Ultimate NASCAR Quiz: History and Trivia (Part 1)
Written by Vasilii Kulev
Last updated · 6 min play time
This quiz is all about history, the tracks, and the drama. It is said that a true NASCAR fan will bleed oil from their veins for this passion. Are you that type of fan? Get your brain engine revving and take our quiz to find out!
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, short for NASCAR, is an American auto racing operating company that it's best known for stock racing. The company was founded by Bill France SR. in 1948, and his son, Jim France, has been the CEO since August 6, 2018.
The NASCAR company is currently headquartered in Daytona Beach Florida. The race each year sanctions over 1,500 races and brings thousands of stock cars in their tracks. Although some people prefer Formula 1 over NASCAR, the truth is some of the best muscle cars were inspired by NASCAR stock ones.
Are you a true fan of NASCAR? Quickly rev your engine and start our quiz to find out whether you can be a champion!
Quiz written by
Vasilii KulevVasilii Kulev is a digital marketing specialist during business hours and a trivia writer in his spare time. His areas of interest range from cars and music to science, history, and food. Whenever he's not busy writing quizzes, you can catch him at the local used records store or the newest craft beer bar. He also wrote this entire bio himself in third person.
NASCAR (Part 1) Quiz Questions
20 Questions · 185 Plays · No comments
Question 1
Flags are one of the main ways that the personnel of the race track can communicate with the drivers. Take the green flag, for instance — what does it mean?
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AThere has been an accident
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BThe weather conditions are satisfactory
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CThe race has started
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DAll drivers must slow down
The race has started
The green flag is rather self-explanatory and simply means that the drivers can start racing at full speed.
Question 2
The spotter is one of the NASCAR driver's best friends and aides. What is the spotter's main task?
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ATo perform CPR in case of a crash
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BTo update the driver on the race situation
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CTo coordinate the pit stop repairs
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DTo replace the driver if they're too tired to continue
To update the driver on the race situation
The spotters is a driver's eyes, ears, and brain — they monitor the race from the boxes and communicate with the driver about the situation on the race track and strategy.
Question 3
NASCAR races usually happen on Sundays. However, that doesn't mean that the teams and the racers are idle for the rest of the week. What happens at a NASCAR race track on, say Wednesdays and Tuesdays?
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AThe teams mingle and party with each other
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BThe race track is repaved
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CNothing happens and the racers just rest before the main race
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DThe race cars are tested
The race cars are tested
Preparation is key to winning a race — that's why NASCAR teams start testing out their vehicles well before the actual races, usually on Wednesdays and Tuesdays.
Question 4
Stripes on the body of a racecar can have multiple meanings. In NASCAR, a specific color is reserved for rookie drivers. What color is that?
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AYellow
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BBlack
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CBlue
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DOrange
Yellow
First-year drivers — also known as rookie drivers — must have yellow stripes adorn their vehicles. This is to let the spectators and other drivers know that while that driver might be a rising start, they might not yet be so experienced.
Question 5
NASCAR might not be the oldest racing organization out there, but it certainly has a rich history. Do you know the year it was founded?
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A1948
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B1938
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C1955
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D1943
1948
Known more formally as the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, NASCAR was founded in 1948 by Bill France Sr., a businessman and enthusiast racer.
Question 6
There are many racing circuits across the US that host NASCAR races. However, only one of them has the privilege of only hosting one race — once per season. Which circuit is that?
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ADaytona International Speedway
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BIndianapolis Motor Speedway
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CAutodrome Chaudière
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DBristol Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Also known as The Brickyard because of the portion of the track that's paved with bricks, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is widely considered to be the holy grail of all NASCAR race tracks. One of the largest sports venues in the world, it also hosts the famous Indy 500 racing series for Indycars.
Question 7
The 1970 Rebel 400 was a NASCAR event that is known for a crash involving Richard Petty. What did he inspire NASCAR to do?
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AImplement safety belt
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BImplement airbags
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CImplement traction control
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DImplement window nets
Implement window nets
Richard Petty's crash inspired NASCAR to implement the window net, a mandatory safety feature in NASCAR vehicles. The window net protects the driver from flying debris and it contains their arms.
Question 8
All motorsport associations try to make their sport safer for the drivers — and NASCAR is no exception. What specific safety measure was introduced in 1994 on all NASCAR cars?
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APlexiglass windows
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BRacing cages
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CRoof flaps
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DAirbags
Roof flaps
Introduced in 1994, the roof flaps are intended to help control the airflow around the car at high speeds and prevent the cars from flipping. Needless to say, since their introduction, the flaps saved countless lives.
Question 9
NASCAR is a popular sport all across the Southern US — and beyond! However, one place, in particular, is specifically known as the home of NASCAR — or "NASCAR Valley". Which one?
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ADaytona Beach, Florida
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BBaton Rouge, Louisiana
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CCharlotte, North Carolina
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DAtlanta, Georgia
Charlotte, North Carolina
NASCAR was born in Charlotte — and it still remains an important part of the city's culture and economy. In fact, 73% of all American motorsport professionals are employed in Charlotte.
Question 10
With those mighty engines, NASCAR vehicles are certainly not the lightest in motorsport. Moreover, their weight is regulated. What is the average weight of a NASCAR car?
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A3,200 lbs
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B3,600 lbs
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C2,500 lbs
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D2,900 lbs
3,200 lbs
The NASCAR rules say the car's weight should be under 3,400 lbs for it to be eligible to compete. However, manufactures do their best to achieve at least some degree of weight reduction. As a result, most NASCAR racers weigh in at around 3,200 pounds.
Question 11
Not only are the NASCAR vehicles themselves different from the factory versions — so are the tires. What makes them special?
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AMaterial they are made of
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BWidth and lack of treads
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CThickness
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DSoftness
Width and lack of treads
Known as "slicks" because they are, well, slick, NASCAR tires do not have any treads and are way thicker than your average consumer tires — all to ensure maximum grip at high speeds.
Question 12
No NASCAR team can succeed without a great leader — in this case, the owner. What is the main responsibility of a NASCAR racing team owner?
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ADesigning the drivetrain
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BCoaching the drivers
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CSecuring funding
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DPromoting the team
Securing funding
In many ways, racing team owners are like CEOs of Fortune 500 companies — that is, they oversee everything from vehicle design and training. However, their main responsibility is, arguably, getting funding from sponsors.
Question 13
The first race officially sanctioned by NASCAR took place on June 19, 1949. The question is — where?
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ADaytona International Speedway
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BCharlotte Speedway
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CIndianapolis Motor Speedway
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DTexas Motor Speedway
Charlotte Speedway
The first "Strictly Stock" NASCAR race took place on the dirt track that's now the Charlotte Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. Glenn Dunaway's triumph in the 200-lap race was witnessed by around 13,000 people and helped pave the way for the evolution of stock car racing.
Question 14
NASCAR is known for the incredible amount of money that companies spend on sponsorships. How much does sponsoring a team for a single race typically cost?
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AAround $500,000
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BAround $100,000
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CAround $700,000
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DAround $6 million
Around $500,000
Getting your name out in NASCAR is expensive for companies — a single race can cost as much as $500,000. However, considering the exposure that companies get, this value might be justified.
Question 15
The cabin of a NASCAR race car can get very hot during the race. As a result, the drivers sweat quite excessively. Just how much liquid can a NASCAR driver lose during a race?
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ABetween 3 and 4 pounds
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BAround 1 pound
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CAround 5 pounds
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DAround 2 pounds
Between 3 and 4 pounds
To qualify to be a NASCAR driver, one must not only have excellent driving skills — but also physical endurance. The heat inside the cabin alone can cause the driver to lose between 3 and 4 pounds of water.
Question 16
The closest finish in NASCAR history happened at the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400. Driving for PPI Motorsports in a Pontiac, Ricky Craven beat Kurt Busch of Roush Racing in an unbelievably close call. How much time did Craven beat Busch by?
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A0.002 seconds
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B0.001 seconds
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C0.2 seconds
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D0.00001 seconds
0.002 seconds
The 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 race was quite an intense competition between Craven and Busch. Nevertheless, Craven ended up taking the win — even if it was by a thousandth of a second. Winning is winning!
Question 17
A NASCAR racer is only as good as their crew. How many members does a typical NASCAR pit crew consist of?
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A10
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B6
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C7
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D12
7
A typical NASCAR crew includes seven members: two tire changers and two tire carriers for each axle of the vehicle, the gas man, the gas catch man, and the jack man.
Question 18
Did you know that trucks compete in NASCAR as well? Of course, the racing versions are quite different from the production models. How much lighter are NASCAR-spec trucks on average?
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A1,000 pounds
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B400 pounds
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C350 pounds
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D100 pounds
400 pounds
The trucks from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series weigh in at around 400 pounds less than the factory models. On top of that, they also boast much more power — so don't you dare make fun of them on the track.
Question 19
If you've read our introduction, you'll already know this, but where are the NASCAR headquarters located?
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ADaytona Beach, Florida
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BCharlotte, North Carolina
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CMobile, Alabama
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DChicago, Illinois
Daytona Beach, Florida
The main headquarters of NASCAR are located in Daytona Beach, Florida — even though the Association has locations and oversees events all over the United States.
Question 20
You need a ton of power to hit 200 mph and stay at that speed for hours. Do you know just how much horsepower NASCAR cars have?
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AAround 700
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BAround 1000
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CAround 900
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DAround 600
Around 900
Contemporary NASCAR racecars feature between 800 and 900 horsepower coming from good old American V8s. This hike in power is largely due to the use of fuel injection and other innovative engine designs.
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