Nascar Race Results
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man named William France, who was a mechanic, escaped depression ravaged Washington DC for Daytona Beach Florida in 1935 – his legacy today leads millions to follow NASCAR race results. What drew him there was the history of land speed record attempts by drivers in the area. France would first race at Daytona in 1936 when he came in a fifth place. In 1938 he took ownership of the course. He only managed a few races before the second world war began.
Even that early France was convinced that people would want to see stock cars race at the track. It was common at the time for promoters to stiff the drivers, leaving before anyone was paid for the race. By 1947 France understood that racing could not become popular in the absence of an official sanctioning body, standard rules, set schedule, and an detailed, defined championship. Discussions began on December 14, 1947 at a Daytona hotel between top promoters and drivers, and ended with the official formation of NASCAR in late February 1948 – for the first time NASCAR results would lead to a championship. A point award system was recorded on a bar room napkin. The original NASCAR plan was for Modified, Roadster and Strictly Stock, three unique divisions for racing. The original NASCAR Commissioner was a man named Erwin Cannonball Baker. Baker was a former stock car, motorcycle, and open-wheel driver who took part in the Indianapolis 500 and established more than one hundred land speed records. But Cannonball Baker was particularly famous for his transcontinental speed attempt. Cars were tested by Baker by making these runs from NY to L.A.. His nickname, Cannonball, became the name of a famous transcontinental race and inspired a Bert Reynolds movie Under Baker NASCAR racing results were followed by an ever growing fan base. NASCAR spread to the west coast, and soon people there were following NASCAR racing results – here’s how it happened. In the early part of the 50s the United States Navy placed Bill France, Jr., at the Moffett Federal Airfield in California. France Sr. asked him to contact Bob Barkhimer in San Jose, California. Bob was the head of the California Stock Car Racing Association, himself a former driver from around the time of WW2 as well as a current owner of 22 speedways. Bill listened to his father, establishing a relationship with Barkhimer and Margo Burke, his partner. He became familiar with west coast racing by hanging around with them, living at their homes on weekends, and attending races and other events with them. Eventually Barky, Barkhimer’s nickname to his friends, traveled to Daytona Beach to meet Bill France, Sr . In 1954, the spring, NASCAR was appointed as the sanctioning body on the Pacific Coast, with Barky as the regional leader. |
