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North Carolina Is The Most NASCAR Obsessed State (Of Course We Are)

Author Melanie Day
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Monster Energy Toyota, leads the field during the NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on March 26, 2023 in Austin, Texas.

I read a lot of these types of studies daily. Sometimes they make sense, sometimes they catch me by surprise, and sometimes they just have me saying “of course”. I’d be shocked if it was any other way. This is the latter. A new study found that North Carolina ranked number one for states interested in NASCAR. Looks like they put the NASCAR Hall of Fame in the correct location. The study was conducted by Betpack.com using the monthly search volume per 100,000 searched for NASCAR drivers. With this data, they compiled a list of the 10 states that show the most interest in NASCAR.

And topping the list was North Carolina.  A search volume of 1,457 per 100,000 reflects the culture of NASCAR in the state. Coming in second was our neighbors to the south, yes South Carolina. And keeping it close Virginia ranked third. Here’s how the top 10 shaped out:

  1. North Carolina
  2. South Carolina
  3. Virginia
  4. West Virginia
  5. Tennessee
  6. Indiana
  7. Iowa
  8. District of Columbia
  9. Georgia
  10. Vermont

Perhaps the one that stands out the most to me is Vermont. While I’ve never visited, and actually am not a NASCAR fan, I don’t see the two of them aligning much. But what do I know? About both of those things very little! One thing I do know, is that me aside, North Carolina loves it some NASCAR.

These are the Most Wreck-Prone NASCAR Cup Drivers

Crashing ruins the promise of a race day for NASCAR betting fans as well as drivers. It is possible for multiple cars to slide sideways at some tracks, sending the unluckiest among them taking heavy damage and ending their events early. Bookies.com crunched the data and found out which NASCAR drivers wreck the most and which wreck the least.

See the rest of the current NASCAR Cup Series drivers ranked by the percentage of races they have finished in their careers here.

  • Which NASCAR Drivers Fail To Finish Most Often?

    Driver Career Starts Running At Finish (RAF) Crash Rate
    Cody Ware 66 44 33%
    Todd Gilliland 11 8 27%
    Harrison Burton 12 9 25%
    Michael McDowell 404 263 23%
    Austin Cindric 18 14 22%
    Justin Haley 47 38 20%
    B.J. McLeod 94 77 18%
    Corey Lajoie 175 145 17%
    William Byron 155 132 15%
    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 339 292 14%
    Kyle Larson 270 233 14%
    Cole Custer 86 74 14%
    Bubba Wallace 159 139 13%
    Tyler Reddick 85 74 13%
    Erik Jones 194 169 13%
    Chase Briscoe 47 41 13%
    Ross Chastain 126 111 12%
    Ryan Blaney 245 215 12%
    Josh Bilicki 77 68 12%
    Christopher Bell 83 73 12%
    Aric Almirola 399 352 12%
    Martin Truex Jr. 596 531 11%
    Daniel Suarez 190 169 11%
    Kurt Busch 767 684 11%
    Kyle Busch 617 551 11%
    Alex Bowman 236 209 10%
    Chase Elliott 232 209 10%
    Chris Buescher 233 209 10%
    Austin Dillon 311 284 9%
    Joey Logano 482 442 8%
    Brad Keselowski 460 425 8%
    Denny Hamlin 589 542 8%
    Ty Dillon 177 163 8%
    Kevin Harvick 765 723 5%

  • Behind The NASCAR Crash Numbers

    You may be surprised by some of these numbers. First, it’s obvious that the Dillon boys are grandchildren of a race team owner because they know how to take care of equipment. Harvick, for example, has averaged fewer than two DNFs per season over a period of two decades. Good drivers don’t just compete but also avoid other drivers’ messes, and the prospect of a crash shouldn’t deter any bettor from backing them.

  • McDowell in the Fast-Lane

    McDowell is on the other end of this list. Firstly, he won the 2021 Daytona 500, so we know he can race at a high level in extremely tight traffic. The reason why McDowell’s crash rates are so high is that he raced for lower-end teams during the “start-and-park” era following the 2008 financial crash-when sponsors dried up, NASCAR race fields got sparse, and shoestring teams were able to collect a few grand by taking the checkered flag, coasting at the back for a few laps, and then reporting a breakdown.

Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.

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Author Melanie Day
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