Racing is fun, particularly if you have the skill to take part in a motorized vehicle race and if you have access to such a vehicle. For most people, just watching the races is more than enough. There are several types of motorsport races that you could watch, however, few of them are as fun as NASCAR.
Most people have heard of NASCAR and know that it is fast and rather terrifying to watch, but they don’t know what NASCAR stands for. Here is a brief history overview and a deeper dive into NASCAR.
The Early Days
The idea behind NASCAR was born in the early 20th century. The Daytona Beach Road Course was used for various record breaking rides for land speed records. After a rather important race between Alexander Winton and Ransom Olds in 1903, Daytona Beach became a much more popular destination for racing and all things motorsports.
Fast forward to the 1930s, specifically 1936, Daytona Beach was already a famous racecourse. The reason why stock car racing became so popular was because of the Prohibition of course. Alcohol was illegal and it would be smuggled by drivers so experienced that they could maneuver stock cars (albeit with some parts removed) through the tight streets.
After the Repeal, the drivers lost some of their jobs, but others kept on racing, which caught the eyes of some businessmen.
NASCAR Formation
In 1936, drivers met at Daytona Beach and brought their sedans, hardtops, coupes and convertibles and competed in an event. The event was supposed to be a 250 mile or 400 km race, however, it was halted by the officials after 10 miles or 16 kilometers.
The reason that the race was shortened was that most cars couldn’t survive the race, with heavier cars getting stuck in the sand or rut. Lighter cars would manage, but not all of them. 27 cars started in the event, however, only 10 cars managed to survive the race, or rather, “finish” it, as the race was halted after 10 miles.
There was a solid drought of racing up until 1947, World War II being one of the reasons. In 1947, Bill France founded the National Championship Stock Car Circuit, the NSCSC. After a relatively successful 1947 season, the members met at the Streamline Hotel in Florida and discussed the further development.
A rename was considered and National Stock Car Racing Association was considered, but it was pointed out that the name had already been in use. Red Vogt, a mechanic, proposed the name National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. The first official Strictly Stock race was held on June 19, 1949 at the then Charlotte Speedway.
NASCAR Today
Today, NASCAR governs multiple series and races and they have various degrees of modifications which allow for the stock cars to still be close to stock, but with better or race-ready and safe parts.
NASCAR is really popular and most people love tuning in and watching a 500 lap race around a course. There is bound to be entertainment and lots of excitement. NASCAR has many series, like the Xfinity Series, Cup Series, Camping Truck Series, Whelen Euro Series, and many more.
There are many races and series for any type of fan, from those who like trucks to those who prefer strictly stock cars.
NASCAR stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing and is the governing association for stock car racing in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe.
