NASCAR plans to add two divisions later this year, the Grand National and Elite. The Grand National will encompass top drivers from the Winston West and Busch North series and will have a series of races to crown one champion. The Elite will be made up of Northwest and Southwest series drivers.( Tampa Tribune )(1-22-2003) UPDATE: NASCAR has formed a new “feeder system” for its three national series, with the creation of two new racing divisions. The all-new NASCAR Elite Division and NASCAR Grand National Division will provide a clear path for local and regional racers to advance towards the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. The NASCAR Elite Division will consist of four NASCAR-sanctioned series: the Featherlite Southwest Series, Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series and the newly renamed International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series (formerly the RE/MAX Challenge Series) and Kodak Southeast Series (formerly the Hills Bros. All Pro Series). The Elite Division will accommodate drivers who have recently been competing in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge or at other local short tracks. At this level, competitors will compete on a variety of tracks before progressing to other NASCAR divisions. Once a competitor has gained experience in the Elite Division, the next logical step is the NASCAR Grand National Division, which will now consist of the Busch North Series and the NASCAR Winston West Series. Previously, these cars had different specifications – the Busch North Series cars are modeled after the NASCAR Busch Series cars while the NASCAR Winston West Series cars are designed after NASCAR Winston Cup Series cars. The NASCAR Grand National Division will represent NASCAR’s top regional touring series, where competitors will refine their skills before making the jump to one of NASCAR’s three national series. The “Grand National” designation has a long history in NASCAR racing. It was first used in 1949, when the first NASCAR Grand National Division races were held. This division evolved into the Winston Cup Series, and the “Grand National” moniker was passed to the NASCAR Busch Series in 1986. With this announcement, the NASCAR Busch Series no longer carries the name as it’s passed on to NASCAR’s top regional touring division.(More at NASCAR.com )(1-29-2003)
