Visit The-NASCAR-Circuit to read what the race fans are saying.

From modest beginnings in the deep South, NASCAR racing has matured to immense heights throughout the entire uS. Across the years, from the inaugural races attended in 1948, NASCAR has risen to arguably the most popular spectator sport in The US. NASCAR, with today's NEXTEL Cup and Busch series, boasts 75 million loyal buffs. Fascinating demographics demonstrate that 40% of those are women and 53% are employed in white-collar or skilled labor jobs. Not your normal racing fan that most people anticipate. The additional points of fan interest are solid also; yearly attendance at competitions is Upwards of 7 million, upwards of 275 million People observe on the tube, and the wares arena is greater than $2 billion. Internet sites have also turned up carrying key NASCAR news items.

How does NASCAR track its background back to bootlegging? The practice of bootlegging continued even after the end of the Prohibition period, as a result of the large tax placed on whiskey on reversal of the Volstead Act in 1933. As bootlegging boomed , the drivers began to contend among themselves to determine who had the fastest cars. The bootleggers battled on Sunday afternoons and then used the same automobiles to cart moonshine Sunday night. As more and more folks came to view the contests, racing moonshine autos became very popular in the backroads of the Southland.

People who closely watch the NASCAR circuit attribute a number of factors for its huge success over the decades. One key cause is a recipe that almost no other spectator event uses. Each Week, the best teams (drivers) are brawling directly against each other. Unlike, for instance the NFL, where you might have to wait weeks for a critical contest between leading teams, you can observe number 1 versus number 2 every week. It’s almost like taking in the World Series of this sport every week.

The start of NASCAR in the “bootlegging” days and the humble roots of many of its initial headliners seems to be attractive to followers in todays world. In this era of the spoiled, pampered, arrogant professional jock, NASCAR racing buffs appear to be searching for a down to earth, more grounded kind of hero to give their commitment to.

The close of World War II had an impact on the beginning of NASCAR. At the close of the war, the demand for new automobiles in the US made a large leap with the homecoming of the military personnel. The manufacturing might that created the “weapons of war” changed to constructing cars. Next followed the arrival on the market of speedy, brawny and robust autos which were enjoyed by the young people of the time. The American West was burning for the "sports" cars, the Midwest for those with uncovered wheels, whereas the South-east picked the stock cars. A great deal of these were customized to carry out the illegal booze traffic and utilized in the "competitions" that sprung up all over the South.

The initial competitions of what was to ultimately turn into the NASCAR series were started in 1948 with customized pre-war autos, which later became the "modified" series. Some key milestones for the NASCAR Racing world over the many years include:

--The 1st 500 mile race takes place at Darlington in 1950

--The initial Daytona 500 takes place at Daytona International Speedway in 1959.

--Inaugural television report by CBS in 1960.

--Buddy Baker goes past the 200 mph limitation at Talladega in 1970.

--A Gallup poll brings out that 28% of Americans are “devotees” in 1976.

The American zeal for auto racing that grown in the 1940’s did not escape the attention of boosters who quickly made an "official" sport out of it, producing many organizations, each with their own regulations. Then on December 14, 1947, Bill France, determined to meet with thirty five of the organizers of all racing associations in place to produce the outline of what was going to become the American national automobile sport. It took four era for the group to finalize on all the regulations, to select the name of NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) and the Association was ultimately officially created on February 21, 1948.

NASCAR history has grown to a point where racing is no more a sport just for Southern "rednecks". The success of the sport has developed from its Southeastern roots to places across the country creating NASCAR fans all around the country. NEXTEL Cup contests are now held in New Hampshire, Michigan, California, Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Texas and Nevada. There have even been exhibition competitions run in Japan and other international destinations.