NASCAR facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC

Sport	Auto racing
Category	Stock car racing Sports car racing (IMSA)
Abbreviation	NASCAR
Founded	February 21, 1948; 78 years ago (1948-02-21)
Affiliation	ACCUS-FIA
Headquarters	Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S. (main) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. Concord, North Carolina, U.S.
Chairman	Jim France
CEO	Steve O'Donnell
Other key staff	Mike Helton (Vice Chair) Lesa France Kennedy (Vice Chair) Elton Sawyer (SVP, Competition) Ben Kennedy (COO)
Official website

NASCAR stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. It's a super exciting American company that organizes car races. NASCAR is famous for its stock car races, where cars look like regular cars but are built for speed! It's one of the biggest and most popular sports organizations in the world.

A man named Bill France Sr. started NASCAR in 1948. Its main office is in Daytona Beach, Florida. Every year, NASCAR organizes over 1,500 races. These races happen at more than 100 tracks across 48 U.S. states. You can also find NASCAR races in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Europe.

The idea for stock car racing began a long time ago. People who secretly transported homemade goods in fast cars would race each other for fun. Bill France Sr. started organizing these races in Daytona Beach in 1935. He wanted to make sure drivers were paid fairly. This idea grew into the NASCAR we know today.

NASCAR has a "ladder" system for its races. The top level is the Cup Series. Below that is the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. Then comes the Craftsman Truck Series. Many smaller series help new drivers get started. Car brands like Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota compete in these races. RAM also races in the Truck Series.

Most NASCAR drivers are from the United States. But drivers from Canada, Mexico, Europe, and other places also compete. Cup Series races are held in the U.S. and Mexico. A season has 36 main races, plus special events like the pre-season Clash. NASCAR races mostly happen on oval tracks. These include huge superspeedways and smaller short tracks. They also race on road courses and street circuits.

Famous driver Richard Petty holds the record for most Cup Series wins with 200 victories. He shares the record for most championships (seven) with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson. Kyle Larson was the defending Cup Series champion as the 2026 season began.

The Story of NASCAR

The Start of Stock Car Racing

Junior Johnson, a NASCAR driver from the 1950s.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Daytona Beach, Florida was famous for fast cars. People tried to set world land speed records there. In 1936, drivers raced on a special course. It used a long stretch of beach and a highway. The turns were tight and sandy.

Stock car racing started with people who needed fast cars. They used these cars to quickly deliver homemade goods. These drivers often changed their cars to make them faster and handle better. They also made them hold more cargo.

After a while, these drivers started racing each other. They wanted to show off their skills and their fast cars. These races became very popular in the Southern United States. Many early races used modified cars. These were street cars made lighter and stronger for racing.

Important People in NASCAR

Bill France Sr., NASCAR's Founder

The Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, where NASCAR was founded.

Bill France Sr. was a mechanic. He moved to Daytona Beach in 1935. He knew about the area's history with fast cars. Bill France even raced himself, finishing fifth in a 1936 Daytona event. He started organizing races in 1938.

France believed that people would love watching stock cars race. Back then, some race organizers would cheat drivers out of their prize money. So, on December 14, 1947, France met with other racers and promoters. They met at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach. These meetings led to the creation of NASCAR on February 21, 1948.

Erwin "Cannonball" Baker, First Commissioner

Erwin Baker was the first leader of NASCAR, called the Commissioner. He was a famous racer himself. He raced stock cars, motorcycles, and open-wheel cars. Baker even competed in the Indianapolis 500. He set over a hundred land speed records.

Baker was known for driving cars across the country very fast. He proved how good a car was by driving it from New York to Los Angeles. After he passed away, a famous cross-country race and a movie were named in his honor. Baker is remembered as the "King of the Road" for his many racing achievements.

Bob "Barky" Barkhimer, West Coast Racing

In the early 1950s, Bill France Jr., Bill France Sr.'s son, was in California. His father asked him to meet Bob Barkhimer. Barkhimer was a racing star who ran many speedways in California. Young Bill learned a lot about racing on the West Coast from Barkhimer.

In 1954, Barkhimer helped NASCAR expand. NASCAR became the official organizer for stock car races on the Pacific Coast.

Wendell Scott, a Racing Pioneer

Wendell Scott was a very important driver. He was the first African-American to win a race in NASCAR's top series. He was honored after his death by being added to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.

How NASCAR Began

On March 8, 1936, many drivers gathered in Daytona Beach. They raced different types of cars to see which were fastest. The lighter Ford cars did very well on the sandy course. Only 10 out of 27 cars finished the tough race. Bill France, who would later start NASCAR, finished fifth.

By 1947, Bill France saw a chance to create a single, organized racing series. He called it the "National Championship Stock Car Circuit." France set up rules and promised prize money for the winners. The first season had nearly 40 events, and many people came to watch. Drivers were paid as promised. Fonty Flock won the first championship.

At the end of 1947, Bill France held meetings at the Streamline Hotel. He gathered 35 men to discuss his idea for an organized racing group. They chose the name "National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing," or NASCAR.

NASCAR officially started on February 21, 1948. It planned to have different types of racing. The "strictly stock" division, where cars were almost like factory models, started in 1949. The first official "Strictly Stock Series" race was at Charlotte Speedway on June 19, 1949. Jim Roper won that historic race. This series was later renamed the Grand National Series. Over time, cars were allowed to have safety and performance changes. By the 1960s, they were special race cars that still looked like stock cars.

Richard Petty's 1970 Plymouth Superbird race car.

NASCAR even had international interest early on. British car maker MG entered cars in some races. The first NASCAR race outside the U.S. was in Canada on July 1, 1952.

NASCAR's Racing Series

NASCAR organizes many different racing series. These are like different leagues in other sports.

National Series

The Cup Series: Top Level Racing

The start of the 2015 Daytona 500 race.

The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) is the highest level of professional racing in NASCAR. It's the most popular and profitable series. Since 2001, a Cup Series season has 36 races over 10 months. Fans often just call it "the Cup" or even "NASCAR."

Three drivers hold the record for most championships with seven each: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson. Johnson also holds the record for winning five championships in a row from 2006 to 2010.

The Cup Series got its first main sponsor in 1972. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company sponsored it, and it became the Winston Cup Series. This started NASCAR's "modern era" with new rules and prize money.

In 2004, Nextel Communications became the sponsor, changing the name to the Nextel Cup Series. A new championship system, called "The Chase," was introduced. It reset points for the top drivers near the end of the season. This made the final races even more exciting. The name changed to the Sprint Cup Series in 2008 after a company merger.

NASCAR kept changing the points system to make racing fairer and more thrilling. In 2011, they simplified points for race winners and leaders. In 2014, "The Chase" expanded to 16 drivers. Drivers were eliminated after every few races, leading to a final four competing for the championship. Wins became very important for getting into the Chase.

Monster Energy sponsored the series from 2017, calling it the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The "Chase" was then called "the playoffs," like in other sports.

After 2019, NASCAR changed its sponsorship model. Instead of one main sponsor, it now has four "premier partners." These include Coca-Cola, Xfinity, and Busch Beer. The series is now simply called the NASCAR Cup Series. GEICO was also a partner but left after the 2024 season.

Before the 2026 season, NASCAR announced that its postseason reverted to a format similar to 2004. The top sixteen drivers in points after 26 regular-season races compete for the championship over the next ten races. The championship is awarded to the driver with the most points at the end of the season. The name "The Chase" also returned, replacing "Playoffs." Race wins now award more points but do not automatically qualify a driver for the Chase.

O'Reilly Auto Parts Series: The Next Step

Cars in the Busch Series (now O'Reilly Auto Parts Series) at Texas Motor Speedway in 2007.

The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series is the second-highest level of racing. Jesse Love was the champion in 2025. This series started in 1982. It has had different sponsors over the years. It was the Busch Series, then Nationwide, then Xfinity. Since 2026, O'Reilly Auto Parts has been the sponsor.

This series has fewer races and less prize money than the Cup Series. Many Cup Series drivers used to race in both series. They would use the O'Reilly race to practice for the Cup event. This practice was sometimes called "Buschwhacking."

To make it fairer, NASCAR changed the rules in 2011. Drivers can now only compete for the championship in one national series per season. They can still race in other series, but they won't earn championship points there.

Since 2016, the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series also has a playoff format. Twelve drivers compete in three rounds over seven races. Four drivers are eliminated after each preliminary round. This leaves four drivers to race for the championship in the final event. Since 2017, these final races are called the O'Reilly Auto Parts Playoffs.

Further rules were added in 2020. Cup drivers with more than three years of experience can only race in five O'Reilly races per season. They also cannot race in the regular season finale or playoff races.

Craftsman Truck Series: Pickup Truck Racing

Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in 2018.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series features modified pickup trucks. It's one of NASCAR's three national divisions. Corey Heim was the champion in 2025.

This series started in 1995 as the SuperTruck Series, sponsored by Craftsman. It became very popular. Some drivers even moved straight from the Truck Series to the Cup Series. Veteran drivers have also found new success here.

The series changed sponsors several times. It was the Camping World Truck Series, then Gander Outdoors, then Gander RV & Outdoors, and back to Camping World. In 2023, the original sponsor, Craftsman, returned.

Like the O'Reilly Series, the Truck Series has a playoff format since 2016. Eight drivers compete, and two are eliminated in each round. Four drivers race for the championship in the final event. These are called the Truck Series Playoffs.

ARCA Menards Series: Developing Talent

The ARCA Menards Series is a racing series that uses both large and local tracks. It's mainly popular in the Midwestern United States. NASCAR bought this series in 2018. It helps young drivers develop their skills.

International Racing Series

NASCAR also has racing series in other countries.

Canada Series

NASCAR Canada Series cars racing in 2015.

The NASCAR Canada Series is NASCAR's racing series in Canada. It started in 2007. It has 13 races across six Canadian provinces. The cars are similar to "late model" stock cars. They have steel frames and V8 engines.

Mexico Series

NASCAR started a new series in Mexico in 2007, called the NASCAR Mexico Series. There's also a mini stock racing series in Mexico, the NASCAR Mexico T4 Series.

Euro Series

A NASCAR Euro Series race at Brands Hatch in 2026.

In 2012, NASCAR began to organize the European-based Racecar Euro Series. In 2013, it was renamed the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

Brasil Series

The NASCAR Brasil Series started in 2012 as the Sprint Race series. In 2023, it became an official NASCAR international series.

Regional Racing Series

NASCAR also has several smaller racing divisions. These are under the NASCAR Regional banner.

Weekly Series

Many local race tracks in the U.S. and Canada are part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. Local drivers compete, and the best local champion in the nation wins a national championship. This series helps new drivers get started in NASCAR.

Whelen Modified Tour

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races special "modified" cars. These cars have open wheels. This is NASCAR's oldest division. The modern division has been running since 1985.

ARCA Menards Series East and West

An ARCA West car driven by Jesse Love at Sonoma Raceway in 2021.

These are feeder divisions for the ARCA Menards Series. They have East and West divisions. The cars are similar to older Cup Series cars but are less powerful. These series help drivers move up to higher levels of racing. In 2020, they became known as the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West.

Online Racing Series

eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series

In 2010, NASCAR started its first official online racing series with iRacing. This sim racing series has different levels. The champion of the top level, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, wins prize money and a trophy.

In 2020, Coca-Cola became the main sponsor. The prize money increased to $300,000. Some races are even shown on TV.

eNASCAR Ignite Series

This series was created by NASCAR and iRacing for young gamers aged 13–16. It's a developmental league to help aspiring online racers.

Driver Safety Improvements

A 2008 Dodge Charger "Car of Tomorrow" driven by Kurt Busch.

NASCAR has always worked to make racing safer for drivers. Sometimes, new safety rules are made after a serious accident. For example, fire-retardant suits became required after a driver was badly burned in a crash.

After several driver deaths in 2000 and 2001, including Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR focused even more on safety. They wanted to reduce the impact forces drivers felt during crashes. This led to the use of the "SAFER Barrier" walls, which absorb energy. All drivers were also required to use the "HANS device" (Head And Neck Support Device). This device helps protect a driver's head and neck in a crash.

NASCAR also redesigned the race car itself for safety. This new car, called the Car of Tomorrow, debuted in 2007. It had a stronger design, a higher roof, and a wider cockpit. The driver's seat was moved more towards the center of the car.

The death of Dale Earnhardt was a big moment for NASCAR. Since then, NASCAR has been very active in making safety changes. As of 2024, no NASCAR driver has been involved in a fatal accident since these major improvements.

Global Growth for NASCAR

In 2006, Toyota joined NASCAR racing. Toyota quickly found success, winning many races. More international car makers joining could make racing even more competitive.

NASCAR has also seen more drivers from other countries. Drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Räikkönen have come from other racing sports. These drivers have helped NASCAR grow and expand its reach around the world.

NASCAR has held races in Mexico and Canada. There has also been talk of more international races. Expanding globally can make NASCAR more popular and bring in new fans and sponsors.

In 2023, for its 75th anniversary, NASCAR teamed up with Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports. They entered a special race car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. This was a big event, combining NASCAR with a famous endurance race. Drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Jenson Button were part of this historic team.

NASCAR Online

Logo used from 1976 to 2016.

In 2000, Turner Sports started managing NASCAR's website, NASCAR.com. It offered news, information, and interactive features for fans. In 2013, NASCAR took over running the website itself. The new NASCAR.com was designed to be more interactive and work well on mobile devices.

NASCAR also partnered with The Action Network in 2019. This partnership provides sports betting content and analysis for NASCAR.com. It helps prepare for the growing trend of legal sports betting.

NASCAR Family of Companies

NASCAR Productions

NASCAR Productions is a company that creates TV shows and other content. It helps promote the sport of stock car racing.

NASCAR Digital Media

This part of NASCAR Productions manages the NASCAR website. It also runs websites for other racing series like IMSA. They also own NASCAR Classics, which is a free online library of old NASCAR races. Since 2025, NASCAR also produces NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races for The CW.

NASCAR Studios

NASCAR Studios creates content about drivers, teams, and sponsors. This includes podcasts, documentaries, and television shows. They also produce content for the NASCAR Channel on Tubi.

Tracks Owned by NASCAR

NASCAR owns and operates many famous race tracks across the United States.

Other Racing Organizations

NASCAR also owns or works with other racing groups:

• ARCA: NASCAR bought this series in 2018.
• IMSA: This group organizes sports car racing. NASCAR took over IMSA in 2014.

Education and Training

The NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina, is a special school. It teaches students about automotive technology and motorsports. It's NASCAR's official educational partner.

NASCAR in Pop Culture

NASCAR racing has inspired many movies. Some examples include Days of Thunder (1990) and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006). The Pixar Cars movies, especially the third one, also drew ideas from NASCAR's history.

NASCAR drivers have appeared in TV shows like The Cleveland Show and Last Man Standing. NASCAR also partnered with the popular Roblox game Jailbreak in 2021. They also launched NASCAR Speed Hub to celebrate NASCAR's 75th anniversary.

In November 2025, it was reported that NASCAR was supporting a historical drama TV series called Thunder Road. It is planned to star Dennis Quaid on AMC.

See also

In Spanish: NASCAR para niños

• List of the closest NASCAR Cup Series finishes
• List of NASCAR champions
• List of NASCAR seasons
• List of NASCAR series
• List of NASCAR teams
• List of NASCAR tracks
• NASCAR in Australia
• NASCAR Rookie of the Year
• NASCAR rules and regulations