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Drivers transported bootleg whiskey, for which they needed small, fast vehicles to evade the police while distributing their illicit produce. Many cars would be modified to carry more cargo, drive at faster speeds with better handling. Several of the drivers soon became addicted to the thrill of fast driving down the twisty mountain roads.
Even after the repeal of prohibition in 1933, running moonshine in the southern states went on, with cars continuing to improve to outrun the ‘revenuers’. In the late 1940s races were run for profit using these cars. The races soon became popular entertainment in the rural part of the southern United States. In the early days the cars that participated were regular cars, lightened, reinforced and souped-up for racing.
The first attempt at an organized race meet was on March 8, 1936 when a group of enthusiasts met at Daytona Beach, Florida. They raced a collection of hardtops, convertibles and sports cars to establish the best drivers and fastest cars.
NASCAR is an acronym for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. It was founded on February 21, 1948 by William France Sr., a mechanic, who had the vision to believe that people might enjoy watching stock cars participate in competitive racing. The initial rules of the points system were framed on a bar room napkin. The original concept for NASCAR was three separate divisions: Modified, Roadster and Strictly Stock.
Today, NASCAR remains a business venture, family owned and operated, and is the largest governing body of stock car racing in the US. It is one of the most viewed television sports in the country.
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