Why do NASCAR drivers only turn left?

"Similarly with auto racing. Oval tracks for stock-car racing are common in the U.S.; they're counterclockwise because in stock cars the driver is on the left and if he loses control and crashes into a wall the right side will absorb most of the impact. (Presumably it's also easier for a driver on the left to cut a tight left turn.) In Europe, serpentine grand-prix-type courses are more common, and judging from the photos a good number of them are run in a clockwise direction."

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_113b.html