15 Most Fascinating NASCAR Facts That Will Amaze Automotive Lovers

Woosh! Woosh! The fastest cars are fighting for the pole position! NASCAR racing is one of the main favorite automotive spectacles. Do you know why NASCAR is so ridiculously popular in the United States? Since its founding and implementation in 1948, NASCAR has continued to gain popularity, especially for families in the US. This car racing event presents an intense and immersive racing atmosphere, and there are lots lots of amusing NASCAR facts that will surprise us.

Numerous amazing dramas are continuously created by this cool car racing event. The number of fastest cars participating in this competition is a unique thing. If you are a NASCAR fan, then you’ll want to know some of the most surprising facts about your favorite racing event. You can relax now, because you are on the right track! Here are 15 of the most fascinating NASCAR facts that will amaze you and most automotive lovers out there:

1. Demon Speed! It Runs at 321km/h!

Car racing is synonymous with insane speed. Every racer is competing to be the fastest on the circuit. If you are slow then you will fall far behind. Thus, speed is everything! Do you know the top speed of a NASCAR? It runs at a speed of 321 km/h! What a cool NASCAR fact, isn’t it?

This value is the average speed that a NASCAR driver can achieve. But how about the acceleration ability? The average NASCAR car can reach speeds of 0-100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds! This speed is only inferior to the average acceleration ability of a Formula 1 (F1) car, which is 2.6 seconds. So what do you think? Is this fast enough? Yes, of course, this is the ability that NASCAR cars excel at.

2. Are You Looking for The Best? Hendrick Motorsports is the Answer!

Maybe you know Ferrari as the king in Formula 1 or Yamaha in MotoGP. However, do you know what the best NASCAR team? A winning team consists of the fastest car, the racer with the greatest driving skills, and also supportive and tough team members. Hendrick Motorsports is the most successful NASCAR team in history. This fastest and greatest NASCAR team has won 263 races with a record 13 championships.

Do you know the driver from Hendrick Motorsports who won the most trophies? Yes, you are right! Jimmie Johnson is a NASCAR driver from the Hendrick Motorsports team that has won the most trophies with seven titles. Joe Gibbs Racing and Penske Racing are in second and third place with 125 and 65 wins, respectively.

3. Crash! The Worst Wreck in NASCAR History

Moving on to the next NASCAR fact on the list, accidents and collisions are the most feared scourge in a race. Accidents can be fatal for both the car and also the driver. Did you know the most fatal and mass accident in NASCAR racing? It is the 1960 Daytona Superspeedway, which people know as “The Worst Wreck in NASCAR History”.

This incident began when 68 NASCAR race cars lined up at the starting line. Less than 2 minutes after the race started, there was a tragic accident on the first lap, precisely at the fourth corner. There was a horrific streak of accidents involving 37 NASCAR cars. There was a great fire in this tragic collision. However, it is surprising that there were no casualties in this incident. Only a few drivers were injured.

4. Safety is Everything! NASCAR has an Amazing Security System

Some of the horrific accidents and crashes that have ever happened in the world of NASCAR require every racing team to provide the best safety systems. Under regulations, NASCAR must have a 6-point seat belt on the driver’s side. What is unique is the size of this seat belt. NASCAR seat belts are larger in diameter and thickness than conventional cars.

This system applies to better distribute the security forces. Furthermore, the driver’s seat restraint is using high-quality aluminum and carbon fiber materials, just like the ones used for rockets. Soft and tough foam is attached to the driver’s head, hips, and shoulders to minimize friction while riding. All safety features in a NASCAR are carried out with precision to manage the kinetic energy generated during the race.

5. Amazing Transmission System for Best Acceleration

The transmission system is a crucial aspect of NASCAR, and it controls the rotational speed and power of the car. For the past few decades, NASCAR has featured a four-speed manual gearbox.

However, along with the development of innovation and technology in the automotive sector, NASCAR will adopt a 5-speed transaxle transmission system. This transmission system was the beginning of NASCAR’s Next-Gen car. The new system features a drop gear adjustment that adjusts the overall power-to-speed ratio. The combination of 13 input gears and three pinion rings results in a more reliable and cost-effective speed configuration.

6. Egg-shaped Design: The Most Troublesome Track!

NASCAR tracks come in a wide variety of designs. All NASCAR drivers must study every detail of the construction and contours of the track to achieve victory. Do you know which NASCAR tracks are the hardest to beat? The Darlington track, located in South Carolina, is the most difficult track. The distinctive egg-shaped design is the main culprit. The track is oval with a narrow end in the west. This design makes it difficult for NASCAR drivers to maneuver around corners. Being one of the coolest NASCAR facts, this bend is the scariest for most NASCAR drivers.

7. Can’t Start Without Special Fuel!

Every car needs fuel to start it’s engine, and quality fuel is preferable to produce high speed and performance in the engine. Did you know beforehand that NASCAR has its special fuel? Since 2004, NASCAR has appointed Sunoco as the official fuel provider. The special fuel produced is Sunoco Green E15. This NASCAR exclusive fuel is a 98-octane unleaded fuel mixture

The octane number is a value that indicates how much pressure can applies before the gasoline ignites spontaneously. Sunoco Green E15 is specially designed for high-performance engines and racing cars. What is unique is the basis for naming this particular fuel and people call it the Green E15 because this NASCAR-exclusive fuel is green.

8. Unique Machine Construction

Racing car engines are certainly different from conventional car engines. High performance of endurance, power, and speed is the goal of all race cars. The construction of NASCAR engines is astoundingly unique! First, the NASCAR engine features a large displacement of 358 cubic inches that produces over 300 horsepower.

That’s a lot of power! Next, the intake and exhaust are specifically designed to provide a strong boost at the desired speed. We can properly program the ignition system at a high intensity to generate the power better. Last but not least, the oil pump and cooling system have a design that can work reliably at high temperatures and also speeds.

9. Green is the Color of Bad Luck and Misfortune

Color can symbolize passion or passion in racing. However, did you know that there is one color that is somehow unlucky and brings misfortune in the world of NASCAR racing? That color is green, and it is an unlucky color in NASCAR.

This superstition originally arose from an accident experienced by a racer driving a green car. This misfortune that occurred in the 1920s became a suggestion that caused many NASCAR drivers to refuse to wear green in their cars. Do you agree with this superstition? Leave your comments below!

10. The Forbidden Number 

Retiring numbers as a form of appreciation are commonplace in the world of sports. For instance, number 46 retires from MotoGP as a tribute to the living legend of MotoGP, Valentino Rossi. Are there retired numbers in NASCAR? No, there are no officially retired numbers on NASCAR.

However, the number 61 unofficially retired from NASCAR. This was done in honor of one of the NASCAR drivers, Richie Evans, who died in 1985. Number 3 also unofficially retired in honor of Dale Earnhardt Sr. following his death on track at the Daytona 500 held in 2001.

11. The Engine Only Lasts for One Race!

In general, the engine of a car can last for years. Even if properly cared for, a car engine can last as long as possible. However, this is not the case in NASCAR. A surprising NASCAR fact is the engine Only Lasts for One Race! The hundreds of grueling laps and the high performance demanded of an engine are the main reasons.

The NASCAR race series can feature 200 laps that eat into engine durability. After reaching these hundreds of laps, the NASCAR engine will wear out so that it cannot provide optimum power and speed. The engine had to be rebuilt and serviced for the next race.

12. Extremely Tiring Sport: Racers Lose Weight Drastically

Losing weight is one of the main goals of exercise. However, did you know that NASCAR racing can significantly reduce a racer’s body weight? A US NASCAR racer, Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that the average NASCAR driver will lose up to 10 pounds per race event.

This drastic weight loss is caused by dehydration. The hot temperature conditions and a large number of laps caused this to happen. The temperature inside the car during the race can reach 130 degrees Celsius.

13. Must weigh 3,200 Pounds!

In general, a racing car wants the lightest weight to be able to go faster. However, some regulations state that a NASCAR must weigh at least 3,200 pounds without driver and fuel. Why do you think this could happen? These regulations are made for practical purposes. The NASCAR racing series requires the durability and strong handling of the participating race cars. Hundreds of laps must be covered by each race car. Therefore, weight is very important so that the car does not easily bounce.

14. Richard Petty: “The King” of NASCAR

We know Valentino Rossi as the king of MotoGP. We also know that the king of F1 is Michael Schumacher. However, do you know who the real king of NASCAR is? Richard Lee Petty is the answer. He was nicknamed “The King” because of his amazing feats. The former US NASCAR racer has set fantastic records. He has the most wins, which are 200 wins, 123 pole positions, 10 wins in a row, 27 wins in a season, and 307,836 completed laps. What an incomparable achievement!

15. Women Can Be NASCAR Champions, Too!

Racing is an adrenaline-pumping sport that is synonymous with men. Strong physical and mental endurance is required to win the race. However, did you know that the NASCAR racing series was once followed by a woman? Danica Patrick is claimed to be the most accomplished and prominent racer in NASCAR history.

She could compete in the full NASCAR Cup Series for five years. Although Danica has never won a NASCAR race, she has shown that women can compete in racing. Her greatest achievement was a sixth-place finish at the Atlanta race in 2014. Therefore, she has been an inspiration to women!

Those are the most interesting and amazing facts about NASCAR that any automotive lover should know. What do you think is the most surprising fact? Leave your comments below! Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on the notification bell!

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