By Mark Bergin, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

NASCAR’s origins have deep North Carolina roots dating back to the Prohibition era.

While Bill France Sr. founded NASCAR in Florida, several of its origins are intertwined with North Carolina.

Here’s what you need to know about the history of NASCAR.

What is NASCAR and why is it so important in North Carolina?

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company known for stock car racing.

NASCAR is a privately owned company and is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Wilkes County became known for its production of illegal homemade liquor during the Prohibition era. From the 1920s to the 1950s, Wilkes County became known as the “Moonshine Capital of the World.”

People producing the bootleg liquor used it to trade in other states beyond the North Carolina state line. Since transporting the liquor often involved outrunning law enforcement in car chases, Wilkes County became one of the birthplaces of stock-car racing.

On May 18, 1947, the North Wilkesboro Speedway opened its doors as a dirt track to a crowd of more than 10,000 spectators, according to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Font Flock won the first official race held there.

The North Wilkesboro Speedway was among the first tracks recognized by NASCAR during its inaugural year of 1949.

Several NASCAR teams have headquarters in North Carolina It includes Richard Petty’s Legacy Motor Club in Statesville, Hendrick Motorsports in Charlotte, Stewart-Haas Racing in Kannapolis, Penske Racing in Mooresville, JR Motorsports, Chip Ganassi Racing in Concort, Joe Gibbs Racing in Huntersville, Roush Fenway Racing in Concord, Front Row Motorsports in Statesville and Richard Childress Racing in Lexington.

Many of the racing shops offer tours to visitors.

Where are NASCAR’s tracks in North Carolina?

In May, NASCAR held a race at the North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first time since 1996. Kyle Larson won his third All-Star race in the last five years.

NASCAR currently operates tracks at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.

Also, the NASCAR Hall of Fame opened in May 2010.

NASCAR operated tracks in North Carolina that are now defunct, including Raleigh Speedway and Occoneechee Speedway.

When is NASCAR season?

NASCAR holds 38 races spanning 10 months, starting in February and ending in November every year.

The 38 races include the playoffs, the All-Star race and Bud Shootout.

When did NASCAR start?

Bill France Sr. organized a meeting on Dec. 14, 1947, at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, to discuss the future of stock car racing. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was conceived.

NASCAR ran its first race on Feb. 15, 1948, in Daytona Beach at the beach road course. Red Byron won the race in a Ford.

On June 19, 1949, NASCAR held its first “Strickly Stock” (current NASCAR Cup Series) race at the Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway. Jim Roper won the race, Bob Flock won the first pole and Sara Christian, who finishes 14th, is credited as the first woman to race in NASCAR’s premier division.

Which driver has won the most NASCAR races?

Richard Petty aka “The King” won the most races with 200 wins. Petty was a seven-time Cup champion (1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979)

David Pearson ranks second with 105 wins. Pearson raced from 1960-1986.

Jeff Gordon (1992-2016) had 93 wins, Bobby Allison (1961-1988) had 84 and Darrell Waltrip (1972-2000) had 84 too.

How NASCAR’s three national series work

NASCAR has three national series that it sanctions for racing: NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The Cup Series is the most elite level of all three series. It began in 1949 as the “Strictly Stock” Division.

The Xfinity Series is the second tier of racing and can serve as a stepping stone for Cup drivers and teams. The series is typically where drivers make a name for themselves and build their fanbases.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series made its debut in 1995. The modified pickup truck races are in the third tier of NASCAR racing under the Xfinity Series and Cup Series. This is where most drivers make their national series debut.

How does NASCAR decide on a champion?

NASCAR’s playoff format has changed multiple times. Perhaps the most significant change came in 2014.

There are 40 cars in the NASCAR Cup Series field and after 26 races during the season, 16 cars are chosen to be the playoff cars.

The 16 cars are not necessarily the top 16 in points. They include all the cars that won a race during the season combined with the cars up to 16 cars that are the highest in points.

Once the playoffs start with 16 cars in the field, after every three races of the playoffs, NASCAR eliminates four drivers from the field. The four cars with the least amount of points or no wins are eliminated.

Elimination rounds whittle the field down to 12 drivers and then eight and then four for the Championship 4 in the final race. The best finisher among the Championship 4 drivers in the final race is crowned the champion.

During the playoffs, if a driver wins a race, the driver automatically advances to the next round.

In 2018, NASCAR started to award a regular-season championship to the driver with the most points heading into the playoffs in all three series. NASCAR grandfathered 2017 as the first time the regular-season championship was awarded into the record books.

The NASCAR playoffs used to be known as the Chase for the Nextel/Spring Cup from 2004-2016.

NASCAR used the Winston Cup Series era from 1971-2003. In 1971, NASCAR leased its naming rights to the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company who named the series after its premier brand “Winston.”

Which driver has the most NASCAR Cup Series championships?

Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson are tied for the most NASCAR championships with seven each.

• Petty’s championships: 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979
• Earnhardt’s championships: 1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994
• Johnson’s championships: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2016

Which NASCAR driver won the most races in a row?

Petty won 10 consecutive races in 1967.

Since 1972 there have been eight NASCAR drivers that have been able to win four consecutive races. Those drivers are Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant, Bill Elliott, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.

Although eight drivers have won four races in a row in the last 40-plus years, none of them was able to win a fifth in a row.

Which NASCAR driver has won the most championships in a row?

Jimmie Johnson won five consecutive NASCAR Cup Series Championships from 2006-2010.

Consecutive years with at least one win

In 2023, Kyle Busch surpassed Petty on the all-time list with a victory in 19 consecutive NASCAR Cup Series seasons.

The record-setting win came on Feb. 26 at Auto Club Speedway in Busch’s first victory with Richard Childress Racing.

Who’s the fastest driver in NASCAR history?

The distinction belongs to Bill Elliott.

During a race qualifier for the 1987 Winston 500 at Talladega, Elliott achieved the record for the top speed among NASCAR drivers – one that still stands today – by pushing his No. 9 Coors Ford Thunderbird around the 2.66-mile track to a speed of 212 miles per hour.

Later that same year, after a horrific wreck that sent Bobby Allison’s Miller High Life Buick airborne at Talladega and injured five spectators, NASCAR began requiring the use of restrictor plates, which reduce an engine’s intake and its power capabilities.

Since restrictor plates were implemented, the fastest qualifying speed recorded came in 2014 when Jeff Gordon hit 206.558 mph at Michigan.

Who has the most starts in NASCAR history?

Jeff Gordon made 797 consecutive starts from November 1992 through the 2015 season.

Do NASCAR drivers lose weight during a race?

NASCAR drivers can lose five to 10 pounds in sweat during a race, depending on the conditions.

Why do NASCAR tracks go counterclockwise?

NASCAR historian Buz McKim claims that it is an act of defiance against the British, who ran horses on tracks clockwise. So naturally, the United States decided to run our horses counterclockwise here … and NASCAR followed suit.

Do NASCAR cars have air conditioning?

No. Air conditioning would put extra weight in the car and negatively impact its speed.

Some cars have ventilation systems that blow air on the driver’s seat and at their feet. Drivers also wear cool racing suits and cool clothing.

What is NASCAR’s oldest super speedway?

First, it’s important to note a superspeedway is a track that is greater than two miles.

In NASCAR, the most memorable tracks are superspeedways, including Talladega, Indianapolis and Daytona.

The historic Darlington Raceway in South Carolina hosted its first premier series race in 1950.

Speaking of Darlington …

What’s the greatest margin of victory in a single NASCAR race?

Ned Jarrett won the 1965 Southern 500 at Darlington by 14 laps.

What’s the largest crowd ever for a NASCAR race?

There were more than 250,000 people to attend the very first Brickyard 400 in 1994 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

What is the biggest NASCAR track?

The biggest NASCAR oval is Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. It measures at 2.66 miles.

For all NASCAR tracks, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, is the longest. The road course hosts the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series once per year and is 4.048 miles.

How many tracks are in NASCAR?

NASCAR holds races on 42 tracks in the U.S. and Canada, with the Charlotte Roval and Charlotte Motor Speedway oval officially counting as two separate tracks.

Also, the NASCAR Xfinity Series adds one track not on the Cup Series schedule, with the Camping World Trucks adding on an additional three. That makes 30 total tracks for the three national series.

Who was the first U.S. president to attend a NASCAR race?

On July 4, 1984, President Ronald Reagan attended the Firecracker 400 at the Daytona International Speedway.

Reagan gave the “gentlemen, start your engines” command from the phone on Air Force One, which later landed at Daytona Beach International Airport. Reagan then was escorted to one of the main press boxes at the speedway.

Richard Petty won the race, which was the 200th and final victory of his legendary career.

What are the most successful NASCAR teams?

There are several, including Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Legacy Motor Club (formerly Petty GMS Sports).

Hendrick Motorsports, which uses Chevrolet, features championship-winning drivers Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. The group has won 14 Cup Series, one Xfinity Series and three Truck Series.

Rick Hendrick founded Hendrick Motorsports in 1984. Hendrick Motorsports has won a NASCAR-record 296 Cup Series races.

Joe Gibbs, the former NFL coach, founded Joe Gibbs Racing in the early 1990s. The group uses Toyota cars, and features Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs in the Cup Series. The group has won five Cup Series: Bobby Labonte in 2000, Tony Stewart in 2002, Stewart in 2005, Kyle Busch in 2015 and Busch in 2019.

In 2009, Stewart claimed part ownership of Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart won the Cup Series in 2011 and 2014 under Stewart-Haas, which uses Ford as its manufacturer.

Team Penske uses Ford Mustangs in the NASCAR Cup Series and has won Cup Series championships in 2012 (Brad Keselowski), 2018 (Joey Logano) and 2022 (Logano).

Historically, Richard Petty and his father Lee Petty won 10 Cup Series championships for Petty Enterprises. It has since been renamed, and is known today as Legacy Motor Club after a merger.

A NASCAR team is limited to four cars in each of the NASCAR national series. Teams mostly utilize one manufacturer for all of their cars. However, each vehicle has a different car number and crew chief for each driver.

Ownership groups share resources across cars and have some leadership doing work to benefit the cars on the team.

How loud does it get at a NASCAR race?

The noise level at an average NASCAR race hovers around 100 decibels. The Washington Post reports it’s like a three-hour garbage truck parade or 180 minutes of jet flyovers at 1,000 feet.

NASCAR cars lack exhaust pipes. The mufflers restrict airflow into the engine, which can limit its performance.

“No more than 15 minutes of unprotected exposure recommended for sounds between 90—100 dB,” the National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders stated. “Regular exposure to sound over 100 dB of more than one minute risks permanent hearing loss.”

Many people wear ear protection and listen to a radio broadcast while attending races.

What does it mean to win a pole in NASCAR?

In a race, the pole position is usually the best and “statistically the most advantageous” starting position on the track.

The pole position is usually earned by the driver with the best qualifying times in the trials before the race.

The top qualifying driver is also sometimes referred to as the pole-sitter.

Who was the first woman driver in NASCAR?

Sara Christian was the first woman driver in NASCAR history. Christian competed in NASCAR’s first race on June 19, 1949, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Christian made seven starts in the Sprint Cup Series during the course of two years.

Christian’s best finish (fifth) came in 1949 at Heidelberg Raceway.

Has a woman ever won a NASCAR Series Cup race?

Not yet, but Shawna Robinson, Hailie Deegan, Manami Kobayashi, and Gracie Trotter have each won at least one race in a of NASCAR touring series.

Robinson won three times between 1988 and 1989 in the now-defunct ISCARS Dash Series, which ran from 1975-2011.

Deegan won three races in the K&N Pro Series West between 2018 and 2019.

In 2019, Kobayashi won in her one and only start in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in the Elite Club Division.

Trotter won a race in the renamed ARCA Menards Series West in 2020, becoming the second female winner in the West Series, as well as the first winner in the series under the ARCA banner. She also became the first winner in any ARCA-sanctioned series.

In IndyCar Series racing, Danica Patrick won the 2008 Indy Japan 300. Patrick raced in IndyCar Series racing from 2005-2018. She also raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series from 2010-2014 and the NASCAR Cup Series from 2012-2018.

How is NASCAR different than Indy Car and Formula 1 racing?

One distinction between the races is the location in which they’re held.

Formula 1 competes worldwide, not just in the U.S.

NASCAR’s Cup Series typically features races in the U.S.

The IndyCar Series had 17 races in 2022, all in the U.S. and Canada.

The physical appearance of the cars also differs by racing association.

F1 and Indy cars have open wheels and an open cockpit, whereas NASCAR drivers are enclosed in a sedan-styled vehicle.

NASCAR cars are also the heaviest of the three. By rule, a NASCAR Cup Series car must weigh 3,300 pounds.

An entire F1 car should weigh no less than 1,759.29 pounds. The heaviest part of an F1 car is the engine, which must weigh a minimum of 110.231 pounds. F1 also has specific weight requirements for different parts of a car.

IndyCar also has weight requirements for its cars. Not including the driver, fuel, drink bottle and driver equivalency ballast, the new road races and short oval minimum is 1,620 pounds. For superspeedways, it’s 1,590 pounds.

The shortest races of the three is F1, which can take less than two hours to complete. NASCAR has longer races than F1 and IndyCar, which can take just less than four hours to complete and cover over 330 laps.

F1 and IndyCar races can average around 200 laps.

Formula 1 races are generally timed and end after two hours regardless of how many laps have been completed while NASCAR races go until the checkered flag flies on the final lap.

IndyCar races can have a time limit, though it may change based on track conditions and projected weather.

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