When Was the First NASCAR Race?

Auto racing was governed by a group of small organizations--each with its own set of rules--following World War II. Visionary race car driver Bill France Sr. sought one national governing body for stock car racing and this led to the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing, or NASCAR, in 1948.

  1. In the Beginning

    • While NASCAR's first sanctioned race didn't occur until February 15, 1948, it was in December 1947 that France Sr. and a group of men representing promoters, mechanics and drivers initially met in Daytona Beach, Florida, to organize NASCAR, according to Decades of Racing.

    Incorporation

    • NASCAR was officially incorporated on February 21, 1948, six days after the first NASCAR-sanctioned race in Daytona.

    Daytona Beach

    • NASCAR chose the Daytona Beach Road Course, the predecessor to today's Daytona International Speedway, for its debut in 1948. The oval track utilized a straight stretch of highway for half the track; the other half was run on the beach.

    The Winner

    • World War II veteran Red Byron won the first NASCAR race in a 1939 Modified Ford. Byron won 10 more races that year to claim the inaugural NASCAR championship.

    Good Crowd

    • An estimated 14,000 fans watched 50 cars take to the unique road and sand track in NASCAR's first sanctioned race.