If you're new to NASCAR you're probably wondering many things, for example, what the difference between the Sprint Cup Series and the Xfinity Series is. At first glance they may look the same but there is one important difference. To put it bluntly, Xfinity is basically minor leagues and Sprint Cup is the majors. Xfinity races on Saturdays, and Cup on Sundays.

The NASCAR Cup Series is the old "Winston Cup." It is the top tier of racing in NASCAR which used to be sponsored by Monster Energy Drink, Nextel, Sprint and R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company .

The Xfinity Series is the old "Busch Series," or the second tier of racing in NASCAR. There are a few differences between the two, but basically the Xfinity Series is there to be a "feeder" for talent to the NASCAR Cup Series.

Even so, there is nothing minor league about the Xfinity Series. They use equipment similar to the Cup series, the cars are usually hand me downs from the Cup series, and the driver skills are just as necessary as they are in the Cup series.

Main Differences Between Xfinity and Cup Car Series

• NASCAR Xfinity Series has a slightly shorter wheelbase than the Cup car series. The wheelbase of an Xfinity car is 105" whereas the wheelbase of a cup car is 110".
• The NASCAR Xfinity Series is lighter than the cars in the Cup Series. The weight of the Xfinity cars differs by 100 pounds from the cup cars.
• The grid size capacity in Xfinity car racing is smaller as compared to Cup cars.
• The number of drivers in Xfinity car racing is 12. On the other hand, the Cup car series allow 16 drivers to race at a time.