Most NASCAR champions are from NC, study shows. Here’s the car most of them drive

Diehard fans know the fundamentals of NASCAR history – that Richard Petty is The King, and that his seven championships are matched only by Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt.

A recent report by a Virginia-based company focused on network and IT solutions shed light on some racing stats that are less well known.

The folks at Apcela decided they had other racing-related questions when considering the effects of hybrid technology on Formula 1 racing.

“We also wondered what color cars win the most? Which teams and car numbers win the most? Where do winning drivers come from?” the report says.

Apcela teamed up with Go Fish Digital, an online marketing group with offices in Arlington, Va., and Raleigh, to answer some of those questions for both NASCAR and Formula 1.

The results were pretty clear-cut on the NASCAR side.

Blue cars have claimed the most championships with 21 (well ahead of black cars, with 10), the average champion is 34, and Chevrolet is the most winning car with 32 wins over Ford’s eight, the report says.

And the report says the championship-winning driver has been from North Carolina 26 times – more than double the number from second-place California (12) and more than three times the number from third-place South Carolina (8).

Lowe’s, which was Johnson’s longtime sponsor until 2018, is the sponsor with the most championship wins in NASCAR (9), according to the report.

As for Formula 1, the report shows red is the most common color to land in all three podium spots, Ferrari wins most often, British drivers lead the way with 17 championships and the average champion is 31 years old, the report says.

This story was originally published August 29, 2018 at 10:16 AM.