nascar ladder systeM stePPinG stOnes tO tHe tOP
first steP: reGiOnal series serVes as GrassrOOts fOundatiOn
A network of nearly 60 racetracks across North America comprises the NASCAR Whe- len 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 championship is awarded, along with US state and Canadian provincial championships, rookies of the year, and track championships.
In this locally-based series, many drivers race as a weekend hobby on their hometown tracks, while others move up the ladder. Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Dale Earn- hardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray, and Elliott Sadler all began their ca- reers in this series.
In 2011, NASCAR lowered the minimum age to 14 to run in all NASCAR Whelen All- American Series sanctioned tracks, further ce- menting the series status as the foundation for drivers looking to make their way up the NASCAR ladder. 2012 champion: Lee Pulliam
tHe neXt leVel: tOurinG 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 Nation- wide Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – NASCAR’s touring series are the place to go. These regional series compete on a vari- ety of tracks, providing valuable experience for up-and-coming drivers, while providing special events for local fans.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series, which in- cludes the East and the West, is the top step in NASCAR’s developmental ladder before driv- ers make the jump to the three national series. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series race cars are similar to the cars formerly used on the NASCAR Nationwide Series. For NASCAR K&N Pro Series racers, new cost-saving tech- nology makes this division a more cost-effec- tive driver development program. An optional ‘spec’ engine was introduced in 2006. It is designed 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 available as an alter- native to expensive sheet metal bodies. These
54 nascar canadian tire series
Canadian Cameron Hayley (#24) won the inaugural NASCAR K&N Pro Series UNOH Battle At The Beach, at Daytona International Speedway, during Speedweeks.
items help teams control costs while providing them the opportunity to advance from their hometown short tracks to the next level. In re- cent years, the minimum age for the touring series was lowered from 15, allowing the NASCAR K&N Pro Series to become a proving ground for drivers signed by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams to development deals. In recent years, many of today’s top drivers es-
tablished their careers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, including Trevor Bayne, Alex Bowman, Austin and Ty Dillon, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ryan Truex and Darrell Wallace Jr. It’s a feeder system for NASCAR’s three national series. 2012 Champions: Kyle Larson (NASCAR
K&N Pro Series East) and Dylan Kwasniewski (NASCAR K&N Pro Series West) 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, Florida in 1948.
Many of the early NASCAR race cars were ‘modified’ and the division evolved from there. Today, these unique race cars remain wildly popular along the eastern seaboard. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competes across the northeast while the NASCAR Whe- len Southern Modified Tour races throughout the southern states.
2012 Champions: Doug Coby (NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and George Brunnhoelzl (NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour)
Robert Reed internatiOnal deVelOPMent
• NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Presented by Mobil 1 • NASCAR Toyota Series • Euro-Racecar, NASCAR Touring Series NASCAR announced the addition of two in-
ternational touring series in 2007 – the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 and the Mexico-based NASCAR Toyota Series. Both series offer new opportunities for Canada’s and Mexico’s top teams and drivers to showcase their talents in the NASCAR system. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Presented
by Mobil 1, which features cars similar to those used on the former CASCAR Super Series, op- erates throughout Canada with a schedule from May to September. The series is broadcast on TSN, Canada’s leading sports network. The NASCAR Toyota Series features cars similar to those used in Late Model classes at short tracks in the US, with fiberglass composite bodies and spec engines. The series is broadcast in Mexico on Televisa and throughout Central and Latin America on FX and SPEED.
In January of 2012, NASCAR and Team FJ reached a licensing agreement to recognize Euro-Racecar as a NASCAR Touring Series. The Euro-Racecar Series competes primarily on road courses throughout Europe and held NASCAR’s first oval points race in Tours, France, in July 2012.
2012 Champions: DJ Kennington (NASCAR Canadian Tire Series), Ander Vilarino (Euro- Racear Series, NASCAR) and Jorge Goeters (NASCAR Toyota Series)
for racers determined to make it to nascar sprint cup, there are many routes available to them
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