For NASCAR fans, it’s not just about rooting for their favorite drivers. It’s about knowing what makes the sport special. From car specs to NASCAR history, here are 10 questions every NASCAR fan should have the answers to.
How much does a NASCAR cost?
Although NASCAR Cup Series race cars are similar to regular cars, they are actually enhanced versions of production models created for racing. They can be very expensive, between $150,000 and $400,000, depending on how they are customized and the team using them.
Related: How long is a NASCAR race?
What engines do NASCARs use?
NASCAR engines might look similar to regular car engines, but they’re specifically built for speed and strength on the racetrack. Right now, NASCAR Cup Series cars use 5.86L pushrod V8 engines. These engines pump out 670 horsepower on shorter tracks and 510 horsepower on longer tracks like Daytona. They drink up to 17.75 US gallons (67 liters) of fuel and are built by ECR Engines and Hendrick Motorsports for Chevrolet, Roush-Yates Engines for Ford, and Toyota Racing Development for Toyota.
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How do NASCAR drivers pee?
Fans often ask how NASCAR drivers handle going to the bathroom during races that can last for hours. The simple answer is: they do not. Instead, they manage fluids in advance and depend on concentration and adrenaline during the race. Yet, there are some instances when nature calls at the most inopportune time, as with Denny Hamlin in Atlanta in 2024. He had to go to the bathroom during a long pit stop and released himself in his seat. Tyler Reddick also said that he did it at Charlotte Roval in 2023, but the drivers only do it if it is absolutely necessary because of the difficulties and the mess it causes, especially at high speeds with other cars around.
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How much does a NASCAR weigh?
The NASCAR Cup Series race car generally weighs around 3,400 pounds (1,542 kg) with the driver and fuel. Each car is weighed before and after the races with a minimum requirement of 3,300 pounds (1,496 kg); the driver, parts, and fuel are not included.
Related: What does NASCAR stand for?
How did NASCAR start?
NASCAR had its beginning in the bootlegging times of the Prohibition era in the southeast of the United States. Stock car racing was a way for bootleggers to modify their cars for speed and outpace the law. With the development of organized races, Bill France Sr. started NASCAR in 1948, and the sport was shaped into what it is now.
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How does NASCAR work?
NASCAR races have several stages. The drivers get points for finishing in each stage and at the end of the race as well as bonus points for leading laps. The final aim of the regular season is to get enough points to enter the playoffs, where drivers face each other for the championship title.
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How many NASCAR races in a season?
The NASCAR Cup Series season consists of about 36 races, with 26 in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs, from February to November. The races are held on various tracks which are short tracks, intermediate tracks, road courses, and superspeedway.
Also Read: How to watch NASCAR this season
How do the NASCAR playoffs work?
The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are made up of a series of elimination rounds that lead to the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sixteen drivers who have made the playoffs are determined by the regular season results and a series of three-round eliminations will be done to narrow the field until only four drivers are left to compete for the championship in the final race.
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How many cars are in a NASCAR race?
The NASCAR races are usually run with a full field of 40 cars, but this number can change from track to track and from race to race.
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How many laps are in a NASCAR race?
NASCAR races do not have a specific number of laps to follow, it varies depending on the track length and the race distance. The short track races may be 200 to 500 laps long, while the long track races may have fewer laps, but they cover longer distances. For instance, the Daytona 500 covers 200 laps, which altogether makes a distance of 500 miles. The Food City 500 at Motor Speedway goes on for 500 laps, and it comes out to be 266.5 miles, and the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International has 90 laps, which covers 220.5 miles.