NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series (formerly the NASCAR Winston West Series) is a regional stock car racing division of NASCAR. The West Series was first formed in 1954 as a proving ground for drivers from the West who could not travel to race in the more traditional stock car racing regions like North Carolina and the rest of the South. Drivers who have raced in the West Series include Kevin Harvick, Brendan Gaughan and Derrike Cope.

In 2003, NASCAR unified the rules for the Busch North (now Busch East) and the West Series, forming the Grand National Division for cars in both series, concluding with the Toyota All Star Showdown in Irwindale, CA, for the Grand National championship.

The series ran two seasons without a sponsor before AutoZone took over sponsorship of the West series, following NASCAR's announcement to discontinue the AutoZone Elite Division after 2006, due to declining support in all four Elite Divisions.

For 2007, NASCAR made several rule changes including a "spec" engine and a composite body to reduce the cost of competing in both the Busch East Series and the AutoZone West Series.

The other regional division at the Grand National level of NASCAR is the Busch East Series.

[edit] References

• NASCAR Nextel Cup Series 2006 Media Guide. Daytona Beach, FL: NASCAR PR, 2006.
• "Winning the West" by Scott Keyes, Stock Car Racing, retrieved June 21, 2006