When Was NASCAR Invented?

This American-founded spectator sport has evolved into one of the country's most popular pastimes over the past six decades and is broadcast in hundreds of countries across the world. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) formed on February 21, 1948 under the leadership of Bill France Sr.

  1. History

    • The first race occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 19, 1949, according to AOL Research and Learn, though the earliest unorganized local speed car races stretch back to the late 1920s during the middle of the Prohibition era (1920-1933) in the United States.

    Significance

    • NASCAR is one of the biggest spectator sports in North America and its races are televised in 150 countries in 30 languages, according to nascar.com.

    Geography

    • NASCAR is based in Daytona Beach, Florida and has several offices in other American cities, including in Los Angeles, California and Charlotte, North Carolina. NASCAR offices are also located in Toronto, Canada and Mexico City, Mexico. NASCAR authorizes over 1,200 races on 100 tracks across 30 American cities, Canada and Mexico

    Fun Fact

    • NASCAR drivers can lose anywhere from five to 10 pounds during a race due to sweat, according to CNN.

    Types

    • In the U.S., the Sprint Cup Series is the most popular NASCAR competition, followed by the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, in which racers use "modified pickup trucks" to compete against one another. The NASCAR Corona Series in Mexico and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series are the other two main NASCAR-sanctioned series, according to nascar.com.