New
to NASCAR?:
A Primer for NASCAR's Newbies
by Mitch Arnold
NASCAR is America's fastest growing spectator sport, with annual revenues now estimated
at more than $2 billion. More than 6 million fans attended Winston Cup races in 1997, and
an additional 123 million watched on TV. Between 1990 and 1996, Winston Cup attendance
rose 65.5 percent.
Though speed and action are often enough to lure spectators to the track or to their
television sets, true appreciation of the sport doesn't begin until a fan knows what's
going on behind the scenes.
What does it mean that the car has too much pull? Or when teams are drafting to gain
track position? What do the different statistics that appear on the television screen
mean? Maybe you're going to your first race? What should you bring to a race? What can you
expect? These and other questions are answered in this NASCAR Primer.
In the Crew Chief's Corner, you will find the general specifics of the
cars, a brief rundown of a team, and a fairly comprehensive list of common terms, such as
push, pull, downforce, drafting and restrictor plates.
In the Track's Tale, you will find descriptions of the different types
of tracks on which NASCAR competes, and explanations of the implications of each.
In In the Stands, you will find information on everything from buying
your tickets and what to expect at a race to what to bring to the race.
In On the Sofa, we close out our primer with recommendations for
watching a race on television, with a quick rundown on the terms used by the announcers. |
