How to Watch a NASCAR Busch Grand National Race

Like Major League Baseball's Triple A League, NASCAR's Busch Grand National Division provides a highly competitive training arena for the future stars of the Winston Cup circuit.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Film
• Internet Access
• Computers
• Televisions
• Camcorders
• Digital Cameras
• Internet Explorer
• Camera Lenses
• SLR Camera
• Point-and-shoot Cameras
• Polaroid Cameras
• Cable Modems
• Television Schedules
• Winston Cup Scene Magazines
• Stock Car Racing Magazines
• EHobbies - Diecast Collectibles - BGN Series Race Car

Cars and Drivers

1. Watch for cars from GM and Ford.
2. Remember that Chrysler is not active in BGN. No word if it'll field a BGN team when the company re-enters Winston Cup.
3. Note that BGN cars are "purpose built" - race cars with tube frames, roll cages and other safety features covered with sheet metal similar to the "stock" models.
4. Check the lineup. GM's Monte Carlo is the dominant entry. There are far fewer Pontiac Grand Prix and Ford Tauruses.
5. Watch for up-and-coming stars like Casey Atwood, Buckshot Jones and Jeff Fuller.
6. Check out drivers who prefer to stay active in BGN like Randy Lajoie, a former BGN series champion.
7. Note that Winston Cup stars like Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon enter BGN races occasionally.

The Race

8. Remember that a BGN starting grid is set by qualifying sessions held before the race.
9. Look at the colorful BGN cars. Many fans collect die-cast models of their favorite driver's car.
10. Realize that BGN racers use many of the same tracks as Winston Cup competitors, but the series also appears at Nashville, Tennessee; Nazareth, Pennsylvania; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
11. Understand that BGN races are shorter and race speeds somewhat slower than Winston Cup races and race speeds.
12. Note that aerodynamics plays a part in BGN, with spoilers, air dams and drafting techniques.
13. Watch pit stops. A BGN car will leave the track, come to a precise stop, and the crew will change four tires and add 22 gallons of fuel in about 18 seconds.
14. Know that drivers want to conserve fuel, save wear on tires and avoid wrecks.
15. Remember that season-long performance puts a team in the running for the BGN series championship, which includes a large money prize.

Tips & Warnings

• Listening to live scanner traffic at a racetrack is not for tender ears. The pressure for teams to win is enormous, and passions - and language - can be intense.
• Youngsters should wear ear protectors while around race cars. Race cars operate with unmuffled engines and can generate harmful noise levels.