Buzz
Early stars of stock car racing honed their skills as bootleggers. In this image, driver Joe Littlejohn's vehicle, marked with a 7, is parked outside a tavern, blending seamlessly with the other cars on the street. ISC IMAGES & ARCHIVES VIA GETTY IMAGESThe stakes are high. You’ve successfully distilled 100 gallons (378.54 liters) of moonshine, bottled the potent liquor, and concealed it in your car’s trunk—all while evading the authorities. Your illegal cargo is hidden beneath blankets and disguised with a pile of old coats. Now, the real challenge begins: delivering it safely.
This final step, however, might be the riskiest. By producing and distributing alcohol, you’re perpetuating a decades-long illegal practice rooted in the era of Prohibition. While the 18th Amendment banned alcohol, it couldn’t extinguish the determination of enterprising individuals to meet demand. Even after the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition, illegal bootlegging persisted.
Although your black 1940 Ford Coupe appears factory-standard, it’s equipped with a high-performance engine capable of outrunning any law enforcement vehicle. Years of practice on America’s toughest roads have sharpened your driving skills to match.
As you race through the Appalachian foothills under the veil of darkness, expertly maneuvering sharp turns and dodging wildlife on tree-lined roads, a sense of pride washes over you. Your car, powered by a robust ambulance V-8 engine instead of the standard model, handles flawlessly even at top speeds. Its reinforced suspension ensures your volatile cargo stays secure. Familiarity with these routes is so ingrained that you could navigate them even with your headlights off [source: AutoFoundry].
You’ve even competed against other bootleggers on these perilous roads, each vying for supremacy and bragging rights. This shared competitive spirit, combined with custom-built vehicles, laid the foundation for stock car racing. What began as informal races on highways and dirt tracks evolved into a structured sport. Rooted in the legacy of moonshine runners, it eventually became the renowned racing league known as NASCAR.
In 1947, Big Bill France, a prominent figure in the racing world, organized a meeting with drivers, mechanics, and owners to establish standardized rules. This gathering led to the creation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). Just two months later, on February 15, 1948, NASCAR hosted its first official race on Daytona Beach, Florida. Many of the participants, including winner Red Byron, had ties to the moonshine industry. Shortly after, NASCAR was formally incorporated, with France assuming leadership—a role he later passed to his son [source: Levinson].
On September 4, 1950, NASCAR launched its first 500-mile (805-kilometer) race, the Southern 500. This marked the beginning of NASCAR’s rapid expansion. By 1989, every race was televised, major sponsorships were secured, and drivers—once viewed as outlaws—were even welcomed at the White House [source: Danner].
Today, NASCAR boasts millions of dedicated fans—evidenced by the 11.4 million average TV viewers for the 2016 Daytona 500—solidifying its place as a cornerstone of American motorsports, no moonshine necessary [source: Statista].
