| In 1947, the sport of stock car racing was | | | | France Sr. began construction of a 2.5 mile, |
| becoming extremely popular and beginning to | | | | high-banked superspeedway located four miles |
| draw large crowds of spectators. More drivers | | | | from the beach in Daytona. France fought to |
| began taking an interest due to the increasing fan | | | | keep racing affiliated with Daytona as others |
| popularity. Cohesiveness, however, did not exist | | | | looked to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to avoid |
| as rules differed from one racetrack to the next. | | | | the outgoing tides at Daytona Beach. Despite the |
| Several tracks were built to produce one big | | | | desire of the city of Daytona hold onto it's beach |
| show at a county fair, or similar event, in order to | | | | racing attraction, NASCAR quickly outgrew the |
| capitalize on the crowds of fans that were | | | | beach. In 1949, NASCAR moved it's events to |
| beginning to form. Other tracks, however, were | | | | the Daytona International Speedway. The first |
| built more toward handling the cars and not the | | | | Daytona 500 continued for 3 days due to a |
| crowds. Some tracks could accommodate both | | | | dispute over the actual winner, which was later |
| the fans and the cars, but did little to adhere to | | | | proven to be Lee Petty, after careful study of a |
| the rules governing the neighboring tracks. | | | | photograph of the finish. |
| In late 1947, on a December day in Florida, Bill | | | | In 1960, superspeedways opened just outside of |
| France Sr. organized a meeting at the Streamline | | | | Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina. In |
| Hotel in Daytona Beach. His focus for the meeting | | | | 1961, ABC televised a race from Daytona. In |
| was to discuss the matters facing the future of | | | | 1969, Alabama International Motor Speedway |
| stock car racing. From this meeting emerged, | | | | (now known as Talladega Superspeedway) was |
| what is now known as, NASCAR (The National | | | | opened by Bill France Sr. In later years, Bill Sr. |
| Association of Stock Car Auto Racing). When the | | | | passed the torch of leadership to his son, Bill Jr. |
| meeting adjourned, few people had faith in the | | | | and corporate sponsorships began to arise as |
| new organization or it's future. France, however, | | | | NASCAR went on to become the leader in |
| knew otherwise. In fact, he believed that a | | | | worldwide motorsports attendance. In 1979, the |
| sanctioning body was exactly what the sport | | | | Daytona 500 was telecast in it's entirety. By |
| needed, but even he could not have imagined | | | | 1989, every race on the NASCAR schedule was |
| what he created on that December day. | | | | broadcast. |
| The sport of NASCAR began to take shape | | | | Since the beginning of NASCAR, new additions |
| rather quickly. After two months, the inaugural | | | | have been added to include the NASCAR |
| NASCAR-sanctioned race was held on Daytona's | | | | Craftsman Truck and Busch Grand National series. |
| Beach Course. Red Byron, a stock car legend, | | | | New drivers emerge every year to take their |
| drove his Ford Modified to win the event on | | | | shot at stardom. For many, it's a lifelong dream to |
| February 15, 1948. It wasn't until the following | | | | drive NASCAR and compete for the glorious title |
| year that what we now know as NASCAR | | | | of 'Champion.' At the end of the season, points |
| Nextel Cup Series began. The first ever NASCAR | | | | are tallied to see who has ran the most |
| Grand National (now known as Nextel Cup) event | | | | consistently throughout the year and that person |
| was held at the Charlotte, North Carolina | | | | becomes that year's NASCAR champion for their |
| fairgrounds. A huge crowd gathered to see Jim | | | | respected series. |
| Roper of Kansas win this historic race. | | | | With the extreme growth of NASCAR through |
| The new series was an instant success and plans | | | | the years, fans have demanded more |
| were ongoing to bring in larger crowds, more | | | | opportunities to enjoy their favorite sport. The |
| drivers and faster races. In 1950, Darlington | | | | organization heard their voices and decided to build |
| Raceway, the country's first asphalt | | | | NASCAR Thunder, a chain of officially-licensed |
| superspeedway, opened it's doors for the new | | | | apparel and souvenir stores, and the NASCAR |
| division. The first decade for NASCAR was one | | | | Café, which incorporates racing with dining for a |
| of tremendous growth and popularity. Drivers | | | | full racing experience for all NASCAR fans. After |
| became heroes and skeptics became race fans. | | | | 58 years, the sport continues to grow with fans |
| Names like Lee Petty, Fireball Roberts and Buck | | | | who travel across the country to see their |
| Baker were to racing as Willie Mays, Mickey | | | | favorite driver chase the checkered flag and, |
| Mantle and 'The Duke' were to baseball. | | | | ultimately, a NASCAR championship. |
| With the growing success of this new sport, Bill | | | | |