NASCAR, which stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, has its roots in the south and its early inception in Daytona, Florida.
For years unregulated races took place around the United States, especially in the south. Moonshine runners would modify their cars in order to outrun the authorities and after the laws were abolished they continued to race. It was considered a favorite sport for those in the south. In 1948 Daytona resident William France gathered with a few others and drafted up an organization which would regulate racing and assure that it was fair to all the racers and the track owners. The first Grand National Race was run in 1949; the Grand National was specific to stock, non-modified cars. A few of the racetracks which were part of the early years are still used in the series today, like Darlington and Martinsville. In 1971, the Grand National was renamed to the Winston Cup (RJ Reynolds was the primary sponsor) and then again to the Sprint Cup which is its name today. NASCAR has evolved to three major arms: the Sprint Cup series which is the highest skill, the Nationwide Series which is a lesser level and the World Truck.
NASCAR now sponsors 1500 races on 100 tracks in 39 states. Its headquarters are located in Daytona Beach, FL. They also have many other regional offices throughout the country. It is the second most watched sport on TV behind football. In keeping with its southern roots almost all the Sprint teams are located in the North Carolina area.
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