NASCAR: American-style auto racing

There are numerous diverse forms of motorsport, several of which can be admired in the Louwman Museum.

Recently, a Toyota Camry that competed in the so-called Sprint Cup, the premier class in the NASCAR championship, was added to the collection. In the photo below, the 2013 Toyota Camry Nascar can be seen in action during the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014.

NASCAR, short for North American Stock Car Auto Racing, is an extremely popular branch of American motorsport. At first glance the participating cars look standard, but appearances are deceiving. A piece of American motorsport history in a nutshell

Origin

Right after the Second World War, races were held in the southern states of America with cars of the type used by the runners of illegal alcohol (the so called moonshiners) to deliver their (illegal) product to customers. The two main requirements for these vehicles were that they looked as normal as possible (stock) and were faster than the police cars. An example of such a car can be seen in the Louwman Museum, the Hudson Commodore 8 from 1948. A somewhat smaller version of this model, the Hornet, turned out, in a mildly tuned version, to be one of the fastest cars of its time.

Organized races emerged quickly, partly under the influence of one of the founding figures in NASCAR history, Bill France Sr. At an early stage, France had taken on the organization of races and the construction of tracks. As a result, it became attractive not only for drivers to take part, but spectators were also offered an engaging spectacle to watch.

The highlight of the season in those early years was the race on the beach at Daytona Beach in Florida.

The races

The vast majority of the races were held on so called ovals of varying length and, especially in the early years, sometimes on unpaved surfaces. Because of the shape of the track, spectators have a good view of what is happening during the race. The NASCAR organization made it financially attractive to take part in the championship, which quickly drew drivers from other parts of America to this branch of motorsport. There were few so called road circuits in America, and only a handful, such as Riverside in California, were initially used for NASCAR races.

One thing that sets NASCAR apart from, for example, a Formula 1 race is the greatly varying length of the events. The races range in distance from 250 to 600 miles (400 to 960 km). The number of laps also differs. To give an example: on one of the shortest tracks, Bristol, they run 500 laps of 0.5 miles (250 miles/400 km). At Talladega Motor Speedway, one of the longest and fastest tracks, they run "only" 188 laps of 2.6 miles (500 miles/800 km). These distances are, incidentally, covered according to the rules by a single driver.

The participating cars

The growing popularity of NASCAR was also noticed by the manufacturers in Detroit. Some manufacturers supported teams and drivers, openly or secretly, in the fifties and sixties. This support was limited in scope. The big three, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, became increasingly involved with NASCAR. In the seventies this really took on serious proportions: the so called muscle cars entered the scene. These were so called homologation specials, modified standard models that were built in limited numbers. The models used in NASCAR had to be available for sale at the dealers. In this way the required conditions were met and they could be entered as standard stock models. The cars were usually fitted with 7 liter V8 engines producing more than 400 hp. They also had slightly more streamlined bodies, such as the Plymouth Roadrunner from the Louwman Museum. This type of car reached speeds of more than 320 km/h on the super speedways (ultra fast banked ovals) of Charlotte and Talladega. These specials were soon banned, however, and people returned to the more conventional type of racing car. The oil crisis also meant that the public stopped buying these cars.

Initially, the various brands of General Motors and the Chrysler group took part in the races. But in the end it was Ford and Chevrolet that dominated together. It took a very long time before other, non American manufacturers appeared on the scene. After a cautious start, Toyota has now grown into a very serious competitor for Ford and Chevrolet.

Rules

Another battle that does not take place on the tracks but behind the green table is the regulation of NASCAR. The "flexible" application of the rules by the participants was a given in the early days. Subtle changes to the shape of the bodywork and other clever tricks have been stamped out over the years by strict regulations. For example, spacers, so called templates, are used to check whether the car body really matches the factory specifications. Engine power is likewise kept in check by restrictions such as cylinder capacity and throttled air supply. This is done by so called restrictor plates, mounted between the carburetor and the intake manifold and fitted with openings of a prescribed diameter.

The safety requirements for the cars are very strict. Beneath the standard-looking bodywork is a tubular frame that acts as a safety cage. The fact that in many cases drivers can step out of their car (or what is left of it) unharmed shows how effective this construction is.

The yellow flag (danger, no overtaking) is used very frequently during races. Not only for crashes, but also for seemingly trivial incidents. This quickly turns into what is called a `full course yellow`. As a result, the race is neutralized and drivers can enter the pits. Some claim that race control sometimes does this to make the race more exciting. So the team principals have their hands full trying to get a clear picture of how the race is unfolding. They are assisted by so called spotters, who sit `somewhere` high up in the grandstand with a complete overview of the circuit and can, for example, indicate if an accident has happened further down the track and thus warn the driver. People can think of it what they like, but prevention is still better than cure!

The general NASCAR rules are strict. Not only in technical terms but also in other areas. For example, the locations of sponsor displays are clearly defined. The starting numbers are owned by NASCAR and are issued to the teams. The numbers must be clearly visible on the (welded-shut) doors and on the roof. In total there are 110 starting numbers: 1 to 100 and 01 to 09.

The best known numbers are 43 and 3 (from the Petty and Earnhardt families respectively). No. 61 is no longer used in memory of nine time champion Richie Evans, who died in a racing accident in 1995.

The riders

The birthplace of this sport, the southern states of America, meant that people had their own culture and in fact still do. Over the years the participants have been described as the good old boys, a nickname that glosses over reality. Most teams are based in the southern states of America, such as North and South Carolina and Alabama.

The races themselves were and still are full of incidents, because people drive as if their lives depend on it. Damage to the car or worse is more the rule than the exception. There was always something happening, which is exactly the kind of thing that draws the crowd in with eager anticipation.

The drivers themselves cannot be compared to a Formula 1 driver. The average age is higher, especially in the last century, when many participants were well over thirty. One of the biggest names in NASCAR, Richard Petty, was in his forties when he achieved his 200th victory (!) (a record). The entire Petty family is famous in NASCAR circles and far beyond. Lee, Richard's father, was one of the first champions in the 1950s. Richard's son Kyle and grandson Adam (who was sadly killed in an accident during a race in 2000) are also well-known names.

It almost seems as if NASCAR is a world of its own within motorsport. NASCAR drivers rarely take part in other racing disciplines. Drivers from the IndyCar circuit have sometimes wanted to drive a stock car, and still do, but success is by no means guaranteed. Exceptions are A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti. Another is Juan-Pablo Montoya, former F1 world champion.

NASCAR is immensely popular in America. Crowds of more than 100,000 during a race weekend are by no means unusual.

In a later episode we will take a closer look at the more recent history of NASCAR, focusing on the aforementioned Toyota Camry, which can be seen on the first floor of the Louwman Museum.

Peter Helbach