Image: Wikicommons by Larry McTighe
About This Quiz
NASCAR is one of the classic American traditions we just can't help but love. After all, there's nothing quite like fast cars and good times, and NASCAR delivers all that and a whole lot more. In fact, NASCAR has been delivering good times for more than 70 years. From its humble origins as a test of early stock car speeds and performance to the modern-day circuits broadcast on television nationwide and around the world, it has long been a showcase for performance vehicles that push the envelope and race car drivers who are willing to cross the checkered line first — no matter what it takes.
NASCAR has also been home to some of the coolest, most capable vehicles ever produced — and it continues to bear witness to advances in performance and safety like we've never seen before. Do you want speed and loud noises and lots of excitement? You've come to the right place.
Do you have what it takes for a podium finish on this NASCAR quiz? The new racing season is just around the corner, and so now is the perfect time to brush up on your history, statistics, driver biographies and so much more. Put your NASCAR brain to the test. On your mark, get set, GO!
Bill France
While each of these men were and continue to be some of the most important names in automotive history, it was Bill France, a stock car driver and gas station owner who originally created NASCAR.
Ray Evernham
Lee Iacocca
Harley Earl
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National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
NASCAR is the ultimate American sport — and when you look at the name you can't forget it. In its early days, NASCAR had several different names, but it currently stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.
North American Sports Car Auto Racing
North American Stock Car Auto Racing
National American Sports Car Auto Racing
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150+ miles per hour
200+ miles per hour
While NASCAR has come a long way from those early days of racing, modern NASCAR vehicles go only about 200 miles per hour —which is still incredibly fast! Many of these vehicles have horsepower output in the 800-900 range.
250+ miles per hour
300+ miles per hour
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Only stickshift vehicles can enter.
Only trucks can enter.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has gone by many names, but it's the only series where modified production pickup trucks race, rather than sedans. Truck racing has been part of NASCAR for decades.
Only American cars can enter.
Only classic cars can enter.
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One
Two
Three
In addition to the Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR also also runs the Monster Energy Series and the Xfinity Series, in ascending order. There are also many local and regional series as well.
Four
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There is a time out.
There is one lap left.
There are lots of different flags in NASCAR, but the most famous is the checkered flag, which indicates when the race is completed. Yellow and red flags are for safety, green is to start and white means just one lap remains in the race.
The race is about to begin.
The race is over.
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Jimmie Johnson
David Pearson
Richard Petty
While all of these racers has an incredible impact on NASCAR history, Richard Petty is the one with the most career wins of any racer among them, with 200. At seven, he is tied with Johnson and Earnhardt Sr. for the most NASCAR Cup Series championships.
Dale Earnhardt Sr.
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Atlantic City
Daytona Beach
Early stock car racing was already being held on the beaches, and since NASCAR founder Bill France already lived in Daytona, it only made sense to host it there — it's also the reason for the Daytona 500 today.
Ventura
Charlotte
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It was Bill France Jr.'s first year in charge of NASCAR.
It was the first fully televised 500-mile race.
Bill France Sr. passed in 1972 and left NASCAR leadership to his son, Bill France Jr. Incorporation and paved tracks had come much earlier in NASCAR history, but a fully televised event was something new.
It was the first NASCAR race on pavement.
It was the first race after NASCAR was incorporated.
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110 degrees
120 degrees
130 degrees
NASCAR vehicles can be up to 30-40 degrees hotter than the temperature outside, meaning anywhere up to about 130 degrees. Learning how to withstand the heat is almost as important as knowing how to race.
150 degrees
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Ford
Toyota
Chevrolet
Ford, Toyota and Chevrolet are the main automakers competing at the top-level NASCAR series. Chevrolet currently holds the title of most manufacturer wins at Daytona with more than 20.
None of the Above
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Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Because the sport is so large, the locations need to have room for all of the spectators. That means the largest, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has capacity for more than 250,000 spectators. The others have room for more than 180,000, 160,000 and 140,000 respectively.
Texas Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
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True
False
Actually, the opposite is true. Because of how long the racing track is, it isn't actually possible to watch the entire track from any seat in the house — which is why there are sitting and standing areas for increased visibility.
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30 pounds
40 pounds
50 pounds
It's all about the weight. Because NASCAR vehicles have to weigh at least 3,400 pounds and travel at speeds of 200 miles per hour, they need a lot of stability. Each racecar tire is 50 pounds, accounting for 200 pounds of vehicle weight — and making those pit crew members seem all the more impressive.
60 pounds
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20 pounds
50 pounds
75 pounds
94 pounds
NASCAR race cars are equipped with a 5.8L V8 engine which needs a special kind of fuel called 98 octane. They have a 22-gallon tank which can add up to 94 extra pounds of weight to the car when full.
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Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt Sr. is considered one of the greatest racecar drivers of all time. In addition to 34 wins at the Daytona International Speedway, he's also tied for the most NASCAR premier titles.
Jeff Gordon
Glenn "Fireball" Roberts
Darrell Waltrip
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One mile
More than one mile but less than 2 miles
There four types of NASCAR tracks, Short, Intermediate, Superspeedway and Road. The Intermediate track is longer than one mile but shorter than two miles. The Road track has both left and right turns.
Two+ miles
Three miles
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Winning the very first NASCAR race
Being the youngest NASCAR winner
Being the oldest NASCAR racer
In 2018, McGriff made history by participating in the K&N West Races at Tucson Speedway at the age of 90, which officially made him the oldest racer in history. He's run over 85 races in his career.
Inventing important safety mechanisms
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True
False
Amazingly enough, you don't. It's a little hard to believe that these racers can go 200+ miles per hour on the track, but potentially aren't allowed to drive on public roads, but it's the truth. (Of course, it's most likely they all DO have licenses.)
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One
They may be some of the most powerful engines ever produced, but the kind of strain that NASCAR driving puts on an engine means it just doesn't last beyond a single race. Then they are serviced and rebuilt.
Three
Five
Seven
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Twice as much
Three times as much
NASCAR vehicles are very, very powerful, and powerful engines pumping out upward of 1,000 horsepower for hours on end need sustenance. That's why the oil has to be changed regularly and why they use so much.
Four times as much
Five times as much
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Headlights
Taillights
Front grille
A reverse gear
While race cars don't need a reverse gear for during the race, they do need them for travel and promotional purposes. The headlights, taillights and front grille are all decals that look real.
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50
74
74 racers participated in the 1950 race at Darlington International Speedway, the first NASCAR race to take place on asphalt. The winner was disputed and took more than two days to declare.
100
144
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Fastest lap at Daytona
Most Daytona wins
Top NASCAR speed
In 1987, Bill Elliot made NASCAR history by reaching the top speed of more than 212 miles per hour on a qualifying lap at Talladega. Rusty Wallace hit 228 in 2004, but the record is not considered official.
Youngest NASCAR champion
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It costs manufacturers less.
The body is a single piece.
NASCAR cars are made as single pieces in a process that takes 10 days to complete. Making the body a single piece means that the vehicle is lighter and stronger and can go as fast as possible.
It's a safety regulation.
It makes the car ride lower.
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True
When driving the open track during a race, NASCAR vehicles can go as quickly as possible. However, to protect crew members, there is a strictly enforced speed limit in the pit, generally between 30-55 mph.
False
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1,500-2000
2,400-3,000
3,600-4,000
It's no surprise that NASCAR races burn a lot of fuel. Each vehicle is responsible for about 90-100 gallons of gas per race, and given that each race hosts about 40 vehicles, that comes out to 3,600-4,000 gallons.
4,500-5,000
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Being the youngest NASCAR racer
Having the most Talledaga wins
Being the first woman to openly compete in a NASCAR race
Janet Guthrie made huge progress for female car enthusiasts when she took to the Daytona 500 track in 1977 as the first female driver to compete, breaking down boundaries for many others to follow.
Being the first female crew chief
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12
24
36
NASCAR is like any other sport in that it has the regular season and the playoffs. The regular season consists of 26 races and the playoffs 10 races for a total of 36 races in the season.
48
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Purple
NASCAR has eight different color flags, designed to show racers when to go and when the race is over and also designed to indicate when there is danger on the track. Purple is not one of those colors.
Yellow
Red
Green
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Richard Petty races his last race.
Alan Kulwicki wins the championship.
Jeff Gordon premieres in the NASCAR Premier Series competition.
NASCAR announces a new three-stage format.
NASCAR's racing format has changed a lot over the years, but it didn't change on that day in 1992. Everything else happened instead, including historic racers leaving, entering and winning.
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Janet Guthrie
Tammy Jo Kirk
Louise Smith
Janet Guthrie would openly make a change for women decades later, but Louise Smith entered races in the 1940s using her husband's Ford Coupe. She raced from 1945 to 1956 and won 38 races.
Danica Patrick
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True
NASCAR fans will know that early bootlegging led to the customization of stock vehicles to be faster and to have hidden spaces, meaning they had to be lighter. Once prohibition was over, racing was the next choice.
False
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1-2Gs
2-3Gs
2-3Gs of force is quite enough — they don't need any more! NASCAR drivers have been known to pass out or experience back or neck pain, so it's important for drivers to train for the force.
3-4Gs
4-5Gs
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Bristol Motor Speedway
Talladega
Daytona 500
Darlington Racetrack
In 1950, the first NASCAR race was raced on an asphalt track at the Darlington Racetrack in Darlington, South Carolina. In addition to being called "The Track Too Tough to Tame" it was also called "The Lady in Black."
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You Got:
/35
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