Many people think that NASCAR is a racing series, but it is not. NASCAR is first and foremost an association that organizes races. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing or NASCAR was founded in 1947. The first head of it was Bill Frans. The Association established a number of rules for stock-car racing and a system for determining the national champion by the results of the drivers’ performances at various tracks.
Today, more than 2,000 races in 12 divisions are held annually under the auspices of NASCAR and you can access NASCAR news online. The oldest series is the Featherlite Modified Series. The first NASCAR championship was held in this series in 1948. Initially the races were held on unpaved tracks, rutted with ruts and covered with bumps. Ordinary production cars could not withstand such loads, and the association has allowed to modify the cars to make them more reliable (hence the name of the series). Now it is the only NASCAR series that races cars with open wheels.
Featherlite Modified Series
On June 19, 1949, the Strictly Stock Division made its debut at the old Charlotte track. The winner of this race was Jim Roper in a 1949 Lincoln ahead of Fonty Flock and winning $2,000. This is where the first scandal occurred: Glenn Dunnoway was formally the first car to see the checkered flag, but his 1947 Ford was disqualified because its rear suspension did not comply with the rules. Among the 33 starting cars were Lincoln, Hudson, Oldsmobile, Ford, Buick, Chrysler, Kaiser, Mercury and Cadillac.
The series’ first champion was Red Byron, who started only six races but won at Daytona and finished four more races in the top five. He was 117.5 points ahead of Lee Petty in the championship, earning $5800 for the season.
In 1950, the all-production car division was replaced by the NASCAR Grand National. After the RJR Reynolds Tobacco Company agreed to sponsor the Grand National Series, it was renamed the NASCAR Winston Cup. Now the NASCAR Nextel Cup. This series is the main series in the NASCAR hierarchy and the most popular among fans. This is where the best drivers of America are gathered. The Cup is supported by such companies as Chevrolet, Ford and Pontiac, but only models no older than three years are allowed to race.
NASCAR Nextel Cup
Despite the original name of the series, the cars participating in it have undergone more and more changes each year. Sometimes it has been for safety, sometimes for spectacle. NASCAR has strictly controlled these changes and amended the rules, which are checked every race.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
In its more than half-century history, NASCAR racing has changed a lot. Veteran racers say it’s not the same NASCAR that Bill Fresno created. The turning point in the history of racing was the eighties, this is when live broadcasts of NASCAR races began. If you want access to NASCAR news or are more interested in chalk line sports, use the specialized sites.