Decals are the most valuable pieces of real estate on NASCAR tracks. Companies pay huge amounts of money in sponsorship to get their names featured on the cars of the best drivers and teams. But there is a lot more to these pieces of stickers that decorate cars than just serving as advertisements.
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Since 2014, NASCAR has been rewarding drivers with a special decal to honor each victory they get. The winner’s decal is stuck near the driver’s name above the door. The first-ever recipient of such a sticker was the iconic Dale Earnhardt Jr. He received it for being victorious in the 56th Daytona 500.
RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher brought the decal to the limelight once again in 2024 following the Cup Series race at Darlington last May. He missed out on reaching victory lane following an ethically questionable move that 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick pulled in the final lap to secure the win for himself.
Angered by it, Buescher walked to him after the race with a mouthful of frustrated words. He said, pointing at the winner’s decal, “We don’t have that (win) sticker on our door right now. You need to be better.” Reddick could do nothing but offer his sincere apologies.
Teams also use decals in place of headlights since the cars technically don’t require headlights at all. The tracks are well-lit enough to provide proper visibility. The decals just ensure that the vehicles get a complete look and resemble their counterparts on the public road better.
The rules concerning the decals are pretty specific. They can be stuck on the hood and extend to the sides of the fenders. They can also go on the B and C posts, deck lid, TV panel, and a section of the roof. They should not go within two inches of any number from the back of the car to the front end of it.
They should also not be stuck on the front and rear windshields. The spoilers, diffusers, grill tail lights, and front lights are off-limits as well. All this is done to ensure that there is no trouble in identifying a car in the middle of the race. The number of the car being visible is extremely important, and special emphasis is put on making it appear clear.
