Stock car racing

In North America, stock car racing is the most popular form of auto racing.Primarily raced on oval tracks, stock cars vaguely resemble production cars, but are in fact purpose built racing machines which are built to tight specifications also called Silhouette racing cars.

The 2012 FedEx 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International SpeedwayThe largest stock car racing governing body is NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). NASCAR s premier series is the Sprint Cup Series, its most famous races being the Daytona 500, the Southern 500, the Coca Cola 600, and the Brickyard 400. NASCAR also runs several feeder series, including the Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series (a pickup truck racing series). The series conduct races across the entire continental United States. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series conducts races across Canada and the NASCAR Toyota Series conducts races across Mexico.

NASCAR also governs several smaller regional series, such as the Whelen Modified Tour. Modified cars are best described as open wheel cars. Modified cars have no parts related to the stock vehicle for which they are named after. A number of Modified cars display a manufacturers logo and vehicle name , yet use components produced by another automobile manufacturer.

An ASA Late Model Series stock car on an asphalt track.There are also other stock car governing bodies, most notably the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA)

In the UK, British Stock car racing is also referred to as Short Circuit Racing . This takes place on shale or tarmac tracks