Skip to main content

NASCAR

NASCAR
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is known worldwide to bring the best racers to compete in one of the most highly attended sporting events in the world. Its popularity didn’t happen overnight, it didn't draw in as many drivers or big crowds like you see today. We have a few key points to share with you about this ever growing sport.

In the Early Years

In December 1947, Bill France Sr. organized a meeting at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida. The topic for discussion were the problems facing stock car racing. Others in the meeting agreed that these were problems that could be solved; and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing was born. Two months after that meeting, Feb. 15, 1948, the first sanctioned NASCAR race was held on Daytona's beach course, and the first race was won by Red Byron in his Ford Modified. In Sept. 4, 1950, Darlington International Raceway became the first asphalt super speedway to host a NASCAR event. The winner in that event was Johnny Mantz in his 1950 Plymouth. Lee Petty wins the first Daytona 500 in front of 41,000 fans on Feb. 22, 1959. Wendell Scott becomes the first African-American to win a premier division NASCAR race at Jacksonville Speedway in 1963. Nearly fifty years later, Darrell Wallace Jr. would become the second African-American to win a NASCAR national series event when he won a Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway.  

Later On

In 2002, Tony Stewart's championship season was the beginning of a youth movement in NASCAR. A new generation of drivers, including Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr., gain more popularity. The following year, Brian France replaced his father, Bill France Jr., and is named as NASCAR's Chairman and CEO. The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup was announced in 2004. It gave the sport a post-season comparable to a playoff. The first Chase was won by Kurt Busch. Jimmie Johnson makes history in 2008. He did so by winning his third consecutive Sprint Cup championship, tying Cale Yarborough's record. The next year, he would break that record by winning his fourth consecutive championship and would be named Male Athlete of the year by the Associated Press. December 2012, the Generation-6 car is unveiled, bringing NASCAR racing back to its roots of stock cars. The new Gen-6 cars more closely resembled vehicles sold on showroom floors across the country, while becoming even safer and more exciting on the track. In January 2014, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France announces a new championship format that puts greater emphasis on winning races all season long. He also expanded the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field to 16 drivers, with round-by-round advancements.

Williams Group Auto


At Williams Group Auto, we appreciate a great piece of American history. While we may not sell NASCAR regulated cars, we do sell a wide range of vehicles that you are sure to appreciate. So if you're in need of a used car in Abilene, come by today and check out our selection or visit our virtual showroom at www.williamsgroupauto.com.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Interesting and Random Facts About Cars

Interesting and Random Facts About Cars We can all agree that the world is a big place. It’s not surprising that there would be unexpected facts about everything from pencils, to history, to science, and everything in between. Some fun facts to know would be about cars. These facts might not make you a millionaire, but they might help you win an argument or make you look good in front of that one girl at the bar. GearHeads have come up with a list of random facts about cars that will possibly educate you and amuse guest at a party. Here Are a Few to Get You Started The most stolen car in the United States is the Honda Accord. One of the ugliest vehicles ever made, the AMC Gremlin, pioneered the style that is now commonly seen in SUV’s – sloped side-window and high hood. The car was only manufactured for eight years (1970-1978) and numbered 671,475 units. The RRP was $1,879.00USD when it was first released, which these days would be over $11,000 USD. In the past 50 ye...

Do You Prefer a Ford or Chevy?

Do You Prefer a Ford or Chevy? This is the age-old question. Ford or Chevy? Ford lovers wouldn’t be caught dead driving a Chevy, and Chevy lovers wouldn’t be caught dead driving a Ford. Fortunately, this type of mindset is falling by the wayside as the new millennial generation is growing. Many of them do not share the rivalry that their fathers and grandfathers shared between these two makes of pickup trucks. This has a lot to do with the fact that there are many other popular makes and models of pickup trucks such as Dodge, Nissan, and Toyota. People have more options now than they did 30 to 40 years ago. This is a good thing because it breaks people from those ingrained stereotypes. So, if you are looking for a great, reliable, but still luxurious truck, look no further. We have the perfect one for you. We Have the Perfect Ford for You If you are looking for a truck with a lot of power and towing capacity but don’t want to skimp on comfortability, this 2017 Ford F-250 SD La...

How Movies Portrayed Car Salesmen

How Movies Portrayed Car Salesmen Since the 80s and through the 90s, movies involving car dealerships shined a negative light on car salesmen and painted a stereotypical picture. These comedic characters came off as shady, sleazy, pushy, and willing to do anything to make the sale. The News Wheel has listed the Top 5 Worst Car Salesmen from Movies and they're some pretty bad ones. Here are my three favorites from the list. Rudy Russo from the 1980 film Used Cars . A young Kurt Russell portrays Rudy Russo, a state Senate hopeful. In order to get a $10,000 campaign investment from used car lot owner Luke Fuchs, Rudy must help him sell some cars to keep his business up and running. While doing so, Rudy uses standard stereotypical used car salesmen techniques like cheesy commercials, fast-talking, and pressure selling. He even baits a customer from a competing lot by using a $10 bill on a fishing line to get the man to cross the street. Joey O’Brien from Cadillac Man . The ...