Not a day goes by on social media where there aren’t some negative comments about NASCAR.  But as they prepare to begin the season in earnest and celebrate 75 years of racing, NASCAR.com has compiled a list of positive things about the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.

NASCAR has created a NASCAR 75 hub page on their website filled with historical data, timelines, and other articles about the sport.

In a year long celebration, NASCAR will look at the past, the present, and the future of racing in NASCAR.

Called the most famous words in sports “Drivers Start Your Engines” is an enthusiastic and energetic way to get the race started.

While any form of retaliation on the track is frowned upon by NASCAR, rivalries exist on and off the track and have at times resulted in physical contact…and some heated on track confrontations.

Like any sport, fans have their favourites…and those they love to hate; but like them or not, NASCAR drivers know how to keep things going.

Music has a king, but NASCAR is the only sport to have a King of their own in Richard Petty who amassed 200 Cup Series race wins before he retired from driving.  At 85, Petty continues to participate in the sport.

Recently NASCAR added noise dampeners to the cars for The Clash raca and will do so for a few more over the course of the season.  But even with a drop of six to 10 decibels per car, there is still quite a ROAR when the engines crank up.

“Burning rubber” is more than just an expression…along with the sounds of the engines and the squealing of the tires is the smell of the rubber; especially when the winner makes an impressive burnout.

While the caution flag can sometimes mean serious trouble on the track, leave it to the fans to help point out any issue on the track.

Whether it be the $2 hot dogs at Martinsville or the fried baloney sandwiches; there is always something worthwhile to munch on while watching the race – something that can be found no where else.

And when it comes to food, race fans are as good as any parking lot filled with football fans when it comes to tailgating…whether it be a camper or an old bus, fans in the infield know how to throw a race long party filled with grills, swimming pools, flags, and plenty of adult beverages.

And when it comes to camping at a NASCAR track…it’s a party like no other. 

NASCAR may have its origins in bootleggers trying to outrun the revenuers; but they sport is a very patriotic one who is proud of the nation’s military and are quick to support and defend them every week.

Every sport has its share of traditions; but only in NASCAR can they boast of “kissing the bricks”, “making a Polish victory lap”, or doing the “hat dance”.  And who else has its winners climb the fence???

NASCAR runs on sponsors.  It takes millions of dollars to put on a race and field the cars.  And each time a driver wins the race, he must thank each of their sponsors; which results in the “hat dance”.  The winner gets photographed wearing the hat of each one of their sponsors; which can sometimes take a while to complete.

Victory Lane…there’s no place like it!  The driver may be the one who is the most visible, but as they say, “it takes a village”; and NASCAR is built on teams. Victory Lane is the time that the crews, owners, family, and drivers all gather to celebrate the win.

Sporting fans are used to seeing numerous billboards and advertisements at stadiums; but nowhere else does a sport have fast moving billboards as the drivers run around the tracks, sometimes as much as 200 miles per hour.  Companies can easily spend $15 to $20 million dollars a team in sponsorships on the cars as they hope fans will see the cars and patronize their products.

“No man is an island”…especially in NASCAR where dozens of people work each week to put the car on the track and keep it running for the driver.

And while it at times may resemble choreographed chaos, pits stops are well thought out productions where the driver must hit his mark just right, keep the wheels straight so they can be changed, fueled up, and any other action including adjustments that must be made over the course of 10 to 12 seconds.

While racing may not have been around quite as long as some of the other major sports, it does have an interesting origin and history that continues to evolve.

Football and baseball his jerseys, bats, helmets, and bobbleheads; but only NASCAR offers its fans diecast cars for collecting.  And no matter which racer a fan wants to cheer on, there is a merchandise booth filled with all sorts of collectibles and wearable advertisements of support.

As each drivers leaves the track and moves on to broadcasting or car ownership, there are plenty more looking to make their mark in the sport.

In days gone by drivers banged on their roofs or doors to indicate needed adjustments and wore T-shirts and blue jeans when they raced; today they have fire suits, cool suits, and radio equipment with spotters to help be their eyes on the track.  And each year, NASCAR looks to improve the sport; especially in the area of safety.

After the death of Fireball Roberts, NASCAR required drivers to wear a fire suit – a suit designed to protect the driver in case of a fire.  When Dale Earnhardt died from a broken neck, NASCAR required its drivers to wear protective head gear.  And in a dangerous sport, each year NASCAR looks for ways to make the sport even safer.

In this computer age, the drivers are taking full advantage of the technology by employing simulators and gaming – like iRacing – to get themselves ready for a race or to learn a track.  William Bryon had never driven in a “real” car when he joined NASCAR; he was however, a champion iRacer.

NASCAR has a very fat rule book of what drivers, crews, and teams can and cannot do; however, that doesn’t stop the teams from finding ways to “push the limits” for a tactical edge over the rest of the field.

While sometimes it seems like the season will never come to an end in some sports with lengthy playoff seasons, NASCAR has a season of nine months; but even then teams must spend the off season making updates, adjustments, and building new cars for a year round event.

Unlike any other sport, once NASCAR reaches the playoffs, the drivers are not only competing with their fellow playoff drivers, but with the entire field of drivers.  NASCAR’s playoff format depends on drivers winning races to move on; but the playoff drivers must battle with non-playoff drivers for those wins.

Football has quarter breaks where the players must change ends of the field and baseball has innings but only in racing are the restarts unpredictable and sometimes harrowing experiences.

In endurance races and Formula One, it is not uncommon to see a driver win by double digit seconds; but in NASCAR, there have been numerous occasions where the winner was mere inches in front of their competition when crossing the finish line.

Every sport has its “ladder system” of lesser experienced drivers and top tier competitors; but only in NASCAR can a fan see both on the same track in the same race with Cup Series drivers (the top tier series) competing in the lower levels of the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series…and vice versa.

Fairly new to NASCAR, the sport now has a Hall of Fame of its own where the best of the best can reside in the form of exhibits long after their driving days have gone.

While there are situations where children follow their parents in sports, NASCAR is a true community of family where offspring not only follow their parents; some of them marry into other racing families.  It is not unusual to see fathers and sons on the same track or even cousins racing together or being a part of the crew.

Long gone are the days when the sounds of Country music blared from the speakers of tracks and team shops.  Today it is not uncommon for a race car driver to appear in the music video of the latest pop, rock, hip-hop, and even country music star.

And where else can fans get up close and personal with the sport’s stars??? NASCAR allows fans access all over the track including the garages.  Fans can easily obtain autographs from their favourite drivers at every track; or even catch up with them in the motor home lots.

Like every sport NASCAR has its share of superstitions.  It was long believed that driving a green coloured car was bad luck; today fans can see several on the track during a race.  And over the years, drivers have not been against placing “lucky charms” inside their cars to help them have a good day on the track.

The National Anthem is a part of every sport in America; as is, the frequent fly-over during that anthem; but only in NASCAR does the pre-race festivities also include a prayer for the country and the safety of the drivers.”

Football, baseball, basketball, and hockey all have teammates; but only in NASCAR do the teammates compete against each other…and sometimes are rivals and fierce opponents.

A rather new edition to NASCAR is fantasy and betting where fans can compete on their own by trying to wager on how well a driver will do and who will cross the finish line first.  And with iRacing, fans may find themselves racing against some of the best drivers in the sport.

Nicknames are a part of every day life, but only in NASCAR can you see a race winner smash a watermelon, punch a taco pinata, or climb the fence before heading to Victory Lane.  …And don’t forget about the burnouts!

Whether it be a hocky rink, football field, basketball court, or baseball diamond; the players are competing on the same kind of field every time they prepare to play but in NASCAR it could be a half mile short track. A mile and a half track, a superspeedway of over two miles, a dirt track, a road course, or even the newly planned street course…al with their own quarks and unique nuances. 

The drivers aren’t the only ones who need a little help keeping up with what is happening all around the track; the announcers who call the race also need lots of eyes to help them see what is happening, especially if it is a big track.  There is always something to see, no matter where you look on the track.  And any of it could lead to some major drama…including a caution flag or a big crash.  And it’s a guarantee that there is plenty of action on the track with all the beating and banging from the drivers as they vie for position.  And sometimes it isn’t always a fellow driver that leaves a mark on the cars…

In days gone by, it was not uncommon for people to deny that NASCAR drivers were “true athletes”; but spending four hours in a 100 degree car in multiple layers of clothing is no “piece of cake”.  Drivers today have stringent workout programs to help them keep in shape and ready for race day.

Wins are always a cause for celebration…and each driver has their own form of it…including handing the checked flag to a young race fan.

One thing a race fan can count on is that no race will ever end in a tie…there will always be a winner, no matter how many tries it takes.

Wrecking is as common to racing as starting the engines.  And while there are people who watch a race just to see the crashes; it can be a spectacular moment in the race when a drivers gets loose or bumped and saves the car to keep racing.

Like any sport, NASCAR has its share of “bad boys”, and drivers fans love to hate.

These days a trip to the race track may bring more than just a race; there could also be a concert before, after, and even during a race.

The drivers aren’t the only ones looking for a race win; the manufacturers have long hoped that each week it would be their car that won because if a Ford, Chevrolet, or Toyota won on Sunday; they would see an increase in sales on Monday.

The drivers aren’t the only ones who “feel the need…the need…for speed”; the fans may not be able to drive as fast as the drivers but they are looking for the thrill as they watch the drivers go around the track.

Almost as unique as the paint schemes on the cars are the helmets worn by the drivers.  Today the helmets carry some very elaborate designs that change every week.  Some drivers have their helmets designed by their own children.

Sure there are plenty of souvenirs in the merch tents; but what about that piece from a wrecked car that a fan just happens to find on their way out of the track???

The sponsors put up the money, but it is the team owner who must put it to good use and hire the best driver he can find…and pray they don’t tear up the car on race day.

Last season NASCAR had a record 19 race winners and several of them won races for the first time.  The exuberance exhibited by a first time race winner is unmatched in sports…or any win if has been long enough of a drought between wins.

For many years NASCAR was a white males only club; recently the sport has diversified and all manner of drivers and crew members can be seen at the tracks including women.

On the track its every driver for themselves; but once the race is over…it’s family time once again…mostly…as drivers congratulate the winner.  In a scene like no other; when Dale Earnhardt Sr finally won the Daytona 500 in 1998 after 20 tries, every crew member on pit road come out to congratulate him…one of their fiercest competitors.

It has been said that records are made to be broken…and NASCAR  has seen more than a few or them fall in recent years.  Richard Petty holds the record for the most Cup Series wins – a record that may never be broken; but driving in all three of the NASCAR racing series, Kyle Busch has topped that number with 224 wins – 60 of those in the Cup Series.  He holds the records for the most wins in both the Xfinity and Truck series.

In other sports, the fans are rooting for one side or the other; but in NASCAR the fans are rooting for anywhere from 36 to 40 people at the same time…sometimes sitting side by side in the stands.