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144-727: There are many sanctioning bodies for modifieds, each specifying different body styles and engine sizes. A typical early "modified stock car" was, as its name implies, generally a stock automobile, with the glass removed, a roll cage installed, and a souped-up motor. NASCAR began by organizing the modifieds, and ran its first race in Daytona Beach in February 1948 at the beach road course. (In June 1949, NASCAR organized its first " strictly stock " later model car race at Charlotte, North Carolina, which evolved into its well known premiere division.) What started out as minor modifications to

288-586: A "claim rule", wherein a racer may buy a competitor's engine for a small amount of money (usually around $ 500). This rule was intended to keep engine prices from skyrocketing. The IMCA Sportmods appear very similar to their brethren, but have distinctly different engines. The Afco KidModz appear the same as the others, but sport full tube chassis, and by rules, have to have Ford 2300 cc inline 4-cylinder engines. Sanctioning bodies WISSOTA Promoters' Association and United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) also have classes that are almost identical to IMCA's modifieds, with

432-458: A $ 500,000 repave of the track was announced that was completed the next month. To Carrier's ire, the new surface saw increased tire wear, which Carrier blamed on how the track was resurfaced. In lieu of Carrier's anger of the new surface, he announced another repave in May 1989. The surface received complaints by drivers for the surface being too rough and bumpy. By the fall of 1991, Carrier announced

576-485: A 1,250 cc (76 cu in) limitation on the engine size. The Western States Dwarf Car Association, begun in 1993, has become one of the most successful racing organizations, boasting an average of 80–100 Dwarf Cars at 4 National, and several regional, events a year. There is also a class of Dwarf Cars that race on dirt called the Vintage Lite Series. They race a mixed field of cars, some resembling

720-507: A 4.1-mile (6.6 km) course, consisting of a 1.5–2.0-mile (2.4–3.2 km) stretch of beach as one straightaway, and a narrow blacktop beachfront highway, State Road A1A , as the other. The two straights were connected by two tight, deeply rutted and sand covered turns at each end. Stock car racing in the United States has its origins in bootlegging during Prohibition , when drivers ran bootleg whiskey made primarily in

864-583: A bit different from the cars seen in America, being more akin to a late model , though steel tube-framed silhouette bodies powered by V8 engines is still the norm. In December 2006, NASCAR also announced the creation of a new series in Mexico, the NASCAR Corona Series (now Mexico Series), replacing the existing Desafío Corona Series, to begin in 2007. In 2004, NASCAR also began to sanction

1008-628: A car's worth by driving it from New York to Los Angeles. After his death, the famous transcontinental race the ' Cannonball Run ' and the film that was inspired by it were both named in his honor. Baker is enshrined in the Automotive Hall of Fame , the Motorcycle Hall of Fame , and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame. This level of honor and success in each diverse racing association earned Baker

1152-435: A few small exceptions. The AMRA, or American Motor Racing Association also follows this popular formula for modifieds. NASCAR drivers Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace own and race UMP Modifieds on off weekends from NASCAR. Some tracks sanction modifieds with IMCA-like specifications, such as Slinger Super Speedway . IMCA designed a new lower-cost class of SportMod cars in 2004 to complement its Modified division. The division

1296-579: A football stadium and field. On January 17, 1961, local Tennessean recreational conglomerate businessman Larry Carrier announced his intentions of building a racetrack in Bristol, expanding his recreational conglomerate within the Tri-Cities, Tennessee , area. The track was constructed with no major issues, and opened in July of that same year for a speed record run. Carrier ran the track until 1977, when it

1440-480: A full season in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. These include Kurt Busch and Carl Edwards (who both ran for Roush Racing ). In addition, veteran drivers who have had only moderate success at the other two levels of the sport have revitalized their careers in the truck series, including Ron Hornaday Jr. , Todd Bodine , Mike Skinner , and Johnny Benson . Beginning in 2009, the series became

1584-572: A full-time basis. Kevin Harvick was the first Cup series driver to compete full-time in the Busch Series and win a title, actually doing so twice; in 2001, he did this for Richard Childress Racing but only did so out of necessity as Dale Earnhardt 's death forced him into the Cup series ahead of RCR's intended schedule for him. His win in 2006, where he raced three cars for RCR and his race team ,

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1728-498: A lap, plus the driver who leads the most laps. Another significant change involves the qualifying process for the Chase. The number of qualifying drivers will remain at 12, but only the top 10 will qualify solely on regular-season points. The remaining two Chase drivers will be the two drivers in the next 10 of the point standings (11th through 20th) with the most race wins in the regular season. In 2014, NASCAR announced another revamp to

1872-531: A local recreation conglomerate within the Tri-Cities, Tennessee , area, wanted to build a race track. He drew up initial plans to build a track in Piney Flats, Tennessee , using land his real-estate agent father had bought. However, the plan was rejected by local ministers in the area. Carrier instead opted to build the track five miles south on land formerly used as a dairy farm. Carrier, with later assistance from R. G. Pope and Carl R. Moore, drew up ideas for

2016-575: A mini stock racing series in Mexico, known as the Mexico T4 Series. In early 2012, NASCAR announced that it would sanction the existing European-based Racecar Euro Series as a "NASCAR Touring Series". On July 1, 2013, with partnership from NASCAR Whelen Engineering , the series was renamed the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. In addition to the six main national series, NASCAR operates several other racing divisions under

2160-455: A new 5,000-seat grandstand and new concrete walls. The track throughout the 1980s saw increases in popularity and continued sellouts for the track, with the success of the track being remarked as "unprecedented in NASCAR racing" by The Charlotte Observer writer Tom Higgins. By the end of the decade, sellouts were guaranteed for the track months before the track's races occurred, along with

2304-596: A point-fund money payout and even more goes to the National champion (driver with most points out of the four division winners). The Whelen All-American Series is the base for stock car racing, developing NASCAR names such as Clint Bowyer , Jimmy Spencer , Tony Stewart , the Bodine brothers, and many others along the way. The Whelen Modified Tour races open-wheel "modified" cars in Northern and Southern divisions. This

2448-439: A portion of the complex were denied by Carrier, with Carrier claiming that he was planning to buy out National Raceways, Hodgdon's company that owned the Bristol track. At the end of January 1986, Carrier's purchase was officially confirmed, paying $ 4.5–5 million for the company. Carrier also announced the sale of the dragstrip to Ruth to finance Carrier's purchase. With his purchase, Carrier announced further renovations, including

2592-478: A race weekend spurred fears of crippling the local Tri-Cities economy. In February 1996, Smith denied rumors of moving the track's spring race weekend to the new Texas Motor Speedway , along with announcing intentions of increasing capacity to 120,000, an increase from 81,000 from when Smith bought it. Initial renovations started in March, with further plans for expansion and events being announced by Byrd. The track

2736-463: A relationship with Bob Barkhimer and his partner, Margo Burke. He went to events with them, stayed weekends with them and generally became very familiar with racing on the west coast. "Barky", as he was called by his friends, journeyed to Daytona Beach and met with Bill France Sr. In the spring of 1954, NASCAR became a stock car sanctioning body on the Pacific Coast under Barky. Wendell Scott

2880-574: A result of that sponsorship, the Grand National Series became known as the Winston Cup Series starting in 1971, with a new points system and some significant cash benefits to compete for championship points. In 1972, the season was shortened from 48 races (including two on dirt tracks ) to 31. 1972 is often acknowledged as the beginning of NASCAR's "modern era". The next competitive level, called Late Model Sportsman, gained

3024-410: A row by Cale Yarborough in the late 1970s, the only other time when a driver has won three or more NASCAR Cup Series championships in a row. The Cup Series had its first title sponsor in 1972. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company , which had been banned from television advertising , found a popular and demographically suitable consumer base in NASCAR fans and engaged NASCAR as a promotional outlet. As

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3168-478: A season, along with the pre-season Clash and mid-season All-Star race. NASCAR runs races primarily on ovals , including superspeedways, short tracks, and dirt tracks , but also road courses and street circuits . Richard Petty holds the Cup Series wins record with 200. He is tied with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson for the championship record, with seven each. Entering the 2025 season , Joey Logano

3312-727: A separate Dirt Modified Tour in 2005. In late 2004, NASCAR bought out the Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams (SMART), and promptly renamed it the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. The southern tour uses exactly the same set of rules as the northern tour, but races primarily in the southeastern section of the US. The majority of races on the southern tour schedule occur before late April and after August as not to interfere with weekly racing at Bowman Gray Stadium . Once per year,

3456-598: A series of meetings held at the Streamline Hotel in Florida, beginning on December 14, 1947. At 1:00 pm, France called to order the 35 men who represented the NCSCC on the top floor of the hotel. The meeting was the first of four seminars in which France would outline his vision of an organized group of race car drivers. The name originally chosen for the series was National Stock Car Racing Association ; when it

3600-709: A taste for moonshine , and a number of the drivers continued "runnin' shine", this time evading the "revenuers" who were attempting to tax their operations. The cars continued to improve, and by the late 1940s, races featuring these cars were being run for pride and profit. These races were popular entertainment in the rural Southern United States, and they are most closely associated with the Wilkes County region of North Carolina . Most races in those days were of modified cars. Street vehicles were lightened and reinforced. Mechanic William France Sr. , moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, from Washington, D.C., in 1935 to escape

3744-401: A third repave. The surface still oversaw more complaints for being too bumpy, and after the 1992 Food City 500 , Carrier announced another complete repave of the track. This time, Carrier opted to pave the surface in concrete instead of asphalt, which was what the track had been using since its inception. The repave was completed in July of that year. Despite Carrier stating at the start of

3888-477: A whole, traces its roots back to moonshine runners during Prohibition , who grew to compete against each other in a show of pride. This happened notably in North Carolina. In 1935, Bill France Sr. established races in Daytona Beach, with the hope that people would come to watch races and that racers would race for him, as other organizers tended to fleece the winners of their payouts. This was a success, and

4032-544: A young Bill France placed 5th at the end of the day. By early 1947, Bill France saw the potential for a unified series of racing competitors. France announced the foundation of the "National Championship Stock Car Circuit", otherwise known as NCSCC. France approached the American Automobile Association , or AAA, in hopes of obtaining financial backing for the venture. When the AAA declined support of

4176-554: Is Cole Custer in 2023. The modern incarnation of this series began in 1982, with sponsorship by Anheuser-Busch Brewing 's Budweiser brand. In 1984 it was renamed to the Busch Grand National Series, then later just the Busch Series. The Anheuser-Busch sponsorship expired at the end of 2007, being replaced by Nationwide Insurance from 2008 to 2014, and the series is now sponsored by Comcast through its Xfinity brand. The season usually has fewer races than

4320-581: Is NASCAR's oldest division, and the modern division has been operating since 1985 as the Winston Modified Series and later in 1994 as the Featherlite Trailers Modified Series. The ARCA Menards Series ' feeder divisions, which consists of East and West divisions, race pro-stock cars that are similar to older Xfinity Series cars, although they are less powerful. The east division was originally divided into

4464-425: Is aimed at attracting younger drivers as an entry-level class. It closely follows UMP's Modified rules, with a few exceptions. The engine must be a 2300cc Ford Pinto (also known as a Lima) inline 4-cylinder, and the drivers can be no younger than 12, nor older than 18. Some tracks will allow children aged 10 or 11 to race if the track's insurance will allow. The KidModz are also allowed to run tubular chassis, whereas

Modified racing - Misplaced Pages Continue

4608-542: Is divided into Northern SportMods and Southern SportMods divisions. The Northern SportMods have a few small differences from the Southern SportMods in the body of the car. These cars are somewhat smaller and have less powerful engines. They can be differentiated from IMCA Modifieds because the car has a break in the body that extends from the rear roof to the spoiler at the rear. This relatively inexpensive (when compared to their "adult" counterparts) racing series

4752-538: Is now known as an asphalt-oval-only series, this was not always the case. The series originally started on dirt, and as more and more asphalt tracks opened, the series migrated to racing on the newer tracks. The series also had previously made forays into road racing with stops at Watkins Glen International in New York . Drivers like Bobby Allison and Red Farmer started in the NASCAR Modified series, which

4896-616: Is primarily a Midwestern United States series. NASCAR acquired the series on April 27, 2018 after being privately owned for 60 years. The NASCAR Canada Series is a NASCAR racing series in Canada that derives from the old CASCAR Super Series (founded in 1981 and bought out by NASCAR in 2006). The new series has races through six of Canada's provinces for a total of 13 events with TV coverage on TSN . Many drivers are content running in Canada while others move up to bigger NASCAR series including J. R. Fitzpatrick and D. J. Kennington . The cars are

5040-610: Is scheduled to continue as planned. The series was renamed again in 2020 to the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series before returning to the Camping World Truck Series name in 2021. On August 26, 2022 it was announced that the original series' sponsor, Craftsman, would return as the title sponsor starting in the 2023 season. The ARCA Menards Series is a racing series that races at big touring series tracks and local racing series tracks. It

5184-491: Is the defending Cup Series champion. In the 1920s and 1930s, Daytona Beach supplanted France and Belgium as the preferred location for world land speed records . After a historic race between Ransom Olds and Alexander Winton in 1903, 15 records were set on what became the Daytona Beach Road Course between 1905 and 1935. Daytona Beach had become synonymous with fast cars in 1936. Drivers raced on

5328-517: Is the only Northeast dirt modified series to present two events offering $ 50,000-plus to win annually: one at Port Royal Speedway in Pennsylvania and another at Fonda Speedway in New York. While modified racing remained popular on the east coast, varieties of the " strictly stock " / " late models " became the primary class in other parts of the country. In the late 1970s, the dirt modified

5472-443: Is usually a coil-over setup, with a torsion-bar set-up for the rear suspension. They utilize full tube chassis, which to the untrained eye, looks like a sprint car chassis, but is much different in reality. The small block or "358 modifieds" emerged from NASCAR's Sportsman division , which had been formed in 1950 as NASCAR's short track race division. The sportsman cars were older model cars and could be modified, but not as much as

5616-536: The Appalachian region of the United States. Bootleggers needed to distribute their illicit products, and they typically used small, fast vehicles to better evade the police. Many of the drivers would modify their cars for speed and handling, as well as increased cargo capacity. The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 dried up some of their business, but by then the people of the American South had developed

5760-552: The Arkansas , Louisiana , and Texas area. They are called Ark-La-Tex Winged Modifieds. These outlaw modifieds sport full tube chassis, and bodies that look like the Advanced Auto Parts Super DIRTcar racers, with the exception of the sprint car -like wing affixed to the roofs of the cars. These cars can also be found deeper into Texas such as Dallas and Waco. They are not always bodies that look like

5904-676: The Bristol International Raceway from 1978 to 1996 and as the Bristol International Speedway from 1961 to 1978) is a 0.533-mile (0.858 km) oval short track in Bristol, Tennessee . The track has held a variety of events since its opening in 1961, including NASCAR races, NCAA FBS college football games, and sprint car races. The track has been owned by Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI) since 1996 with Jerry Caldwell currently serving as

Modified racing - Misplaced Pages Continue

6048-791: The Camping World Truck Series. In 2019, per a branding request made by Camping World, the series was rebranded as the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. As noted previously, the Chase format was extended to the Truck Series in 2016. The format is identical to that used in the Xfinity Series, except that only eight drivers qualify for the Chase (instead of 12 in the Xfinity Series) and only two drivers are eliminated at

6192-558: The Ford Pinto Lima is the favored motor. Motor rules have stayed very stable over the last ten years with the only rule change coming in 2008 which allowed the Esslinger aluminum d-port head, due to the declining availability of the cast-iron cylinder heads. These cars are set apart from most modified racing series in that they do not utilize roofs on the cars. US Legend Cars International of Charlotte, North Carolina , created

6336-482: The Great Depression . He was familiar with the history of the area from the land speed record attempts. France entered the 1936 Daytona event, finishing fifth. He took over running the course in 1938. He promoted a few races before World War II. France had the notion that people would enjoy watching stock cars race. Drivers were frequently victimized by unscrupulous promoters who would leave events with all

6480-521: The Knoxville News Sentinel reported the track had a capacity of 21,000, a press box, around 10,000 parking spaces, and shower rooms upon a 120-acre facility. The track has since seen mass expansion during the ownerships of Larry Carrier and Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI). As of 2024, the facility features a capacity of 146,000, down from its peak of 162,000. The facility also features a 30-by-63 foot television screen that hangs over

6624-727: The Legends series (while they were named 600 Motorsports) as a way of attracting more and younger people into racing with affordable cars. The cars were designed to be 5/8-scale 1930s and 1940s coupes and sedans cars raced in the past in the NASCAR Modified Tour . They all have a tube chassis and spec 1250 cc Yamaha Motorcycle engines. Dwarf cars are similar to the Legends cars, in that they are scale replicas of vintage race cars. The similarity ends there, as Dwarf cars are true open "modified-style" cars without fenders, and have

6768-593: The Modified series cars . By 1967 the limitations had evolved to include small block engines, a single carburetor and pump gasoline. The norm for many NASCAR-sanctioned tracks was that Modifieds and Sportsmen raced side by side, but top-finishing Sportsmen received bonus money, and separate points were tallied for both divisions. Looking to differentiate the Sportsman as a truly separate class, and expecting spectators to relate better to newer model cars, NASCAR dropped

6912-448: The R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company , Jeff Byrd, replacing Scalf as general manager. Upon the track's purchase, Smith's ownership was met with suspicion. Many local businesses and fans feared that the track could lose a NASCAR race weekend as a result of NASCAR experiencing a surge in popularity in the 1990s, with Smith having a previous record of buying or building bigger tracks and taking away race weekends from smaller tracks. The loss of

7056-606: The Southeastern 500 and the Volunteer 500 (known as the Food City 500 and Bass Pro Shops Night Race for sponsorship reasons, respectively). The former was first run on October 22, 1961. In 2020, in an attempt to reverse declines in attendance, track officials announced that the race would take place on a temporary dirt surface. The idea was scrapped after three years, reverting to using the concrete surface. The latter

7200-634: The roadsters , which fans perceived as a Northeast or Midwest series. The roadster division was quickly abandoned, while the modified division now operates as the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour . The Strictly Stock division was put on hold as American automobile manufacturers were unable to produce family sedans quickly enough to keep up with post-World War II demand. The 1948 schedule featured 52 Modified dirt track races . The sanctioning body hosted its first event at Daytona Beach on February 15, 1948. Red Byron beat Marshall Teague in

7344-682: The "Grand National" title passed down from the top division and soon found a sponsor in Busch Beer . In 2004, Nextel Communications took over sponsorship of the premier series, and formally renamed it the Nextel Cup Series. A new championship points system, the " Chase for the Nextel Cup ," (renamed "Chase for the Sprint Cup" in 2008) was also developed, which reset the point standings with ten races to go, making only drivers in

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7488-479: The 16 participating in the Cup Series Chase. Four drivers are eliminated at the end of each preliminary round of the Chase in the Xfinity Series, which also mirrors the Cup Series Chase. This means that four drivers are eligible for the series title entering the final race, as in the Cup Series. Similar to Cup, starting in 2017 "The Chase" moniker was dropped and the final seven races are now referred to as

7632-599: The 1970s, but the competition and will to win has remained the same. The ultra-fast, super nimble cars race primarily in the Northeastern US and in Canada , but have had a race added in the Midwest on the 2007 and the 2008 schedules. NASCAR and World of Outlaws Late Model driver Tim McCreadie came from this series, as did World of Outlaws Late Model drivers Tim Fuller and Vic Coffey. All of those drivers still race in

7776-404: The 1990s that he had no intention of selling the track, sometime in the early 1990s, motorsports mogul Bruton Smith displayed interest of buying Bristol International Raceway. According to Scalf, although Carrier refused, Smith insisted on purchasing the track, stating, "everything is for sale". Within the next three weeks, Carrier, Scalf, and Smith negotiated the potential sale of the track, with

7920-461: The 2011 season, drivers would be allowed to compete for the championship in only one of NASCAR's three national series in a given season, although they could continue to run in multiple series. This change was officially confirmed by France in a press conference less than two weeks later, and has remained in the NASCAR rules ever since. Beginning in 2010, the Nationwide cars adapted somewhat to

8064-821: The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar racer with a wing, some of the Winged Modifieds use bodies called skinny bodies that are not currently being made, but some drivers still have these. Winged Modified racing began at Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, LA and spread throughout the area, soon Heart O' Texas Speedway in Waco was running them, so on Friday nights anybody from the Ark-La-Tex went to Waco and drove Winged Modifieds there, and on Saturday nights they were at Boothill Speedway. Some of

8208-764: The Busch North series, which raced in Northeastern states, and the Busch East Series, which raced throughout Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. The west division was originally known as the Winston West Series and raced throughout Southwestern and Coastal Pacific states. In 2008, the series came together in east and west divisions under sponsorship from Camping World as the Camping World Series. K&N Filters took over

8352-441: The Chase format, expanding the Chase pool to 16 drivers, and eliminating four drivers after every three races, leaving four drivers to compete for the championship at the season finale at Homestead . In addition, wins were given an increased emphasis, with the 16 drivers with the most wins (15 if the points leader is winless; points leader will receive an automatic berth) gaining a spot in the chase. If there are fewer than 16 winners,

8496-483: The Cup Series, and the prize money is significantly lower. However, over the last several years, a number of Cup Series drivers have run both the Xfinity and Cup Series events each weekend, using the Xfinity race as a warm-up to the Cup event at the same facility. Furthermore, several drivers not only participated in both Cup and Busch/Nationwide/Xfinity events on the same weekend but also began to compete in both series on

8640-814: The Division in recent years. In 2003, NASCAR standardized rules for its AutoZone Elite and Grand National divisions regional touring series as to permit cars in one series to race against cars in another series in the same division. The top 15 (Grand National) or 10 (AutoZone Elite) in each series will race in a one-race playoff, called the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, to determine the annual AutoZone Elite and Grand National champions. This event has been hosted at Irwindale Speedway in California since its inception. Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway (formerly known as

8784-427: The IMCA/WISSOTA/UMP Modifieds have to have sections of frames from stock production automobiles, with other sections being steel tubing. These cars are offered for sale completely assembled and ready-to-race for under $ 20,000. The unassembled price is lower. Found in the Midwestern United States , the Great Lakes Outlaw Modifieds (GLOM) are a cross between IMCA Modifieds and UMP Late Models . These cars have nearly

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8928-430: The Modified division race. Byron won the 1948 national championship. Things had changed dramatically by 1949, and the Strictly Stock division was able to debut with a 20-mile (32 km) exhibition in February near Miami. The first NASCAR "Strictly Stock" race ever was held at Charlotte Speedway , although this is not the same track as the Charlotte Motor Speedway that is a fixture on current NASCAR schedule. The race

9072-483: The NASCAR Regional banner. Many local race tracks across the United States and Canada run under the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series banner, where local drivers are compared against each other in a formula where the best local track champion of the nation wins the Whelen All-American Weekly Series National Championship. The Whelen All-American series is split into four car divisions as well as state and track championships separately. Each division champion receives

9216-424: The NCS and the ambiguous use of "NASCAR" as a synonym for the series is common. The 2023 NCS Champion is Ryan Blaney . The record for most championships is 7, held by three drivers: Richard Petty , Dale Earnhardt , and Jimmie Johnson . Johnson has the record for most consecutive with five consecutive Cup Series drivers' championships from 2006 to 2010. Previously, the most consecutive championships had been three in

9360-505: The Northeast but can be found from Florida to Texas to Michigan under different sanctioning bodies, as well as unsanctioned local classes. The rules packages may vary greatly. The Midwest Modifieds Tour started in 1989 as the E-Mod Series at Mount Lawn Speedway near Indianapolis IN. It has undergone several name changes including ICAR, NSTA Top Speed Modified Tour, and the USA Modified Series. This travelling series races at local short tracks in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. In 2013 they raced for

9504-405: The Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles after a failed attempt by Marshall to hold the game at the Charlotte Motor Speedway . The track was met with optimism throughout Tennessee and with sports personalities. The track was praised for its layout and amenities by team owner Bud Moore , driver Cotton Owens , and Redskins public relations director Dave Slattery. The Governor of Tennessee at

9648-443: The US was in Canada, where on July 1, 1952, Buddy Shuman won a 200-lap race on a half-mile (800 m) dirt track in Stamford Park, Ontario , near Niagara Falls . The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) is the sport's highest level of professional competition. It is consequently the most popular and most profitable NASCAR series. Since 2001, the Cup Series season has consisted of 36 races over 10 months. Writers and fans often use "Cup" to refer to

9792-863: The US' biggest legends started racing winged modifieds such as Sprint Car Veteran Gary Wright of Hooks, Texas, National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer and Boothill Speedway Hall of Fame Inductee Doug Ingalls of Longview, Texas, Boothill Speedway Hall of Fame inductee "Papa" Ray Ingalls of Longview, Texas, Late Model Veteran and Boothill Speedway Hall of Fame inductee Ronny Adams of Greenwood, Louisiana, Heart O' Texas Speedway Wall of Fame inductee Eldon Dotson of Allen, Texas, Heart O' Texas Speedway Wall of Fame inductee Joe Sturdivant of Elgin, Texas, and 2010 Ark-La-Tex Wing Modified Champion, 2011 SMP Series Longhorn Champion and 38th Annual Louisiana State Dirt Track Championships winner at Boothill Speedway 19-year-old Tyler Townsend from Longview, Texas. One type of outlaw modified in Alberta , Canada , races on both dirt and asphalt, with

9936-406: The United States. Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) in its current form is measured at 0.533 miles (0.858 km), with the track's turns ranging from 24 degrees to 30 degrees in banking. The straightaways are banked at four degrees at the bottom and progresses up to 9 degrees at the top. When the track was initially constructed, the track had 27 degrees of banking. Before 2007, the track marketed that

10080-431: The Volunteers winning. A week after the Battle at Bristol, the track played host to another football game, this time a for NCAA Division I FCS game between the East Tennessee State Buccaneers and the Western Carolina Catamounts . Bristol Motor Speedway will host a Major League Baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds on August 2, 2025, which will be the first regular-season MLB game played in

10224-409: The Xfinity Playoffs. Even with restrictions limiting points earnings to one national series, Cup drivers were still running and winning a vast majority of Xfinity series races through 2015. Starting with the 2015 season finale, NASCAR began to add additional restrictions in regards to Cup drivers running Xfinity races. Beginning in the 2020 season, Cup drivers with more than three years of experience in

10368-471: The association's headquarters at the track. By the mid-1970s, Carrier wanted to focus more on his drag racing endeavors with the IHRA. On November 2, 1977, Carrier announced the sale of the track to Nashville businessmen Lanny Hester and Gary Baker for $ 1 million. At the time of the duo's purchase, the track had seen stagnating attendance, which the duo attributed to shortening its NASCAR races to 400 laps. Upon

10512-503: The biggest charlatans I had ever encountered", sharing sentiments with Gossage, who both left soon after Hodgdon bought the track. By the end of 1984, Hodgdon faced a litany of legal issues. In November, The Tennessean ' s Larry Woody reported that Hodgdon was facing accusations of bid rigging in his home state of California along with his company, the National Engineering Company, facing bankruptcy. By

10656-484: The capacity of the track to 50,000. In May 1982, Baker and Hodgdon also purchased the dragstrip from Carrier. By October, according to Gossage in a letter to the editor of the Herald Courier , he claimed that Hodgdon increased capacity by 3,000, added new sewer and water lines, and expanded parking. In July 1983, Hodgdon purchased the rest of Baker's interest in the track for $ 2 million, completely buying out

10800-420: The cars became visibly apparent as the bodies were channeled and lowered. The car builders started mixing and matching components from different car makers. Some modified classes are no longer based on any current production vehicles. Modified racing remained popular, particularly on the east coast, and grew away from " strictly stock " or " Late Models " and became akin to both stock cars and open-wheel cars. Until

10944-460: The current " Car of Tomorrow " (or COT) design used by Cup cars, with different bodies from the Cup Series. In 2016, the Chase format was extended to both the Xfinity and Truck Series. Instead of the four-round, 10-race format used in the Cup Series, the Chase in each of the two supporting series consists of three rounds and seven races in all, with each preliminary round consisting of three races. The Xfinity Series Chase involves 12 drivers instead of

11088-539: The dirt tracks in northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada, became eager for standardized rules. In 1976, the Driver's Independent Race Tracks (DIRT) was organized, and rules were implemented where the driver sits in the middle of the car, with high-downforce, wind-channeling tunnels on either side of him. Other promoters and sanctioning bodies in the region adopted similar rules shortly thereafter. The roofs are very flat, and tilted to catch additional air. The front suspension

11232-439: The dragstrip project was officially announced by Carrier, with the facility announced to be a 27,000-seat, 1 ⁄ 4 mile (0.40 km) long facility built on a 500-acre plot of land at a budget of $ 700,000. A month after the announcement, Russ DeVault, writer for the Herald Courier , predicted that Carrier was planning to build a bigger facility that was at least 1 mile (1.6 km) long; Carrier neither denied or admitted

11376-669: The drivers. The Driver's Independent Race Tracks (DIRT) was acquired by Boundless Racing in June 2004 which had purchased the World of Outlaws in February of that year. In November 2004, Boundless Racing changed its name to DIRT Motorsports and began doing business as the World Racing Group . In December of the same year, DIRT Motorsports bought Midwestern sanctioning body UMP . The former DIRT big-block (and small block) modified series has seen many changes in their car designs since

11520-524: The early 1970s, drivers typically competed on both dirt and asphalt surfaces with the same car. Modified cars resemble a hybrid of open wheel cars and stock cars. The rear wheels are covered by fenders but the front wheels and engine are left exposed. There are sanctioning bodies that control the rules for this class at most tracks. Each sanctioning body has their own set of guidelines provided in an annual rule book and their own registration fees. Modifieds designed solely for asphalt surfaces began appearing in

11664-433: The early 1970s. These modifieds sit on large slick tires that are exposed on all four corners of the car. The roofs of these cars are more rounded than the other types of modifieds, their bodies look somewhat squashed and have large spoilers on the rear of the cars. Drivers sit on the left side of the car, and most of the time will have some type of small plastic windshield in front of them. Asphalt Modifieds are most popular in

11808-748: The end of December, he was facing additional lawsuits from the North Carolina Motor Speedway and overdue payments to the Tennessee State Fair and Exposition Commission. He later failed to meet deadlines for a $ 102,000 payment for the Bristol track. By January 1985, the Bank of Virginia planned to put the track and the dragstrip up for auction on February 8. However, the auction was eventually scrapped when Hodgdon filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy , requesting for protection and reorganization. Despite this, Carrier declared that

11952-580: The end of each preliminary round (instead of four in the Xfinity Series). As in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series, four drivers are eligible for the series title entering the final race. Similar to Cup, starting in 2017 "The Chase" moniker was dropped and is now simply referred to as the Truck Series Playoffs. On May 8, 2018, NASCAR and Camping World announced the Truck Series title sponsor would be moved to Camping World subsidiary Gander Outdoors starting in 2019. The contract through 2022

12096-634: The engine sizes across its member tracks to 320 cubic inches, and later to 358 cubic inches. In 1983, the Mr. Dirt 320 Modified Championship trail was created, pitting the "St. Lawrence Valley small blocks" against their counterparts in the Hudson Valley and the Twin Tiers regions of Pennsylvania and New York, thus restoring the status of the class throughout the Northeast. Not to be confused with

12240-441: The facility was scheduled on January 23, it was delayed by poor weather for two days to the 25th. The next month, new local modified races were announced at the track. By March, the track was selling tickets, with Tennessee Ernie Ford buying the first ticket. Within same month, Carrier was able to negotiate with Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall to hold a National Football League (NFL) exhibition game between

12384-461: The first time on a road course, near South Haven, Michigan, at Gingerman Raceway. The series changed hands for 2017, from ICAR to NSTA, after being purchased by John Robbins (nephew of the former ASA pioneers) from Dave Muzillo. The NASCAR Whelen Modified series is the only remaining NASCAR series from the sanctioning body's original season in 1948. The original style of NASCAR modifieds actually pre-dates NASCAR's existence by many years. Though it

12528-573: The formation of the NASCAR SuperTruck Series presented by Craftsman . The first series race followed in 1995. In 1996, the series was renamed the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to emphasize Craftsman's involvement. The series was first considered something of an oddity or a "senior tour" for NASCAR drivers, but eventually grew in popularity and has seen drivers move straight to the Cup Series without running

12672-458: The former NASCAR Sportsman class, in 1987 a new Sportsman Division was created by the DIRT organization to help new and underfunded drivers learn how to work with and drive the same chassis as a modified. Although cars are identical to the naked eye, the sportsman engines are about 500 horsepower compared to the 750-800 horsepower, 467-cubic inch big blocks in the modifieds. The new division increased

12816-420: The gate revenues at the pit window, and created new customers for modified teams to sell their used cars to. It also put more cars on the market in the offseason, lowering prices and allowing both divisions to grow. Promotors in the northeast have also introduced a Limited Sportsman class. Although there may be some cost saving restrictions on the cars, the primary limitation rests with the experience level of

12960-453: The infield, along with stated plans to expand seating. In August, the seating expansion was officially confirmed, with an intent to expand to 160,000. In 2006, the track officially announced a repave of its track surface; however, the repave was later rescheduled to occur in 2007. By the time the new variable-banking system was complete in August, the turns varied from 24 to 30 degrees, with

13104-541: The mid-1960s, the vehicles were purpose-built race cars with a stock-appearing body. Early in NASCAR's history, foreign manufacturers had shown interest in entering the series; the British car manufacturer, MG , found a few of its vehicles entered, with some placing. For example, on August 16, 1963 in the International 200, Smokey Cook drove an MG to a 17th-place finish. The first NASCAR competition held outside

13248-472: The middle of the track that is named Colossus TV. In 1964, plans for a drag strip were announced by then-track owner Larry Carrier and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) officials. After a hasty construction process, the 1 ⁄ 4 mile (0.40 km) dragstrip was completed by May 1965. The dragstrip has gone under renovations since the 1990s, including an $ 18 million renovation in 1997. In 1960, businessman Larry Carrier, continuing plans to expand

13392-789: The money before drivers were paid. On December 14, 1947, France began talks with other influential racers and promoters at the Ebony Bar at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida , that ended with the formation of NASCAR on February 21, 1948. The first Commissioner of NASCAR was Erwin "Cannonball" Baker, a former stock car, motorcycle, and open-wheel racer who competed in the Indianapolis 500 and set over one hundred land speed records. Baker earned most of his fame for his transcontinental speed runs and would prove

13536-473: The northern tour and the southern tour race at Bristol Motor Speedway , in Bristol, Tennessee. The two tours were permanently merged for the 2016 season. The SMART Tour made an official full time return in 2021. The late Dick Tobias from Pennsylvania revolutionized the chassis of the dirt track modified stock car class in the early 1970s by producing an entirely homemade chassis constructed of tubular steel. Race promotors, drivers and car builders who focused on

13680-457: The old Ford flathead V8 and Chevrolet inline 6 cylinders . In 1968, they updated their rules to allow the newer small block engines, and the nearby Evans Mills Speedway opened with similar rules. Propelled by the strong economics of southeastern Canada's metropolitan areas, the "small blocks" became the premiere class in the St. Lawrence River Valley. The DIRT organization eventually standardized

13824-700: The original series sponsor's name with the notion of being bushwhacked. In May 2007, NNS director Joe Balash confirmed that NASCAR was exploring options to deal with the Buschwhacker controversy. One of the most often-cited proposals was for Cup Series drivers participating in the Nationwide Series to receive no points for their participation in a Nationwide race. In 2007, NASCAR chairman Brian France indicated that all options, except an outright ban of Cup competitors, were still being considered. On January 11, 2011, NASCAR.com reported that beginning with

13968-591: The past, NASCAR also sanctioned the AutoZone Elite Division, which raced late-model cars that were lighter and less powerful than Cup Series cars, and was originally split into four divisions: Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, and Midwest. At the end of 2005, NASCAR announced that the AutoZone Elite Division would be discontinued after the 2006 season due to having trouble securing NASCAR-sanctioned tracks to successfully host AutoZone Elite Division events, plus escalating costs of competing and downsizing of

14112-859: The pre-war coupes and sedans for the 1968 season, substituting the Late Model Sportsman Series (later to become the Xfinity Series ) with 1955 and newer bodies. Several non-sanctioned venues in the Northeast continued to run a combined support class with old and new bodied sportsman. Notably the Watertown Speedway in Northern New York had a shared rule book with the Kingston Speedway in Ontario, Canada limiting engines for their primary class to

14256-406: The predicted project. In March 1965, the track announced plans to build a 2.25 miles (3.62 km) long road course that would utilize parts of the dragstrip. By May, the dragstrip was finished in time for its opening in early June. By the beginning of 1966, the track was beginning to construct the road course. In 1969, Carrier announced a repave and reconfiguration of the track. The banking in

14400-539: The premier series title name became the Sprint Cup Series, as part of the merger between Nextel and Sprint . In 2011, NASCAR announced a number of major rules changes, the most significant being abandoning the points system. The winner of a race now receives 43 points, with one-point decrements for each subsequent position (42 for second, 41 for third, and so on). The winner also receives 3 bonus points, and single bonus points are awarded to all drivers who lead

14544-404: The race, the heavier cars got bogged down in the sand, while the lightweight Fords navigated the ruts of the course, eventually claiming the top 6 finishes for the race. Of the 27 cars that started the event, only 10 managed to survive the ordeal, as officials halted the event 10 miles (16 km) short of the scheduled 250-mile (400 km) distance. Driver Milt Marion was declared the winner, and

14688-518: The racing surface being widened from 40 to 43 feet. The track repave saw criticism for removing the one-lane and rough style racing Bristol became reputable for; criticism became so prevalent that an ashamed Byrd was stated to have repeated "y'all, we're sorry" to fans leaving the track after the 2008 Sharpie 500 . In 2010, the track saw its streak of 55 consecutive sellouts for its NASCAR races end. In October of that year, after Byrd died in October,

14832-450: The remaining spots will be filled based on the conventional points system. Monster Energy became the title sponsor in 2017, which changed the series' name to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. With Monster Energy's title sponsorship, NASCAR also abandoned "The Chase" name and now refers to the last 10 races simply as "the playoffs" similar to most other sports. After the 2019 season, NASCAR declined an offer from Monster Energy to remain

14976-721: The same cars. Started in the mid-1980s, the Alberta Outlaw Modified Racing Association (AOMRA) races in Alberta , British Columbia , and Saskatchewan . They look like a cross between IMCA modifieds and old NASCAR modifieds. Organized in Florida in the 1970s, these Outlaw Modifieds are fairly unusual. They are built on tube chassis with coil over shocks. 10-inch-wide (250 mm) tires and a 76-inch (1,900 mm) track make these cars are fast and nimble. 2300 cc, four-cylinder power plants from Fords, Toyotas and even an odd Nissan are common, but

15120-515: The same hand-made aluminum bodies as their UMP Late Model counterparts (without front fenders), have tubular chassis and sport unrestricted engines with aluminum engine blocks and heads. They also are allowed to utilize quick-change rear ends and aluminum wheels, whereas the IMCA modifieds are forced to race with heavier cast-iron engines, partial stock frames, steel wheels and Ford 9-inch (230 mm) rear ends. One type of Outlaw Modified can be found in

15264-598: The series on a part-time basis, between 10 and 30 times a year. Notable drivers having competed in DIRTcar modifieds include Bobby Allison , Tony Stewart , Andrew Ranger , Dave Blaney , Carl Edwards , J. J. Yeley and David Reutimann . Originated in 2013 by Brett Deyo and BD Motorsports Media LLC, the Short Track Super Series expanded by 2022 to 20 different race tracks in New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Florida and Louisiana. It

15408-623: The series was founded in 1948. Races were held in several divisions, which eventually morphed into what is the "ladder:" the Cup Series at the top, the Xfinity Series second, and the Truck Series third, with smaller series spread out below. Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota compete in each series. The vast majority of NASCAR drivers are American, but drivers from Canada, Mexico, Europe, and other places have competed. All Cup Series races are held across America. There are 36 points-paying races in

15552-602: The sides, and lack the downforce generating tunnels the Northeast dirt modifieds sport. The driver sits on the left side. Organized in 1915, the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) is the oldest racing sanctioning body in the US. IMCA introduced the "E-Mod" (or Economy Modified) in 1979. It has become one of the most popular dirt racing classes due to its simple design, light-weight, high power, and ability to adapt to varying track conditions easily. Most IMCA-style classes also boast

15696-426: The situation being described by Scalf as "where one family-owned track was basically competing with corporate America". Although Carrier stated fears to Scalf about losing NASCAR race weekends, he eventually agreed to sell off the complex with the exception of a 78-acre campground. On January 23, 1996, the sale of the track was confirmed at the cost of $ 26 million, with an executive for the sports marketing division of

15840-669: The sponsorship in 2010. 2019 was the last season for both of the series before they are to go under the ARCA banner in 2020 as part of the unification of the NASCAR K&;N Pro Series East and West and the ARCA Menards Series. The series became known as the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West starting in 2020, meaning 2019 was also K&N's last year as the series title sponsor. In

15984-583: The state of Tennessee . The track on numerous occasions has served as a facility to assist the general public in a variety of situations. In 2002, the track acted as a temporary high school for students at Sullivan East High School when their school was closed due to a black mold infection. In the early 2010s, Remote Area Medical held a medical clinic at the track. The track has been used as an evacuee center for several hurricanes, including Hurricane Irma in 2017, Hurricane Florence in 2018, and Hurricane Dorian in 2019. The track has also been used as

16128-451: The striking of a five-year renewal with ESPN . The track by this point had expanded to 50,000 seats and generated more than $ 138 million annually in economic revenue, with stated future intentions to build $ 400,000 worth of improvements. In 1989, the track also sought to expand to hold major concerts according to then-general manager Ron Scalf. During the late 1980s and the early 1990s, the track oversaw numerous repaves. In September 1988,

16272-545: The time, Buford Ellington , declared a "Volunteer 500" week in the state of Tennessee. Jimmy Smyth, a writer for the Johnson City Press , praised that local residents in the Tri-Cities area now had a track nearby instead of driving hundreds of miles to another track. The track officially opened to the public on July 23, 1961, for a paved half-mile speed record attempt by driver Tommy Morgan. Two days later,

16416-843: The title of "King of the Road". In the early 1950s, the United States Navy stationed Bill France Jr. , at the Moffett Federal Airfield in northern California. His father asked him to look up Bob Barkhimer in San Jose, California . Barkhimer was a star of midget car racing from the World War II era, and later ran about 22 different speedways as the head of the California Stock Car Racing Association. Young Bill developed

16560-502: The title sponsor of the top series. On December 5, NASCAR revealed their new sponsorship model. Instead of a singular title sponsor, four "premier partners" ( Coca-Cola , Xfinity , Busch Beer and GEICO ) would be closely affiliated with the top series, which was simply renamed the NASCAR Cup Series. The NASCAR Xfinity Series is the second-highest level of professional competition in NASCAR. The most recent series champion

16704-525: The top ranked motorsports organizations in the world and is one of the largest spectator sports leagues in America. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and his son, Jim France , has been the CEO since August 2018. The company is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida . Each year, NASCAR sanctions over 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 48 US states, as well as in Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Europe. NASCAR, and stock car racing as

16848-431: The top series were limited to five races per season. Furthermore, those same drivers are ineligible to run the regular season finale, NXS playoff races, or Dash 4 Cash races. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series features modified pickup trucks . It is one of the three national divisions of NASCAR, together with the Xfinity and Cup Series. The most recent series champion is Ben Rhodes in 2023. In 1994, NASCAR announced

16992-410: The top ten or within 400 points of the leader eligible to win the championship. In 2007, NASCAR announced it was expanding "The Chase" from ten to twelve drivers, eliminating the 400-point cutoff, and giving a ten-point bonus to the top twelve drivers for each of the races they have won out of the first 26. Wins throughout the season would also be awarded five more points than in previous seasons. In 2008,

17136-463: The track constructed the Kulwicki Tower, which was completed by 2000 and increased capacity by 12,000 seats to 147,000. In 2000 and 2001, the track held its first dirt races on a temporary dirt surface; however, the races were scrapped after 2001 due to issues with lengthy cleanups. In 2002, the track expanded further; the track built a new pedestrian tunnel that connected the grandstands to

17280-707: The track hosted an exhibition National Football League (NFL) game between the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles after an initial failed attempt to host an event at Charlotte Motor Speedway . In 2013, an NCAA Division I FBS game was officially announced for the track between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Virginia Tech Hokies , to take place in 2016. The game took place on September 10, with

17424-409: The track on paper bags. On January 17, 1961, the three announced plans to build a 20,000-seat, 100-acre, 1 ⁄ 2 mile (0.80 km) track adjacent to U.S. Route 11E at a budget from $ 750,000 to $ 1,000,000. Along with the announcement, two annual NASCAR -sanctioned races were announced, with further intentions to use the track for other entertainment purposes. Although groundbreaking on

17568-536: The track opened for NASCAR-sanctioned activities, with a practice session for the 1961 Volunteer 500 . The next year, Carrier announced in the Bristol Virginia–Tennessean of a new recreational building near the track along with highway renovations. The track was favored in the local media by this point; the Virginia–Tennessean declared the track to be the "best" and "fastest" half-mile track in

17712-421: The track promoted its vice president of corporate sales, Jerry Caldwell, to become the track's general manager. Two years later, in response to both fan criticism along with Smith's stated displeasure with the progressive banking system, the track announced the elimination of the progressive banking system. In October 2015, the track announced the construction of Colossus TV, a 30-by-63 foot television screen that

17856-428: The track's banking was 36 degrees; this was eventually later found to be incorrect, with the true banking being 30 degrees. When the track is temporarily covered with dirt, the track uses a progressing banking system from 16 to 19 degrees. The track is also the only track left on the NASCAR schedule that utilizes two pit road lanes instead of one, combined pit road lane. At the time of the track's initial construction,

18000-408: The track's events for the year would still occur. NASCAR eventually confirmed Carrier's declaration in February, with Carrier being proclaimed by the Johnson City Press as the one who was able to maintain events at the track. The track also struck a five-year deal to broadcast its NASCAR races nationally on ESPN . In November 1985, rumors of Kentucky businessman and drag racer Jim Ruth buying out

18144-568: The track's general manager. The track is served by the concurrent U.S. Route 19 and U.S. Route 11E , along with Tennessee State Route 394 . The speedway has a capacity of 146,000 as of 2021. In addition to the Bristol Motor Speedway, the track's complex also features a two-lane, 1 ⁄ 4 mile (0.40 km) long drag strip. The main track has also on several occasions been temporarily covered with dirt to host various types of dirt track racing, and on occasions has acted as

18288-546: The track's purchase, the duo announced $ 200,000 worth of renovations, a rebranding to "Bristol International Raceway", an increase of purse money, and a revert to the traditional 500 lap distance for its NASCAR races. In addition, the track planned to run its first ever night race at the 1978 Volunteer 500 , with temporary lights being installed during for the night race. The renovations did see success, with increased attendance according to Kingsport Times writer Denny Darnell. In January 1981, Baker bought out Hester's share of

18432-619: The track. As a result of Hodgdon's purchase, Carrier was appointed to become the general manager. The next month, Carrier announced a new renovation plan over several years. However, by the late fall, staff were disgruntled; according to staff who worked with Hodgdon, he was heavily disliked. Then-public relations manager of the Hodgdon-owned Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway , Tom Roberts, had a grudge with Hodgdon, and immediately realized "I needed to be looking for another job... I looked at him as one of

18576-459: The track. However, just 10 months later, then-public relations manager of the track, Eddie Gossage announced that California businessman Warner W. Hodgdon bought out half of Baker's share of the track's ownership. According to Baker, while he did not initially intend on selling some of his interest, his opinion changed when Hodgdon displayed interest of buying out some of Baker's interest. With Hodgdon's investment, Hodgdon stated plans to increase

18720-529: The turns was changed to a progressive banking system from 31 to 35 degrees and the straightaways would be changed to 20 degrees, which Carrier promised would produce speeds nearing 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). The repave was completed by July of that year, and in the next major race, drivers saw average lap speeds of over 100 mph. The next year, when Carrier created the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), he set up

18864-521: The venture, France proceeded to announce a set of rules and awards for the NCSCC. France declared that the winner of the 1947 NCSCC season would receive $ 1000.00 (equivalent to $ 13645 in 2023) and a trophy. The season would begin in January 1947 at the Daytona Beach track, and conclude in Jacksonville the following December. Nearly 40 events were logged during the season, and attendance often exceeded

19008-445: The venue's capacity. The competitors were paid as promised, and by the end of the season, driver Fonty Flock was declared the season champion after winning 7 events of the 24 that he entered. Bill France delivered the $ 1000 and 4-foot high trophy to Flock at the end of the season, along with $ 3000 in prize money to other drivers who competed throughout the season. At the end of the 1947 season, Bill France announced that there would be

19152-481: The vintage cars and some scaled-down versions of the current modified dirt cars (these cars are often referred to as the MiniMods). ModLites . A ModLite is a 5/8th scale of a Dirt Modified. NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC ( NASCAR ) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing . It is considered to be one of

19296-482: The world. The track did face difficulties; according to Carrier, the 1961 NFL game lost them $ 36,000. As a result of the loss, Pope left the track soon after, leaving the track to be run by Carrier and Moore. In October 1964, the Bristol Herald Courier reported that the track was negotiating with National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) officials on building a proposed dragstrip . Two months later,

19440-513: Was also renamed "Bristol Motor Speedway" within the month. By the end of the year, Byrd estimated the track had spent $ 20 million in renovations, with more renovations being announced in November. By April 1997, the track surpassed Neyland Stadium as the largest sports arena in Tennessee by capacity. The track continued to oversee further expansion in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 1999,

19584-545: Was first run on July 30, 1961; the first major event held at the track. In 1978, the race switched to running at night. Also in 2020, BMS ran a one-off iteration of the NASCAR All-Star Race . Along with its Cup Series dates, the track also hosts lower-series NASCAR races, including second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series and third-tier NASCAR Truck Series races. On various occasions, the track has held American gridiron football games at varying levels. In 1961,

19728-461: Was held on June 19, 1949 and won by driver Jim Roper when Glenn Dunaway was disqualified after the discovery of his altered rear springs. Initially, the cars were known as the "Strictly Stock Division" and raced with virtually no modifications on the factory models. This division was renamed the "Grand National" division beginning in the 1950 season. Over a period of more than a decade, modifications for both safety and performance were allowed, and by

19872-555: Was pointed out that that name was already in use by a rival sanctioning body, "National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing", proposed by mechanic Red Vogt , was selected as the organization's name. NASCAR was founded by William France, Sr. on February 21, 1948 with the help of several other drivers of the time. The original plans for NASCAR included three distinct divisions: Modified, Roadster, and Strictly Stock. The Modified and Roadster classes were seen as more attractive to fans. It turned out that NASCAR fans wanted nothing to do with

20016-495: Was popular both in the south and the Northeast. Many NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have come from this series, including Ryan Preece , Jimmy Spencer , Geoff Bodine and Steve Park . The Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series was first developed by Andrew Harpell in 1994 as the New York Modified Series. Harpell subsequently purchased the historic Race of Champions, and rebranded the series upon creation of

20160-423: Was re-introduced in the Midwest as a mid-level class between late models and hobby stocks. One of the most notable differences in the Midwest modified series cars is the use of stock production car frame sections as part of the racing chassis. These cars also race on smaller tires than the other types of modifieds, with most sanctioning bodies specifying the same tire. The Midwest dirt modified bodies are very flat on

20304-408: Was sold to businessmen Gary Baker and Lanny Hester. The duo's ownership was quickly bought out by Warner W. Hodgdon, who ran the facility until 1986 when Hodgdon suffered financial troubles. Carrier later regained control of the facility, owning it until 1996 when Bruton Smith bought control of it. Since Smith's purchase, BMS underwent major expansion, becoming one of the largest sporting facilities in

20448-560: Was the first African-American to win a race in the Grand National Series, NASCAR's highest level. He was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina , January 30, 2015. On March 8, 1936, a collection of drivers gathered at Daytona Beach, Florida . The drivers brought coupes , hardtops , convertibles, and sports cars to compete in an event to determine the fastest cars, and best drivers. Throughout

20592-476: Was the first of five consecutive titles in NBS/NNS that were won by Cup series regulars. The practice received criticism because it was thought to give the Cup Series teams an unfair advantage, and that the presence of the Cup Series drivers squeezes out Nationwide Series competitors who would otherwise be able to qualify. These dual-series drivers have been labeled " Buschwhackers ", a play on words which combines

20736-458: Was touted as the world's largest "outdoor, permanent, center-hung digital display". Construction on the screen started in November and was completed in April 2016. In that same year, the track began applying PJ1 TrackBite , a traction compound, on the track's lower groove in an attempt to artificially create multi-groove racing. Since 1961, the track has run two annual NASCAR Cup Series races:

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