Interesting Facts about Top Nascar Race Tracks

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National Association Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is one of the world’s leading motorsports racing organizers. NASCAR was founded in 1948. Since then, the organization has been a major promoter and organizer of stock-car racing in many parts of North America.

NASCAR sanctions hundreds of races annually, which are held across different race tracks in the US, Canada, Mexico, and some parts of Europe. NASCAR’s commitment to safety practices is unrivaled. In all of its racetracks, including the Ally 400 racetrack that was sanctioned in 2021 for its first cup race, NASCAR ensures that the racetracks are in perfect and safe conditions. The safety requirements for NASCAR drivers are also high with fire retardant suits and HANS devices. NASCAR cars are also equipped with numerous safety details, making NASCAR races one of the best spots to see a no-holds-barred show of driving skills.

Over 1000 NASCAR races across the United States are held in NASCAR’s 39 racetracks. Each NASCAR racetrack has varying lengths and interesting dimensions. The top race tracks have stand-out features and some historical contexts behind them.




What are some of the Top NASCAR Race Tracks?

Martinsville Speedway

Martinsville Speedway is one of NASCAR’s oldest race tracks. Martinsville Speedway was founded in 1947. Two years later, in 1949, it began hosting NASCAR Cup Series races, and has continued to do so now. Martinsville Speedway is NASCAR’s shortest race track, with a length of 0.526 miles. Among NASCAR race tracks, watching tire-screeching races on Martinsville is an interesting adrenaline-laced experience because of the track’s tight corners. As a fan, you cannot get closer to a motorsport experience than you would at Martinsville Speedway. Despite being one of the oldest NASCAR race tracks, Martinsville stands out for its up-to-date facilities contributing to the overall fan experience. Martinsville Speedway hosts several NASCAR races annually.

Daytona Motor Speedway

The 2.5 Miles Daytona Motor Speedway was launched in 1959 at NASCAR’s headquarters in Daytona. This race track hosts the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s Cup Series seasoning opener and one of the most prominent motorsport races known in the US. It also hosts NASCAR Xfinity Series and other sports car events. It has a total capacity of 167 785. Daytona Motor Speedway shares a lot of history with NASCAR. It is remarkable for its many contributions to NASCAR’s success story.




Nashville Superspeedway

The Nashville Superspeedway is also known as the Ally 400 race track. Located in Lebanon, Tennessee, this race track is one of the newest race tracks used to host NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races. Like most NASCAR race tracks, Nashville Superspeedway has a concrete oval D-shaped course, the longest and largest one in NASCAR motor racing. However, it can only hold a capacity of 38,000. The 1.33-mile racetrack requires 300 laps to complete its 399-mile course. It hosted the Ally 400 in June of 2021 after ten long years of not being active in NASCAR races. The next Ally 400 is set to hold on 26th June 2022 to signal the continuity of the first NASCAR Cup Series race to take place on the Nashville Superspeedway since 1984.

Talladega Superspeedway

This racetrack is NASCAR’s biggest oval racetrack. It can hold a spectator capacity of 80 000. With a track length of 2.66 miles, the Talladega Superspeedway was previously called the Alabama International Motor Speedway. Talladega holds some unique NASCAR histories, including the fastest lap record in NASCAR. Many NASCAR drivers have to use restrictor plates when driving on Talladega to prevent their cars from overspeeding.




Richmond Raceway

Richmond Raceway is another short NASCAR racetrack with a D-shaped asphalt course with a length of 0.75 miles. It is also known as Strawberry Hill, and in some circles, it is regarded as America’s premier short track. Richmond Raceway holds about 51,000 motorsports fans, and its course is a great test of a driver’s speed and precision controls. Fans at Richmond are always excited to watch the drivers make the four quick turns during NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway is also known as The Brickyard. It hosts the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400. It is the NASCAR racetrack with the largest spectator capacity of 257, 325 which can be expanded to 400,000. It also stands out for being the second-largest racetrack in the world. The course is a rectangular, oval track that spans 2.5 miles. Besides NASCAR racing events, Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts several motorsports events on its expansive course.




Darlington Raceway

This racetrack mimics a perfect oval shape which is why it is famous for its egg shape. With a racetrack of 1.366 miles on an asphalt surface, Darlington Raceway has been hosting NASCAR motor races for over 70 years. Darlington Raceway can hold approximately 47,000 spectators and is often advertised as “A NASCAR Tradition. Darlington Raceway hosts NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and USAC Silver Crown Series. It is also known as “The Lady in Black.” It is called “The Track Too Tough to Tame” by many drivers who have been privileged to drive on its course.




Texas Motor Speedway

Texas is one of the prime locations for motorsports in the US. The Texas Motor Speedway spans a length of 1.44 miles and can hold over 200 thousand spectators. It has a unique shape described as quad-oval and an asphalt surface.




Conclusion

NASCAR has some unique racetracks in motorsports. While their grip over North America is guaranteed, it will be interesting to see how NASCAR can promote motorsports in places like The Philippines. The Philippines has some breathtaking natural terrains that can cite some of the best racetracks in the world. NASCAR is committed to establishing a global presence. Will they come to The Philippines? Only time will tell.

Combining health and fitness with financial wellness

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Head up, runners! This play-to-earn game lets you earn while you move

DISCLAIMER: The statements in this article do not constitute financial advice. PDAX does not guarantee the technical and financial integrity of the digital asset and its ecosystem. Any and all trading involving the digital asset is subject to the user’s risk and discretion and must be done after adequate and in-depth research and analysis.

When it comes to getting fit and achieving overall wellness, running is one of the best and easiest activities you can get into. You only need a pair of running shoes, your legs, and a lot of motivation to get started reaping a plethora of health benefits such as relieving stress, enabling weight loss, strengthening joints, and so much more.

But what if aside from the obvious health rewards, there was an app that can help you monetize your passion for running?

This is exactly what the up-and-coming play-to-earn lifestyle app STEPN offers. It leverages the power of blockchain technology to let players earn while they run or move.



So what is STEPN exactly?

STEPN is a Web3/blockchain-based lifestyle app, which means it incorporates blockchain technology for the decentralized transfer of information and assets. It makes it possible for the game to use non-fungible tokens or NFTs, which are unique tokens that cannot be replicated. For many blockchain-based play-to-earn games such as STEPN, NFTs act as tokens that can later be traded for cryptocurrencies. The game was launched in December 2021.

 
How the app works

To get started, players need to download the STEPN app through the Apple App Store or Google Play to begin playing. After signing up and creating a wallet for the application, users will need to buy an NFT sneaker from the in-app marketplace that fits their activity type: the options are Walk, Run, Jog, or Train. Players can pay for the NFT sneaker using SOL, the native cryptocurrency token of the increasingly popular Solana blockchain. STEPN is also built on the Solana blockchain.

These NFT sneakers are what the STEPN app uses to disburse the player’s earnings. Different sneakers will require different levels of activity, and have different stats for efficiency which determines the rate of earnings. Owning a sneaker NFT will allot a player with 2 Energy points per day, and more energy points can be added once a player owns more than three sneakers, allowing for more run time and consequently, more earnings.

Once a player’s sneakers are set, all they have to do is begin moving. The app’s GPS will track a player’s movement and reward him/her for successfully maintaining the required pace of the type of sneaker they’re wearing.

Depending on the type of sneaker you get, one unit of Energy can earn you varying levels of GST, which is STEPN’s in-game token. A Walk-type sneaker that requires movement of just 1-6 kilometers an hour can earn you up to 4 GST tokens per Energy, while a Runner-type sneaker that requires movement of 8-20 kilometers an hour can earn you up to 6 GST tokens per Energy. As of writing, one GST is worth approximately P30.

STEPN users will also be able to collect another token called GMT in future updates. GMT is the game’s governance token which may be eventually earned by leveling up your NFT sneaker, halving events, and/or random daily distribution. Both GST and GMT can then be traded for other cryptocurrencies such as SOL or even fiat currencies—enabling players to literally earn as they run.



STEPN’s rising popularity

Many in the running world have already acknowledged the game’s potential to change running forever. In April, STEPN even announced it joined forces with global running shoe brand Asics to release a collection of limited edition STEPN Asics sneaker NFTs. The collection gained more than 95,000 participants and subscribed tickets from the STEPN community. The collection’s trading volume even exceeded USD$10 million and maintained a floor price of USD$3,000.

Indeed, STEPN has gained a large amount of attention ever since its launch just last year. The game is credited with presenting a new way for people to get fit while combining the best the worlds of blockchain and NFTs have to offer.

The good news is that it’s easier than ever for Filipinos to begin playing STEPN. For example, SOL is already available on PDAX, the leading homegrown crypto exchange in the Philippines.

Through PDAX, Filipino STEPN players can also easily convert their pesos to SOL and purchase an NFT sneaker. All users need to do is download the app, create an account, and cash-in to begin buying, selling, and trading crypto. The locally-based exchange allows users to cash-in using 7-Eleven/CLiQQ machines, DragonPay, ECPay, GCash, PayMaya, or through online bank transfers. Cash-outs from PDAX are also done through popular outlets such as InstaPay, PayMaya, PESONet, and more. You can download the PDAX app through the Apple App Store and Google Play to purchase the SOL you need.

With STEPN, there’s more incentive than ever to get active and fit. In fact, there already is an active community of Filipino STEPN runners, boasting an ever-expanding number of 4,000+ members in one Facebook group alone.

As STEPN expands in popularity and develops gameplay even further, there’s more incentive than ever to lace up your running shoes and get moving. With the possibility of earning combined with the health benefits that come with running, it’s certainly a win-win for every runner out there.

PLDT Enterprise calls for cybersecurity readiness among PH compani

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PDT Enterprise AVP and Head of Cybersecurity Business Consulting Alexis Bernardino [second to the right] joined the customer panel discussion of the Philippine leg of the 2022 Fortinet Accelerate Asia Tour. He highlighted some key important notes on cybersecurity to help businesses secure their organizations against cyberattacks.

 

PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the country’s largest fully integrated telecommunications provider PLDT, highlighted the significance of cybersecurity readiness amid the dramatic rise of cyberattacks to businesses over the past year.

During the Philippine leg of the 2022 Fortinet Accelerate Asia Tour, PLDT Enterprise AVP and Head of Cybersecurity Business Consulting Alexis Bernardino shared that “in terms of the current cyber security landscape, it is no longer a question of ‘if’ or ‘how’ companies will be breached or attacked but it is a matter of ‘when.’”

According to survey results from cybersecurity firm Sophos last year, 69% of the respondents, composed of businesses in the country, experienced a ransomware attack, or those cyberattacks that encrypt systems in exchange for a ransom.

This was higher compared to the results of the same survey conducted in 2020 where 42% of Philippine firms surveyed reported ransomware incidents.

Likewise, the average ransomware payment made by companies in the country was found to be about $1.6 million last year which was more than double the global average of $812,000. The country’s average in 2020 was already at $820,000.

It also cost Philippine organizations an average of $1.34 million to recover from the attack, ranging from downtime, people time, device cost, and network cost, to lost opportunity, among others.

“Enterprises should operate on an “ASSUMED BREACH MODE”. Anticipate that you have been breached already. That should be the operating mode so that you would always stay vigilant that something might happen and you might be vulnerable to any cyberattack. It is also important to fortify your predictive and responsive capabilities and approach,” Bernardino said.

The PLDT Enterprise executive also added that the partnership between public and private companies is critical to ensuring a safer Philippine cyberspace.

“There should be strong legislation pertaining to cybersecurity so that we can establish a framework and roadmap for the Philippines. The private sector can come in to share their best practices, threat intelligence, and cybersecurity expertise to help the government, which is leading the pack to create a safer and secured Philippine Cyberspace,” he noted.

Moreover, Bernardino raised the issue of the scarcity of cybersecurity talents in the country. He mentioned that there are different approaches to addressing this but the most important consideration is to employ cybersecurity professionals who have “the right mindset, the right attitude and should be trainable in cybersecurity.”

Fortinet Accelerate Asia 2022 Tour is a cybersecurity conference for Fortinet partners and customers, aiming to deliver inspiring and innovative plenary sessions to broaden the delegates’ perspective, allow them to engage their thoughts, and help them improve their security senses.

The tour’s Philippines edition delivers unique insights from Fortinet and industry experts who share their knowledge on the technology trends that will shape the future of cybersecurity.

It features informative talks and breakout sessions, discussing today’s most challenging cybersecurity while providing a fun, comprehensive, and focused event where delegates can network with other peers and experts in the industry.

Bernardino joined other executives from different companies during the event’s customer panel discussion, which was graced by Fortinet Asia Vice President of Marketing and Communications Rashish Pandey, Maynilad Water Services Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Dr. Francisco Castillo, and Experts Prime IT Services President Joseph Mark R. Aquino.

Each speaker shared insights on how to navigate through various cybersecurity challenges organizations face today.

For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com. #