NASCAR features

People · 3 min read

The crew chief is the closest thing racing has to a manager

One person holds the setup, the strategy and the driver's confidence together for four hours, mostly by radio.

How to watch · 3 min read

How to watch a race you know nothing about

You do not need to know the field. You need three habits, and the race explains itself from there.

People · 3 min read

The quiet craft of a pit crew

A few seconds of choreography, rehearsed thousands of times, with a full race resting on whether one person's hand finds the right place.

Business · 3 min read

The charter system, and why teams fight over it

Charters gave teams something they never had: an asset. That is why every negotiation about them is tense.

Calendar · 3 min read

The short-track argument the sport keeps having

Fans ask for more short tracks. The calendar answers with more variety. Both are responding to the same problem.

Safety · 3 min read

What safety progress cost, and what it bought

Barriers, restraints and a redesigned car were not free. They changed the racing as well as saving lives.