5 NASCAR fan traditions that started by pure accident

NASCAR drivers and fans have brought forth several traditions over the years. Jimmie Johnson started a secret journal on purpose after winning the 2011 Cup title. It is since been passed down from champion to champion but its contents have remained a secret.

Here are five NASCAR traditions that started by accident.

#5 Kissing the bricks

The tradition of kissing the bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway began in 1996 when Dale Jarrett's crew chief, Todd Parrott, suggested they honor the track's history by kissing the original bricks. This spontaneous act was not planned, but became a beloved ritual.

IndyCar drivers also adopted the tradition in the 2000s, and now winners from any race at the Speedway participate in it.

#4 Burnouts

Burnouts are now common in NASCAR. But they started as an accident when Ron Hornaday Jr. unintentionally spun out after hitting a coolant on the track, following a win at Mesa Marin Raceway.

The spin caused his truck to smoke and Hornaday humorously referred to it as an "accidental burnout" and acknowledged that it was the first time he performed one in Victory Lane. Later, when he attempted a burnout at Charlotte and was fined because it startled a security guard. He then decided to reserve burnouts for special occasions to avoid damaging the truck's equipment.

#3 Polish victory lap

Talking of burnouts, the "Polish Victory Lap" also started by chance after Alan Kulwicki was inspired by short track racer Fred Zack. He celebrated his 1988 win at Phoenix by driving a lap in reverse. A Ford engineer asked Kulwicki if it was a "Polish" victory lap and the clockwise celebrations continued among the drivers, especially after his death in 1993.

However, it was Kevin Harvick's Polish victory lap in the NASCAR race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2001 that truly started the tradition.

#2 The 'Big One'

The phrase "The Big One" earned popularity after commentator Darrell Waltrip used it during a crash in the 2001 Daytona 500. Interestingly, the term was already in use among fans on message boards before Waltrip's broadcast.

However, commentator Bob Jenkins was one of the first to use the term during a broadcast. He randomly used it to describe a large crash during the 1998 Winston 500 and later it became widely accepted in print and broadcast media.

#1 Green Car Superstition

The superstition surrounding green race cars traces back to the 1920s when Gaston Chevrolet died in a racing accident while driving a green car. This incident started the perception of green cars being unlucky. It persisted into the 1940s when NASCAR was founded and green remains an uncommon color in racing.

Tim Richmond, the 1986 Southern 500 Winner, refused to drive a Folgers Decaffeinated car because of its green color and had it changed to a regular red and white Folgers brand.