Bill France Sr. and the Founding of NASCAR

By the late 1940s, stock car racing in the Southeast was popular but fragmented. Different promoters ran different rules, purses were not always paid, and drivers had little protection. Bill France Sr., already an experienced driver and promoter, believed the sport needed a single governing body.

In December 1947, France convened a series of meetings with drivers, mechanics, and promoters at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach. The result was the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, which was formally incorporated on February 21, 1948.

The first seasons

NASCAR's earliest races were for modified cars. Red Byron won the first race held under the NASCAR banner, on the Daytona beach-road course in February 1948, and went on to become the organization's first champion.

In June 1949, NASCAR held its first "Strictly Stock" race at Charlotte Speedway, a dirt track in North Carolina. Glenn Dunnaway crossed the line first but was disqualified after inspectors found modified rear springs; Jim Roper was declared the winner. The episode illustrated how seriously the new organization intended to enforce its rules.

The Strictly Stock division evolved into what is now the NASCAR Cup Series. The France family led the organization for decades after its founding.