[ Return to Article Directory ]   [ Close this Page ]

The humble start and the strong position today of NASCAR

 

NASCAR fans get the latest NASCAR news from The-NASCAR-Circuit.

From modest beginnings in the deep South, NASCAR racing has grown to unbelievable heights across the entire uS. Through the many years, from the first races conducted in 1948, NASCAR has turned into arguably the number one spectator sport in America. NASCAR, with today's NEXTEL Cup and Busch series, touts 75 million fanatical buffs. Interesting demographics establish th

And 40% of those are ladies and 53% function in white-collar or skilled labor jobs. Not your average racing fanatic that virtually all folks anticipate. The additional spheres of fan interest are robust also; yearly attendance at raceways is Above 7 million, upwards of 275 million People observe on tV, and the merchandise arena surpasses $2 billion. Websites have also shown up carrying key NASCAR news items.

Fans who closely report on the NASCAR circuit assign a number of reasons for its vast success over the years. One major cause is a recipe that literally no other spectator competition utilizes. Week in and week out, the better teams (drivers) are brawling directly against each other. Unlike, for instance the NFL, in which you might have to hold off weeks for a big matchup between top teams, you can follow number 1 versus number 2 every week. It’s literally like experiencing the World Series of this circuit every week.

The origins of NASCAR in the “bootlegging” era and the humble roots of a lot of of its original aces seems to be a positive factor to fans now. In this era of the spoiled, pampered, arrogant professional athlete, NASCAR racing buffs seem to be looking for a normal, more grounded type of hero to give their loyalty to.

The conclusion of World War II had an impact on the beginning of NASCAR. At the close of the war, the call for for new automobiles in the U.S. made a large leap with the coming back of the troops. The manufacturing might that produced the “weapons of war” turned to making motorcars. Next came the arrival on the marketplace of fast, muscular and robust cars which were enjoyed by the young folks of the time. The American West was fervent for the "sports" automobiles, the Midwest for those with uncovered wheels, while the South-east picked the stock cars. A number of these were custom-made to carry out the illegal alcohol traffic and used in the "races" that sprung up all over the Southland.

How does NASCAR track its background back to bootlegging? The practice of bootlegging continued even after the finish of the Prohibition days, due to the incredible tax set on booze upon reversal of the Volstead Act in 1933. As bootlegging boomed , the drivers commenced to compete between themselves to check who had the fastest autos. The bootleggers raced on Sunday afternoons and then utilized the same cars to cart moonshine Sunday night. As more and more folks came to watch the contests, racing moonshine cars became really popular in the backroads of the Southern US.

NASCAR history has matured to a point where racing is no longer a event just for Southern "rednecks". The success of the sport has developed from its Southeastern origins to places nationwide producing NASCAR fans all throughout the country. NEXTEL Cup races are now run in New Hampshire, Michigan, California, Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Texas and Nevada. There have even been exhibition races run in Japan and other international locales.

The American craving for auto racing that developed in the 1940’s did not elude the attention of boosters who rapidly made an "official" competition out of it, making a number of organizations, each with their own regulations. Then on December 14, 1947, Bill France, determined to gather with thirty five of the leaders of all racing associations in place to draw the outline of what was going to turn into the American national automobile sport. It required four era for the group to agree on all the rules, to decide on the name of NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) and the Association was ultimately officially born on February 21, 1948.

The beginning competitions of what was to in the end turn into the NASCAR series were attended in 1948 with modified pre-war cars, which later became the "modified" series. Some key milestones for the NASCAR Racing world through the many years include: --The inaugural 500 mile race takes place at Darlington in 1950 --The 1st Daytona 500 takes place at Daytona International Speedway in 1959. --initial tV report by CBS in 1960. --Buddy Baker goes past the 200 mph barrier at Talladega in 1970. --A Gallup poll discloses that 28% of Americans are “compete devotees” in 1976.