The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport - with more of the top 20 highest-attended sporting events in the U.S. than any other sport.

With a points system that gives a maximum 195 points to the winning driver (185 for the win, 5 points for leading a lap and a further 5 points for leading the most laps) there is no shortage of overtaking - whether on the traditional 'oval' circuits or the road courses more familiar to european race fans or watchers of F1.

The seasons starts with probably the biggest race in the USA - the Daytona 500, named after its 500 mile duration (so that's 200 laps of a 2.5 mile oval), which takes place at Daytona Beach, Florida, during February. To get into the race a driver has to qualify in one of the 'Gatorade Duel' races that happen in the preceeding week.

The full season takes on a distinct flavour 10 races from the end - with the start of 'The Chase' - where the top 12 drivers at that stage are locked-in to the championship battle, effectively creating a race within a race for these drivers towards the final race at Homestead-Miami and the championship crown.

Nascar provide a very handy 'fan guide' in pdf format - download it here