I knew what the top three levels of NASCAR racing are, and was aware of other "minor leagues" so to speak. But I was curious about the order from a skill & competition perspective, etc. So I asked AI about it and cobbled together a few responses to come up with this list:
1. NASCAR Cup Series: The premier series with the highest level of competition.
2. NASCAR Xfinity Series: The second-tier series, often seen as a stepping stone to the Cup Series.
3. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: The third-tier series, featuring pickup trucks and serving as a development ground for drivers.
4. ARCA Menards Series: A feeder series for NASCAR, where many young drivers gain experience before moving up.
a. ARCA Menards Series East: Formerly known as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, this series features races primarily on the East Coast of the United States.
b. ARCA Menards Series West: Previously the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, this series includes races on the West Coast.
5. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour: Focuses on modified stock cars at various local tracks and divisions; popular in the northeastern United States. Known for its unique open-wheeled cars and has a long history dating back to the 1940s.
6. NASCAR Pinty's Series: The top stock car racing series in Canada.
7. NASCAR Mexico Series: The premier stock car racing series in Mexico; features late model stock cars.
8. NASCAR Euro Series: The European stock car racing series, featuring races across various countries in Europe.
9. NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (formerly the Whelen All-American Series): This series features local short track racing across North America and is a crucial part of grassroots racing.
10. NASCAR iRacing Series: An online racing series that has gained popularity; provides a valuable training ground for drivers, helping them develop racecraft, strategy, and familiarity with various tracks, which can be beneficial when transitioning to higher levels of actual racing.
I then asked it to categorize these according to organized baseball's structure:
1. NASCAR Cup Series: Major League Baseball (MLB)
2. NASCAR Xfinity Series: Triple-A (AAA)
3. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Double-A (AA)
4. ARCA Menards Series: High-A (Advanced A)
ARCA Menards Series East: High-A (Advanced A)
ARCA Menards Series West: High-A (Advanced A)
5. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour: Single-A (A)
6. NASCAR Pinty's Series: Single-A (A)
7. NASCAR Mexico Series: Single-A (A)
8. NASCAR Euro Series: Single-A (A)
9. NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: Rookie League/Short-Season A
10. NASCAR iRacing Series / eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series: Developmental League/Instructional League
Just in case anyone else finds this interesting...
And feel free to share how little you gained from these few minutes that you'll never get back
