How many nascar drivers are there?

Question

How many nascar drivers are there and how many race? How are they chosen for the races?

Answer 1

43 drivers are can qualify for every race. That said there are probably 100 different drivers who will race in a given year, about 30-40 who regularly race each week.
Most drivers have to qualify, but there are also 7 provisional positions given to drivers who fail to qualify on time, but have either won a championship (Champions Provisional) or make it on owner points. Its complicated and I'm sure you'd find a better answer on nascar.com.
Hope that helps.

Answer 2

In the 2005 season, 88 different drivers made at least one start. The race line-up consists of 43 drivers, ( I guess it's a Richard Petty number thing?). 36 drivers qualify on timed qualifying, 6 provisionals based on car owner points of the current year, and one spot available for the most recent past NASCAR CUP Champion, if none available, would then go to the next highest in car owner points. I still feel the car owner points thing is unfair, as other Teams must pack-up and go home eventhough they qualified faster. That's why I like NHRA's way of thinking, if you can't qualify, you don't belong in the program.

Answer 3

Nextel Cup drivers:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/cup/drivers
(Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the best, just my opinion.) :-)

Busch series drivers:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/busch/drivers

Craftsman Truck series drivers:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/truck/drivers

(Some Nextel Cup drivers are also in Busch and/or Truck series.)

There are 36 races in a season & there are 30 total tracks, but some just hold Nextel, Busch, or truck. You'll see what I mean when you click the link.
Schedule:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2006/data/schedule.html
Tracks:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/tracks

Qualifying determines if you race or not. Now, this is where drivers' points come into play. The top 35 in points are locked into the race. The people who aren't in the top 35 have to qualify fast enough to make the field. There are usually people that have to go home. The Nextel Cup series & the Busch series have 43 drivers that make up the field. There are usually around 36 drivers that make up the field in the truck series.

Now, hopefully I didn't confuse you too much, lol.
If you have any other questions try looking here:
http://www.nascar.com/kyn/

Answer 4

Courtney: there are several different answers to your question, when you said NASCAR were you referring to just the cup drivers? If not then anybody who has driven a car at a sanctioned race track will be considered a NASCAR driver. If you are asking about Cup Drivers there is about 100 who are allowed to race, one thing is the super speedways. The driver can race in his rookie season if they have driven on a track that is considered a super speedway IE: California, Atlanta, Michigan etc. I hope this helps you understand. Gene

Answer 5

There can be an infinite number of drivers, if I had the money to buy a racing team I could race next Sunday....IF!... I am fast enough to qualify for the race, only the fastest 43 cars can race...well, if your a past champion you get an automatic shoe-in if your not fast enough to qualify, then you start 43rd. There are other shoe-ins if you have accumulated enough owner points (top 35 in owner points) you fill in the final 7 starting spots.

Answer 6

not sure how many total nascar drivers, but in a race 43.
they qualify on speed/time as to how they start the race.

Answer 7

47 drivers fighting for 43 spots only the top 35 in owner and driver point have a locked in spot everyone else is fighting to get in on time during quailifying there is 36 races togather but it stops at 26 that when the top ten in points are fight for the cup if you dont make the chase you want to come in 11th spot for the million dollars at the end and you always want to get on the pole which is the number one spot you can go the the bud-shootout in daytona in the beginning of the year and close to the end that pays big money too

Answer 8

over 43 drivers a week
43 drivers get to race
they qualify for the race. If they are 35 or above in the owner points they are in. The others try to get in by their speed.

Answer 9

There are 75 Nextel cup drivers. 142 are listed in the Busch series and some of them are Nascar drivers also. In the Craftsman Truck Series 80 drivers are listed and some of them are also Busch and Nextel drivers.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar;_ylt=AqFhngeQB7kdgGWI5htM2c05nYcB

Answer 10

there are at least 36 races and there are a lot of drivers and only 42-44 cars qualify for a race and to qualify your car has to run a certain speed and higher around the track. and to the person who says NASCAR isnt a sport, you are right, its a way of life. and i LLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEEEEE it!!!