Essentially, when dealing with auto racing sponsorships, it's handy to think in terms of teams initially, rather than drivers. Racing teams compete in many different series. Some compete in North American-based series, while others prefer a more international flavor to their racing. What follows is a brief description of those various series, and who competes in them.
-
NASCAR is the most popular form of motorsports in America today. Having started in the south by the France family in the late 40's, it has blossomed into a nation-wide series with world-wide appeal. Some of the more popular NASCAR teams are Haas CNC Racing, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, McClure Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Racing, Evernham Motorsports, Brett Bodine Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Wood Brothers Racing, Bill Davis Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, Petty Enterprises, Jasper Motorsports, and Robert Yates Racing.
Within the NASCAR organization, there are three separate racing series:
- The Nextel Cup, is the premier series in NASCAR. This is where the big dogs run for big money at the big races. Names like Earnhardt, Stewart, Kenseth, Gordon and Petty race at tracks like Daytona, Talladega and Rockingham.
- The Busch Series is the final rung in the ladder before young racers finally make it into the Nextel Cup. This is where you get to prove yourself that you can run with big boys before making that final step into cup cars. And just to make the Busch Series even more interesting, Nextel Cup regulars like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Michael Waltrip, Mark Martin and other sometimes join in the racing action. Think of it like Alex Rodriguez playing some AA ball for a weekend.
- The Craftsman Truck Series was originally started by NASCAR for two reasons: give younger, inexperienced racers a chances to become familiar with NASCAR from the inside, and showcase their tallents to the racing fans and sponsors. Now, The Craftsman Truck Series stands as a great series in its own right, with a reputations for hard-nosed, door handle-to-door handle, fender-bangin' racing at its best. Read more about NASCAR teams.
-
IRL, the Indy Racing League is an American-based open wheel racing series. The crown jewel for the IRL (if not for all racing) is the world famous Indy 500. They race on the widest variety of courses: short ovals, road courses, super-speedways and street circuits.
Some famous IRL teams are Team Rahal, Marlboro Team Penske, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Andretti Green Racing, Panther Racing, Kelley Racing, as well as Newman/Haas Racing (co-owned by actor/racer Paul Newman), Rocketsports Racing, and Rahal Letterman Racing(owned and operated by Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal and television star David Letterman).
There are two predominant feeder series for the IRL, the Infiniti Pro Series (IPS) and Formula Atlantic.
Dedicated to promote young up & coming talent for American open-wheel racing, the Infiniti Pro Series (IPS), features close, wheel-to-wheel action in equally matched cars. This is the place where Indy starts of tomorrow can be seen today.
Formula Atlantic is a long running series that features standing starts and fast action on a wide variety of tracks. Formula Atlantic alumni read like a who's who of racing: Bobby Rahal, Keke Rosberg, Gilles and Jacque Villenueve, Danny Sullivan were all Formula Atlantic champions. Read more about IRL teams.
-
Champ Car/OWRS (formally CART) contests races primarily in North & South America. They race on the widest variety of courses: short ovals, road courses, super-speedways and street circuits. Some of the better known OWRS teams include Newman/Haas Racing (co-owned by actor/racer Paul Newman), Player's/Forsythe Racing, Rocketsports Racing, Team Rahal (owned and operated by Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal) Visteon/Patrick Racing and Derrick Walker Racing. Read more about OWRS teams.
Formula Atlantic is the primary feeder series for Champ Car racing. Its featured hall marks are standing starts and fast action on a wide variety of tracks. Formula Atlantic alumni read like a who's who of racing: Bobby Rahal, Keke Rosberg, Gilles and Jacque Villenueve, Danny Sullivan were all Formula Atlantic champions.
-
ALMS The American Le Mans Series, the premier North American sports car racing series. This series is affiliated with, and races the same type of cars that compete at the world famous Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race. Teams such as Audi, Joest, Team Bentley, Prodrive and others compete.
Johnny Benson's MBV Motorsports car on display at the Brickyard 400. - Grand Prix or Formula 1 racing, is the highest level of motorsports in the world. It is a form of open wheel racing that takes place on road courses that are held across five continents and are contested by teams such as Ferrari, Mercedes, Jaguar, Toyota, Honda and Renault. Read more about Formula 1 teams.
- The World Rally Championship (WRC) is one of the most demanding and challenging motor sport competitions on the planet. The WRC is for production-based cars such as Citroen, Ford, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Skoda and Subaru. Read more about WRC teams.
-
USAC (The United States Auto Club) is the traditional home of oval and dirt track racing in the US. This is where racing legends like Foyt, Rutherford, Vukovich and Andretti got their start.
- The Silver Crown Series is the top step of the USAC pyramid. Once you've run & won here, your racing path takes you either to the Indy 500, or to NASCAR.
- The Sprint Car Series is very much like The Silver Crown Series, but, as the name implies, the races are shorter, more hard fought, go-for-broke type of affairs. Similar looking cars, but a bit shorter and with less horsepower. This is where a driver can show if the talent they displayed in the Midget Series can be grown, or weather they were just a flash in the pan.
- The USAC Midget Series is where the young guns of American racing first get to show their stuff on a national level. No more being a big fish, in a little regional pond for you if you're in this series. Time to show what you've got, and if you've got the stuff, then get ready for a fast career.
