Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2017 April 2

= April 2 =

How are race car numbers assigned?
As I understand it, it is customary in car racing for each car in a race to show a different number, always 1 or 2 digits, such as the "5" on the car at right.

No matter whether the numbers are painted on, or are wraps, it seems as though changing them would involve a fair amount of work. And notice how in the photo the advertisements are close enough to the number "5" that a 2-digit number wouldn't fit. Also, I have the impression I've heard of race-car drivers who have particular numbers associated with them, though I'm not sure about that.

So who does assign the numbers? And are there any rules that say that this car entering a race can keep the number "5" that it already has on it, and therefore that car also showing a "5" will have to change it, or that sort of thing? --76.71.6.254 (talk) 23:07, 2 April 2017 (UTC)


 * I have no idea of the answer, but I am intrigued by the question. Thanks for asking! I'll be watching closely for a "resolved". Maineartists (talk) 23:14, 2 April 2017 (UTC)


 * According to Autoweek, "NASCAR owns and assigns car numbers on an annual basis". Don't know about other circuits. Clarityfiend (talk) 23:21, 2 April 2017 (UTC)


 * In Formula One, "every car must carry its driver’s race number, which the driver selects by ballot. The driver numbers are permanent and will be used throughout each driver’s career with the exception of the world champion, who will be given the option to use number one the following season." Clarityfiend (talk) 23:25, 2 April 2017 (UTC)


 * The last couple of paragraphs in this sction NASCAR rules and regulations may have some answers for the OP. MarnetteD&#124;Talk 23:37, 2 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Note that in Formula One, the current system with permanent driver numbers is only a couple of years old. The earliest system would see numbers change from race to race, I can't recall on what basis. I expect that the numbers were decals that could be easily added to a car or removed. In the late 1970s, they moved to numbers assigned to teams, with the defending Champion being assigned number 1, his teammate number 2, the first driver on the next best team number 3, and so on. Number 13 was usually skipped. If a driver was replaced during the season, his replacement would take over his number, as it was tied to a car and not a driver. --Xuxl (talk) 13:22, 3 April 2017 (UTC)
 * The 2017 NHRA rulebook refers to a "permanent driver number" in the Competition Number section (p. 33). Clarityfiend (talk) 00:05, 3 April 2017 (UTC)


 * No. 43 is associated with Richard Petty. They even made a movie titled 43: The Richard Petty Story. 3 is for Dale Earnhardt (see Dale Earnhardt). He also got a movie: 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story. (Evidently, they didn't believe in wasting originality on film titles.) Clarityfiend (talk) 00:17, 3 April 2017 (UTC)


 * Nigel Mansell is tied to the no. 5 (see Nigel Mansell). Clarityfiend (talk) 00:24, 3 April 2017 (UTC)

Thanks, folks. That seems to cover it, at least for those organizations. For Formula 1, the wording "selects by ballot" is odd; I suppose it's a translation error for "selects by lot". But although the /en/ in the Formula 1 URL suggests that English is only one of two or more languages provided on the web site, it won't show me any others to check on it. --76.71.6.254 (talk) 01:33, 3 April 2017 (UTC)


 * That is a correct use of "ballot" - one of the meanings given is "a lottery held to decide the allocation of tickets, shares, or other things among a number of applicants - e.g. a ballot decides which investors will be successful in buying the stock." Wymspen (talk) 07:50, 3 April 2017 (UTC)


 * Given where? I never heard of that meaning; thanks. --76.71.6.254 (talk) 19:01, 3 April 2017 (UTC)
 * ballot does not list it as a noun, but it does have 'ballot' meaning "to draw lots" as a possible verb. But yes, the noun form is also correct. --Viennese Waltz 08:00, 4 April 2017 (UTC)
 * https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ballot Wymspen (talk) 12:04, 4 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Thanks again. --76.71.6.254 (talk) 04:10, 6 April 2017 (UTC)


 * No, when the current Formula 1 driver numbering began, drivers could choose their any number higher than one (and probably less than 100). If more than one wanted a number they sorted it out among themselves.62.214.142.130 (talk) 17:24, 4 April 2017 (UTC)