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NASCAR Cup Series

File:NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Logo.svg
Sport	Auto racing
Founded	1948
No. of teams	22
Country	United States
Most recent champion(s)	Tony Stewart

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is NASCAR's top racing series.

History

Bootleggers Run From 1928 to 1945 the backroads of North Carolina were home to the Bootlegger's run, a series of races showcasing bootleggers ability to out run police

Grand National

From 1950 through 1971, the top tier NASCAR series was called the Grand National, not to be confused with the later Busch Grand National Series (now simply the Busch Series), the second tier division of NASCAR.

Winston Cup

From 1972 through 2003, NASCAR's premier series was called the Winston Cup Series. It was sponsored by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco (RJR) as an advertising mechanism to bring attention to its Winston brand of cigarettes. In its later years, RJR's sponsorship became more controversial in the wake of U.S. legislation that sharply restricted avenues for tobacco advertising.

NEXTEL Cup

In 2003, RJR dropped its sponsorship of the top series, and NASCAR obtained a sponsorship from NEXTEL, a telecommunications company. The change of sponsorship, essentially caused the Winston Cup to become obsolete and merely a part of NASCAR history. Starting in 2004, the premier series was known as the NEXTEL Cup.

The merger between Sprint and NEXTEL will potentially result in the series being renamed Sprint Cup in 2007, although it is still being discussed and debated by all involved parties. (The name Sprint Cup might be confusing because there already is a class of racecars called sprint cars, which are quite different from stock cars.)

Chase for the Championship

Short track racing, the grassroots of NASCAR, began experimenting with ideas to help the entry-level racer. In 2001, the United Speed Alliance Racing organisation, sanctioning body of the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, a short-track stock car touring series, devised a five-race playoff system where the top teams in their Hooters ProCup North and Hooters ProCup South divisions would participate in a five-race playoff, the Four Champions, named for the four Hooters Racing staff members (including 1992 NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki) and pilot killed in an April 1, 1993 plane crash in Blountville, Tennessee. The system organised the teams with starting points based on the team's performance in their division (division champions earn a bonus), and the teams would participate in a five-race playoff. The five races, added to the team's seeding points, would determine the winner. The 2001 version was four races, as one was cancelled because of the September 11th terrorist attacks; however, NASCAR watched as the ProCup's Four Champions became a success and drivers from the series began looking at NASCAR rides.

When Nextel took over NASCAR's premier sponsorship for the 2004 season, they looked to USAR and the Hooters ProCup for two major changes in scoring. First, five additional points were added for a race win. Second, a new formula for declaring a series champion based on the ProCup system was devised. A cut was made after 26 races, with the high ten drivers and teams plus ties, and anyone within 400 points of the leader placed in the Chase for the Championship (or simply "The Chase"). The Chase participants have their points increased to a level mathematically unattainable by anyone outside this field (roughly 1800 points ahead of the first driver outside of the Chase), which usually is 5,050 points for the leader, with other positions dropping by five points per position, with a limit of 5,000 points after ties and the 400 point cut. Race layouts remain the same and points are scored the same way in the final 10 races. Whoever leads in points after the 36th race is declared the NEXTEL Cup champion.

The highest finishing non-Chase driver is awarded a bonus (approximately one million dollars) and the final position on stage at the awards banquet, to encourage continued competition among all drivers. (There are awards at the Top 20 and 25 drivers and teams, and 35 teams at the end of the season.)

This playoff system was implemented primarily to make the points race more competitive late in the season, and indirectly, to increase television ratings during the NFL season, which starts around the same time as the Chase begins. Furthermore, the Chase also forces teams to perform at their best during all three stages of the season -- the first half of the regular season, the second half of the regular season, and the Chase.

Previously, the Cup champion may have been decided before the last race (or even several races before the end of the season) because it was mathematically impossible for any other driver to gain enough points to overtake the leader.

From 2004-2006 the Chase was shown on NBC Sports and TNT. Beginning in 2007, ESPN on ABC has acquired the license to air the Chase, until 2014.

(NOTE: Effective September 2006, Disney's sports properties will have the ESPN label, and all sports programming on ABC will be labeled as ESPN on ABC.)

NEXTEL Cup Owner's Championship

The NEXTEL Cup Owner's Championship operates in the same manner as the Driver's Championship, but with one addition. In the event of more than 43 cars attempting to qualify for a race, owner's points are awarded to each car in the following manner: the fastest non-qualifier (in essence, 44th position) receives 31 points, three less than the 43rd position car. If there is more than one non-qualifying car, owners' points continue to be assigned in the manner described, decreasing by three for each position.

There is a separate "chase for the championship" for the owners' points.

A 2005 rule change in NASCAR's three national series affects how the owner's points are used. The top 35 (Nextel Cup), or top 30 (other series) full-time teams in owner points are awarded exemptions for the next race, guaranteeing them a position in the next race. These points can decide who is in and out the next race, and have become crucial since the exemption rule was changed to its current format.

In some circumstances, a team's owners' points will differ from the corresponding driver's points. In 2005, after owner Jack Roush fired Kurt Busch during the next-to-last race weekend of the season, the #97 team finished in eighth place in owner's points, while Busch ended up tenth in driver's points. In 2002, when Sterling Marlin was injured, the #40 team finished eighth in owner's points, while Marlin was 19th in driver's points, because of the substitute drivers who kept earning owner points for the #40.

Manufacturer's Championship

NASCAR does have a Manufacturer's Championship in their national series, although the Driver's Championship is considered more prestigious. In the past, manufacturer's championships were very prestigious because of the number of manufacturers involved, and the manufacturer's championship was a major marketing tool. In the Busch Series, the championship is known as the Bill France Performance Cup.

Points are scored in a 1960-1990 Formula One system, with the winner's manufacturer scoring nine points, six for the next manufacturer, four for the manufacturer third among makes, three for the fourth, two for the fifth, and one point for the sixth positioned manufacturer. This means that if Chevrolets place first through tenth in a given race and a Ford is 11th and a Dodge 12th, Chevrolet earns 9 points, Ford 6 and Dodge 4.

The Cars

History

Before the early 1960s, cars were based on full sized cars such as the Impala or Ford Galaxie. As intermediate cars were introduced such as the Fairlane, they were adopted after the mid 1960s.

Stock cars were once nearly that, modified versions of the same cars you could walk into a dealership and buy. Sometimes cars were made expressly for NASCAR, such as the Ford Torino Talledega, which had a rounded nose. The most famous aero-warrior was the Dodge Daytona and later Plymouth Superbird (Richard Pettys's car and voice are on the movie Cars),which had goalpost style rear spoilers and a shark shaped nose-cap which enabled speeds of over 220 mph, quickly outpacing most other cars. NASCAR soon rewrote the rules to effectively outlaw such outlandish aerodynamic trickery. Perhaps the least aerodynamic was the Penske-prepared factory backed 1972 AMC Matador piloted by Mark Donahue, dubbed the "flying brick".

In the 1980s, cars downsized into Fairmonts and Thunderbirds along with the now smaller Monte Carlos. The Monte Carlo adopted bubble back windows, while the Buick Regal would do well both on the track and as a street muscle car. The aero-thunderbirds, driven by drivers like Mark Martin, did well.

By the 1990s, GM had switched to front wheel drive Luminas and Grand Prix, but the NASCAR racers only kept the body shape, with V8 rear wheel drive running gear. When the Ford Thunderbird was retired, with no 2-door intermediate bodies, the Ford Taurus was used for a body even though NASCAR racers actually have no opening doors.

Modern Cars

While the manufacturers and models of automobiles for Nextel Cup and Busch Series racing are named for production cars (Dodge Charger, Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, and the Ford Fusion), the similarities between Nextel Cup cars and actual production cars are limited to a small amount of shaping and painting of the nose, painted "headlight" and grill areas. The only “true” similarity between a Nextel Cup or Busch Series Car and the production equivalent is the hood.

On January 23, 2006, it was announced that Toyota will enter the Cup and Busch Series in 2007, fielding the Camry. In the Craftsman Truck Series, the Chevrolet Silverado, the Dodge Ram and the Ford F150, as well as the only non-American brand in NASCAR, the Toyota Tundra, are used. NASCAR rules state the cars or trucks must be manufactured in the US if they are to be used in races. The Tundra and Camry qualify since both are manufactured in the US.

The cars are rear-wheel-drive, high-powered, hot rods with a roll cage chassis and thin sheet metal covering, and are powered by carbureted engines with 4 speed manual transmissions. The engines are limited to 358 in³ (5.8 L), with cast iron blocks, one camshaft and a pushrod valvetrain. However, significant engine development has allowed these engines to reach exceedingly high levels of power with essentially 1950s technology.

The automobiles' suspension, brakes, and aerodynamic components are also selected to tailor the cars to different racetracks. The adjustment of front and rear aerodynamic downforce, spring rates, rear track bar geometry, and brake proportioning are critical to the cornering characteristics of the cars. A car that understeers is said to be "tight", or "pushing," causing the car to keep going up the track with the wheel turned all the way left, while one that oversteers is said to be "loose," causing the back end of the car to slide around which can result in the car spinning out if the driver is not careful. Loose and tight can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the wedge and adding or removing camber, the "footprint" of the tires during cornering. These characteristics are also affected by tire stagger (tires of different circumference at different positions on the car, the right rear being largest to help effect left turns) and tire pressure (softer being "grippier").

NASCAR will mandate changes during the season if one particular car model becomes overly dominant. In fact almost all advantages of using one car over another have been nullified. NASCAR used to mandate stock or stock replacement hoods and decklids. However, in recent years, NASCAR has begun to require cars to conform to common body templates, regardless of make/model. This is more in-line with recent NASCAR tradition, because none of these stock cars have anything mechanically "stock" about them.

Car of Tomorrow

The "Car of Tomorrow" is now in the final stages of development. This car has focused mainly on safety, with the driver's seat being moved closer to the center of the car. The car's width has been increased by 4 inches, the front bumper has been re-designed to virtually eliminate bump-drafting, and the height of the car has increased to accommodate taller drivers. The most noticeable change to fans will be the addition of a rear wing. The spoiler currently used will be removed. This has generated some controversy, as teams that run cars in open wheel series (where cars have had wings on them for decades) will have a huge advantage. NASCAR is responding by closely regulating the wing, although some teams have requested that NASCAR issue the wing all together, like they issue restrictor plates. This car's first scheduled race is the 2007 Bristol NEXTEL Cup series race, aside from Bristol events, drivers will use the Car of Tomorrow in 2007 events at Phoenix International Raceway, Martinsville Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Dover International Speedway and New Hampshire International Speedway. It also will see action at Darlington Raceway, the fall event at Talladega Superspeedway and road-course events at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International. The Car of Tomorrow will be used at all races by 2009.

Specifications

• Engine Displacement: 358cid (5.8L) Pushrod V8
• Transmission: 4 Speed Manual (Must have reverse)
• Fuel Delivery: Carburation
• Weight: 3200lbs. Minimum (with out driver) 3400lbs. Minimum (with driver)
• Horsepower: ~750hp
• Fuel: 112 octane leaded (2006) 98 octane unleaded (possibly 2007)
• Fuel Capacity: 22 U.S. Gallons (17.5 in 2007)
• Aspiration: Naturally aspirated
• Carburator size: 750-830CFM 4 barrel

NEXTEL Cup tracks

Intro

NASCAR races are not conducted on identical tracks. Oval tracks vary in length from 0.526 miles (847 m) (Martinsville Speedway) to 2.66 miles (4.28 km) (Talladega Superspeedway). While some tracks are ovals (Bristol Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway), many are tri-ovals (Kansas Speedway, Daytona International Speedway). Other configurations are quad-oval (Lowe's Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway), D-oval(California Speedway, Michigan Speedway, Richmond International Raceway), oval with unequal ends (Darlington Raceway), triangular (Pocono Raceway), and almost-rectangular (Indianapolis Motor Speedway). Courses also differ in degree of banking on the curves, with differences in degree of banking and course length contributing to different top speeds on various courses. New Hampshire International Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway are considered "flat" tracks as they have only 7 and 11 (respectively) degrees of banking in the turns. Two courses (Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International) are complex shaped road courses and the only two tracks where NASCAR has developed (but never used) rain tires for.

Race speeds vary widely based on the track. The fastest track is Talladega Superspeedway where the record race average speed is 188 mph (303 km/h) with the record qualifying lap of 212.809 mph (342.483 km/h) set by Bill Elliott in 1987. The slowest tracks are Infineon Raceway, a road course, with a record race average speed of only 81 mph (130 km/h) and qualifying lap of 99 mph (159 km/h); and Martinsville Speedway, a very short, nearly flat "paper clip" shaped oval, with a record race average speed of 82 mph (132 km/h) and a qualifying lap of only 98 mph (156 km/h). The average speed is figured out based upon the winner's lap speeds throughout the entire races including laps spent under caution.

Generally, tracks with a length of less than one mile (1.6 km) are referred to as "short tracks". Initially tracks of over one mile were referred to as "superspeedways", but many Nextel Cup venues now are 1.5 miles or 2 miles (2.4 or 3 km) in length. Tracks on today's standards are now considered superspeedways if they are over 2 miles (3 km) in length. Tracks between 1 and 2 miles in length are called "intermediate" tracks.

List of Nextel Cup Series Tracks

Manufacturer Representation: Grand National Era (1949-1971)

• Hudson Hornet: 1951-1952
• Dodge Coronet: 1953-1957
• Chrysler 300 letter series: 1955-1956
• unknown Oldsmobile: 1957-1958
• unknown Pontiac: 1960-1963
• Ford Fairlane: 1960-1967
• Mercury Comet / Cyclone: 1963-1971
• Plymouth Belvedere: 1964-1967
• Plymouth Roadrunner/Superbird: 1968-1971
• Chevrolet Chevelle: 1964-1971
• Ford Torino / Talladega: 1968-1971
• Dodge Charger / Daytona: 1969-1971

Manufacturer Representation: Winston Cup (1972-2002)

GM

• Chevrolet Chevelle: 1972-1977
• Oldsmobile Cutlass: 1977-1992
• Pontiac Grand Prix: 1977-2002
• Chevrolet Monte Carlo: 1979-1989, 1995-2002
• Buick Regal: 1981-1985, 1988-1991
• Chevrolet Lumina: 1989-1994

Chrysler

• Dodge Charger: 1972-1978
• Dodge Intrepid: 2001-2002
• Plymouth Road Runner: 1972-1978

Ford

• Ford Torino: 1975-1980
• Ford Thunderbird: 1981-1997
• Ford Taurus: 1998-2002
• Mercury Cyclone / Montego 1972-1980

Other

• AMC Matador: 1972-1980

Manufacturer Representation: Nextel cup (2003-present)

GM

• Chevrolet Monte Carlo: 2003-present

Ford

• Ford Taurus: 2003-05
• Ford Fusion: 2006-present

Chrysler

• Dodge Intrepid: 2003-05
• Dodge Charger: 2006-present

Other

• Toyota Camry: Joins in 2007

NASCAR Nextel Cup trivia

• The youngest modern era (1972-present) champion was Jeff Gordon in 1995 at age 24, the oldest was Bobby Allison in 1983, at 45. (Allison turned 46 during the awards banquet.) Bill Rexford won the 1950 Championship at the age of 21, making him the youngest champion all time.
• Benny Parsons, Bill Rexford, Ned Jarrett, and Matt Kenseth are the only series champions to have one single series victory and still win the title. No drivers have gone an entire season without winning a race, and still winning the championship. For Bill Rexford that was his only career win.
• Alan Kulwicki was the last owner/driver, and the last driver to win the Series title for a single car team (Both feats nearly impossible today due to many factors).
• The Nextel Cup trophy is designed by Tiffany & Co., and is silver with a pair of checkered flags in flight, it is heavily guarded by the U.S. Army until the final race and in 2005 was delivered by United Parcel Service to Homestead, Fla. (Both organizations sponsor Nextel Cup teams.)
• Since the modern schedule began in 1972, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, New Hampshire International Speedway, and the defunct tracks Ontario Motor Speedway and Riverside International Raceway have hosted the season finale.
• Since 1981, the Nextel Cup Awards Banquet has been held in New York City at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, initially in the Starlight Room. In 1985, the ceremony was moved the Grand Ballroom, where it would be held until 2001. In 2001, the banquet portion was dropped in favor of a simpler awards ceremony. In 2002, the awards ceremony was moved to the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center. In 2003, the banquet format returned, as the ceremony moved back to the Waldorf-Astoria Grand Ballroom.
• Tony Stewart and Cale Yarborough are the only drivers to finish last in the Daytona 500 and go on to win the Nextel Cup series title in the same season.
• Cale Yarborough is the only driver ever to win three consecutive championships (1976, 1977, 1978).
• Terry Labonte & Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch & Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte & Tony Stewart, and Bill Rexford & Herb Thomas are the only teammates to win Nextel Cup Series titles.
• Richard Petty is the single-season winningest driver with an unprecedented 27 wins in 1967; additionally, that season he was also the first to break the $100,000 barrier in earnings. The 27 wins took place in a 48-race season (although there were 49 races, the 100-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500 were championship races until the 1971 minimum distance requirement, and actually took 51 weeks, from November 13, 1966 (Augusta, GA) until November 5, 1967 (Weaverville, NC). Richard Petty holds the modern era record with 13 wins (in 30 races) in a season. Jeff Gordon also has 13 wins (1998), but his 13 wins took place in a 33-race season, with his thirteenth win being in the 33rd (and final) race. (Petty's 1975 season had his thirteenth win in the 30th race.)
• Two champions are sons of previous champions: Dale Jarrett is Ned Jarrett's son and Richard Petty is Lee Petty's son. Terry and Bobby Labonte are the only brother combination to have won championships.
• The Daytona 500 was not always the first points race of the year. NASCAR used to run at Riverside before going to Daytona in 1965 and 1970-1981. Until 1971, the qualifying races were points races.

See also

• 2006 in NASCAR
• List of NEXTEL Cup champions
• List of NASCAR teams
• List of NASCAR drivers
• List of NASCAR race tracks
• Stock car racing
• Busch Series
• Craftsman Truck Series

External links

• Official Nextel Cup website

Community & Discussion

• NASCAR Forums Nascar Community and forums
• NASCAR Message Boards

1. "Forty Years of Stock Car Racing -- Volume Three" by Greg Fielden

• NASCAR series
• Sprint Nextel