The History of NASCAR: 1948-Present

The history of NASCAR is one riddled with influential people. More than most professional sports, NASCAR was founded and has been maintained through the work of a few special individuals, none more special than William France, Sr.

France founded NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) on February 21st, 1948. France and a few other prominent drivers sketched out the points system on a bar room napkin, and the history of NASCAR had begun. The 1948 schedule included 52 modified races on dirt tracks, and Red Byron won the first National Championship that year.

The Beginnings

Named its first commissioner, Erwin "Cannonball" Baker had a big impact on the history of NASCAR. An accomplished racer who set dozens of land speed records himself (hence his nickname), Baker allowed almost no changes to the cars that were raced.

Glenn Dunnaway became the first NASCAR driver to be disqualified after it was discovered that he had altered the rear springs in his cars. However, over a 10-15 year period, modifications were allowed for safety and performance periods, until by the mid-1960s almost all stock cars were built solely for the purpose of racing them.

Almost all races were held on tracks that were between half a mile and a mile long. Some tracks that are still in use are the Martinsville Speedway and the Darlington Raceway, as well as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which was built in 1909. The Daytona International Speedway was built in 1959 and at 2.5 miles is now the most famous on the NEXTEL Cup Circuit.

The Modern Era

In the early 1970s, the history of NASCAR took a dramatic turn. It increased in popularity due in large part to an altered points system as well as new sponsorship including the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.

In 1979, the Daytona 500 was shown on CBS, making it the first NASCAR race to be shown from start to finish on television. Going into the last lap, leaders Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison got into a wreck, allowing a third driver to pass them both for the win. Yarborough and Allison got into a fistfight, and the drama and emotion that was shown in that race might be the defining moment in the history of NASCAR. Its popularity has steadily increased since.

NASCAR counts today amongst the most popular sports in the USA. It is hugely profitable for the participants as well, with at least million in prize money up for grabs at every race in the NEXTEL Cup Series. The NEXTEL Cup is run over 36 races. The sport is so popular that the successful drivers have millions of devoted fans that watch every single race and spend a lot of money on fan gear every year. In a way, the history of NASCAR is still in the writing.

Article Source: http://www.myaddirectory.com

Author: Russel Faulk. Are you a NASCAR fan? At www.stockcarcrashes.com you can watch NASCAR crashes videos.

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