NASCAR’s Latest Cup Series Anomaly Has Racing Fandom Scratching Their Heads

Published 09/02/2023, 7:58 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

It’s finally playoff season, folks! All eyes are set on the Track Too Tough To Tame. NASCAR fans are keeping a close eye on every little tidbit they can gather. From winning odds to night racing rules, fans are carefully scrutinizing every detail presented before them. Amid all this, a recent championship revelation by the NASCAR body met with the same perusal. However, it left everyone genuinely confused.

There are innumerable exciting aspects to a NASCAR season. The fast-paced tracks, the roaring cars, and the breathtaking overtakes are a few of them. But there is another fascinating element that comes into play at the very end. And that is what stood out for the fans with the Darington right around the corner.

NASCAR Presents the Majestic Grandeur of 2023 Season’s Championship Trophy

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The winning trophy reflects the dreams and passion of the entire racing community. And NASCAR has a history of awarding some of the most iconic sporting trophies.

These trophies showcase exceptional creativity, from the giant grandfather clock at Martinsville Raceway to the Hulk-like Monster at Dover International Speedway. A surfing board, a Vulcan statue, a flying eagle, bowling pins- various racing tracks have incorporated all the quirky and fun elements of their states. But the one that gets every fan’s heart beating is the grandest of them all.

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The final championship trophy is the reason racers start their cars at the beginning of every Cup race. It’s what William Byron, Martin Truex Jr, and all the other playoff contenders will be aiming for in the Championship’4 race at Phoenix. The sterling silver trophy weighs a heavy 25 pounds and has intricate details of all the race tracks included in a particular year.

And this year was no different. NASCAR’s social media page revealed the impressive award for the 2023 season. The inaugural Chicago Street Racing track also found its place on the track. However, fans were quick to point out a bizarre feature in the posted image.

Watch This Story: NASCAR’s Major Change Backfires, Offending 61% of Stock Car Racing Community

NASCAR Championship Trophy Includes A Famous Track No Longer Used

The Daytona 500 held at the Oval is one of the most prestigious races of the year. Legendary racers like Dale Earnhardt Sr and Richard Petty cherished their Daytona achievements. However, prior to 1959, Daytona was a beach and road course track. Pioneers of stock car racing, such as Bill Blair and Red Byron, competed and won at the famous road course. The modern speedway was constructed for a more organized and safer racing experience.

Strangely, this year’s trophy included the road course track of Daytona, which is no longer used for racing events.

NASCAR frequently updates the tracks designed on the trophy as per the schedule of each Cup season. Hence, it is a mystery why the organizers chose a long-discarded track as part of the newer racing tracks hosting this year’s races. Looking at this, fans were quick to point out this oddity in the comments section of the post.

“Why is the Daytona RC there?”

“Lol why is the Daytona road course on there”

Another fan amusingly wondered if they had somehow missed the racing event that took place on that road course this year.

Others decided to overlook the error and instead focused on the captivating championship trophy.

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“One of the cooler trophies in sports”

“Coolest championship trophy”

“That trophy is beautiful!”

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A Decade After NASCAR’s Masterstroke, Kevin Harvick Blows the Lid Off the Scheme

Right now it is difficult to say whether it was an accidental folly or a deliberate homage. But the striking cup enlaced with the entire journey of the eventual champion is truly a sight to behold. Now the question is, who will hold it proudly at the end of the year?

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Written by:

Parika Singh

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Parika Singh is a NASCAR writer at EssentiallySports. Her combined love for writing and motorsports drew her to the world of sports journalism, where she fell in love with the thrill, unpredictability, and charisma of covering racers and race tracks. She especially looks out for the #5 Chevrolet of Kyle 'Wheelman' Larson, because of whom, she holds a soft spot for the 2021 season where he emerged as champion.
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Edited by:

Ranvijay Singh