Why do NASCAR tracks go counterclockwise?

Some questions are better left unanswered, and one of those questions is as to why NASCAR is a sport inclined to turn left on oval tracks.

The age-old question as to why drivers turn left, that is counterclockwise on ovals instead of clockwise, which would seem like the better option, is not because it has any symbolic or philosophical reason.

The question is best left unanswered because there is no concrete evidence supporting why the conscious decision to turn left was made during the sport was in its baby years.

One of the many theories comes in the form of driver seating inside the racecar. Since America is a country where traffic on the roads drives on the right and drivers inside the car sit on the left-hand side, it was argued that turning left is more 'natural' in a competitive setting.

Another specualtion as to why NASCAR goes counterclockwise at ovals is due to horse racing also running in the same direction. NASCAR historian Buz McKim elaborates on the reason and says it is an act of defiance against the Brits, who were known to run their horse races in a clockwise direction.

Since American horse races ran counterclockwise, stock car racing had to follow suit as well, didn't it?

Another bizarre rumor that floats around the sport turning left is due to the human anatomy. As a person's heart is situated on the left side of his/her chest, it is speculated that running constant G-forces towards the right can hamper blood flow.

Most of these reasons come of pure conjecture, however, since the true reason may never be known, who knows, one of these might be true after all?

---

Harrison Burton elaborates on Jimmie Johnson's comeback in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series

With seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson returning to the sport on a part-time schedule later this month, many current drivers have varied opinions of the El Cajon, California native.

One of these drivers was Harrison Burton, who spoke about how he hated Johnson during his childhood years, and said:

“I always hated Jimmie Johnson when I was a little kid because he would win all the races I wanted my dad to win and win the championships that, my dad, I wanted him to win.”

As former driver Jeff Burton's son, Harrison Burton jokingly commented on Johnson's return to the sport.