How did Stock Car Racing in America Start???
by Phillip Whelan
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How did Stock Car Racing in America Start??? by Phillip Whelan |
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Stock Car racing in America has grown to a multi-million dollar business, as well as a sport. Prize money is huge by Australian standards, crowds enormous, over 400,000 people attend Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400 each year.
However, what is often not know outside the U.S. is how all this started.
During Prohibition (1920 - 1933) It was illegal to sell, produce or drink liquor. Throughout the states people continued to produce and transport liquor illegally on country roads. The police were out to stop this trade. Moonshiners hotted up stock cars to evade the police pursuit cars. With all these fast cars around, it wasn't long before races started between the moonshiners.
When Prohibition ended in 1933 stock car racing became more popular. It wasn't long before the ex-moonshiners realised they could make more money racing than their former activities.
Racing started on the beach at Daytona Beach Florida in 1936 - 1959 saw the first Daytona 500 on the newly built superspeedway.