| NASCAR, or the National Association for
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| | drivers. The first intent was to race
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| Stock Car Auto Racing, is known as the
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| | Roadsters, Modified, and Stock cars. Only
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| largest motorsports sanctioning body in
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| | the Modified division raced during the
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| the United States. The three series under
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| | first year. The first season had 52
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| the auspices of NASCAR include the
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| | Modified dirt track races. By 1949, the
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| Craftsman Truck Series, the Nationwide
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| | Strictly Stock division made its debut
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| Series and the Sprint Cup. Some local
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| | Originally, the cars raced had to be
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| races such as the Whelen Modified Tour
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| | virtually factory models, but beginning
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| and the All-American Series from Whelen
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| | in 1950 it was recognized that
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| are overseen by NASCAR. Overall, 1500
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| | modifications for safety and performance
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| races at 100 tracks are considered NASCAR
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| | were desirable and the Division was named
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| races.
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| | 'Grand National'. By the mid 1960s, the
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| Originally, NASCAR was viewed as a
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| | races were run with race cars and a stock
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| regional sport coming from the
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| | body.
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| Southeastern United States, but today it
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| | Only one of the original season race
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| ranks second only to football in
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| | tracks is still on the circuit
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| television rating in the U.S. In addition
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| | today-Martinsville Speedway. The
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| to broadcasts in the United States, races
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| | Darlington Raceway and the Indianapolis
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| by NASCAR drivers are shown in 150
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| | Motor Speedway are both recognized world
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| countries globally. Fans show support of
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| | wide for their famous events in the world
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| the sport by purchasing licensed products
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| | of NASCAR racing. Originally, the race
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| in the amount of $3 billion annually.
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| | tracks were oval and measured 0.5 to 1
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| Fortune 500 companies recognize the power
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| | miles per lap. Darlington was 1.366 miles
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| of NASCAR fans and sponsor the sports
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| | and known as a Superspeedway following
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| more than any other sponsorship role.
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| | its construction in 1950. The track was
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| The headquarters of NASCAR is at Daytona
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| | wider and faster than other locales. In
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| Beach, Florida. There are four local
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| | 1959 the Daytona International Speedway
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| offices in North Carolina and regional
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| | at 2.5 miles became the sport icon.
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| offices in Arkansas, New York City and
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| | During the early 1970's new sponsorship
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| Los Angeles. Mexico City and Toronto
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| | was found for the sport in the RJ
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| Canada also have NASCAR offices.
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| | Reynolds Tobacco Company. The name of the
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| Additionally, most NASCAR teams consider
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| | series was changed from Grand National to
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| North Carolina home.
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| | the Winston Cup. The series today is
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| Originally, Daytona Beach was the
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| | known as the Sprint Cup. Prizes were
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| location where world land speed records
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| | increased significantly and a new points
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| were set with eight consecutive records
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| | system was developed. The series dropped
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| between 1927 and 1935. The Daytona Beach
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| | from 48 races during the season to 31
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| road course was the site of fifteen speed
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| | races. Busch Beer took on the sponsorship
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| records before 1935. As the location for
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| | of the next competitive level of racers,
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| land speed records moved to Bonneville
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| | known as the Late Model Sportsman.
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| Salt Flats, Daytona Beach was already
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| | ABC Sports began covering some of the
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| synonymous with fast cars both on the
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| | Grand National races but abandoned the
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| beach and on the coastal highway A1A.
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| | effort as not exciting enough for
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| The years of Prohibition followed by the
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| | ratings. In 1979, the Daytona 500 race
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| repeal in 1933 made use of fast cars with
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| | was picked up from flag to flag by CBS.
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| modified capacity driven at high speeds
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| | During the final lap, the two leaders
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| either to evade the police or later the
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| | wrecked on the backstretch and the third
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| revenuers. Much of this activity occurred
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| | place car driven by Richard Petty won the
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| near Wilkes County region of North
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| | race. The two wrecked car drivers and a
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| Carolina, but also in other parts of the
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| | family member proceeded to add to the
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| Southeastern United States. Races of the
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| | drama on national television by engaging
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| modified cars increased in numbers and
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| | in a fistfight. Fans that had been kept
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| popularity during those years.
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| | indoors by a major snowstorm on the U.S.
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| Three people were primary in the creation
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| | eastern seaboard were introduced to the
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| of the NASCAR governing body in 1948:
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| | excitement and drama of the sport.
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| William France, Sr., Erwin 'Cannonball'
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| | Changes in the point structure awarded to
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| Baker, and Bob 'Barky' Barkhimer. William
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| | drivers and teams has also helped to
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| France wanted to protect the drivers from
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| | maintain the excitement of the series
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| unscrupulous promoters who collected gate
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| | ever since.
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| receipts and did not award winning to the
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