'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4QC8RXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAGABIBAwABAAAAAQAAABoBBQABAAAAVgAAABsBBQABAAAAXgAAACgBAwABAAAAAgAAABMCAwABAAAAAQAAAGmHBAABAAAAZgAAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAABAAAABgAAkAcABAAAADAyMTABkQcABAAAAAECAwAAoAcABAAAADAxMDABoAMAAQAAAP//AAACoAQAAQAAAAoAAAADoAQAAQAAAAcAAAAAAAAA/+0BxlBob3Rvc2hvcCAzLjAAOEJJTQQEAAAAAAGqHAIAAAIABBwCaQAWU3luZGljYXRpb246IE5hc2h2aWxsZRwCbgBUSi5ULiBQaGlsbGlwcyAvIFRoZSBUZW5uZXNzZWFuLCBOYXNodmlsbGUgVGVubmVzc2VhbiB2aWEgSW1hZ24gQ29udGVudCBTZXJ2aWNlcywgTExDHAJQAB5KLlQuIFBoaWxsaXBzIC8gVGhlIFRlbm5lc3NlYW4cAnMAG0ltYWduIENvbnRlbnQgU2VydmljZXMsIExMQxwCNwAIMjAyMDAyMDUcAngAukRyaXZlciBOZWQgSmFycmV0dCAoMTEpIHNwaW5zIG91dCBkdXJpbmcgdGhlIE5BU0NBUiA1MDAtbGFwIGxhdGUgbW9kZWwgcmFjZSBhdCB0aGUgRmFpcmdyb3VuZCBTcGVlZHdheXMgQXVnLiA1LCAxOTYyLiBEcml2ZXIgSm9lIFdlYXRoZXJseSAoOCkgZ2V0cyBieSBKYXJyZXR0LgoKVGl0bGUgQXV0byBSYWNpbmcgSW4gMTk2MhwCGQAQVVNBVE5TWU5ESUNBVElPThwCPAAGMDQwMDAz/+ICHElDQ19QUk9GSUxFAAEBAAACDGxjbXMCEAAAbW50clJHQiBYWVogB9wAAQAZAAMAKQA5YWNzcEFQUEwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPbWAAEAAAAA0y1sY21zAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKZGVzYwAAAPwAAABeY3BydAAAAVwAAAALd3RwdAAAAWgAAAAUYmtwdAAAAXwAAAAUclhZWgAAAZAAAAAUZ1hZWgAAAaQAAAAUYlhZWgAAAbgAAAAUclRSQwAAAcwAAABAZ1RSQwAAAcwAAABAYlRSQwAAAcwAAABAZGVzYwAAAAAAAAADYzIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAdGV4dAAAAABGQgAAWFlaIAAAAAAAAPbWAAEAAAAA0y1YWVogAAAAAAAAAxYAAAMzAAACpFhZWiAAAAAAAABvogAAOPUAAAOQWFlaIAAAAAAAAGKZAAC3hQAAGNpYWVogAAAAAAAAJKAAAA+EAAC2z2N1cnYAAAAAAAAAGgAAAMsByQNjBZIIawv2ED8VURs0IfEpkDIYO5JGBVF3Xe1rcHoFibGafKxpv33Tw+kw////2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAAC6MP/EACIQAAEBBgcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIFAAEDBBEhBhUXQXGh0v/aAAgBAQABPwBMU13DozYw1KdOHcn1jVePGzatLI2zJT69N//EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAIAQIBAT8Af//EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAIAQMBAT8Af//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
NASCAR drivers are known for their maneuverability skills at high speed in oval circuits and for bizarre superstitions. Team owners and drivers adhere to unique beliefs and practices to bring good fortune. Drivers believe in various superstitions before entering the race, such as avoiding the 50-dollar bill and carrying a lucky penny gifted by a fan.
The story of $50 originated after the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joe Weatherly's last race. This is just one instance of the superstitions in stock car racing. Drivers like seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson also have some interesting stories. On that note, let's find out more about these stories.
#1. The $50 bill history in NASCAR
The superstition of the $50 bill originated after Joe Weatherly died on January 19, 1964, at the Riverside International Raceway. He died instantly after his head went out of the car and struck a retaining wall. He was afraid of being trapped inside a burning car and did not have a window net installed.
Trending
Later in the inspection, two $50 bills were found in his breast pockets. Reports revealed that the 50-dollar bills were given to Weatherly by his friend before the race started and were associated with bad luck starting the 50-dollar bill story.
Even NASCAR legends Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Richard Childress were superstitious about the story, and Earnhardt Sr. avoided carrying a $50 bill during his races. Even the former Cup Series champion Tony Stewart admitted to believing in the story.
#2. Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s luck penny gifted by a young fan
Despite being superstitious about the $50 bill story, 7X Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. carried a penny. He believed the penny brought him the greatest victory of his career at the 1998 Daytona 500. He qualified in fourth place for the race and dominated the grid, leading an astonishing 107 laps.
Wessa Miller, a six-year-old fan of Earnhardt, gave him the penny when she met him through the Make-A-Wish Foundation event at the Daytona 500 circuit before the race. The NASCAR Hall of Fame driver glued the penny on his car's dashboard for good luck. The penny is still preserved at the Richard Childress Racing Museum.
#3. Kyle Larson's Ladybug
Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson has always had a small ladybug sticker on his car. This was a lucky charm given to Larson by his father. The story originated before the three-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford won his third title and a ladybug landed on him. Larson's father considered it a lucky charm, and since then Mike Larson has placed a small ladybug sticker on his son's car.
The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion followed the tradition and placed an image of a ladybug on his name above the window. He shared the tradition on his Instagram account during his Indy 500 attempt in May 2024. He qualified fifth and finished the race in 18th place.
