia, Kansas, United States
Achievements	2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Midwest Division Champion 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
229 race(s) run over 8 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 15 (Michael Waltrip Racing)
2011 position	13th
Best finish	3rd - 2007
First race	2005 Subway Fresh 500 (Phoenix)
Last race	2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
First win	2007 Sylvania 300 (New Hampshire)
Last win	2011 Good Sam Club 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles 5 100 2
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
179 race(s) run over 8 year(s)
2011 position	100th
Best finish	1st - 2008
First race	2004 O'Reilly 300 (Texas)
Last race	2011 Ford 300 (Homestead)
First win	2005 Federated Auto Parts 300 (Nashville)
Last win	2009 Dover 200 (Dover)
Wins Top tens Poles 8 115 9
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
12 race(s) run over 4 year(s)
2011 position	83rd
Best finish	42nd - 2006 (Craftsman Truck Series)
First race	2006 Kroger 250 (Martinsville)
Last race	2011 Good Sam Club 200 (Atlanta)
First win	2006 Silverado 350K (Texas)
Last win	2011 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 (Kansas)
Wins Top tens Poles 3 8 2
Statistics current as of May 24, 2012.

Clint Bowyer (born May 30, 1979) is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series for Michael Waltrip Racing. Early in his career, he drove for Richard Childress Racing. He won the 2008 Nationwide Series championship.

Early career[link]

Bowyer began racing at the age of five in motocross. He went on to capture over 200 wins and numerous championships over the next eight years. In 1996, he began racing street stocks at Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kansas, and won the Modified championship there in 2000. Bowyer racked up 18 wins and 32 top-five finishes on his way to capturing the 2001 Modified championships at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas and Heartland Park Topeka. In 2002, he began racing in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, posting 9 poles, 12 wins and 32 top-five finishes en route to a second place finish in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series national point standings. He was also crowned the 2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Midwest Champion after another Modified championship at Lakeside Speedway and a Late Model championship at the famed I-70 Speedway in Odessa, MO, his first attempt at racing on asphalt.

In 2003, Bowyer raced a full season in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division Midwest Series, scoring one top-ten finish in 11 starts. He also would make his first ARCA starts in 2003, and caught the eye of legendary car owner Richard Childress after leading 47 laps and finishing second in his debut at Nashville Superspeedway driving for Bobby Gerhart.

When Richard Childress became aware of Bowyer's racing talents and watched him race, he contacted him, by phone, about a job; Bowyer initially believed he was being pranked.^{[citation needed]}

NASCAR career[link]

2004-2007[link]

In 2004,Clint began by finishing 8th in the ARCA Remax series race at Daytona in the #7 Advanced Chevrolet for Gerhart.In 2004 Bowyer began running the NASCAR Busch Series for Childress, sharing seat time in the #21 Reese's Chevrolet with Kevin Harvick. He drove in half of the 34 Busch Series races that year, winning one pole and seven top-tens, attaining a season-high 3rd place finish in the Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Superspeedway in June. He also ran three races for Kevin Harvick Incorporated with help from Andy Petree Racing with sponsorship from Monaco Coach.Bowyer made two starts for Bill McAnally in the Camping World West Series in the #20 Chevrolet. In his two starts at Phoenix & Auto Club Speedway, he won one pole and had a best finish of 2nd.

Bowyer's first full Busch season was in 2005, replacing Ron Hornaday in the #2 ACDelco Chevrolet. He won two poles and two races en route to a second place finish to repeat-champion Martin Truex Jr., losing by only 68 points. He also made his NEXTEL Cup debut in the Sylvania-sponsored #33 Chevy on April 23, 2005, during the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. He finished 22nd as the first car one lap down. Richard Childress Racing announced on October 15, 2005, that Bowyer would race the #07 Chevrolet full time in the NEXTEL Cup series, replacing Dave Blaney for the 2006 season.

Bowyer began his rookie Cup season with three top-fifteen finishes and had a total of eleven top-tens that season, with his best finish being a 3rd at California Speedway. He finished 68 points behind Denny Hamlin for NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors. Bowyer also continued to drive the #2 in the Busch Series full-time, winning once and finishing 3rd in points. Bowyer won his first Craftsman Truck Series Truck Series race in the #46 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Silverado fielded by Morgan-Dollar Motorsports at Texas Motor Speedway on November 3, 2006, in his third career Truck start, making his first CTS start that year at Martinsville for Green Light Racing.

Bowyer's 2007 car.

After starting the 2007 season with a last-lap crash at Daytona (crossing the finish line upside down and on fire), Bowyer won the Budweiser Pole position for the Dodge Avenger 500 at Darlington Raceway. He finished the regular season 9th in points, but was seeded 12th for the playoff, since race wins determine playoff seeding. Bowyer won his second pole at the Sylvania 300 at Loudon, and two days later went on to win his first NEXTEL Cup race in his 64th start.

For the 2007 Busch season, Bowyer ran a partial Busch Series schedule in the RCR #2 car with BB&T and Camping World sponsorship. On April 20, 2007, he won the Busch Series Bashas' Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. He followed that up with another Busch Series win on May 4 in the Circuit City 250 at Richmond International Raceway. Bowyer also ran select races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Kevin Harvick.

2008[link]

2008 car

In 2008, Bowyer continued to drive in the Cup and Nationwide Series full-time. Bowyer dominated the late stages of the Daytona 500 but was spun out by Juan Pablo Montoya with 17 laps remaining. On May 3, 2008, Bowyer earned his second Sprint Cup victory, winning the Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Speedway. Bowyer led only two laps, going to the front after Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kyle Busch got together with less than four laps remaining in the race.

On August 23, 2008, Bowyer was announced as the driver of the #33 General Mills Chevrolet Impala SS for RCR. Casey Mears from Hendrick Motorsports will replace Bowyer in the 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Impala SS.^[1] This move was necessitated by a sponsor's request, as General Mills did not want Mears, who had been driving in the 2008 season for a rival cereal with Hendrick Motorsports, representing them, so Childress sponsors General Mills and Brown-Forman Corporation agreed to the swap so Bowyer, who drove for Brown-Forman, would drive for General Mills, and Mears could drive for Brown-Forman, as they had no problems with Mears representing the company.^[2]

On November 15, 2008, Clint Bowyer won the NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Florida with a narrow margin of victory over Carl Edwards of 21 points. Edwards won the race with Bowyer finishing 5th.

2009[link]

Race car from 2009

Clint Bowyer concentrated primarily on the Sprint Cup Series in 2009 and drove the #33 General Mills/BB&T/The Hartford Chevrolet Impala to 15th place in the season standings. Bowyer trimmed his participation in the Nationwide series to 12 races but performed well, winning at Daytona (July 3) and Dover (Sept. 26th), finishing in the top 5 in 6 of the 12 races and notching 8 top 10s.

Clint started the Cup season in strong fashion, finishing 4th in the Daytona 500 and 2nd at Las Vegas in the 3rd race of the year. With a 6th in Atlanta and a 5th in Martinsville, Bowyer was 2nd in the overall standings after 6 races.

A tough stretch in races 7 through 12 dropped Bowyer down to 17th overall, 109 points behind Mark Martin in 12th place. After a much more consistent run in races 13- 23 (3rd at Pocono in the #33 Hartford Racing paint out, 8th at Sonoma, 8th at Michigan), Clint had climbed up to 14th overall, within 58 pts of 12th place. Finishing in the top 15 in 8 of 11 races helped him make up 51 points on the 12th place position.

A 21st finish the following week (race 24) at Bristol really hurt Bowyer’s chance at the Chase, dropping him 112 points behind Matt Kenseth in 12th with just 2 races prior to the chase. It was the 25th race (Pep Boys 500 at Atlanta) that sealed Clint’s fate, as a spin on lap 309^[3] cost him 2 laps and the chance to compete in the Chase.

While Clint’s chances at the Chase were over, Bowyer finished the season like he started it, with 5 top 10s and 9 top 15s in the last 11 races. His top finish was the 6th place run at Charlotte in the Scary Fast Count Chocula paint out. Overall, Clint finished the 2009 Sprint Cup series in 15th place^[4]

2010[link]

Bowyer alongside 2010 car in Hartford paint

In 2010, Clint Bowyer returned with the same set of sponsors, driving the #33 General Mills/BB&T/The Hartford Chevrolet Impala in the Sprint Cup Series.

True to form, Clint performed well early in 2010, finishing 4th in Daytona, 7th at Martinsville and 9th at Phoenix to stand 6th after 7 races. However, at Texas in the Samsung Mobile 500 (race 8), Bowyer got caught in a major crash on lap 317 that wiped out 8 other drivers and caused a 19-minute red flag race stoppage. The resulting 36th place finish dropped Clint to 14th position overall, only 1 point behind 12th place Joey Logano. 7th and 12th place finishes at Talladega and Richmond put Clint back into 12th place after 10 races.

The 11th race run at Darlington, promised to be special. Bowyer ran the new The Hartford Racing paint out^[5] as part of The Hartford’s 200th year anniversary celebration.^[6] As part of Fox’s coverage, the 33 was one of 4 cars with an in-car camera for the race. However, 101 laps into the race, Bowyer went to the pits and ultimately the garage, with brake issues. After a 2nd long stop to correct Bowyer finished in 32nd position, 36 laps down.^[7]

Clint ran well again in races 12 through 14, as 17th, 7th and 9th place finishes allowed Bowyer to move back up into 12th place overall. In race 13 (Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte), Bowyer led lap 217 following a caution for debris. Kurt Bush passed Clint on the following lap and went on to win the race. In races 15-17, Bowyer finished 22nd at Michigan, 31st at Sonoma and 7th at Loudon, NH. Despite the poor finish, Bowyer was very competitive at Sonoma. Clint led lap 80 (of 110) and was in 7th place with 11 laps to go. But on lap 100, Elliot Sadler gut bumped by Jeff Gordon and spun Bowyer, dropping him all the way back to 34th.^[8]

Clint had one of his strongest runs of the year in the Coke Zero 400 (at Daytona, July 3), leading 17 of the final 21 laps.^[9] Unfortunately on the final Green-White restart, Bowyer got split by Jeff Gordon, lost the lead, fell back in the pack and ultimately spun.^[10] In finishing 17th, Clint fell 49 points behind 12th place Carl Edwards.

In race 19 at Chicagoland, Bowyer ran well all night, finishing 4th and moving up into 12th place in the overall standings. Clint started 15th but moved up quickly, running in the top 10 for the first half and then in the top 5 for most of the latter half of the race, battling Jeff Gordon for the lead with less than 40 laps to go.^[11]

In the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Bowyer started 2nd and led the most laps before fading back into the top 5. Taking the white flag in second place, he suddenly witnessed then-leader Tony Stewart run out of fuel, giving Bowyer the third win of his Sprint Cup career and vaulting him to second in the Chase standings behind Denny Hamlin.^[12] However, this was negated during post-race inspection at NASCAR's R&D center. Reports surfaced that Bowyer's car used at Richmond had come close to failing inspection. NASCAR announced on September 22 that they had issued fines and penalties to the #33 team after failing a secondary inspection. Most critically, crew chief Shane Wilson was suspended for the next 6 races and both Bowyer and car owner Richard Childress face $150,000 in fines and the loss of 150 championship points. The penalty drops Bowyer back to 12th in points, 185 points behind Denny Hamlin. Childress appealed the decision, which reduced the suspensions to four races and $100,000, but the 150-point deduction was upheld.

During the Pepsi Max 400 weekend at Fontana, Bowyer and fellow Childress driver Austin Dillon taped an episode of The Price Is Right that is scheduled to feature NASCAR-themed Showcases (a practice that occurs during a Fontana race; host Drew Carey was the Grand Marshal of the August 2008 race). That is scheduled to air November 15.^[13]

Bowyer barely edged teammate Kevin Harvick for the victory in the fall Talladega race, the AMP Energy Juice 500. The race ended with the leaders in Turn 1 when a caution was displayed for a large wreck on the front straightaway on the final lap.

Clint Bowyer finished 10th in the final Chase standings, earning him a spot on stage at the season-ending Awards Banquet.

2011[link]

Clint started off 2011 strong in the Budweiser shootout practice sessions, he and his teammates regularly sat on top of the pylon. In the race, he and Jeff Burton led many laps, but faded to 10th at the end (9th because Denny Hamlin got black flagged).

Clint qualified 5th for the Daytona 500, and finished 2nd to Jeff Burton in his Gatorade duel by 0.005 seconds. They together dominated that race.

In the Daytona 500, Bowyer teamed up with many drivers throughout the day including Jeff Burton, Paul Menard (his new RCR teammate), Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kyle Busch. After Jeff Burton's engine let go, Clint found himself getting a push from Kyle Busch. With four laps to go, Kurt Busch got into the back of Regan Smith which turned him up in front of Clint. Ryan Newman was also involved. Clint was able to salvage a 17th place finish out of it, mainly because of the big pileups earlier in the race. Clint Bowyer also led 31 laps. Trevor Bayne ended up winning in only his second ever start. After the race he was 16th in points.

The next race at Phoenix, Clint was taken out early in a multi-car incident on the backstretch. The Helping Hands (his pit crew) were able to repair the car fairly quickly and he was able to finish 27th.

At Talladega, Bowyer led the most laps with 38 and lost to Jimmie Johnson at the finish line by 0.002 seconds, tied for the closest finish in NASCAR history.

At Dover, in the Nationwide series, Clint was involved in a major crash on the last lap, with Bowyer going on his side. He, and no-one else, were injured.

On October 7, Clint signed a 3 year contract to race the 5-Hour Energy Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing, starting in 2012.

Bowyer won the fall race at Talladega for the second consecutive year, pulling a slingshot on teammate Jeff Burton out of turn 4 on the final lap of the race. The margin of victory was 0.018 of a second.

Race Team[link]

Clint Bowyer started his own Dirt Late Model team, Clint Bowyer Racing in 2008. Well-established veteran Shannon Babb of Mowequa, IL was behind the wheel of Clint's Rocket Chassis, and had a very solid season. Babb left to form his own team at the end of 2008, due to wanting to run more of an "outlaw" type schedule, and wanting to race closer to home to be with his family. For the 2009 season, the 2005 World 100 Champion Dale McDowell (who ironically inherited the win via Babb being light at the scales) took over the seat, and the number was changed to Dale's signature #17M, Jared Landers also drives for the the team in the #5 late model.

The team elected to run the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series full time in 2009, choosing to run Warrior Racecars, with help from Warrior's owner, Sanford Goddard. Winning two races and finishing fourth in the points standings, it was a decent season. Since then, the 17M has become a staple of the Lucas Oil Series, continuing on the 2010 tour.

Clint Bowyer Racing also has fielded cars in Tony Stewart's Prelude to The Dream in 2008 (Clint, 2nd & Jimmie Johnson, 10th) and 2010 (Johnson won, Bowyer 2nd). Both years these were also Warrior Racecars.

Charity work[link]

On May 6, 2008, Clint Bowyer attended and hosted the first annual Clint Bowyer Charity Golf Event in his hometown of Emporia, Kansas. It raised $160,000 for the Emporia Community foundation to "make Emporia a better place."

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Clint Bowyer at Racing Reference
• Clint Bowyer at NASCAR.com

Jeffery Michael Gordon
Born	(1971-08-04) August 4, 1971 (age 40) Vallejo, California, United States
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight	150 lb (68 kg)
Achievements	USAC Triple Crown champion (1990 Midget, 1991 Silver Crown) 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion 1997, 1999, 2005 Daytona 500 Winner 1994, 1998, 2001, 2004 Brickyard 400 Winner Sprint All-Star Race XI, XIII, and XVII Winner
Awards	1991 NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of The Year 1993 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Inductee
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
665 race(s) run over 21 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports)
2011 position	8th
Best finish	1st (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001)
First race	1992 Hooters 500 (Atlanta)
Last race	2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
First win	1994 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
Last win	2011 AdvoCare 500 (Atlanta)
Wins Top tens Poles 85 399 71
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
73 race(s) run over 5 year(s)
Best finish	4th (1992)
First race	1990 AC-Delco 200 (Rockingham)
Last race	2000 Miami 300 (Homestead)
First win	1992 Atlanta 300 (Atlanta)
Last win	2000 Miami 300 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles 5 32 12
Statistics current as of May 27, 2012.

Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon ^[1] (born August 4, 1971) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He drives the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont Chevrolet Impala for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is a four-time series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins,^[2] and has the most wins in NASCAR's modern era (1972–present).^[3] In 2009, Gordon became the first driver to reach $100 million in career winnings in the Cup series.^[4]

Gordon, along with Rick Hendrick, are the co-owners of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, driven by Jimmie Johnson, who won five consecutive Cup championships from 2006 to 2010. Gordon also has an equity stake in his own No. 24 team. He was born in Vallejo, California, raised in Pittsboro, Indiana, and currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.