NASCAR

NASCAR Season

NASCAR’s approximately 150-200 drivers, representing more than 125 full-time and part-time racing teams, compete full-time and part-time
in a ten-month season of race series events that run February through November.

Major NASCAR Racing Teams

(Approximately 20-25 additional teams race part-time in the Camping World Truck Series)

NASCAR Championship

On January 26, 2011, NASCAR announced that it has added a wild-card element to setting the Chase for the Sprint Cup field and it has simplified its points system for 2011, making it easier for fans, competitors and the industry to understand. While the 12-driver Chase field remains intact, the number of victories will determine the final two spots during the first 26 races.

The top 10 in points following Race No. 26 — the “cutoff” race — continue to earn Chase berths. Positions 11 and 12 are “wild-card” qualifiers and will go to non-top-10-ranked drivers with the most victories, as long as they’re ranked in the top 20 in points. The top 10 Chase drivers will continue to be seeded based on victories during the first 26 races, with each win worth three bonus points. The wild-card drivers will not receive bonus points for wins and will be seeded 11th and 12th, respectively.

The new points system — which applies to all NASCAR national series — will award points in one-point increments. As an example, in the Cup Series, race winners will earn 43 points, plus three bonus points for the victory. Winners also can earn an extra point for leading a lap and leading the most laps, bringing their total to a possible maximum of 48 points. All other drivers in a finishing order will be separated by one-point increments. A second-place finisher will earn 42 points, a third-place driver 41 points, and so on. A last-place finisher — 43rd place — earns one point. In the Camping World Truck Series, the last-place finisher receives eight points, to account for that series’ 36-driver race field.

NASCAR Hall of Fame

The NASCAR Hall of Fame is located in Charlotte, NC. It is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR, and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. The NASCAR Hall of Fame honors drivers who have shown exceptional skill at NASCAR driving, all-time great crew chiefs and owners, and other major contributors to the sport. Former drivers must have been active in NASCAR for at least 10 years and retired for at least three. Non-drivers must have been involved in the industry at least ten years. Some candidates with shorter careers will be considered if there are special circumstances. A 20-member nominating committee chooses nominees from those who are eligible. The committee consists of seven NASCAR representatives, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Historian, and selected long-track and short-track owners.

NASCAR Major Awards

Driver of the Year
Owner of the Year
Crew Chief of the Year
Rookie of the Year
Dale Earnhardt (Sr.) Tough Driver Award

NASCAR Major Race Tracks

There are four primary track types:
Short – An oval racetrack that is less than 1 mile in length.
Intermediate – An oval that is greater than 1 mile in length, but less than 2 miles in length.
Superspeedway – A racetrack that is greater than 2 miles in length.
Road Course – A racing circuit comprised of left- and right-hand turns, as opposed to an oval, which is comprised exclusively of left-hand turns.

The Tracks (With Capacity)

Women of NASCAR

With the exception of Danica Patrick’s participation in NASCAR series races in 2009 and 2010, currently there are no active female NASCAR race drivers. However, a number of women have been recognized as making substantial contributions to the success of NASCAR over the years in various capacities on and off the track. Among them are: Carolyn Carrier, Jody Deery, Corinne Economaki, Juanita “Lightnin” Epton, Anne France, Janet Guthrie, Tammy Jo Kirk, Patty Moise, Shawna Robinson, Louise Smith, Lisa Smokstad, Julie Stefanik, and Patti Wheeler.

NASCAR Drivers Association

There is no formalized NASCAR drivers association or union.

NASCAR Commissioner

Brian Z. France is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASCAR, and his office is in Daytona Beach, FL.

Indycar Racing

Indycar Season

Indy Racing’s approximately 50-60 drivers, representing over 30 racing teams, compete full-time and part-time in a nine-month season of selected racing events that run from February into October in both the Izod Indycar series and Firestone Indy Lights series.

Major Key Racing Teams – IZOD Indycar

Major Key Racing Teams – Firestone Indy Lights

Indycar Championship

The IRL awards points based upon a driver’s finish in a race. The systems for both the Izod Indycar and the Firestone Indy Lights are identical. The top four drivers are awarded 50, 40, 35, and 32 points, respectively. Counting down from 32, the fifth through tenth place finishers are each separated by 2-point increments, and the eleventh through eighteenth are each separated by 1-point increments. Eighteenth through twenty-fourth will all score 12 points for the race. All other drivers who start the race will score 10 points. In addition, 2 points will be awarded for the driver who leads the most laps, and 1 point will be awarded to the driver who claims the pole position. At the completion of the season’s scheduled events, an Indycar Oval Course Champion and an Indycar Road Course Champion are named based on total the points awarded during the season.

Indycar Major Awards

Driver of the Year
Team of the Year
Rookie of the Year
Most Popular Driver

Indycar Hall of Fame

The Auto Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1952 by the American Automobile Association. It has been located at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1962. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer announces the inductees each year. There is also an Indianapolis Hall of Fame at this location.

Indycar Major Race Tracks

Women of Indycar

In addition to Danica Patrick’s pioneering role in Indycar racing, there are three women who are actively competing in Indycar race events: Milka Duno, Sarah Fisher, Pippa Mann, and Simona de Silvestro.

Indycar Drivers Association

There is no formalized Indycar drivers bargaining association or union.

Indycar Commissioner

Randy Bernard is the Chief Executive Officer of Indycar Racing, and his office is in Indianapolis, IN.

Formula 1 Racing

Formula 1 Season

Formula 1 racing has approximately 50-60 drivers from around the world, representing racing teams that compete full-time and part-time in a nine-month season of selected racing events that run March into November.

Formula 1 Key Race Teams

Formula 1 Championship

The Formula One World Drivers’ Championship (WDC) is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One racing car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on Grand Prix results. The FIA does not officially declare the Champion until the end of the season, but a driver is said to have “clinched” the Championship after it is no longer possible for another to obtain more points than he has, even if the former driver were to not compete in the remaining races of the season, and the latter driver to score the maximum number of points possible.

Formula 1 Major Awards

Driver of the Year
Best Car
Best Newcomer
Best Circuit
Outstanding Contribution
Lifetime Achievement
DHL Fastest Lap Award

Formula 1 Hall of Fame

The Indianapolis Hall of Fame displays information about Grand Prix racers and houses a number of Grand Prix cars.

Formula 1 Major Race Courses (“Circuit”)

There are approximately 65 Formula 1 race courses/circuits around the world. The following have most recently hosted events.

Formula 1 Drivers Association

There is no formalized Formula 1 drivers bargaining association or union.

Formula 1 Commissioner

Jean Todt is the Chief Executive Officer of Formula 1 Racing, and his office is in France.

NHRA Racing

NHRA Racing Season

NHRA racing has approximately 60 drivers racing in 7 or more series, representing racing teams that compete full-time and part-time in selected events in a variety of racing seasons, which start as early as February and conclude as late as November.

NHRA Major Race Series

NHRA Key Race Teams

NHRA Championship

The NHRA Championship or “Countdown to 1” implemented a “regular season” and “playoff” system to determine the Champion in each class, billed as the “Countdown to 1″. Each season is divided into two segments of races, with the bulk of the races making up the first segment, and the final events making up the second segment. After the first segment is complete, the drivers in each class at or above the cutoff point in the standings (10th place) become eligible for the Championship, while the drivers below the cutoff point are eliminated from Championship contention, though they still participate in the remaining race events. The points for the advancing drivers are readjusted so that they are separated by a fixed margin, with the first place driver receiving bonus points. The drivers then compete for the Championship over the final number of races of the season as determined by the NHRA.

NHRA Major Awards

World Champion
Series-specific Awards
Quest for the Full Throttle Moment
Rookie Performer of the Year

NHRA Hall of Fame

The International Drag Racing Hall of Fame is located in Ocala, FL. Located in Ocala, FL. The International Drag Racing Hall of Fame inducts a new class each year prior to the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in nearby Gainesville. The four-person selection committee is comprised of senior NHRA officials and selected NHRA partners.

There is also an International Motorsports Hall of Fame, which is a hall of fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer, or engineer. Although people of many nationalities have been inducted, the majority of inductees chosen by the American organization are American drivers who competed in domestic series (particularly NASCAR). It was founded in 1982 by Bill France, Sr., the founder of NASCAR, and is currently located in Talladega, Alabama, adjacent to Talladega Superspeedway.

NHRA Major Tracks

There are more than 125 NHRA member tracks in the United States and Canada, and they are assigned to seven divisions:

Division 1: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Quebec (Canada)
Division 2: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Tennessee
Division 3: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Division 4: Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas
Division 5: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming
Division 6: Alberta (Canada), British Columbia (Canada), Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Saskatchewan (Canada), and Washington
Division 7: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico

The Women of NHRA

No one has changed the world of drag racing as did Shirley Muldowney. She broke the gender barrier, withstood discrimination, hostility, and an almost-fatal, bone shattering 250 mph crash. Despite it all, Muldowney, competing in drag racing’s ultimate category, Top Fuel, achieved 18 National Championship wins and 9 runner-up positions. She reached the final round 27 times (or once in every five starts), and led Top Fuel qualifying 13 times in her 18-year career.

NHRA Drivers Association

There is no formalized NHRA drivers bargaining association or union.

NHRA Commissioner

The NHRA’s Chairman of the Board of Dallas Gardner, and the President is Tom Compton. The headquarters offices are in Glendora, CA.

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