ASCAR

### Attendance

198,000 spectators (2018 Daytona 500), broadcast to 150+ countries, average TV audience of 3.3 million per race

ASCAR **(Automation Stock Car Auto Racing)** is a stock car racing and sanctioning with three different series, two of them exclusively American (Junior Series and Trucks) and the Cup (also the most important) being a worldwide series since the 2012 season. They are also involved in sanctioning thousands of local events and races in Canada, the US and Mexico each year. Furthermore, ASCAR has actively sanctioned eSports, stemming from a partnership with eRacing in 2010.

## History

In the 1920s and 30s, Daytona Beach became known as the place to set world land speed records, replacing the need to travel to France and Belgium as the preferred location for land speed records. By the time the Bonneville Salt Flats came into use, Daytona already had achieved mass popularity and was considered as the centre of racing activities in the US.

Stock car racing in the United States has its origins in bootlegging during Prohibition when drivers ran bootleg whiskey made primarily in the Appalachian region of the United States. Bootleggers needed to distribute their illicit products, and they typically used small, fast vehicles to better evade the police. The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 dried up some of their business, but the racing did not abate and the cars did not stop improving; by 1940, races featuring these cars were being run for pride and profit. These races were popular entertainment in the rural Southern United States. Most races in those days were of modified street vehicles that were lightened and reinforced.

The first season was held in 1951 starting in Daytona Beach. From that moment onwards it became the headquarters for ASCAR operations and also the central racing location, where the Daytona 500, Daytona Truck and Junior races are held today.

## The Series

As of 2018, ASCAR hosts three series, listed from least to most important:

### Yo Tires Junior Series

The Yo Tires Junior Series is the lowest level ASCAR series. The cars are the least powerful, with V6s instead of V8s, as well as smaller chassis and bodies. The Junior series serves both as a launching point for many driver's careers as publicized professional racing drivers, but also as a feeder series into the Cup championship.

The schedule consists of five races per season, with only one Superspeedway (Daytona) and the rest being road courses or short ovals:

1. Welcome To The Oval 100 at Daytona
2. Vega Desert Duels 50 at Sonoma
3. Keika Katana 100 at Watkins Glen
4. Please Buy 100 at Bristol
5. March to the Sea 100 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway

The winner of the Junior Series receives the title of "ASCAR Promise of the year".

### IKAE Truck Series

With slightly restricted V8s, the racing becomes faster and more dangerous than in the Junior series. Despite the fact that drivers in this series usually have prior racing experience, this is still designed for drivers that can be considered amateurs relative to the Cup series drivers. This series is usually the last step for a driver before the Cup, but it is not necessary.

The schedule consists, once again, of five races, with two Superspeedway locations (Daytona and Talladega), one road course and two ovals:

1. Whole Paycheck Market 250 at Daytona
2. Stallion-Morab Challenge at Road America
3. Cthulhu Fhtagn 150 at Talladega
4. Blue Bull 150 at the Auto Club Fontana
5. Moron Energy 100 at Bristol

The winner of the Truck Series is given the title of "National Stock Car Racing Champion".

### Worldwide Cup Series

The Cup series is the sport's highest level of professional competition. It is consequently the most popular and most profitable ASCAR series. Ambiguous use of "ASCAR" as a synonym for the series is common, otherwise, it is known as "Cup". Since 2012 it has consisted of at least 7 rounds at tracks around the world, with the opening and final rounds both held in the US where the final few rounds are known as "the Playoffs". The cars in this series run unrestricted V8s, more advanced aerodynamics and finely tuned, advanced chassis creating an image for the series as the fastest, most exciting and most dangerous as well.

1. Daytona 500 (brought to you) by Mexaco
2. Nurburgking 300 at the Nurburgring GP
3. Conservative Insurance 400 at Monza
4. Dickyards 400 at Indianapolis
5. Conke Cola 250 at Suzuka
6. Erin of America 355 at Watkins Glen
7. LMC 150 Sprint at Sonoma
8. ACA BlueBoost 400 at Homestead Miami

The winner of the Worldwide Cup Series is immediately included in the ASCAR Hall of Fame and given the title of "Automation Stock Car World Champion".

### Regulations

An ASCAR Cup car is defined as a car with a naturally aspirated V8, a manual gearbox, solid rear axle and a front engined-rear wheel drive configuration. Initially, balance in racing was loosely enforced and the cars needed to be stock (OE) cars that were modified (sometimes homologated for competition). However, over the years, the structure has changed such that since the late 1970s, all cars began using standardized spaceframe chassis with fibreglass shells. Due to the lasting effects of the oil crisis, the ASCAR organisation took a stance focusing heavily on aerodynamics development.