| Americans have been known for their many | | | | with, NASCAR set some rules that each team |
| passions which includes speed. This apparent need | | | | must meet including the weight of the race car. |
| for speed has led to the creation of motor races | | | | Currently, the weight set by NASCAR for race |
| which have been attracting Americans year after | | | | cars is 3,400 pounds. Another rule is that the |
| year. While the sport may not seem as physical | | | | distance between the front and rear wheels |
| as other sports such as baseball, football, and | | | | should also be uniform on all race cars which |
| basket ball, a huge number of Americans are | | | | would compete in the Nextel Cup Series. The |
| supporting sports based on the speed of | | | | wheelbase of all race cars should be 100 inches. |
| automobiles. And when one speaks of car race, | | | | The fuel capacity of these race cars are also |
| the first thing that comes to mind is the NASCAR | | | | controlled by NASCAR. For most tracks, the |
| Nextel Cup Series. | | | | mandated fuel capacity is 17.5 gallons. All race cars |
| The said championship series has captured the | | | | entering the contest should have the same fuel |
| imagination of millions of Americans who are | | | | type which is 110 octane unleaded fuel as ruled by |
| known for their attraction to speed contests. The | | | | the sport’s sanctioning body. The cars’ |
| United States is also undoubtedly the biggest | | | | top speed also has a limit which is set at 235 |
| market for automobiles in the world which is a | | | | miles per hour. |
| reason for the love of automobiles shown by | | | | For a car to be permitted to race at the Nextel |
| Americans. As popular as the Nextel Cup Series | | | | Cup Series, its engine should conform to the rules |
| may be, there are still a large number of people | | | | set by the National Association for Stock Car |
| who are still in the dark what this sport is about. | | | | Auto Racing or NASCAR. For instance, electronic |
| Basically, the Nextel Cup is a series of races | | | | features are not permitted and instead, |
| where the best race car driver, as judged by the | | | | mechanical parts are used. This keeps the costs |
| number of points received during the duration of | | | | from ballooning for the benefit of teams |
| the entire series of races is crowned as the | | | | competing in the races. Engines allowed to be |
| champion. The motorsport can be traced back to | | | | used on race cars competing in the Nextel Cup |
| the days when races are between “strictly | | | | Series should have eight cylinders with combustion |
| stock” cars or cars which have not been | | | | chambers measuring 358 cubic inches. To keep |
| modified in any way. During those early days, one | | | | the cars equal power output is set at a maximum |
| can bring a car to the tracks and race it. | | | | of approximately 750 horsepower. |
| Today though, the race cars used in the Nextel | | | | An interesting fact about these race cars is their |
| Cup Series are tailor made for racing. Although | | | | headlights. Since these cars are raced only during |
| teams can tinker with their cars to make it better | | | | the day, they do not need to have a pair of |
| than the competition’s, NASCAR imposes | | | | headlights. The actual headlights that we see in |
| rules to keep the cars equal. This year, four car | | | | front of these cars are in fact decals which look |
| brands have their vehicles racing at the series. | | | | realistic enough to fool the unknowing person. |
| These are Ford, Dodge, Toyota, and Chevrolet. | | | | Another interesting fact about these race cars is |
| The latter has been dominating the current series | | | | that they have to meet a number of templates |
| by winning nine of the last ten races. | | | | that NASCAR is using to make sure that the |
| While a NASCAR Nextel Cup race car can be | | | | shape of the cars is almost uniform. The tires |
| modified for racing, they must have three stock | | | | used on these cars have no tread on them which |
| parts from manufacturers. These three parts are | | | | is the reason why the Jimmy Stewart 400 was |
| the roof, the trunk lid, and the hood of the cars. | | | | postponed due to the rain that poured during the |
| Aside from these three parts, the chassis, the | | | | event. The absence of treads on the tires of |
| drive train, suspension, steering, and other | | | | these cars makes them impossible to race in wet |
| systems can be modified to make the car so as | | | | tracks. The tire compound used on these |
| to be suited to the demands of high speed | | | | cars’ tire is harder than those used by other |
| operations. In fact, aftermarket parts such as the | | | | motorsport vehicles given the fact that these |
| Pacesetter exhaust parts can be used by these | | | | race cars significantly weigh more. |
| race cars. While these systems can be tinkered | | | | |