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Sports cars are one-of-a-kind automobiles that many people appreciate, but only a few can afford. Many people who are fond of sports cars also enjoy sports car racing. Racing has been an important component of sports car culture from the beginning. It has contributed to the advancement of technology and the testing of numerous parts, systems, and car components. It is extremely important for marketing and promotional purposes. Modern race cars are well-developed, safe, and incredibly fast, making them an exciting and entertaining sport to watch. There are different types of car racing series, each with its unique set of rules, regulations, and activities; from among them, we shall discuss NASCAR Racing.
NASCAR is one of the most popular and influential racing series globally. It stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. It was created in 1947–48 by Bill France, Sr. Brian France, grandson of Bill France, Sr., is its CEO as of 2009. NASCAR is the United States' largest stock car racing sanctioning organization. The three largest racing series sanctioned by NASCAR are the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series.
RULES IN NASCAR RACING
NASCAR establishes and enforces several rules that apply to all racing series. It publishes a different rule book for each racing series, but these are only available to NASCAR members and are not open to the general public.
CAR LIVERY: Each automobile must show its registration number on each door and the roof. Each car must have roughly 30 NASCAR sponsor stickers on the front fenders and to the left of each door. The front of the automobile and the bottom of the rear bumper must fit the car manufacturer's decal guidelines.
CAR AND DRIVER CHANGES: Teams must employ a single car from the beginning of the first practice session till the end of the race. Teams who smash a car during practice or qualifying can switch to a backup car. However, racing a car other than the one that passes the initial inspection results in that car having to start at the back of the field. Engine and transmission swaps are not permitted during a race weekend, except transmission swaps for road courses (and Pocono Raceway). Driver changes are permissible, but if the race is started with another driver other than one who qualified, the car will start last in the field.
FLAGS: There are different flags used in Nascar racing. Each flag has its significance, so it is crucial to understand the different meanings attached to it.
1). Yellow flag: The yellow flag, often known as a caution flag, signifies a danger, including debris, light rain, and emergency vehicles entering (typically on short tracks without a tunnel). When the yellow flag is raised and the yellow caution lights around the track turn on, the field can not race for position. All scoring stops instantly, and all the vehicles slow down to keep pace with the pace car.
2). Green flag: The green flag is used to give signals for the start or restart of the race. When the leader approaches the authorized restart zone, it is displayed by the official on the flag stand.
3). Green and White Checkered flag: This flag signals the completion of a racing stage.
4). Red flag: This indicates that the race is stopped due to major accidents, track repair, and unpleasant weather conditions. Race teams are not allowed to fix or change their cars. Drivers may, however, be allowed to exit their vehicles and are provided with water, food, or other requirements.
4). White flag: It shows the driver entering the last lap of the race.
5). Checkered flag: It indicates that the race is over.
6). Black flag: It is displayed if a driver or pit crew breaks a regulation. If the car has enough technical damage that can cause a major threat to other drivers, if it is driven too aggressively or the vehicle cannot maintain the minimum permitted speed, in such cases, this flag is displayed.
QUALIFYING PROCEDURE & POINT SCORING SYSTEM
In NASCAR racing, the qualifying process is quite different. Different track designs have different qualifying procedures. In oval races, the qualifying procedure depends upon the length of the track. A single vehicle qualifying technique is used on oval tracks longer than 1.25 miles, with each car using the circuit for just one lap. The NASCAR road circuit qualifying procedure differs substantially from the oval qualifying procedure. These races consist of two rounds, the first of which lasts 25 minutes. All 40 cars compete in this round to record the quickest lap time possible throughout the length of the 25-minute session. To set their timings, they can join the track whenever they wish.
For the points scoring system, a driver earns points for each finish position, which is 40 points for1st place, then decreases by 5 points for 2nd place, then decreases by one point for the remaining field. The bonus points are awarded to the first driver who finishes in the top 10 in both stages 1 and 2. The second one will get 9 points, and the third will score eight points chronologically. It drops one point up to the tenth place. A bonus point is awarded to the winner who obtains three points and who completes the most additional laps and earns one bonus point. The winner receives five playoff points along with 40 normal points at the end of the race. After the first, the second will score 35 standard points. The point decreases per position and begins right from there.
HOW FAST IS NASCAR?
Driving the car at 70 miles per hour along the highway is risky enough, but NASCAR drivers race at more than twice that of an average streetcar. So, to understand how fast a Nascar is, let's understand Nascar racing speed. Today's quickest NASCAR race cars rarely surpass 200 mph, but it is not always the case. NASCAR cars race at close to 210 mph regularly. Hall of Famer Bill Elliott holds the record for the quickest time in NASCAR history. Elliott's racing vehicle was recorded at 212.089 mph during a qualifying drive at Talladega Superspeedway in 1987, renowned as NASCAR's quickest track. The speed record of Elliot is not broken, and it never will be, as rules got changed in 1987 to slow its race cars for safety measures.
HOW MANY LAPS IN THE NASCAR RACE?
After understanding the speed, let's focus on how many laps in the Nascar race are. When a driver completes one trip around the track, it's called a lap. NASCAR races normally cover 200 laps per race compared to other motorsport types, like Formula 1; it appears to be long because laps are shorter. NASCAR prefers to run a lot more laps. Stock car racing tracks vary in length. Talladega Superspeedway, for example, is 2.66 miles long. Martinsville, for instance, is just around 0.500 miles long. There are also considerably longer road racing circuits, ranging from 2 to 4 miles. The majority of the NASCAR season takes place on 1.5-mile tracks. These are short and quick laps that are usually below one minute, so it has many more laps to cover the same distance as in other motorsport forms. NASCAR mandates that at least 120 laps (or 300 miles) must be completed to be declared an official race.
HOW LONG DOES NASCAR RACE LAST?
As Nascar has more laps to cover, races take a specified amount of time to finish. How long does Nascar race last mainly depends upon weather conditions and red flags shown by the official? A typical NASCAR race lasts about three hours; it can sometimes go longer. The races are divided into stages, with points awarded for each stage. The race may last anywhere from one and a half to three hours.
On the other hand, some races can go much longer, even up to 6 hours. It might be due to different racing delays. There are various factors that can cause a delay in the race. Major accidents may happen on the track, leaving debris on the circuit that takes time to clean up. Moreover, severe hits on the way may result in oil spills and flames that need to be adequately removed before racing can restart since any remaining oil on the racetrack might cause another accident. Rain and bad weather conditions can dramatically impact the duration of the race. But on average, a Nascar race will last for about 3 hours in total time.
NASCAR is America's most popular spectator sport, with races being broadcast in over 150 countries and 30 languages across the globe. This is because it combines a unique mix of characteristics that Americans can't get enough of:
Thrills and risk
Fast cars and charismatic drivers
A variety of tracks within easy reach
The cars are gradually improved and upgraded in accordance with the restricted laws, regulations, and safety requirements and are altered from time to time to make NASCAR racing the most updated and popular car racing series.
