Why do NASCAR drivers take turns by starting high up on a banked wall, then take the inside track as they turn, and leave the curve high on the wall again?

Question

This is intended to be an essay-format answer, but I find that my textbook has a difficult-to-understand explanation of "ideal banking" which makes it difficult for me to understand the background knowledge needed to answer this question.

Answer 1

The tracks are usually elliptical. Taking the path they take is more like a circle. The circle allows for a more consistent centripetal force, thus allowing them to go more consistently at a certain speed.