Helpful Hints for New NASCAR Fans

NASCAR can be hard to follow if you’re brand new. There’s lingo, drivers and rules to learn! The more you learn, the less you’ll have to pull your phone out during a race to see what the broadcasters are talking about. This short article will include a few brief explanations, a few tips for new fans and a handful of links to helpful resources. All of which I wish that I had when I was new to the sport.

Stages and how they work: 

NASCAR introduced stage racing a few seasons ago and it has been in place ever since. Have no fear, stages aren’t too terribly hard to understand. Every race is chopped up into three sections or stages. Typically the first two stages are the same length and the final stage is the longest. At the end of every stage there is a “Stage Winner.” Basically a “stage win” just awards extra points to the driver for the end of season playoffs. 

Popular Figures in Our Sport:

Every sport has a list of iconic figures, and NASCAR has plenty! So I’ll just list a few that you’re most likely to encounter. One most important figures that you’ll hear of is Richard Petty aka the King. Petty gets his nickname for a reason, you don’t just get dubbed “the King” for nothing. R. Petty has racked up 200 NASCAR wins and was the first driver to win seven championships. In fact only two other drivers have won seven championships. The second of which, is Dale Earnhardt Sr. and his nickname... was the Intimidator. When driver’s saw Earnhardt Sr. in their mirrors they knew to keep an eye out. Earnhardt reached his seventh championship in 1994 and is a very respected figure in NASCAR History. The third and most recent driver to reach his 7th championship was Jimmie Johnson in 2016.

2020 Drivers, Teams and Broadcasters

Every season drivers and teams switch around as contracts end and new ones are signed which can really shuffle up the field- well, at least in the last few years it’s been that way. The following list provides a detailed list of Cup Series rookies, which drivers have moved teams and who the current drivers are (you may have to scroll a bit).

Get to know the NASCAR on Fox Broadcast Team. An important thing to note, is that halfway through the season, NASCAR will switch from Fox to NBCSN. You’ll have to keep an eye out to see when that is happening.

If you are ever curious about an active driver or team, most teams/drivers have official websites. If you’re curious about race stats, Racing-Reference.info is a life saver!

NASCAR rules are an interesting topic in the community and they do change often so I highly suggest following Bob Pockrass on Twitter, he does a great job providing information. He breaks things down and explain them as well as providing a ton of useful information. Dale Jr. is a fan favorite, and for good reason. On his Twitter he provides his opinion on racing topics and can draw a smile from most fans. Of course the Official NASCAR, NASCAR NBC and Fox NASCAR accounts are also very helpful. If you want to get away from television stations a great freelance reporter is Matt Weaver.

NASCAR podcasts are also very popular among fans. Junior has one called the Dale Jr. Download, which is a good a place as any to start. 

Don’t be afraid to branch out or do some research, and remember to have fun!

*Don’t forget to leave a comment down below, they really make my day!