I often think of myself as a triple threat: 30 years old, into NASCAR, and not legally authorized to drive a motorized vehicle. I need you to ignore that I don’t have a driver’s license at age 30. Ignore that so you can be amazed by the actual surprise this article is sharing with you: You can drive in an official NASCAR race without a driver’s license, and when I say “you,” I obviously mean me. I can do that.
I think I should get to drive in the Daytona 500. Sure, I’ve driven a car less than ten times in my entire life, but I feel unbelievably confident I could hang back, drive slow, wait for a crash, and place top 15. If not, I promise I can at least take out Austin Hill on turn 4, and isn’t that as good as winning the biggest race of the year?
So how do I get my license to meet Kyle Busch? Drivers can go to NASCAR headquarters, or to any official NASCAR track, and put in a request for a racing license. I will have to Uber to whichever I pick. The governing body of NASCAR reviews applications individually. You must provide proof of an impressive racing background, as well as pass a test on car knowledge. It’s highly advised that applicants go through NASCAR school before applying. It costs around $2,000 a year to be a racer, and there are other licenses around $100 each that even crew members all have to apply for and have.
The NASCAR “driving license” that costs $2,000 does not offer any legal permission to drive off the track, but a state license does allow you to drive on a NASCAR track if you pay to do so privately. So it does beg the question: Who really are the best drivers in the world? Denny Hamlin, who for all we know isn’t allowed on the interstate, or my grandad, who is 84 years old and still drives regularly despite us begging him not to?
It’s impossible to say.