why did they stop turning the helium balloon's out at a nascar race i understand it's been a long time but ?

it's a combination of things...debris that clogs the grille and some folks also claim it pollutes the environment and endangers fowl who may choke on busted ballons. i don't think you'll see a mass balloon display at a nascar race again. i don't have an exact date but it seems like it has been a good 3-4 years or maybe even longer since balloons were let loose at a nascar event.

it's never been a big tradition in NASCAR like it is at the indy 500. environmentalists claim that the baloons kill birds, because they eat them and their gizards are unable to pulverize them.

on a side note though, an interesting bit of trivia, wonder bread, the first pre packaged sliced bread, got it's name when it's originators were at the indy 500 and witnessed the baloon release. one looked at the other and said wow, what a wonder. that's why to this day wonder bread packages have flying baloons on them. true story.

The last thng they need at a NASCAR race is more debris that can get on the track and get stuck in a car's grill. For the same reason, you won't find any napkins at the concession stands at Daytona.

As far as I know never... I think you're thinking of the Indianapolis 500 which isn't a NASCAR sanctioned event.