Iš NASCAR istorija: 1948-dabar

NASCAR history is filled with influential people. A few influential individuals, including William France, Sr., have been responsible for creating the sport and taking it to where it is today.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was founded by France on February 21st, 1948. France, together with other drivers, designed a points system that would become the foundation of NASCAR racing. As early as 1948, the schedule consisted of 52 modified races that were run on dirt tracks. The first National Championship was won by Red Byron.

The Beginnings

Erwin "Cannonball" Baker had a huge impact on the history of NASCAR. He was named the first commissioner, and being an accomplished racer himself, he allowed almost no changes to the cars that were raced. Baker earned his nickname from setting dozens of land speed records.

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.

Most NASCAR race tracks were from half a mile to a mile long, and the action in a relatively compact area added to the excitement of the sport. Some of the earlier tracks, such as the Martinsville Speedway and the Darlington Raceway are still in use today. Even the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which has been in existence since 1909, is still being used. However, the most famous race track of the NEXTEL Cup Series, the Daytona International Speedway was built in 1959, with a length of 2.5 miles.

The Modern Times

The history of NASCAR took a new turn in the 1970s with the introduction of a revised points system and new commercial sponsorships. The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was one of the commercial businesses that took advantage of the increased popularity of the sport.

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.

Today, NASCAR is one of the most popular and profitable sports in America. The 2006 NEXTEL Cup Season consisted of 36 races run over a 10 month period, each race with at least million in prize money. With the sport gaining credibility and its drivers gaining immense popularity over the last ten years, it may be said that the history of NASCAR is just beginning.