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'''NASCAR''' is an acronym that stands for '''National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing''', a sanctioning body for stock car racing in [[United States of America|America]] ranging all the way from local dirt track racing on up to the national Nextel Cup Series. NASCAR is currently developing the Nextel Cup Series into a major American [[sport]], along with taking their brand international with their second-teir series, the Busch Series. NASCAR still has strong roots in the American Southeast, which is its primary fanbase, but it is now considered a staple of American life.

'''NASCAR''' is an [[acronym]] that stands for '''National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing''', a sanctioning body for stock [[car]] racing in [[United States of America|America]] ranging all the way from local dirt track racing on up to the national Nextel Cup Series. NASCAR is currently developing the Nextel Cup Series into a major American [[sport]], along with taking their brand international with their second-teir series, the Busch Series. NASCAR still has strong roots in the American Southeast, which is its primary fanbase, but it is now considered a staple of American life.

==History==

==History==

NASCAR was founded on in 1948 by William "Bill" France Sr. in Daytona Beach, [[Florida]], as a response to issues with the disorganized nature of stock car racing at the time. Over the next two-plus decades, France would successfully organize stock car racing into divisions, with the top one originally being known as "strictly stock", for how the almost entirely all-American cars were not allowed to be modified. When that rule was relaxed later on, the top division was renamed the "Grand National". Most races of the early days were run on short oval tracks of the American Southeast, although with some exceptions, notably Darlington Raceway in Darlington, [[South Carolina]] and then Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, which became NASCAR's premier track in 1959 after replacing the actual sandy beach that had previously been used.

NASCAR was founded on in 1948 by William "Bill" France Sr. in [[Daytona Beach]], [[Florida]], as a response to issues with the disorganized nature of stock car racing at the time. Over the next two-plus decades, France would successfully organize stock car racing into divisions, with the top one originally being known as "strictly stock", for how the almost entirely all-American cars were not allowed to be modified. When that rule was relaxed later on, the top division was renamed the "Grand National". Most races of the early days were run on short oval tracks of the American Southeast, although with some exceptions, notably Darlington Raceway in Darlington, [[South Carolina]] and then Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, which became NASCAR's premier track in 1959 after replacing the actual sandy beach that had previously been used.

As the sport grew, NASCAR underwent a transformation in the early 1970s. In 1970, NASCAR signed a title sponsorship deal with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, renaming their top division the "Winston Cup" Series, and giving the title of Grand National to the second division. Two years later, Reynolds would push NASCAR into dropping all dirt tracks and races of under 100 miles. These moves marked the beginning of NASCAR's modern era, and would be key to NASCAR's growth into the top level of American motorsport. That growth would be done without the sport's founder, though, as Bill France Sr. retired in 1970 and his son, Bill France Jr., replaced him.

As the sport grew, NASCAR underwent a transformation in the early 1970s. In 1970, NASCAR signed a title sponsorship deal with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, renaming their top division the "Winston Cup" Series, and giving the title of Grand National to the second division. Two years later, Reynolds would push NASCAR into dropping all dirt tracks and races of under 100 miles. These moves marked the beginning of NASCAR's modern era, and would be key to NASCAR's growth into the top level of American motorsport. That growth would be done without the sport's founder, though, as Bill France Sr. retired in 1970 and his son, Bill France Jr., replaced him.