Okla-homey
3/8/2006, 06:35 AM
March 8, 1936 First stock-car race run at Daytona
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/173/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz10.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
First stock car race at Daytona. March 8, 1936.
70 years ago today, Daytona Beach, Florida, staged its first race strictly for stock cars on a combination beach and public roadway course. The race is remembered as the impetus for today's NASCAR.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/6854/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz11.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
However, race or no race, NASCAR never would have come into being without the efforts of Bill France. Having moved to Daytona in 1934, Bill France opened a garage there. He fixed and raced cars, finishing fifth in Daytona's original race.
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/6854/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz11.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Bill France. The Founder of NASCAR during his racing days.
The city claimed it lost money on the event and enthusiasm for city-sponsored racing waned. The next year the Daytona Elks Lodge persuaded the city to stage a Labor Day road race for stock cars. The city lost money again. At that point, Bill France and local bat owner Charlie Reese took over the promotion for the Daytona race.
With Reese's money and France's work, the race established itself as a successful enterprise. Racing halted during the war, but afterward France returned to Daytona Beach and persisted at race promotion. Reese died in 1945. France went on to promote races all over the South.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/9546/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz12.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
In 1946, he staged a National Championship race at the Old Charlotte Speedway. A news editor objected to France's calling a race a National Championship without any organized sanctioning body. France responded by forming the National Championship Stock Car Circuit (NCSCC) in 1946. On December 14, 1947, France called a meeting to reorganize the growing NCSCC.
Racing officials gathered at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach to hear France call for major changes in the operation of the circuit. He demanded more professionalism and suggested that the organization provide insurance for drivers and strict rules for the race cars and tracks. A new organization to be incorporated later that year as the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) emerged from the meeting, with Bill France, former mechanic, as president.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/1267/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz13.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Yee-haw!!!
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/8886/insane7zo2gp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/173/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz10.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
First stock car race at Daytona. March 8, 1936.
70 years ago today, Daytona Beach, Florida, staged its first race strictly for stock cars on a combination beach and public roadway course. The race is remembered as the impetus for today's NASCAR.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/6854/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz11.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
However, race or no race, NASCAR never would have come into being without the efforts of Bill France. Having moved to Daytona in 1934, Bill France opened a garage there. He fixed and raced cars, finishing fifth in Daytona's original race.
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/6854/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz11.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Bill France. The Founder of NASCAR during his racing days.
The city claimed it lost money on the event and enthusiasm for city-sponsored racing waned. The next year the Daytona Elks Lodge persuaded the city to stage a Labor Day road race for stock cars. The city lost money again. At that point, Bill France and local bat owner Charlie Reese took over the promotion for the Daytona race.
With Reese's money and France's work, the race established itself as a successful enterprise. Racing halted during the war, but afterward France returned to Daytona Beach and persisted at race promotion. Reese died in 1945. France went on to promote races all over the South.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/9546/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz12.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
In 1946, he staged a National Championship race at the Old Charlotte Speedway. A news editor objected to France's calling a race a National Championship without any organized sanctioning body. France responded by forming the National Championship Stock Car Circuit (NCSCC) in 1946. On December 14, 1947, France called a meeting to reorganize the growing NCSCC.
Racing officials gathered at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach to hear France call for major changes in the operation of the circuit. He demanded more professionalism and suggested that the organization provide insurance for drivers and strict rules for the race cars and tracks. A new organization to be incorporated later that year as the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) emerged from the meeting, with Bill France, former mechanic, as president.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/1267/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz13.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Yee-haw!!!
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/8886/insane7zo2gp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)