One of the greatest continuous races in the history of this planet is NASCAR. The series of races are televised globally and has hundreds of millions of fans. Every race has an attendance of over 150,000 people watching it live and millions in front of the TV.
It seems like everyone loves NASCAR. Some fans go the extra mile by collecting items connected to previous historical events and keeping souvenirs from drivers that were part of it. If you’re one of those who are in love with this type of car racing, you surely know a lot about it.
No matter how much you think you know, there are some things you are surely not aware of. In this article, we’re sharing six interesting facts that you might be interested in. Keep reading to see if you know these things, and learn something new if you don’t.
1. NASCAR was founded in 1948
William Henry Getty France founded NASCAR in 1948. At that time he was considered a car enthusiast and a stock car driver, but an amateur in racing. By then, other races were already established, like the Indy 500 or the raging Europe scene.
William tried to finance the event through the AAA but was turned down. After this, he took things into his own hands and financed drivers from ticket sales. Since then, NASCAR has become one of the biggest racing events on the planet.
2. Cars racing have tremendous power and reach enormous speeds
All NASCAR competitors run on engines producing over 1000 horsepower. They can reach extreme speeds that TV viewers often don’t realize how big they are. Cars can go more than 200 miles per hour, which is a speed that few engines can meet.
For example, small airplanes fly at speeds between 125 and 400 miles per hour, which means these cars can easily fly off if they have wings. This is why NASCAR is a highly serious event with thousands of people working in maintenance and service.
3. Trucks carrying cars from one race to another rarely stop
It takes thousands of alloy toolboxes to carry all the equipment needed for maintaining NASCAR vehicles. The support system behind this event is enormous and much bigger than the average race fan can imagine. These huge trucks are filled with all kinds of equipment along with the race car and a backup race car.
When everything’s finished, the crews load up the trucks and head out for the stop and onto the next race. During this time, pro mechanics will develop entirely new race cars for the next race because every event is different and requires unique setups.
4. Drivers who won the Daytona 500 are instantly hall of farmers
Did you know that drivers and manufacturers who won the famous Daytona 500 went straight into the Hall of Fame? The season opener is the Daytona 500, located in Daytona Florida, which is also considered the biggest spectacle in motorsports and a very important start of the season for each driver.
5. First live TV broadcast happened on a NASCAR race
With all of the interest in NASCAR along with the famous 1979 Daytona 500, TV producers set up cameras and broadcasted the event live on television. This is the first time that a TV station in the US has broadcasted a sporting event live on TV.
This event was historic because of many other reasons. Aside from the broadcast, there was a crash on the final lap, and the viewers were able to witness a fistfight between Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison. The “King”, Richard Petty won his sixth race on that day.
6. You don’t need a license to compete in NASCAR
It’s interesting that you don’t need a driver’s license to compete in NASCAR. You may be a pedestrian on the street and one of the top car drivers in the world. However, that doesn’t mean just anyone may enter the race.
Drivers undergo some of the most challenging tests to become eligible for racing in NASCAR. They need to pass drug tests, physical training, and a vetting process.
Conclusion
These few points show what kind of show NASCAR truly is. With its long-lasting history and having one of the largest fan bases in the world, it is a sport that is truly unique.
If you were not aware of some of them, you’re richer for information plus about it. If you don’t have a driver’s license but want to compete, don’t worry, as you may never need it.
