Read about the colorful history of NASCAR

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From humble origins in the deep Southland, NASCAR racing has developed to unbelievable heights across the entire United States. Over the decades, from the first races attended in 1948, NASCAR has become arguably the first spectator sport in The United States. NASCAR, with today's NEXTEL Cup and Busch series, boasts 75 million rabid fans. Intriguing demographics indicate that 40% of these are women and 53% function in white-collar or skilled labor jobs. Not your normal racing fanatic that virtually all observers expect. The other points of fan interest are robust also; yearly attendance at raceways is Above 7 million, upwards of 275 million Fans view on television, and the wares market surpasses $2 billion. Websites have also turned up carrying key NASCAR news items.

The finish of World War II had an impact on the beginning of NASCAR. At the end of the war, the request for new cars in the U.S.A. made a huge leap with the return of the soldiers. The manufacturing capability that brought forth the “weapons of war” changed to making automobiles. Next followed the arrival on the marketplace of fast, brawny and robust cars which were enjoyed by the young folks of the time. The American West was burning for the "sports" cars, the Midwest for those with uncovered wheels, while the South-east preferred the stock cars. A great number of these were changed to carry out the illegal booze traffic and employed in the "races" that sprung up all over the Southland.

NASCAR history has grown to a point where racing is no longer a sport just for Southern "rednecks". The popularity of the sport has evolved from its Southeastern origins to points nationwide creating NASCAR fans all through the nation. NEXTEL Cup competitions are now held in New Hampshire, Michigan, California, Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Texas and Nevada. There have even been exhibition competitions attended in Japan and other international venues.

The American passion for auto racing that produced in the 1940’s did not escape the attention of boosters who rapidly made an "official" competition out of it, producing quite a few organizations, each with their own guidelines. Then on December 14, 1947, Bill France, decided to get together with thirty five of the organizers of all racing associations in place to draw the lines of what was going to turn into the American national automobile sport. It took four days for the group to settle on all the rules, to pick out the name of NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) and the Association was ultimately officially created on February 21, 1948.

Commentators who closely keep an eye on the NASCAR circuit give credit to a number of reasons for its vast popularity over the decades. A substantial cause is a combination that almost no other spectator sport matches. Weekly, the tp[ teams (drivers) are battling head to head against each other. Different from, for instance the NFL, where you could have to wait weeks for a momentous contest between leading teams, you can view number 1 versus number 2 every week. It’s practically like taking in the World Series of this sport every week.

The start of NASCAR in the “bootlegging” times and the humble roots of several of its first champions seems to be a positive factor to buffs today. In this time of the spoiled, pampered, arrogant professional jock, NASCAR racing followers seem to be looking for a normal, more grounded kind of champion to give their commitment to.

How does NASCAR track its roots back to bootlegging? The business of bootlegging kept going even after the finish of the Prohibition period, because of the considerable tax laid on hard drink upon repeal of the Volstead Act in 1933. As bootlegging boomed , the drivers commenced to contend between themselves to check who had the swiftest automobiles. The bootleggers battled on Sunday afternoons and then utilized the same cars to carry moonshine Sunday night. As more and more folks came to watch the races, racing moonshine autos became really popular in the backroads of the Southland.

The first contests of what was to in the end become the NASCAR series were run in 1948 with modified pre-war automobiles, which later became the "modified" series. Some major milestones for the NASCAR Racing world over the years include:

--The inaugural 500 mile race takes place at Darlington in 1950

--The inaugural Daytona 500 takes place at Daytona International Speedway in 1959.

 --1st television report by CBS in 1960.

--Buddy Baker passes the 200 mph barrier at Talladega in 1970.

--A Gallup poll unveils that 28% of Americans are “race fans” in 1976.