NASCAR Driver: Anyone can want to be a famous professional athlete, but if someone wants to be a NASCAR driver, they should first get some basic experience to put on their resume.
Beginner’s Guide to NASCAR: Understanding the Basics
Beginning with the basics
1. Go-kart races. A lot of well-known race car drivers learned to drive in go-karts when they were as young as 5. Karting teaches you how to race, from how to control your car to how to change the track to go faster.
The earlier you start racing, the more likely it is that you can make it a job. While you race go-karts, try to learn as much as you can.
- Take part in karting races. All year long, there are a number of different local, national, and international cup events. Check out CIKFIA or The World Karting Association.
- If you’re not old enough to drive yet, look for a track that has races for kids. While negotiating the pack, this is a great way to learn how to drive a car around corners.
- Take part in the soap box race. More racing experience when you are young will help you if you want to work in racing as an adult.
2. Next, move on to driving real cars. Once you’ve learned everything you can from karting and won a few races, it’s time to move on to racing cars. You could try racing in junior events. Race off-road vehicles and motorbikes as a job, like Jimmie Johnson, who has won the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series seven times.
3. Take part in local races. Get better at what you do before you try to make it to a professional level. Take part in as many neighborhood races as you can. You start to build a reputation as you win races. This helps you get better at driving, build your talent, and start a job. Start with local and area races and try to get as many wins as you can.
4. Watch how skilled drivers do their job. Watch TV races. Even better, go to a track near you.
- If you can buy a pit pass, do so and ask questions of the drivers, managers, officials, and people who work in the pits.
5. Learn about how a race car works. You can find race car mechanics online or in your area. This way, you can learn everything you can about how a race car works and how it is different from a regular car.
- Learn about car repairs by reading books or taking a class at a nearby community college. If you really want to be a race car driver, you need to learn everything you can about cars, from how to use a lug wrench to how springs work.
- A reliable car is the most important thing for a race car driver. Professional drivers have a team of mechanics to keep things running smoothly, but only the driver can spot a problem early and take the car into the pits before it gets into trouble at high speeds.
6. Help out a neighborhood driver’s crew by giving your time. As a volunteer, you’ll probably need some basic skills, like knowing how to fix things. However, some programs train volunteers. Drivers who are having trouble will sometimes be glad for any help, which can help you learn on the job.
- A lot of beginner and semi-pro teams need help with different tasks. To make friends and learn new things, this is a good idea.
7. Take a driving course for NASCAR. Most big speedways let you drive. You can ride along for laps, follow a pace car, or take on the ultimate driver’s-seat challenge with an experienced passenger using hand signals to show you around the track.
- “Fantasy” driving schools teach you everything you need to know about safety and communication on the track. They also teach you how to follow the rules of the track and give you the chance to drive a race car for 3 to 40 laps.
Mastering the Track: Your Guide to Becoming a Professional NASCAR Driver
Like a Professional
1. Get a job as an intern at NASCAR. A lot of race car drivers don’t go to college, but it won’t hurt to get a degree while you race and improve your skills. Having a degree and job ready in case you don’t make it is always a good idea. Also, some race companies, like NASCAR, let college students do internships.
- There’s more to becoming a NASCAR driver than just driving race cars. You need to train your mind to deal with the business side of racing as well. Racing is becoming more and more famous, and fans are investing millions of dollars into the sport. To give new NASCAR drivers an edge, they might benefit from getting more training in business and communication.
2. Go to a school for racing. There are many groups that give driving schools, such as the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). One more thing that a group like SCCA can do is help you get a job in the business as a worker or inspector. This could help you become a race car driver.
- The Mazda Road to Indy has a driving school, championships, and other ways to get into racing as a job. Even if it’s not NASCAR, going to this could help your job get off the ground.
3. Get a License to compete. You will need to apply for a racing license before you get behind the wheel. There are many groups that can help you with this process, even though it can be hard.
People who have raced before and people who have never raced before are limited in slightly different ways. You can get a race license by going to racing schools.
You will have to get a physical before you can get a racing license.
The first license you will get is a novice or provisional racing license. The driver will be able to get a full competition license after successfully playing in a certain number of races put on by the organization.
4. Do not get a race car. There is no doubt that race cars are very expensive. You have to buy the race car and everything that goes with it, like a trailer, a tow truck and tools. Test drive and race for a few years before buying a race car. Make sure you know how to fix it and drive it.
5. Get some cash. There are a lot of people who say that racing is one of the most expensive games. You can get money from sponsors or pay your own way to race. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to run a season when you’re just starting out. This includes all the gear and other things you need.
Meeting new people is one way to get support and money. To meet people, you have to win races. If you’re not doing well in a higher division, try racing in a lower division and taking the lead. It looks better to tell donors that you won than that you came in fourth or fifth.
Tell everyone about how well you did. Get a public relations team, even if it’s just family or friends, and use social media to get the word out. Make a website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account to talk about your wins.
6. Get in shape and keep it up. Being physically fit is very important if you want to be a good race car driver. Driving at almost 200 miles per hour (322 km/h) is very hard on the body. A driver who is fit and healthy will be better able to handle the heat, G-Forces, and damaging pressure. Not only that, but race cars can go faster when the driver is lighter. But don’t think this will give you a big advantage…NASCAR puts weights in cars where the driver is less than 200 pounds.
Main NASCAR series
1. The NASCAR Cup Series
The main series in NASCAR, with the best drivers and teams.
2. NASCAR Xfinity Series series
The second-level series that many people see as a way to get to the Cup Series.
3. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is all about pickup trucks, which makes the race different from the other series.
4. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
The Northeastern U.S. loves the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, which has stock cars that have been changed.
5. Nostalgia Series for NASCAR
The Canadian series shows off Canadian cars and teams.
6. The NASCAR Euro Series
NASCAR’s European branch, which holds races in several European countries.
7. Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series for NASCAR
There are local and regional short-track racing events, and tracks from all over the country take part.
8. NASCAR ARCA Series by Menards
A series for up-and-coming drivers and experienced drivers alike, meant to help them get to the higher NASCAR series.
How Much price distribute in the NASCAR series
Prize money in NASCAR is split between the different series, and the amounts can be very different from one series and race to the next. A quick look at the big picture:
1. The NASCAR Cup Series:
Prize Pool: Usually in the tens of millions of dollars every year.
Race Payouts: Depending on the race, the top three finishers can get anywhere from $10,000 to over $1 million.
2. NASCAR Xfinity Series:
Prize Pool: Several million dollars every year.
Race Payouts: Payouts for races usually run from $5,000 to $100,000 for first place.
3. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Prize Pool: Several million dollars every year.
Race Payouts: Payouts for the race range from $4,000 to over $50,000 for the winners.
4. On the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Prize Pool: A few hundred thousand bucks every year.
Race Payouts: The top spots usually get between $5,000 and $20,000.
5. Nostalgia Series for NASCAR
Prize Pool: Every year, about $1 million is given away.
Race Payouts: Prizes for winning a race usually run from $5,000 to $15,000.
6. The NASCAR Euro Series
Prize Pool: Between $500k and $1 million a year.
Race Payouts: The top spots usually get between $3,000 and $10,000.
Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series for NASCAR
Prize Pool: As for the prize pool, it varies by track but is usually several hundred thousand dollars for everyone.
Race Payouts: Payouts for races range from $500 to $5,000, but it depends on the track and event.
7. NASCAR ARCA Series by Menards
Prize Pool: A few hundred thousand bucks every year.
Race Prizes: The top winners usually get between $2,000 and $20,000.
Prize amounts can change if NASCAR’s rules or agreements change, if there are special events, or if there are sponsorships.
FAQ’s
Q1: How much do NASCAR drivers make?
Ans: What does a NASCAR driver get paid? About $112,038 a year is what NASCAR drivers make. The exact number is based on their experience, success, popularity, team affiliations, sponsorships, or how well they do.
Q2: How do drivers make it to NASCAR?
Ans: Sometimes it takes a long time and a lot of hard work to become a NASCAR driver. You have to go to race school, get a racing licence and really understand how a car’s system works.
Q3: Who makes more, NASCAR or F1?
Ans: A driver in Formula 1 makes more money than a driver in NASCAR. Yes, and they deserve it. Being an F1 driver is more than just sitting in a car.
Q4: How to become a F1 driver?
Ans: A lot of new drivers start out in Kart Racing or Karting. When you race karts, you can either drive your own kart or a team’s kart. Following that, you can take part in regional competitions and move up the ranks. Scouts look for talented drivers to join Formula 4, 3, and 2, which are lower-level events that lead to Formula 1.
Q5: Can a woman work as a driver for NASCAR?
Ans: Nothing stands in the way of a woman driving a NASCAR.
