SOME OF THE EXPENSE FOR TRACKS

Example : 2009 Dover
First, the numbers. Dover has to pay NASCAR a $6.055 million fee for its May race and $5.429 million for the September one. However, the track also gets $12.645 million in broadcast coin for its spring race and $10.473 for the fall one. The track has to contribute about 28 percent of that total to race purses. Dover has previously reported that about 70 percent of its revenues derive from its two Sprint Cup races.

As part of the filing, Dover disclosed the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup sanctioning agreements. Here are a few of the choice items, according to Scene:
• The track must carry $50 million in liability insurance and $1 million in medical malpractice liability insurance. NASCAR must be listed among the insured. NASCAR must require the TV partner to carry $2 million in general liability insurance ($1 million limit per occurrence) that includes the promoter in that policy.
• A track cannot alter the racing surface by painting, sealing or resurfacing without prior written consent of NASCAR.
• NASCAR can postpone or cancel an event if the promoter does not fix any unsatisfactory racing surface, barriers, fencing, retaining systems, SAFER barrier systems, garage area, pit area, race control area, timing and scoring areas or structures used for broadcast of the event.
• NASCAR gets 225 reserved choice grandstand tickets for the race and 200 for qualifying.
• The track must provide 325 parking passes/permits adjacent to or near the garage area for NASCAR and 50 in close proximity to the NASCAR track suite.
• The track must provide two pace vehicles. It also must provide 150 chairs in an enclosed, climate-controlled area for the drivers meeting. It must provide a control tower with air conditioning, heat, 14 chairs (with cushions), phone line and television monitors.
• The track must provide a television booth for at least five people, air-conditioned to 68 degrees. The TV partner also gets 300 tickets plus one luxury track suite. The track also must use "reasonable efforts to cause the title sponsor of the event to buy advertising in the telecasts." NASCAR requires its broadcast partner to say the name of the race at least once during the opening segment of the telecast and thereafter at least once during each hour of the telecast.

NASCAR Points System

NASCAR Points System
By Paul Denton
2007-05-26 16:32:08
Finish Points
1 185
2 170
3 165
4 160
5 155
6 150
7 146
8 142
9 138
10 134
11 130 ** 11 to 43 have a 3 point spread betwwen each
A NASCAR POINTS SYSTEM PRIMER
The premise of the NASCAR points system is accumulating more points throughout the race season than the other drivers. Whoever has the most points at the end of the race season is the winner.

At it's essence, it is a pretty simple formula.
A twist was added to this simple points system after the 2003 NASCAR race season. The 'Chase for the Nextel Cup' is a unique spin on the race season and how points are accumulated. At the start of the 2007 NASCAR Season the points system was tweaked again. This article includes those changes.

NASCAR SEASON LENGTH
A good starting point in understanding the NASCAR points system is knowing how long the race season runs.
The NASCAR Nextel Cup race schedule generally starts around the second week of February and goes to about the third week of November.
Most races are run on Sunday afternoon. A handful of races are run 'under the lights' on Saturday night. With its stretch of 36 NASCAR sanctioned races at race track facilities from the east to west coast, the NASCAR season is arguably the longest and most grueling sports season in the United States.

HOW POINTS ARE AWARDED
A NASCAR race is comprised of 43 drivers. Each participating driver is awarded points based on his (or her) finish position in the race. The range of points earned is from 34 to 185. The table shows the corresponding points to race finish position.
You'll note that:
Positions 1st and 2nd have a 15-point spread between them
Positions 2nd - 6th have a 5-point spread between them
Positions 6th - 11th have a 4-point spread
Positions 11th - 43rd have a 3-point spread

Bumping up the points awarded to the winner (from 180 to 185) was done so that more emphasis would be placed on winning. It's still argued that there should be more points awarded to the winner, and no points awarded below 30th.

BONUS POINTS
In addition to the points a driver can earn for his finish position, extra (bonus) points are awarded for leading a lap during the race.
An extra 5-points is tacked onto the drivers race points earned from his finish position for leading at least one lap in the race. Even more, the driver who leads the most laps, gets twice the bonus points as the other lap leading drivers. He gets a total of 10 points. In the event of a tie for laps lead, the driver with the finish position closest to 1st gets the 10-points.
At best, a driver can score 195 points in one race. That's 185 points for 1st place and 10 bonus points for leading the most laps. In theory, if the winner of the race also leads the most laps, he could earn 161 more points than the driver finishing 43rd and leading no laps.

195 (185 + 10) [1st place + most laps led] - 34 [last place with no laps led] = 161

BIRTH OF THE CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP
This method seemed 'good enough' until the 2004 NASCAR season.
With the rising popularity of NASCAR racing, Brian France (the grandson of Bill France, the founder of NASCAR), devised an alternative to the method of crowning the NASCAR Champion.
I believe it was for three reasons.
Wins. The 2003 season champion, Matt Kenseth, won the NASCAR Championship having only won 1 race. Jimmie Johnson finished the year 2nd having won 3 races. Ryan Newman finished the year 6th having won 8 races. Matt Kenseth's consistent top-10 finishes won him the Championship, not his wins. Some argued that wins not consistency should determine the Championship.
Excitement. Recent NASCAR seasons Championships were runaway victories many races before the last race was run.
Jeff Gordon, the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion scored 349 points more than 2nd place Tony Stewart.
Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion scored 265 more points than 2nd place Dale Earnhardt.
Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion scored 201 more points than 2nd place Bobby Labonte.
Jeff Gordon, the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion score 364 more points than 2nd place Mark Martin.
Because of these lopsided victories, there was no excitement over who would win the NASCAR Championship come seasons end.

TIGHT OR LOOSE/BANKING

Drivers must adapt their driving styles to the behavior of their racecar, which can often change as a race progresses, becoming either "tighter" or "looser."


• Tight -- When a car is tight, it's hard to turn. To get the car to steer more easily, the driver has to lift off the accelerator while turning -- slowing down the car. This condition can be overcome during a race by adjusting factors like tire pressure, spring stiffness and chassis weight distribution.

• Loose -- When a car is loose, it turns too easily --so the car tends to fishtail. Again, the driver has to slow down to keep control of the car, slowing lap times. Tire, spring and chassis adjustments can be made to overcome a loose condition during a race.

Factors like track temperature and tire wear can play a part in how the car responds to the driver during a race -- even the amount of tape over the car's grill can have a profound impact on its handling. Juggling all these factors, the best drivers and crew chiefs are masters at adjusting the car during the course of a race.
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Most oval NASCAR tracks are banked at various degrees to create momentum and velocity. Banking can range from very steep -- more than 30 degrees at tracks like Talladega and Daytona -- to very flat, with virtually no banking on road courses.

Tracks that are progressively banked feature gradually increasing degrees of banking as they get closer to the track wall. This allows for cars to gain and maintain higher speeds in the outer lanes, allowing them to race more competitively with cars in the inside lanes.

DRAFTING

NASCAR racecars are very dependent on aerodynamics, especially on superspeedways. When two or more cars run one after the other at high speeds, they divide the amount of wind resistance (drag) between them -- and less resistance means more speed. That's why it's so common to see cars running bumper-to-bumper on superspeedways. This technique is called drafting, and it's a crucial art to master if a driver wants to win a superspeedway race

NASCAR:BOB LATFORD -POINTS SYSTEM

By : Mark Aumann Nascar.com
There are benchmarks in the history of NASCAR, stories that seem to have grown more important with the passage of time, almost mythological in a sense. Consider the following:


• Bill France calling a meeting at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach in 1948.
• Lee Petty demolishing a borrowed car in the first Strictly Stock race at Charlotte in 1949.
• The photo finish in the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959.
• The last-lap crash between Richard Petty and David Pearson coming out of Turn 4 in 1976.
• The post-race fistfight between Cale Yarborough and the Allison brothers in 1979.
And like Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on a trip up Mount Sinai or Archimedes discovering the method of measuring the volume of an irregular object while taking a bath, NASCAR's current point system reportedly came to Bob Latford in a stroke of genius one winter evening at a Daytona Beach bar.
What?
You don't think that somewhere under 24-hour lock and key, there is an actual bar napkin from the Boot Hill Saloon, covered in pencil scribbles -- the Holy Grail of NASCAR's points system? That's not likely.
Boot Hill Saloon ... today“
We tossed around some ideas. What are we trying to do? We were trying to determine the champion of the entire circuit, not just selected races. We talked about what we wanted to do and how we needed to get there.
BOB LATFORDHowever, there is always a kernel of truth at the core of every myth, and according to Phil Holmer -- who worked for NASCAR's public relations office at the time, and was co-owner of the Boot Hill Saloon -- that's the case with the Latford/point system story as well. Some of it actually occurred, but in this case, the myth doesn't necessarily fit all the facts.
"Bob pretty much had the points structure worked out in his mind before he ever got down to Daytona that winter," said Holmer, who retired last year as marketing manager for Goodyear's racing operations. "But it does make for a good story."
In order to realize the actual importance of Latford's breakthrough, one must first understand the evolution of NASCAR's points system up to that point. In an effort to determine a champion, NASCAR officials tried a series of systems, usually with a scale and adding some sort of multiplier. In most cases, it had to do with purse money. Later on, NASCAR added different bonuses for track length, laps completed and races started, which made for incredibly complex calculations.
For instance, the 1949 points system awarded points to the top 10 finishers in each race -- 10 for first, 9 for second, 8 for third, and so on -- multiplied by a percentage of the race purse. So for Charlotte, winner Jim Roper received 250 points (10 x ($5,000 x .005)). In 1952, the basis was expanded to the top 25 finishers and the multiplier altered. That system stayed in place until 1968, when the basis jumped to 50 points and the multiplier used race distances instead of purses.
In 1972, points were doubled and laps completed were added to the equation. And two years later, the points were based on total money winnings multiplied by starts divided by 1,000. So series champion Richard Petty accumulated 5,037.75 points in 30 races, while third-place David Pearson wound up with 2,389.25, despite running 11 fewer events.
To say that everyone -- from the competitors to the fans -- was confused would be an understatement.
In that era, many of the top teams towed only to races that would provide the biggest purses and points, leaving smaller venues with perilously low car counts. And to make matters worse, manufacturers in Detroit began to threaten to pull their support for the series, mainly as a result of the 1973 oil crisis and resulting recession.
"Back then, individual races were more important than the overall championship," Holmer said. "What NASCAR needed was a way to make the championship more important, and still keep the track owners happy."
RacingOneRichard Petty won the 1975 title, the first under the new points system.In the summer of 1974, Bill France realized he had to do something. New series sponsor R.J. Reynolds wanted more exposure, and a points system that would create more late-season suspense was paramount to their marketing plans. So France turned to Latford, a long-time public relations official and Daytona Beach native who went to school with France's son.
According to an article by Godwin Kelly written some time before Latford's death in 2003, Latford described in detail how he was summoned to Daytona Beach for a meeting with France.
"I thought something bad was going to happen to me," Latford said. "But Bill said, 'You've always been interested in numbers and math. Would you be interested in a project to give us a better points system? The one we have is confusing. Heck, the competitors have a hard time understanding it. If the competitors can't figure out the system, the fans certainly can't.'"
According to Holmer, Latford went back to his office and started thinking about how to create a simple but elegant points system that took into consideration several key elements: a sliding scale based solely on finishing order, something that would reward consistency and make it imperative for teams to run the entire schedule, and keep the scale narrow enough to provide for late-season championship battles.
Latford was the perfect man for the job.
"Bob loved numbers and was always calculating statistics for writers in the press box and his press releases," Holmer said. "So it wasn't a surprise that he was the one to come up with this."
With a framework for the new points in his head, Latford returned to Daytona that winter and called on two of his friends: Holmer and Joe Whitlock, who handled public relations for Daytona International Speedway. He explained the basic principle of his idea, and Holmer suggested they go over to the Boot Hill and discuss it further.
The Boot Hill Saloon is now one of Daytona's pre-eminent biker bars. But back in 1974, it was -- to put it nicely -- a tiny watering hole. Holmer remembered it having less than two dozen barstools.
"There was only one table in the place," Holmer said. "And we took it over."
Latford explained to the other two how he felt the points system should work, settling on 175 points for the race winner and using what Holmer referred to as "an accordion" effect to distribute points to each succeeding position. Latford suggested a difference of five points between the top five finishing positions, four points between positions sixth through 10th, and then three points thereafter.
RacingOneAlan Kulwicki's 1992 title was won by 10 points, the closest margin before the Chase."We tossed around some ideas," Latford said. "What are we trying to do? We were trying to determine the champion of the entire circuit, not just selected races. We talked about what we wanted to do and how we needed to get there."
According to Holmer, the three spent several evenings going over Latford's figures. And yes, some of the whole "written on a bar napkin" myth was based in fact, but it was more mathematics than a "Eureka" moment.
"We made a lot of pencil marks on a lot of napkins," Holmer said. "You've got to remember, that was back in the days before personal calculators. We were doing a lot of figuring, trying to come up with different scenarios and see how that would affect the totals. Basically, we were trying to make sure there weren't any major flaws in his idea."
Holmer said he was the one who suggested Latford add a five-point bonus for leading a lap, which then got the three thinking about an additional bonus for most laps led. They also discussed point bonuses for qualifying, but Holmer said they decided against adding anything that didn't have to do with the specific event.
"We decided that somewhere in this system we needed to have a reward for the guys who would get up there and run hard," Latford said. "So that's where we came up with a five-point bonus for leading a lap and five more for leading the most laps."
At some point after that, Latford returned to Atlanta and typed up a formal presentation for France and the folks at RJR. It was immediately put into place for the 1975 season, and even though Petty routed the competition with 13 wins that year, was considered a success by all involved. And it only grew in reputation in following seasons when Petty beat Darrell Waltrip by 12 points in 1979, Dale Earnhardt edged Cale Yarborough by 19 points the following season, Bill Elliott topped Rusty Wallace by 24 points in 1988, and three drivers came to the season finale in 1992 with a mathematical chance at the title.
"Yeah, there were years when it was sort of one-sided," Holmer said. "But there were a lot of times when it came down to the final race."
It might be a little presumptuous to say that Bob Latford "saved" NASCAR with the implementation of his points system in 1975, but his contribution led both directly and indirectly to NASCAR's unparalleled growth in later years.
"It did what it set out to do," Holmer said. "It kept the manufacturers happy. It kept the track owners happy. It made R.J. Reynolds happy, because the best teams showed up to run all the races. It must have been a pretty good idea, because it's still being used today."

POINTS

A NASCAR POINTS SYSTEM PRIMER
The premise of the NASCAR points system is accumulating more points throughout the race season than the other drivers. Whoever has the most points at the end of the race season is the winner.
At it's essence, it is a pretty simple formula.
A twist was added to this simple points system after the 2003 NASCAR race season. The 'Chase for the Nextel Cup' is a unique spin on the race season and how points are accumulated. At the start of the 2007 NASCAR Season the points system was tweaked again. This article includes those changes.
NASCAR SEASON LENGTH
A good starting point in understanding the NASCAR points system is knowing how long the race season runs.
The NASCAR Nextel Cup race schedule generally starts around the second week of February and goes to about the third week of November.
Most races are run on Sunday afternoon. A handful of races are run 'under the lights' on Saturday night. With its stretch of 36 NASCAR sanctioned races at race track facilities from the east to west coast, the NASCAR season is arguably the longest and most grueling sports season in the United States.
HOW POINTS ARE AWARDED
A NASCAR race is comprised of 43 drivers. Each participating driver is awarded points based on his (or her) finish position in the race. The range of points earned is from 34 to 185. The table shows the corresponding points to race finish position.
You'll note that:
Positions 1st and 2nd have a 15-point spread between them
Positions 2nd - 6th have a 5-point spread between them
Positions 6th - 11th have a 4-point spread
Positions 11th - 43rd have a 3-point spread
Bumping up the points awarded to the winner (from 180 to 185) was done so that more emphasis would be placed on winning. It's still argued that there should be more points awarded to the winner, and no points awarded below 30th.
BONUS POINTS
In addition to the points a driver can earn for his finish position, extra (bonus) points are awarded for leading a lap during the race.
An extra 5-points is tacked onto the drivers race points earned from his finish position for leading at least one lap in the race. Even more, the driver who leads the most laps, gets twice the bonus points as the other lap leading drivers. He gets a total of 10 points. In the event of a tie for laps lead, the driver with the finish position closest to 1st gets the 10-points.
At best, a driver can score 195 points in one race. That's 185 points for 1st place and 10 bonus points for leading the most laps. In theory, if the winner of the race also leads the most laps, he could earn 161 more points than the driver finishing 43rd and leading no laps.
195 (185 + 10) [1st place + most laps led] - 34 [last place with no laps led] = 161
BIRTH OF THE CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP
This method seemed 'good enough' until the 2004 NASCAR season.
With the rising popularity of NASCAR racing, Brian France (the grandson of Bill France, the founder of NASCAR), devised an alternative to the method of crowning the NASCAR Champion.
I believe it was for three reasons.
Wins. The 2003 season champion, Matt Kenseth, won the NASCAR Championship having only won 1 race. Jimmie Johnson finished the year 2nd having won 3 races. Ryan Newman finished the year 6th having won 8 races. Matt Kenseth's consistent top-10 finishes won him the Championship, not his wins. Some argued that wins not consistency should determine the Championship.
Excitement. Recent NASCAR seasons Championships were runaway victories many races before the last race was run.
Jeff Gordon, the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion scored 349 points more than 2nd place Tony Stewart.
Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion scored 265 more points than 2nd place Dale Earnhardt.
Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion scored 201 more points than 2nd place Bobby Labonte.
Jeff Gordon, the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion score 364 more points than 2nd place Mark Martin.Because of these lopsided victories, there was no excitement over who would win the NASCAR Championship come seasons end.
Money. NASCAR's popularity has been on the rise over the last several years. For this trend to continue it was important to have the race season end with a climactic finish. Competition for television ratings and advertising dollars are tougher in the fall due to the start of the NFL season. NASCAR needed a way to lure race fans to stay loyal to the NASCAR race broadcast over the football game.
HOW THE CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP WORKS
NASCAR's Chase For The Nextel Cup actually breaks the race season into two segments. The first begins at the first race of the year and continues through the 26th race. This segment has been dubbed the 'Race to the Chase'.
During the 'Race to the Chase' (the first 26 races), all the standard rules for race points and lead lap bonus points apply. The goal of every driver is to be in the top 12 in race points. This makes them eligible to participate in the 'Chase for the Nextel Cup' and ultimately, the Nextel Cup Championship.
Each driver will have their points adjusted to 5,000. Additionally, each driver will be awarded 10 points for each race win during the previous 26 races.
For example, if you are in the top 12 and have won 3 races during the first 26 races, your points total is 5030.
SEASON ENDING CLIMAX
In view of the three reasons I listed above the NASCAR points system change to the 'Chase for the Nextel Cup' format has been a tremendous success. The last 3 Championship season have proven it out.
Kurt Busch, the 2004 Nextel Cup Champion, won 3 races and beat out 2nd place Jimmie Johnson by 8 points.
Tony Stewart, the 2005 Nextel Cup Champion, won 5 races and beat out 2nd place Greg Biffle (and 3rd place Carl Edwards) by 35 points.
Jimmie Johnson, the 2006 Nextel Cup Champion, won 5 races and beat out 2nd place Matt Kenseth by 56 points.

RACING "SLICKS"

Racing "slicks" are very different than your treaded car tires.


On a typical race weekend, a Cup Series team will use between nine and 14 sets of tires depending upon the length of the race and type of track. By comparison, an average set of street tires gets replaced approximately every three years.



Racing tire specifications also differ from race to race depending upon the degree of track banking and type of racing surface (asphalt, concrete, or mixture of both).

Goodyear uses about 18 different types of tires to cover the needs of teams during the course of a racing season.

RACE TIRE SAFETY

Like a "tire-within-a-tire," the Goodyear Lifeguard Inner Liner Safety Spare allows the car to return to the pits in the event of a flat.

TIRES IN NASCAR

Few factors play a more critical role in a NASCAR race than tires.

Inflation pressures, tire wear and tire balance can all have a tremendous effect on a car's performance

TRANSPORTER

Transporter carries the team's two cars (one primary and one backup) for the race weekend, as well as enough parts and tools to repair an entire car, if necessary. It also provides a place for the team to relax and meet before and after the race.

INSIDE THE COCKPIT

1 Main Switch Panel -- Contains switches for starter, ignition and cooling fans.

2 Tachometer -- Monitors revolutions per minute (RPMs) of engine, assisting driver in selecting gears and monitoring engine power.
3 Engine Gauge Cluster -- Monitors engine oil pressure, water temperature, oil temperature, voltage and fuel pressure.
4 Auxiliary Switches -- Can serve a number of purposes, including turning on the backup ignition system, ventilating fans, or helmet cooling system.
5 Master Switch -- Shuts down electrical system in emergency situations.
6 Ignition Kill Switch -- Shuts off engine in emergency situations.
7 Radio Button -- Controls communication to pits and race spotter.
8 Gearshift -- Controls four-speed manual transmission.
9 Safety Seat -- Provides extra support and protection for head, shoulders, ribs and lower extremities.
10 Head and Neck Restraint -- NASCAR mandates the use of a head-and-neck restraint system to prevent injury during an incident.
11 Window Net -- Safety device located on the driver's side window that helps keep head and arms inside the car during an incident.
12 Rear-View Mirror
13 Fresh Air Vent -- Directs outside air into the driving compartment.
14 Main Rear-View Mirror
15 Fire Extinguisher -- Automatically engages in the event of fire.
16 Seat Belt Harness -- Keeps the driver strapped securely in his seat in the event of an incident.
17 Fire Extinguisher Switch -- Discharges fire-suppressing chemicals into the driving compartment in case of fire.
18 Fire Extinguisher Discharge Nozzle -- Directs fire suppressant in the event of a fire.
19 Helmet Hook -- Provides a place for the driver to keep his helmet when outside the car.
20 Ignition System -- Placed on the passenger-side dash, this box is programmed to help the engine achieve the most precise timing possible, for maximum power.

NASCAR :BILL FRANCE THE BEGINNING

NASCAR History "The Beginning"

Bill France Sr. was born in Washington, D.C. and lived there until his early 20s. His father was a teller at Park Savings Bank in Washington, and his son might have followed in his footsteps with the exception that he had a fascination with the automobile and how it performed. As a teenager, Bill Sr. would often skip school and take the family car to a nearby track and run laps until he had enough time to get the car, a Model-T Ford, back home before his father got home. He held several hands-on jobs until he eventually owned his own service station. He made a name for himself and built a customer base by getting up early in the wintry mornings and going out to crank the cars for white collar bureaucrats.
In 1934 the Frances loaded up their car and headed for the south with a total of $25. Where they were headed has never been clearly established but some say Tampa and others say Miami Beach. Two days later they arrived in Daytona Beach. Rumors say that they were broke and had to settle there while some say his wife had a sister in nearby New Smyrna Beach and still others say that their car broke down and they had no choice but to settle in and stay there. However years later Bill Jr. stated that his mother did not have a sister living in New Smyrna Beach and that a broken down car would never stop his father from getting where he wanted because he was an experienced mechanic.
The hard packed sand between Daytona Beach and its northern neighbor Ormond Beach was the site of the world-record automobile speed trials. They started in 1902 and picked up speed right up to the '30s. By then the speeds were approaching 300 miles per hour along the firm and smooth inviting sand. In the spring of 1935 Sir Malcolm Campbell was taking his Bluebird rocket car to Daytona Beach in hopes of running at 300 miles per hour for yet another land-speed-record. Along with this and the weather and the smaller hospitable and more affordable area maybe this is the reason behind the Frances staying in Daytona Beach.
Campbell never did get his record of 300 mph at Daytona, instead his best he could do was 276.82mph and on March 7, 1935 Campbell announced that he was moving the speed trials to Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. It was the shifting winds and changing tides that made Campbell realize that he would not reach his goal of 300mph if he kept working out of Daytona Beach. Campbell did beat the 300mph speed at Bonneville in late 1935.
Daytona Beach area officials were determined to bring in speed-related events after Campbell left and this was how Bill France Sr. got his start in race promotions in late 1935. City officials asked championship dirt track racer and local resident Sig Haugdahl to organize and promote an automobile race along a 3.2 mile course which included Highway A1A southbound from Daytona Beach and the same beach that had been used for the land speed record runs. The 78-lap, 250 mile event for street-legal family sedans was sanctioned but the American Automobile Association for cars built in 1935 and 1936. Daytona Beach posted a $5,000.00 purse, with $1,700.00 for the winner. The biggest problem was that people arrived there earlier than the ticket-takers and established their spots on the beach. The turns at each end very virtually impassable, leading to stuck and stalled cars which created scoring disputes and technical protests. Then the race was called after 75 laps with Milt Marion declared the winner. France finished fifth behind Marion, Shaw, Elmore, and Sam Purvis. Ben Shaw and Tommy Elmore both protested the race but their appeals were squashed. That was the first and last race the City of Daytona Beach ever promoted. Well how would you feel if your City lost $22,000.00 from one race promotion.
Haugdahl and France had become very good friends and were not about to give up. Together they talked the Daytona Beach Elks Club into helping promote a race over Labor Day weekend of 1937. Despite a paltry $100.00 purse and improved management, promotion, and track conditions the Elks lost money too. They also like the city lost their interest in motor sports promotion. With that Haugdahl decided that he too had enough and he bowed out of the motor sport promoting as well. This left France all to himself to try and get the area interested since he could still see a future for stock car racing, however he was a struggling filling-station operator and didn't have enough cash to cover a purse, advertise and promote the race plus pay the city to set up the course.
France was finally able to convince local restaurateur Charlie Reese, rich and well known, to post a $1,000.00 purse and let France recruit drivers and spread the word. Danny Murphy beat France in the 150-miler that generated just enough profit to convince the co-promoter to do it again. They managed another successful stock car promotion on Labor Day weekend of 1938. France beat Lloyd Moody and Pig Ridings in that race and then organized and promoted three more races in March, July, and September of 1939. They did it again in March , July 4, and September of 1940 France fared well in those three races of 1940 finishing fourth in March, first in July, and sixth in September. France was able to promote two races in March, one each in July and August of 1941 prior to the war breaking out. The war brought a stop to motor sport racing and France went to work for the Daytona Boat Works while his wife handled the family filling station.

Shortly after the war ended and things started returning to normal Bill France left the boat works. France was obsessed with the idea that a single, firmly governed sanctioning body was necessary if stock car was to be a success. He was well aware, as a driver and promoter, that the minor-league sanctioning bodies reeked of inconsistency. France wanted an organization that would sanction and promote races, bring uniformity to race procedures plus technical rules. He wanted an association that would oversee a membership benefit and insurance fund, and one that would promise to pay postseason awards, and crown a single national champion using a clearly defined points system.
At that time there were several organizations who claimed to sanction national championship races. One was the American Automobile Association (AAA), but they were more concerned with open-wheel, open-cockpit, champ car racing. The A.A.A eventually became known as the USAC/CART league (Indy-car racing). The other groups were the United Stock Car Racing Association, National Auto Racing league, and American Stock Car Racing Association. The Georgia based National Stock Car Racing Association was only interested with-in the state and so they didn't crown a national champion. The Daytona Beach Racing Association only promoted within the city so they made no claim to a national champion either. France was so devoted to creating a racing association that would adhere to the rules mentioned above. With that in 1947 he retired from racing so he could concentrate all his time and attention to organize that body.
The first meeting of the National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing was held on December 12, 1947 at the Streamline Inn Motel in Daytona Beach, Florida. The organization named Bill France Sr. as its first president. William Henry Getty France, aka, Big Bill France, gathered together a group of racing promoters, drivers, and mechanics with the dream of establishing an organization to set a standard set of rules and regulations to help promote stock car racing.
Incorporated on February 21, 1948, the organization hired Erwin "Cannonball" Baker to be the first Commissioner of Racing. The new organization sanctioned its first race on the Daytona Beach road/beach course in February of 1948, several days before it was legally incorporated. More than 14,000 fans watched that first event, a 150-miler that Red Byron won ahead of Teague, Raymond Parks, Buddy Shuman, and Wayne Pritchett.
France's original plan was for NASCAR to oversee three separate and distinct classes of cars: Strictly Stock Cars, Modified Stock Cars, and Roadsters. Perhaps surprisingly, the Modified and Roadster classes were seen as more attractive to fans than Strictly Stock. As things turned out, though, the audience NASCAR attracted wanted nothing to do with Roadsters, a "Yankee" series more popular in the Midwest and Northeast. It didn't take long for France to recognize that he didn't need the Roadster.
After the war was over the big automakers had to switch production from Tanks and Jeeps back to their makes of cars. This got France to thinking that the fans would want to purchase cars when they see them winning at the races and he knew that productions were going to be slow for a while. He decided that NASCAR would run pre '40s Fords and Chevrolets plus a handful of new Buick's were allowed. The 1948 NASCAR schedule covered 52 dirt-track races for modified's and Red Byron was the national champion that year.
In February of 1949 France staged a 20 mile exhibition race near Miami for his Strictly Stock division. Fearing he would lose out to a promoter in North Carolina, France decided to stage a Strictly Stock points race. This race took place in June and was scheduled as a 200-lap, 150 mile race around a 3/4-mile dirt track in Charlotte, North Carolina. It carried a purse of $5,000. for 33 street-legal family sedans that had been built since 1946. Pole sitter Bob Flock led the first five laps in a 46 Hudson, Bill Blair led laps 6 thru 150 in a 1949 Lincoln, and Glen Dunnaway led the remaining laps in a 1947 Ford. After the race Dunnaway's car was inspected and failed because he had altered the rear springs. He was disqualified and moved to the back of the field and stripped him of the win and money. This moved Roper to the first place spot followed by Fonty Flock in second, Byron in third, Sam Rice in fourth, and Tim Flock finished out the top five. Hubert Westmoreland owner of Dunnaway's car sued the new sanctioning body for $10,000. however a North Carolina Judge ruled that the officials had the right to make and enforce their rules without outside interference and dismissed the suit.
That mid-summer race attracted 13,000 plus fans, far more than was expected. NASCAR promoted seven more Strictly Stock races that year: two each in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, one each in Florida, New York, and Virginia. Byron won the Strictly Stock class that year in what was to become the Grand Nationals and Winston Cup series. Lee Petty finished second in points followed by Bob Flock, Curtis Turner, and Jack Smith. Fifty drivers raced in at least one race each that year and between 16 and 45 drivers showed up for each race.
France wondered what was missing from his Strictly Stock division. He had to come up with a blockbuster event to draw more attention to his Strictly Stock cars. The USAC champ car circuit had the Indy 500, and NASCAR Modified and Sportsman division had their annual beach/road races in February at Daytona Beach. In 1950 Harold Brasington built a 1.25 mile, high-banked, egg shaped speedway just west of his hometown of Darlington. He stunned the racing world by paving it and saying that he wanted to someday host a 500-mile stock car race. Brasington himself a retired racer had known France from their old racing days at Daytona and other dirt tracks throughout the Southeast and Midwest. He was aware that France's new organization wanted to expand their image and he figured a 500-mile race would be the answer.
In the fall of 1949 Brasington bought a 70 acre farm from Sherman Ramsey and he began carving a superspeedway out of what had been a cotton and peanut field. Instead of developing his track into a true oval, he was forced to create an egg-shaped facility with one end tighter, more steeply-banked and narrower than the other end. You see he promised Ramsey when he purchased the land that the track wouldn't disturb the minnow pond on the property's western fringe. So that meant that Barrington could make the eastern end as wide, sweeping, and flat as he wanted but the western end had to be just the opposite because of the minnow pond.
It took almost a year to build and pave the new track. In the summer of 1950 as Sam Nunis spoke of promoting a 500-mile NASCAR race at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, Barrington and France were making the final arrangements to run a 500-miler at Darlington on Labor-day. The inaugural Southern 500 carried a stock-car record purse of $25,000. and was co-sanctioned by NASCAR and the rival Central States Racing Association. Over 80 cars showed up and it took two weeks to get them all qualified. The race started with a 75 car field aligned in 25 rows and three abreast.
After filling all 9,000 seats fans were directed to the infield where a sea of over 6,000 people watched the race. It took Johnny Mantz more than six hours to cover the full 500 miles. He drove a 1950 Plymouth owned by France, Westmoreland, and a couple more guys. Fireball Roberts finished second, Red Byron was third, and Bill Rexford was fourth. The Southern 500 was NASCAR's only paved track event in 1950. There were only four paved events in 1951 and they were two at Dayton, Ohio and one each at Darlington, and Thompson, Connecticut. Paved tracks didn't begin to gain acceptance until the late '50s. Darlington and the half-miler at Dayton each had two races in 1952. In 1953 Darlington and the new 1-mile asphalt track at Raleigh, North Carolina each had a Grand National race. In 1954 Darlington, Raleigh, and the paved road course at Linden, New Jersey Airport had a race each. In 1955 Martinsville, Virginia had one race, Darlington one race, and Raleigh had two races.
NASCAR's future began to come in focus in 1956. NASCAR sanctioned 11 paved-track races among 56 events. They had 14 out of 53 venues in 1957, and 24 out of 51 venues in 1958. Not only were they racing on oval tracks France also scheduled road course races at Watkins Glen, New York, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, and Bridgehampton, New York. Suddenly, almost overnight, it seemed NASCAR racing was becoming a national series rather than a regional series, Bill France's dream was heading toward the future. NASCAR history tells the real story.

EVOLUTION 3

While a "superspeedway boom" occurred from 1959 to the early 1960s -- with no less than four major speedways being built in Daytona Beach, Fla.; Hanford, Calif.; Concord, N.C.; and Hampton, Ga. -- the automobile manufacturers gradually realized that to sell new cars it certainly helped to win races. Despite accruing the knowledge of what it took to win Grand National races, the period was interesting in that both engine and body configurations went through several "generations" and radical changes as race cars, by and large, matched what was pushed in the showrooms by the manufacturers.

One of the most interesting occurrences in 1959 came when the Ford Motor Company abandoned its top of the line Galaxy model to use its Thunderbird as the race car of choice.

The Galaxy was a fairly bulky car that year, so Holman & Moody, Ford's acknowledged racing arm, built a fleet of T-Birds to compete in Grand National racing, the forerunner of the Cup Series. The T-Bird was lower and sleeker than the Galaxy but it still fell within the dimensional parameters set in the NASCAR rules ... even though the car had been created as a sports car that was designed to compete with Chevrolet's Corvette.
Although the T-Bird continued to compete, Ford returned to its premier Galaxy Starliner model in 1960. Conventional, full frame cars were still the norm as purpose-built tube frame race cars were still out on the Grand National horizon. Stories of race teams -- as Ray Fox's did in 1960 to win the Daytona 500 -- picking up cars from showrooms only days before races and converting them to race cars were commonplace. In the General Motors' camp, teams had figured out the coil spring rear suspension setup that was introduced in 1958 and virtually everyone was running the 1959 Chevrolet on the big tracks, where it was particularly effective.
This "light bulb" effect certainly led some to believe that the racers must have gotten some suspension geometry help from Detroit, but the manufacturers were still laying pretty low due to the Automobile Manufacturers Association agreement that had disassociated them from the sport. Through this period, of course, innovation often was the answer to necessity, and with many races still conducted on dirt tracks and with pavement tracks sometimes coming apart, screens, grillwork and other protective devices were often de rigeur.
The early days found race teams not necessarily locked-into a particular manufacturer's model or even make. They were able to do some amazing things with cars that looked particularly unwieldy to the naked eye. Witness the monstrous Oldsmobile with which Lee Petty won the inaugural Daytona 500, which was a somewhat tank-like ride.
Petty jumped back and forth between Chrysler and Oldsmobile in that time, depending on which car was more suited to the task at hand. As the superspeedway boom era continued, manufacturers began to pay more attention to aerodynamics.
The 1963 Ford Fastback Galaxy was used in the manufacturer's literature and was advertised as a race car. The 1960-61 Starliner had what was actually an effectively aerodynamic roofline. In fact, with the 1962 car a pretty boxy proposition, Fred Lorenzen ran a 1962 Galaxy with a 1961 Ford roof in a one-shot deal for the Atlanta 500 -- and won the race in the car's only appearance. General Motors had a grip on the Grand National championship in the early 1960s, with Rex White and Ned Jarrett winning titles in 1960-1961 in Chevrolets and Joe Weatherly copping the titles in 1962-1963 primarily in Pontiacs. In the 1961-1962 season Pontiac won more races than any manufacturer in the history of the Grand National Division in consecutive years (52).
Mercury added a twist to the manufacturers' battle when it entered racing in a bigger way in 1963 with its Marauder model. Bill Stroppe, the West Coast's answer to Holman & Moody, handled the Mercury competition program with a similar assembly line approach. Unknown newcomer Billy Wade swept four consecutive races in 1964 driving a Mercury. Mercury prompted the switch of legendary car owner Bud Moore to the Ford Motor Co. camp when Moore -- in the absence of significant support from General Motors -- switched from Pontiac to Mercury. Weatherly took the 1963 championship but had to pick-up rides for most of the year. Ford scored another coup when it grabbed Fireball Roberts, who won his first race for Ford in 1963 at Bristol. The swapping of personnel is one part of stock-car evolution that has been around since the beginning. Shock development, which today is acknowledged as critical to race car performance, also experienced more emphasis in the early 1960s. The popular "Air Lift" shocks were being phased out and Monroe and Gabriel became heavily involved in shock development for racing applications. Tire development also continued. Firestone was the dominant tire company, but Goodyear was involved to a limited degree. Increasing speeds made these developments important. Another significant advance during this period occurred as roll cage structures began to become a more integral part of the car and as such, were used to stiffen the chassis and improve a car's handling as well as serving as vital protection. A variety of triangulated bars, from front to back, across the mid-section of the car and also in the doors were as much to stiffen and strengthen the cars as they were to serve as protection.

There was a tremendous amount of flex inherent in the "x-frame" cars used in the 1958-60 period. Smokey Yunick was one of the first car builders to use the roll cage as an integral part of the car's chassis. Ford had unleashed the flow of relatively open factory support when it repudiated the AMA agreement in 1962. While General Motors remained mostly silent, within a few weeks Chrysler announced it would develop high performance parts for stock-car racing. Another big issue of this period was in the engine compartment.

Noted mechanic Fox was the mastermind behind Chevrolet's so-called "mystery engine," a 427-cubic inch "high lift" high performance piece that would replace the 409-cubic inch engine that was often referred to as a "boat anchor" because of its weight. Yunick, the other half of the legendary mechanical pair that lived in Daytona Beach, was also involved in the development of that engine. While much of the mystique of this engine was as much hype as it was fact, at the time Ford claimed it spent $1 million chasing the development curve on Chevy's powerplant. Junior Johnson, driving Fox's 1963 Chevrolet, sat on a lot of front rows with the combination, but as had often been the case with other potent mixes, in most cases the car was either a top-five finisher or it broke. Among the team's accomplishments in 1963 was sweeping the front row for the Firecracker 400 at Daytona, with Johnson and G.C. Spencer doing the honors.
The engine wars reached a peak when in 1964 Richard Petty brought a Plymouth hemispherical combustion chamber engine, or "hemi," and cleaned house at Daytona, including winning the first of seven Daytona 500s. The Plymouth and Dodge body styles had been streamlined. The hemis -- Plymouth's Super-Commando and Dodge's Hemi-Charger -- now had an appropriate platform in which to sit. The engine had first been produced in the early 1950s, but had been shelved with the AMA ban in 1956. Chrysler engineers also came up with a double rocker arm system used in conjunction with the hemi heads. This combination, which created a free-breathing combustion chamber, produced a good bit of top end horsepower, particularly on high-speed facilities.
Ford came back with its tunnel port 427-cubic inch engine. And Ford had a well-handling race car. Following the Daytona 500, the fourth points race of the season, Ford won 11 out of the next 15 races -- 13 of which were on short tracks. Plymouth and Dodge won two races apiece in that stretch. As was the case in many other aspects of racing, NASCAR kept a close eye on these developments and took action, as it became necessary.

EVOLUTION 2

The variety of race tracks in use and the intensity of the competition level necessitated various modifications to the "strictly stock" cars. While many of these changes were instituted in the interest of safety, manufacturers found that there were ways to integrate high performance parts and pieces into their mainstream production line, thereby making these "hot" parts eligible for use in Grand National racing, the forerunner of the Cup Series.
One of the first items produced specifically for stock-car racing was a racing tire manufactured and distributed by the Pure Oil Company in 1952. Prior to that time, street tires were all that were available for racing applications. Not everything that was developed through this period was an integral part of the cars themselves. Two-way radios were first used in a NASCAR race at the 1952 Modified-Sportsman race on the beach/road course at Daytona Beach, Fla.
Their use developed until they became an indispensable piece of equipment on a Grand National race car. In the early 1950s roll cages also made more of a widespread appearance. Tim Flock won the 1952 Modified-Sportsman race in Daytona Beach, but was disqualified due to his roll cage being made of wood. Although some novel uses of bed frames and other iron devices were created for roll bars, their use stiffened the chassis and improved the cars' performance. One of the first major changes in race car development came in 1953, when the Oldsmobile, Lincoln and Hudson car companies introduced "severe usage" kits, primarily composed of suspension parts, in response to an alarming spate of failures to spindles, hubs, axles and other suspension pieces. The manufacturers also were discovering that they could introduce high performance options in their street cars that would make them eligible for the race track.
Hudson's Twin-H carburetor setup was one such tweak that Hudson drivers used to win 22 of 37 races in 1953. In 1955, Chevrolet and Ford, mirroring their intense spirit of competition that's still displayed today, also had factory-backed programs. But it was Chevrolet's introduction of the 355-cubic inch small-block V8 engine that was one of the most significant developments in the history of stock-car racing. That engine, with very minor changes, is still in use by General Motors race teams across the country in most racing series.
Through this period, Marshall Teague of Daytona Beach, one of racing's true innovators who was largely credited with bringing the Hudson Motor Car Company and Pure Oil into racing, pioneered the use of Chevrolet truck spindles and suspension parts when he was competing in AAA stock-car racing. The giveaway that a car was running the heavier axles and beefier suspension components was a six-lugged wheel, not the typical five-lugged version.
Buick unveiled a major coup in 1957 when it had finned aluminum brake drums on its Roadmaster. The car, made famous by Fireball Roberts, used a braking system that dissipated heat more efficiently due to the use of aluminum and the finned design. As the decade of the 1950s began to come to close and the superspeedway era was about to dawn GM made a major change to the frame design of its cars in 1958. It debuted an X-frame design with a coil spring rear suspension, departing from the box frame with leaf spring rear suspension that was more popular and better understood by the racers. Consequently, very few 1958 Chevrolets were used, particularly early in the season, as the racers chose to go with what they were familiar with. However, innovative mechanic Henry "Smokey" Yunick had the system figured out and driver Paul Goldsmith won the final beach/road course race, using a 1958 Pontiac with the new design. The newer setup would prove to be the hot tip on the big tracks that would begin to open with the advent of Daytona International Speedway in 1959. It was the next step in the ongoing evolution of the stock car. •

NASCAR THE EVOLUTION PART 1

Throughout the history of NASCAR, its race cars have been transformed from road-going, lumbering true "stock" cars into the sleek, technologically advanced machines that we see today on ultra-modern speedways. In tracing the evolution of the cars that we know today as the Cup Series, it's necessary to go back to the beginnings of NASCAR and its "Strictly Stock Division.

" It all started with races on the famed Daytona beach and road course in the late 1940s.

When NASCAR was formed in 1948 there was a definite shortage of new cars in the post-war era. The feeling was that race fans wouldn't stand for new cars being beat up on a race track while they were driving a rattletrap pre-war automobile, so "Modified" cars were the early staple of NASCAR racing. However, in 1949, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. re-visited the idea of racing the cars that people actually drove on the street -- late model family sedans.

Since no other racing organization had seized the idea, France figured it might take root and create added interest. The success of the modern Cup Series proves he was correct. From the racers' perspective, putting a race car together was not a high-dollar deal. If a brand-new Buick sold for about $4,000, due to the lack of modification that could be done to it, the car could be raced for very little more of an investment. In some instances, rental cars were actually used as race cars by point-chasing drivers who had no locked-in ride for an event.

Cars typically were either driven to the track or towed behind pick-ups and family sedans. Other than tweaking and tuning of the engine, nothing could be done to these early Strictly Stock cars. The window glass -- front, back and sides -- was intact. Ropes and aircraft harnesses were used as seat belts. Roll bars -- which were mandated in 1952 -- were neither required nor often installed. One thing the strictly-stock designation encouraged was a great diversity of manufacturers on the track.

The first official Strictly Stock Division race had nine makes come to the line: Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Ford, Hudson, Kaiser, Lincoln, Mercury and Oldsmobile. Some of the biggest problems were tires; wheel and suspension failures brought on by stresses that were atypical of normal road use. These concerns brought about novel solutions such as one detailed by two-time Grand National (forerunner of Cup Series) champion Tim Flock, who described a trap door in the floorboard of his race car that he could open with a chain to check right-front tire wear. "When the white cord was showing, we had about one or two laps left before the tire would blow," Flock said. Due to the rough-surfaced dirt tracks that were predominant in the early days of the sport, the only modification that was allowed was a reinforcing steel plate on the right front wheel to prevent lug nuts from pulling through the rims on conventional wheels. Otherwise, racing stock cars in the early days of the sport was very much a seat-of-the-pants endeavor.

But it was one that spawned innumerable legends of drivers who created them, literally, with their own hands, feet and indomitable wills and courage.

MAKING THE NASCAR CHASE

Making the NASCAR Chase

How NASCAR Drivers Make the Chase
Is your driver good enough to make the Chase? In January the answer is almost always "yes". Fans, teams, writers and announcers label almost any driver as a Chase prospect. Obviously only 12 will actually make it, so what does it take? . It's time to look at the factors that really apply to a driver with Chase dreams and see if there are some basic requirements for a driver.
Top 12 the last four years
The first thing I did was look at the top 12 drivers' results in each year since 2004. The key was to compare their numbers through the first 26 races, since all we are looking for is how to get in the Chase. Also, because the current rules call for 12 drivers to make the playoffs, I included 12 for each year.
After calculating the average number of wins, top 5's and top 10's, I realized that the top drivers are people like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth that have outstanding seasons and are rarely in danger of missing the Chase. They have much better numbers than the bottom of the list. Realizing they were safely in the Chase, I excluded the top 5 drivers in the Chase to avoid skewing the numbers. This study was about finding how to make the Chase, and the top 5 drivers typically run well every week.
Average's positions six through twelve
So the next step was taking drivers 6-12 from each of the last 4 years and averaging their numbers. It works out to an average of 1.1 wins, 6.2 top 5's and 11.8 top 10's. That's all it takes to make the Chase. Simple right? Not quite.
A hidden Chase factor?
There are two ingredients that go into the Chase recipe. The obvious one is getting as many good finishes as possible, but it's also key to minimize bad finishes. 12 top 10's through 26 races is nice, but the other 14 races count too. Minimizing DNF's and maximizing the bad runs are just as important. Think about this: A top 5 finish is worth about 150 points (depending on laps led) while a DNF resulting in a bottom five finish is 50 points or less.
The bottom half of the Chasers averaged 123.7 points per race, which rounds out to finishing 13th in every race. Obviously running 13th every week won't happen, but if the highs smooth out the lows, then it can lead to a successful season. One extreme example of smoothing out the lows was Jeremy Mayfield's 2005 campaign. Mayfield only had 7 top tens in 2005, but countered mediocre equipment by avoiding trouble. He had one DNF and only four races worse than 20th. While the Dodge teams struggled with the new Charger, Mayfield made the most of the situation. Meanwhile Jeff Gordon won 3 races with 5 top 5's, but he also had 9 sub-30 finishes. Mayfield made the Chase while Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr (8 sub-30's) both missed the Chase. With the CoT and its unknown personality, the Mayfield approach could come in to play this year. Some teams simply won't be able to run up front, but will have to adjust their aim and avoid trouble to rack up points.
Are wins necessary?
One more thing to note. It's not necessary to win a race, but it sure helps. Only 6 drivers have made the Chase without a win. Four of those winless drivers did however win a race during the Chase. That shows again how important it is to run up front.
So, returning to the original question. Can your favorite driver make the Chase? You need to ask a few more questions before deciding if a driver is Chaseworthy. Can this driver win a race? Does he run up front enough to score 6 top 5's? Does he have enough strong tracks to bank on a top ten finish 50% of the time? Does he avoid trouble enough to finish races on the lead lap? Now see how many "yes" answers a driver returns.

TIGHT VS LOOSE

Drivers must adapt their driving styles to the behavior of their racecar, which can often change as a race progresses, becoming either "tighter" or "looser." •

Tight -- When a car is tight, it's hard to turn. To get the car to steer more easily, the driver has to lift off the accelerator while turning -- slowing down the car. This condition can be overcome during a race by adjusting factors like tire pressure, spring stiffness and chassis weight distribution.

• Loose -- When a car is loose, it turns too easily --so the car tends to fishtail. Again, the driver has to slow down to keep control of the car, slowing lap times. Tire, spring and chassis adjustments can be made to overcome a loose condition during a race.

Factors like track temperature and tire wear can play a part in how the car responds to the driver during a race -- even the amount of tape over the car's grill can have a profound impact on its handling. Juggling all these factors, the best drivers and crew chiefs are masters at adjusting the car during the course of a race.

NASCAR RESTART RULE 2009

NASCAR has established a formula for determining the length of the restart zone on the track.
Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway that officials will take the pit-road speed limit, double that figure and then set that as the distance in feet of the restart zone. At the start of this season, NASCAR created a zone where the leader must restart the race instead of giving the leader discretion from a certain area coming out of Turn 4 up to the starting line to restart the race. The rule is designed to create a more consistent restart at each track.
Pit-road speeds typically range from 30 to 55 mph, depending on the length of the track. That means the restart zone will vary from 60-110 feet, depending on the track.
"It will be twice the pit-road speed," Pemberton said. "It's a means to get variable lengths in there for the race track itself. It's something the garage area asked us to do. Is it perfect; maybe, maybe not. But, it's a start."

HOW TO CALCULATE TRACK SPEEDS

How to Calculate Track Speeds
: use the formula Speed = Distance divided by Time.
Distance is Track Length, and Lap Time into Hours.
Once hour is 3600 seconds, so the calculation for a 48 second lap at Daytona(2.5 miles) would be: Speed = 2.5 x (3600/48), = 2.5 x 75 = 187.500mph.
For a 19 second lap at Bristol(.533 miles): Speed = .533 x (3600/19), = .533 x 189.474 = a speed of 100.990mph

THE PIT STOP

[CLICKON PIC TO ZOOMIN]

NASCAR Pit Stop
NASCAR teams take about 14-seconds to complete a full pit stop. But what are all the things they do during a normal pit stop?
Anatomy of a Pit Stop
Seven crew members are routinely allowed over the wall during pit stops per NASCAR rules. At times, NASCAR will inform teams that an eighth crew member will be allowed over the wall for a pit stop with the responsibility of cleaning the windshield.
An average efficient pit stop that consists of the changing of all four tires and a full tank of fuel can take anywhere between 13 and 15 seconds. The amount of pit stops during a race vary due to numerous factors:
Race Length
Caution Flags
Fuel Mileage
Tire Wear
Pit Strategy
Below is a look at the pit crew and thier responsibilities during a routine stop during a race.
Rear Tire Carrier: Assists the rear tire changer by handing him a new right-side tire he has carried from behind the pit wall. May also adjust the rear jack bolt to change the car's handling.
Jackman: Operates a 20-pound hydraulic jack that is used to raise the car for tire changes. After new tires are bolted on to the right side of the car, he drops the car to the ground and repeats the process on the left side.
Rear Tire Changer: First removes and replaces right rear tire using an air-powered impact wrench to loosen and tighten five lug nuts holding the tire rim in place. He then moves to the opposite side of the car to change the left rear tire.
Front Tire Carrier: Assist the front tire changer by handing him a new, right-side tire that he has carried from behind the pit wall. He repeats the process on the left side of the car with a tire rolled to him by another crew member from behind the pit wall.
Front Tire Changer: First removes and replaces right front tire using an air-powered impact wrench to loosen and tighten five lug nuts holding the tire rim in place. He then moves to the opposite side of the car to change the left front tire.
Gas Man: Empties two 12-gallon (81 pounds each) dump cans of fuel into the car's 17.75-gallon fuel cell.
Catch Can Man: Holds a can that collects overflow from the fuel cell as it is being filled. He also signals the rest of the team that the refueling process is finished by raising his hand.
Support Crew: Assists the "over the wall" crew by rolling them tires, handing them fuel, and retrieving air hoses and wrenches. According to NASCAR rules, support crew members must remain behind the pit wall during all stops.
Extra Man: On occasion, and at the discretion of NASCAR officials, an eighth or "extra man" is allowed over the wall to cleand the windshield and assist the driver if neccessary.
NASCAR Official: Watches for rules violations and helps maintain pit lane safety.
Adapted from information by NASCAR

TIRES AND RACING

Racing "slicks" are very different than your treaded car tires. On a typical race weekend, a Cup Series team will use between nine and 14 sets of tires depending upon the length of the race and type of track. By comparison, an average set of street tires gets replaced approximately every three years. Racing tire specifications also differ from race to race depending upon the degree of track banking and type of racing surface (asphalt, concrete, or mixture of both). Goodyear uses about 18 different types of tires to cover the needs of teams during the course of a racing season. RACE TIRE SAFETY Like a "tire-within-a-tire," the Goodyear Lifeguard Inner Liner Safety Spare allows the car to return to the pits in the event of a flat.

TIRES IN NASCAR Few factors play a more critical role in a NASCAR race than tires. Inflation pressures, tire wear and tire balance can all have a tremendous effect on a car's performance.
Racing "slicks" are very different than your treaded car tires.

NASCAR SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY

NASCAR Substance Abuse News and RulesAmong the substances NASCAR crews must be tested for are:- Seven different amphetamines, including methamphetamine and PMA, a synthetic psychostimulant and hallucinogen.- Three drugs classified under ephedrine.- 13 different narcotics, including codeine and morphine.- Ten different benzodiazepines and barbituates.- Marijuana, cocaine, zolpidem, nitrites, chromates and drugs that can increase specific gravity.(the crews include - pit crew members, including "over-the-wall" crew members, the crew chief, car chief, team members responsible for tires, fuel and pit crew operation, spotters and race-day support personnel that includes engineers, engine tuners, shock specialists, chassis specialists and tire specialists). No such list exists for the driversNASCAR Substance Abuse PolicyCompetitors are asked to take a drug test if there is "reasonable suspicion."Anyone who obtains any kind of NASCAR license must sign an "authorization for testing and release" waiver each season.NASCAR can ask for samples of urine, blood, saliva, hair or breath tests if "reasonable suspicion" of drug use has been established.A number of NASCAR officials are trained to take and seal samples for testing, and all are versed in detecting signs of impairment.NASCAR encourages "whistle blowing" among its competitors to help police its substance abuse policy.NASCAR reserves the right to suspend a competitor based on a conviction for driving a passenger vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or a drug-related conviction.Competitors and officials are prohibited from consuming alcohol prior to or during a race.If a person fails a drug test and wants to return to racing, he or she must submit to a series of spot testing. The person being tested must pay for the examinations.If an individual is reinstated, NASCAR reserves the right to randomly test that individual.NASCAR does not recommend specific rehabilitation programs but strongly encourages self-help and treatment for those afflicted with a drug problem or alcohol abuse.

IMPOUND RULES WHEN IN FORCE

Following qualifying for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event, the cars will be escorted to their respective garage stalls by a NASCAR Official (with the exception of the top five cars, which will be placed in a designated area for post-qualifying inspection). Once the car is pushed to the garage stall, only two crew members will be allowed to remain in the garage. The following work list will be allowed:
Shut off electrical switches and master power switch;
Remove radio;
Check air pressure in tires;
Cover the car; and,
Crewmembers exit garage and garage doors close.
Pit road selection will be immediately after the last car has qualified.
Procedure for race day for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams:
Garage StallA maximum of two (2) crew members per car, accompanied by a NASCAR Official, will be allowed in the garage stall. Below are the procedures that will be completed in the garage stall:
Teams May:
Plug in oil heater (if teams use a generator, it must remain outside the garage);
Open hood;
Prime oil system;
Back car out of garage to start;
Turn master switch on;
Open oil cooler bypass valve (optional);
Start engine;
Close hood;
Set tire pressure;
Torque wheels;
Install radio and water bottle;
Remove or repair tape on front of car (i.e. grille, valance, brake ducts.); and
If applicable, BST or Pi Research may replace equipment batteries under NASCAR supervision.
Teams May NOT:
Enter the garage without a NASCAR Official present;
Jack up any part of the car;
Add water or pressurize the cooling system;
Climb inside the car;
Adjust wedge bolts, shocks or sway bars;
Add fuel, oil or brake fluid;
Remove air box; or
Adjust fenders, spoiler or any body components.
Fuel PumpsA maximum of three (3) crewmembers per car at anytime, escorted by NASCAR Officials, may go to the fuel pumps.
For Tracks 1 mile and under, a maximum of two gallons of fuel will be added. For Tracks 1 1/2 miles, a maximum of three gallons of fuel will be added. For Tracks above 1 1/2 miles, a maximum of four gallons of fuel will be added.
Height PlatformA maximum of three (3) crewmembers per car at anytime, accompanied by NASCAR Officials, may escort the respective car to the height platform.
You May:
Adjust front and rear wedge bolts:
A maximum of one (1) turn for front bolts.
A maximum of 1 1/2 turn for rear bolts.
Adjust track bar at frame end adjuster.
No maximum on track bar adjustment.
Adjust external shock bleeds.
You May NOT:
Change any components.
Add spring inserts.
ScalesA maximum of three (3) crewmembers per car at anytime, accompanied by NASCAR Officials, may escort the respective car to the scales.
Any car that does not meet required weight specifications may be subject to penalty. After completion, the generator will be reconnected to the car and pushed to pit road. Generators will be permitted out on pit road with the car.

NASCAR SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY

NASCAR Substance Abuse News and Rules
Among the substances NASCAR crews must be tested for are:- Seven different amphetamines, including methamphetamine and PMA, a synthetic psychostimulant and hallucinogen.- Three drugs classified under ephedrine.- 13 different narcotics, including codeine and morphine.- Ten different benzodiazepines and barbituates.- Marijuana, cocaine, zolpidem, nitrites, chromates and drugs that can increase specific gravity.(the crews include - pit crew members, including "over-the-wall" crew members, the crew chief, car chief, team members responsible for tires, fuel and pit crew operation, spotters and race-day support personnel that includes engineers, engine tuners, shock specialists, chassis specialists and tire specialists). No such list exists for the driversNASCAR Substance Abuse Policy
Competitors are asked to take a drug test if there is "reasonable suspicion."
Anyone who obtains any kind of NASCAR license must sign an "authorization for testing and release" waiver each season.
NASCAR can ask for samples of urine, blood, saliva, hair or breath tests if "reasonable suspicion" of drug use has been established.
A number of NASCAR officials are trained to take and seal samples for testing, and all are versed in detecting signs of impairment.
NASCAR encourages "whistle blowing" among its competitors to help police its substance abuse policy.
NASCAR reserves the right to suspend a competitor based on a conviction for driving a passenger vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or a drug-related conviction.
Competitors and officials are prohibited from consuming alcohol prior to or during a race.
If a person fails a drug test and wants to return to racing, he or she must submit to a series of spot testing. The person being tested must pay for the examinations.
If an individual is reinstated, NASCAR reserves the right to randomly test that individual.
NASCAR does not recommend specific rehabilitation programs but strongly encourages self-help and treatment for those afflicted with a drug problem or alcohol abuse.

HOW NASCAR FREEZES THE FIELD

How NASCAR Freezes the Field
Freezing The Field
In an effort to further ensure the competitors' safety, NASCAR announced in September of 2003 that racing back to the caution would no longer be permitted in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR nationwide Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. That led NASCAR to institute a new procedure in which the field is "frozen" on the race track once the caution flag is issued.
The cars' positions are determined by the previous timing-and-scoring line they passed on the race track. Example: Cars Nos. 1 through 3 are scored by their running order when the passed timing and scoring line E; cars Nos. 4 and 5 are scored by their positions when they passed timing and scoring line D; cars 6 and 7 are scored by their positions when they they passed timing and scoring line C.
While the positions of the competitors on the race track will be "frozen," the pit lane, however, will remain active at this time with pit-road speed in effect.
The cars that are pitted from pit-road entrance to the start/finish line - cars 11, 12, 14 and 14 - must reach the start/finish scoring line that extends across pit road before the race leader (No. 1 red car approaching scoring line A) reaches the same line on the race track. Should any of these cars on pit road reach that point first, they will not lose a lap to the leader.
Should the leader reach the scoring line A before cars 11 - 14, they would lose a lap to the leader. Those cars that are pitted from the start/finish line to the pit-road exit - cars 8, 9 and 10 - must reach the pit-road exit scoring line before the leader (No, 1 red car approaching scoring line B) to avoid going a lap down.
Example: car 8 would not go a lap down, while cars 9 and 10 would. Should a driver attempt to speed in pit lane to avoid going down a lap to the leader, that driver will lose a lap in addition to being moved to the tail end of the longest line.
Should the race leader not slow immediately for the caution in an effort to put the pitted cars a lap down, the leader will be penalized by being sent to the tail end of the longest line and all pitted cars will retain their lap positions.
Adapted from information by NASCAR
SEE RESTART RULES 2009 FOR UPDATE