The first "true" NASCAR race, in the division that would lead to the present-day Winston Cup Series, was held at the Charlotte (N.C.) Fairgrounds on June 19, 1949. The division of NASCAR in which this race was held, at that time, was called the "Strictly Stock" division. "The 'Strictly Stock' division was open to competitiors who drove full-sized, American made passenger cars, with complete bodies, hoods, fenders, bumpers, and grilles- all parts were required to be listed in the manufacturer's catalog for each model."

Through the 1950's NASCAR began to flourish. Corporate sponsors, such as Pure Oil and Champion Sparkplugs took an active role in the sport. Even the major automobile manufacturers, such as Ford, Chevrolet, and Chrysler gave "factory backing" to individual drivers-- the drivers would recieve money from a manufacturer to drive its product. A common motto for these automobile manufacturers was "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday". The car companies realized the potential of racing to sell cars. In the 1950's, NASCAR held races in such places as Municipal Stadium [later JFK Stadium] in Philadelphia and Soldier Field in Chicago.

In 1964, Chrysler returned to racing, after a short leave, and brought with it the 426 cubic inch hemispherical engine, or simply the "hemi". This engine was so powerful that Chrysler began to dominate NASCAR racing, so much so that the level of competition came to suffer extremely. Before the 1965 season Bill France outlawed the hemi, and Chrysler pulled out of racing again to protest France's decision. France allowed a modified version of the hemi to return in 1966, and Chrysler re-entered NASCAR again. 

In 1970, soon after the Nixon administration signed a bill banning cigarette manufacturers from advertising on television or radio, the R.J. Reynolds tobacco company talked to Bill France to see if the company could put their advertising dollars into sponsoring an elite division of NASCAR racing. France happily agreed, and beginning in the 1971 season, the top division of NASCAR would be known by its present name, the Winston Cup Series. The money pumped into NASCAR by R.J. Reynolds (makers of Winston cigarettes-hence the name) would no longer make squabbles over factory backing an issue in NASCAR. 

If any one race is responsible for helping to bring NASCAR to its immense popularity today, it would be the Daytona 500 three years later in 1979. This was the first NASCAR race to be televised flag-toflag, on CBS. An estimated twenty million people tuned in that day in February 1979. 

On the back straightaway of the last lap, Yarborough attempted to pass Donnie Allison on the inside, and Allison pulled down to block him. The two cars collided and shot into the third turn wall, then spun into the infield grass and stopped. Petty and Waltrip drove past and Petty won the race by a car length. 

By the time Petty crossed the finish line, Yarborough and Allison had already gotten out of their cars and started fighting. Then Bobby Allison pulled up and entered the fistfight to defend his brother- all of this happening on live national television. It took two or three safety crew members to break up the fight. Meanwhile, Richard Petty, a national hero, ended up winning the race. Many racing historians credit that race and its exciting finish for helping bring NASCAR to where it is today. 

Another major change transpired in NASCAR in 1987. Thorughout the 80's, racing speeds at the two fastest tracks on the Winston Cup circuit had become dangerously high. It became a real possibility that if a car got airborne at Daytona or the Alabama International Motor Speedway (since renamed Talladega Superspeedway), it could fly into the stands. Therefore, NASCAR mandated the use of a carburetor, or "restrictor" plate be placed between the carb and intake manifold, thereby reducing the flow of fuel into the engine and slowing the car. By comparison, Bill Elliott's pole speed for the April 1987 Winston 500 (NASCAR's last "unrestricted" race at Daytona or Talladega) was 212.809 miles per hour. For the DieHard 500 in July of that year the pole-winning speed was 203.827 miles per hour. NASCAR, in subsequent years, increased the size of the plate to slow speeds further, so now polw speeds average 193-194 miles per hour at Talladega. Without them the cars are estimated to be capable of average speeds of 230 miles per hour nowadays.

Jump forward twenty years to 2003..."with the young guns" of Nascar domninating the circuts, its verterans like Terry Labonte, Bill Elliot, and Mark Martin that are trying to deal with advances in tecnology, and win championships.