| NASCAR is actually an acronym for the National | | | | racing days - though in appearance only. |
| Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. The | | | | The fact that so many people were attracted to |
| organization was founded in 1948 by Ed Otto and | | | | Nascar wasn't lost on companies that wanted to find |
| William France. The two men recognized the fact | | | | advertising opportunities. This period of Nascar history |
| that people enjoyed watching car races, and that | | | | marks the beginning of full-time jobs as drivers, |
| there needed to be some standardization behind the | | | | promoters and pit crews of Nascar racing. The |
| racing industry in order to attract more racers and to | | | | earliest companies who used the advertising |
| make the races equitable for those who entered. | | | | opportunities were largely car manufacturers, though |
| Having more who were willing to enter the races | | | | the 1970s saw a marked increase in the number of |
| naturally increased the number of fans who were | | | | companies that sponsored racers. |
| willing to pay to watch - a natural step in the | | | | Some who aren't tried-and-true Nascar fans think |
| marketing of Nascar. | | | | there is only a single Nascar racing circuit, but the |
| During those early years of Nascar racing, cars were | | | | fact is there are several circuits sanctioned by the |
| "strictly stock," meaning they were basically exactly | | | | parent organization. Some of the largest events are |
| as the manufacturer released them. But a few | | | | televised and it's probably this fact that has created |
| accidents convinced those in control of the racing | | | | the number of fans that follow the sport so closely. |
| events that some modifications for safety would be | | | | The sheer number of fans has created superstardom |
| a prudent step. It wasn't long before other | | | | for many of the Nascar drivers as well. Not only do |
| modifications were allowed to increase speed, | | | | those drivers make their living by racing, many are |
| handling and other racing performance issues. | | | | also spokesmen for products and companies, making |
| After about another decade of this type of racing, | | | | their Nascar status even more profitable. |
| those who were serious about the sport began | | | | There's no doubt that Nascar has a huge following. |
| creating cars that were exclusively for racing. In | | | | Most people have heard of Nascar and even those |
| those cases, the cars typically incorporated all the | | | | who don't watch the sport can name a few of the |
| modifications allowed by the Nascar officials. For | | | | more successful drivers. And it started because two |
| several more years, the body of the cars would | | | | men realized the potential for a racing organization to |
| continue to resemble the stock cars of the early | | | | oversee the sport. |