LADDER SYSTEM


Two-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion Andrew Ranger won a K&N Pro Series West race at Infineon Raceway, in June.


t takes a special blend of talent, ambition and perseverance to rise to the top levels in NASCAR racing. But there are op- portunities everywhere.


NASCAR LADDER SYSTEM I


FIRST STEP: NASCAR WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES A network of nearly 60 race tracks across North America com-


prises the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series – and provides the first step. NASCAR-sanctioned short track races are held on dirt and asphalt tracks of all shapes and sizes. A national champi- onship is awarded, along with U.S. state and Canadian province championships, and track championships. In this locally-based series, many drivers race as a weekend


hobby on their hometown tracks, while others move up the lad- der. Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Travis Kvapil, Bobby Labonte, Jamie Mc- Murray, and Elliott Sadler all began their careers in this series.


NEXT LEVEL: REGIONAL SERIES OFFER DRIVER DEVELOPMENT • NASCAR K&N Pro Series, East and West • NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour • NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour


For local short track competitors who aspire to reach NASCAR’s


three national series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Na- tionwide Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – NASCAR’s regional series are the place to go. These regional series compete on a variety of tracks, providing valuable experience for up-and-coming drivers, while providing special events for local fans. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series, which includes the East and the


West, is the top step in NASCAR’s developmental series before drivers make the jump to the three national series. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series race cars are similar to the cars used on the NASCAR Nationwide Series. For NASCAR K&N Pro Series racers, new cost-saving technology makes this division a more cost-effec- tive driver development program. An optional “spec” engine was introduced in 2006. It is de-


signed to be powerful and durable, yet is made from a precisely- specified set of components that help to keep engine costs down. A composite body, molded from synthetic materials, is also avail- able as an alternative to expensive sheet metal bodies. These items help teams control costs while providing them the opportu- nity to advance from their hometown short tracks to the next level. In 2007, the minimum age for the touring series was low-


62 • NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES


ered from 18 to 16, allowing for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series to become a proving ground for drivers signed by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams to development deals. Many of today’s top drivers established their careers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, including Gilliland, Brendan Gaughan, Kevin Harvick, Ron Hornaday Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, and others. It’s a feeder system for NASCAR’s three national series. Along with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, two open-wheel NASCAR Modified series are found on the East Coast. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour traces its roots back to the very first NASCAR race, held in Daytona Beach, Fla. in 1948. Many of the early NASCAR race cars were “modified” and the


f COURTESY OF NASCAR


division evolved from there. Today, these unique race cars re- main wildly popular along the Eastern Seaboard. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competes across the Northeast while the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour races throughout the Southern states.


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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT • NASCAR Canadian Tire Series • NASCAR Mexico Series


NASCAR announced the addition of two international series in


2007 – the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 and the NASCAR Mexico Series. Both series offer new opportuni- ties for Canada’s and Mexico’s top teams and drivers to showcase their talents in the NASCAR system. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, which features cars similar


to those used on the former CASCAR Super Series, operates throughout Canada with a schedule from May to October. The series is broadcast on TSN, Canada’s leading sports network. The NASCAR Mexico Series features cars similar to those used in Late Model classes at short tracks in the U.S., with fiberglass composite bodies and spec engines. The series is broadcast in Mexico on Televisa and through out Central and Latin America on FX and SPEED.


ALL-STAR OPPORTUNITY The NASCAR touring and weekly series schedule is highlighted


by the post-season NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. First run in 2003, the annual event has grown into the “Day-


tona 500 of short-track racing” and has been won by Austin Cameron (2003), Mike Johnson (2004), David Gilliland (2005), Matt Kobyluck (2006 and 2009), and Joey Logano (2007 and 2010). The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown features a 225-lap NASCAR K&N Pro Series race, along with NASCAR Whelen All- American Series Super Late Model and Late Model races. The first five events were held in the Fall before the showcase was moved to January in 2009.


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