NASCAR is about speed

Bonaventure Meadows Public School
London, Ontario

By Jose and Andrew (Grade 6)


Every year, up to 250 million people from all over the world fill stadiums, listen to radios and watch TV to find information about NASCAR racing. NASCAR, or stock car racing, as it is commonly referred to, is a group of drivers and teams who race against each other to try to get in first place. Whoever wins a race gets points, and the most points at the end of the racing season is the overall champion.

NASCAR racing is about speed but the driver can't go too fast or his engine will blow. Every team in racing has at least three or four backup cars. They try their best to keep them all in good shape, but they usually use their best car.

The top drivers in NASCAR are: #24, Jeff Gordon driving for Dupont Refinishes; #6, Mark Martin Driving for Valvoline Ford; and #33, Ken Schrader in the Skoal Bandit Chevrolet. The fastest car yet is the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The most popular and most famous race track is Daytona USA. Some other popular tracks, both for the drivers and the fans, are the Phoenix International Raceway and the California Bakersfield Speedway.

Every driver has a pit crew located in "the pits". The Pits is the area near the track where the crews maintain the car. It is also where repairs are made, if needed, and where the cars come in for "pit-stops", which are usually for fuel and to change tires. To protect the driver, the rules of the track make sure the car runs properly and the car holds together. NASCAR makes sure that the drivers, pit crews, track owners, and the NASCAR officials themselves watch for anything that could be unsafe, such as slippery tracks or debris from accidents. The rules are not only for the protection of the car, but also for the protection of the drivers. Having a rule such as a speed limit of 80 miles an hour (130 km/h) in the pits, is a fine example of how officials try to keep the race as safe as possible.

The cars drive really fast, which makes it exciting for the viewers and at the end of the race, they turn off their TV's and radios and wait for their next chance to watch NASCAR racing.

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