The Surprise Birthplace of NASCAR

^{Dec 14, 2024 | Edition #110}

👋 Dear Motorheads,

We've been celebrating the legends of NASCAR, from drivers to crew chiefs and TV announcers. Now, it's time to give a big old birthday shoutout to NASCAR itself!

So today, we're taking a trip down memory lane to tell you the story of how Bill France Sr turned his crazy dream into a reality.

Quick Peek Into Today’s Stories:

🏁 The ‘Birth’ of NASCAR

📅 Big Format Change for 2025

⚖️ NASCAR Hits Back at MJ and Co.

🗳️ Truck Driver Fined Big for Good Deed

🏖️ Corey LaJoie’s Too Chill to Care

🗝️ From the Vault

How It All Started for NASCAR?

It’s hard to imagine that the NASCAR we know today, with its massive stadiums and legions of passionate fans, was once just a dream in the mind of one man. But on December 14, 1947, the seeds of that dream were planted in this hotel meeting room in Daytona Beach, Florida. That day marked the official beginning of what would become the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing—or NASCAR.

The story begins with William Henry Getty France, better known as Bill France Sr. A mechanic and car enthusiast, France had been around racing since the early 1930s, competing in events and working on cars. Here’s a rare video of Bill France Sr racing in 1941.

But after World War II, Bill France shifted gears—literally and figuratively—from just racing to bringing order to the chaotic world of stock car racing. Back then, races were popping up all over the South, often on dirt roads with zero rules or safety measures. France saw the potential to transform the madness into something bigger, better, and safer for everyone involved.

But you you know the story of how he ended up in Daytona Beach? While driving from Washington, D.C. to Miami with his wife, his car broke down in Daytona. So instead of just passing through, they stayed, and France set up a little gas station. Here’s the Station’s picture from 1947, and the garage on Main Street. Soon both France and his wife fell in love with the area—famous for its beach races—and this is where his vision for a national racing series started to take shape.

In 1947, Bill France saw an opportunity to unite the many independent races. He decided to talk to three dozen car owners, drivers, and mechanics. The meeting took place in the Ebony Room on the top floor of the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach on December 14. And so, NASCAR was born.

France had a clear vision: standardized rules, guaranteed purses, and improved driver safety measures. Since setting all that up took time, the first official race happened in 1948. But it wasn’t without its challenges.

France initially wanted to feature three types of cars: Strictly Stock, Modified Stock, and Roadsters. By 1948, the Roadster category wasn’t quite developed. So things eventually got going in 1949. The first-ever "Strictly Stock" race took place on June 19 in Charlotte. Here’s a video of that historic race at Charlotte Raceway.

The race featured 33 cars from nine different automakers—including Ford, Buick, Chrysler, and Cadillac—and was won by Glenn Dunaway. However, he failed the post-race inspection, and Jim Roper was declared the winner instead. One interesting tidbit? A young Lee Petty, the patriarch of the famous racing family, was in the race too, finishing 17th. In the clip below, you can hear the story from none other than Richard Petty, who was seeing his old man race from the sidelines.

While NASCAR’s early days were far from perfect, they were the foundation for something huge. Bill France’s vision of creating a unified, regulated form of stock car racing caught on quickly, and the sport grew rapidly from its humble beginnings in that Daytona hotel room to the giant we know it to be today. But this brings us to the question…

Q: Would You Like to Stay at the Historic NASCAR Hotel?

Simply click on the option, and you’ll be redirected to the Expedia page.

📈 Trending News

NASCAR Changes Pre-Race Procedures

So, now that you know the origin story, let’s fast-forward to what’s happening in NASCAR today. And for 2025, there’s some exciting news about practice and qualifying. Drivers are getting more track time! Yep, NASCAR’s shaking things up to make the competition even more intense and thrilling.

But, one of the most significant changes for 2025 is the extension of practice sessions.

1. Group practice sessions will now last 25 minutes instead of 20.

2. Single-round qualifying will be introduced at all tracks, except for superspeedways.

3. Starting positions will be determined strictly by qualifying results, rather than by row assignments based on qualifying groups.

In addition to this, select events—like the Daytona 500—will feature a special session, which will take place on the Wednesday (12th Feb) before qualifying. With a potential 8-10 open spots, getting a solid feel for the track ahead of such an important qualifying session is a must. 

Even Brad Moran, Managing Director of NASCAR’s Truck Series, thinks that with new drivers joining the scene, "the extra practice would be good." And this starts to make even more sense if you look at the worst crashes from this year. But, we're not just talking about changes in the practice session - we're talking about a whole new qualifying format as well!

Say goodbye to the old qualifying system and hello to single-round qualifying at most tracks! The fastest 10 cars will still get to duke it out for the pole position at super-speedways like Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta. But, for the most part, your favorite drivers will have just one shot at qualifying.

But here's where things get a little tricky. Some tracks, like road courses and short tracks, will still have group qualifying with multiple cars on the track at the same time. And, NASCAR's being a little mysterious about how they'll determine qualifying orders. But what we do know is that practice groups will be divided based on a team's performance in the previous race (70%) and their standing in owner points (30%).

Not everyone's a fan of these changes, though. Veteran NASCAR announcer Pete Pistone thinks that more practice sessions might actually make the main event less competitive. But, you could also argue that it'll make things more competitive since everyone will be familiar with the track conditions.

Only time will tell if these changes are a step in the right direction. But, hey, at least NASCAR's trying to simplify things and go back to the old days!

Continue Reading: “Small Win”: NASCAR Earns Rare Praise From Fans After Brad Keselowski’s Practice Demands Pay Off

🗞️ NASCAR Shorts!

NASCAR’s Latest Move Shocks Michael Jordan & Co.

The ongoing legal drama in NASCAR has an all-new update! Apparently, NASCAR has altogether pulled its charter offer from Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing. So to say the least, things are getting ugly between the two parties.

As this latest shocker hit the headlines, teams claimed NASCAR was trying to strong-arm them into dropping their antitrust lawsuits. But, from what we see, that's not gonna happen. So as tensions rise with each passing day, what do you think is next in this NASCAR showdown? Read the Full Article!

🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Poll 🏁

Last Poll’s Result: We wanted to know who you think should be the highest-paid driver in NASCAR. And a whopping 59.83% of you think Kyle Larson deserves the big bucks! Not far behind was his teammate Chase Elliott, who got 16.9% of votes.

🌪️ Cause for Controversy

Driver Punished for Being a Responsible Citizen

2024 should’ve been a dream year for Ty Majeski. After all, he clinched the Truck Series Championship, banked over $800K in the final race, and proved he’s one of the best in the business. But instead of going down as a solid season, 2024, for him, was tainted by something unexpected—a loss of $12,500 in fines. The kicker? It wasn’t his fault.

But let’s rewind to the wild weekend in Martinsville, where it all started. There was drama everywhere—bump-and-runs in the Truck Series, Cole Custer throwing punches at Chandler Smith, and of course, NASCAR’s infamous race manipulation incident in the Cup Series. But after all that chaos, Majeski had a reason to be proud—he had made it to the top four twice in only three full seasons. Here’s what went wrong, though.

Majeski, being the responsible citizen he is, decided to cast his vote and share the moment on social media. But, that same day, NASCAR had scheduled its Playoffs Media Day. Now, Majeski had already informed his team at ThorSport Racing about his democratic duty. But NASCAR didn’t much care for his explanation and slapped him with a $12,500 fine for “failing to perform a media obligation.” Yep, they were serious.

What’s NASCAR’s side here? They claimed ThorSport never told them the reason Majeski would miss the media event. Had they known he was off to vote, they said, maybe they could’ve worked something out. But isn’t voting something every American citizen is encouraged to do?

Naturally, Majeski and his team appealed the decision. But to everyone’s surprise, NASCAR upheld the fine, stating that he missed “one of the most, if not the most, important media obligations of the entire season” and failed to meet his “contractual agreement with NASCAR.”

Majeski can now appeal again. But don’t hold your breath for a change of heart from NASCAR. In the strange world of stock car racing, it’s hard to believe that after a stellar year—winning a championship and making bank—the takeaway is a fine for fulfilling your duty as a U.S. citizen. Strange, isn’t it?

Continue Reading: Majeski’s Boss Gets in a Sarcastic Warfare With NASCAR After Driver Suffers Major Blow

🌊 The Off-Season Wave

No 2025 Seat? No Stress!

Ty Majeski may have shone brightly in the 2024 season, but Corey LaJoie? Yeah, he’s probably ready to leave this season in the rearview. From nasty crashes (one of which saw his car flip in mid-air) to getting the boot from Spire Motorsports, it’s been a tough ride for him. After four seasons without a win—or even a decent number of top-5s—Spire finally decided to switch things up. Enter Justin Haley, who’s stepping in for 2025.

So, what’s next for LaJoie? Well, he finished out the year with Rick Ware Racing, running the last seven races, but his NASCAR future is looking a little shaky. This offseason, although, could be a game-changer for him. It’s all about regrouping, making moves, and finding that next ride. And who knows? Maybe he’s already got something brewing.

For now, he’s taking a breather from the NASCAR grind, catching the Buffalo Bills vs. San Francisco 49ers game. He was seen hanging out with his brother Casey and his buddy Brandon Todd. Here’s a post by LaJoie put up from the football field.

As a huge Buffalo fan, he was totally vibing with the snow-covered stadium. But even he couldn’t help but be surprised by how loud the fans got in the cold. Here’s what he said.

From what it looked like, LaJoie couldn’t wait to get somewhere warmer. And where did he head? The Caribbean—specifically, Anguilla—where he and his wife, Kelly, celebrated their anniversary.

The couple shared some sweet moments from their trip. Here are the photos of Corey and his wife Kelly soaking up the sun on the beach. But there might be more to this vacation than just an anniversary getaway. LaJoie posted a picture of himself by the pool, sipping Champagne, with a caption that raised some eyebrows.

That cryptic message, now, has fans guessing—is LaJoie hinting that he’s returning to the Cup series? The "68 days" part lines up with the time left until the 2025 season opener at Daytona, so it seems like he might already have a plan for next year. The big question, though: Will he be back with Rick Ware Racing? Or is he looking at another team? And will it be a full-time ride—or just part-time?

While LaJoie kept us guessing, he also shared some adorable family portraits. But Don’t worry, we’ll be keeping an eye on his every move and fill you in on what’s next for this driver. So stay tuned!

Continue Reading: Rick Ware Racing Snub Corey LaJoie’s Renewal For Money-Minded Motives

📰 Lucky Dog's Recommended Reads

1. Denny Hamlin Calls Out NASCAR With The Bible's Help - Full Story

2. Tony Stewart’s Wife Sacrifices NHRA Desire With 4-Word Reality Check - Full Story

3. Chase Elliott's Rumored GF & Bubba Wallace's Wife Steal Spotlight at Ryan Blaney's Pre-Wedding Party - Full Story

4. NASCAR Warned of Tragic Loss After Upsetting Michael Jordan - Full Story

5. Kyle Busch and Wife Samantha End 3-Year-Long Struggle - Full Story

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