NASCAR’s Hall of Fame

Slated to open in early in 2010, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is being built to pay tribute to NASCAR drivers, owners and crew chiefs and others who have made a significant impact on the sport. In 2006, NASCAR selected the city of Charlotte, North Carolina as the home for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. This announcement was part of NASCAR’s commitment to establish a memorial to the sport. The groundbreaking ceremony for the $108 million hall took place on January 26, 2007. The facility will be state-of-the-art with the first inductees will be honored later in 2010.

Having the NASCAR Hall of Fame located there will bolster Charlottes economy. Jobs and increased tourism are direct benefits that the city will see. NASCAR plans to also be opening as a 19-story NASCAR Plaza in March of 2009. The 390,000 square foot tower will house NASCARs licensing division, the Hall of Fame offices and their digital media center. Dale Inman and Richard Petty presented the first item that the Hall of Fame will house, the Plymouth Belvedere that Petty drove to 27 victories during 1967.

While the city of Charlotte is constructing the NASCAR Hall of Fame and retain ownership, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority will manage the facility. The first Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Winston Kelley, has been announced publicly. Pei, Cobb, Freed & Partners, world-renowned architects, designed the facility. A Charlotte company, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, is handling the construction. Ralph Applebaum Associates will oversee the exhibits and Technical Artistry will design the exhibit lighting.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame was a concept whose time had come. There is a great deal of stock car racing history for the fans and the curious alike to explore. NASCARs roots in bootlegging, for which modified fast cars were needed to transport illegal whiskey, will hopefully be featured.

The selection of Charlotte as the home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame was made for a number of reasons.

- North Carolina is one of the southern states where stock car racing originated.

- Many prominent NASCAR drivers call North Carolina home.

- The area surrounding Charlotte is known as NASCAR Valley because of the presence of numerous motor sports teams. 73% of the nation’s motor sports employees work in NASCAR Valley.

- Half of the population of the USA live within 500 miles or less of the Charlotte area.

Every NASCAR fan will want to visit and experience NASCAR Hall of Fame.

NASCAR’s Scheduling Realignment

Significant changes were made to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series schedule, which was referred to as realignment. At a June 2003 press conference, Bill France Jr stunned the audience by announcing a controversial and sweeping set of scheduling changes for the 2004 NASCAR season. This realignment would address lagging ticket sales at certain tracks as well as the necessity of constantly re-scheduling some races due to inclement weather. The media identified two southern raceways, North Carolina Speedway and Darlington Raceway, as being affected by the changes. The two facilities had difficulty selling out their events and both faced weather problems. In North Carolina, the rain had consistently forced races having to be rescheduled to Mondays and fans just couldn’t attend.

The name Realignment 2004 was used to refer to the official change to the NASCAR schedule announced in June 2003 during an event in Michigan. The list of changes wasn’t long, but it was massive in impact. Some tracks were battered by the affects.

Back in June 1997, Jeff Gordon won the inaugural Winston Cup race at the California Speedway. The proximity to Los Angeles immediately created NASCARs largest market almost overnight with throngs of fans flocking there from the Los Angeles area.

With the NASCAR schedule realignment, the Darlington’s Mountain Dew Southern 500 race that normally ran on Labor Day weekend would be changed to November for the 2004 season. That change made room for a switch at North Carolina Speedway. The November the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 race had 100 miles added and its name changed to the Pop Secret 500. The race was slotted into Fontana and moved from November to Labor Day weekend. These changes meant that NBC would cover it live during prime time as it ran during the evening.

NASCARs announcement for the 2009 schedule, announced on August 19 2008, brought more major changes.

Talladega’s fall event was changed to a later date near Halloween usurping Atlanta Motor Speedways fall event. That meant several scheduling changes occurred. Several races were shifted around in order to best take advantage of the markets. These were huge change sent fans scrambling to get appropriate vacation time.

- The Nationwide Series dropped the Mexico City road race and a new race was scheduled in August at the Iowa Speedway.

- The Montreal Sprint Cup race was moved from a fixed date to an open weekend around August 30.

- Labor Day became the new date for The Sprint Cups only Atlanta race that had previously been run in March.

- Chicagoland Speedway had a Camping World Truck series event added during the Indy Racing League week.

Modified NASCAR Cars

Early race drivers were bootleggers that modified their cars for speed and handling to be able to first outrun the police during Prohibition and later to outrun the revenuers that were try to tax their business. Moonshine runners owned many of the vehicles. With most of America under the Alcohol Prohibition Act, these moonshine runners accumulated enough wealth to purchase the fastest, showiest, and expensive cars. With lots of money and a great deal of time on their hands, they turned to racing their vehicles against each other as a matter of pride.

In keeping with its roots, NASCAR uses stock cars for racing instead of specially built racecars such as Formula One and NHRA cars. NASCAR, founded by William France Sr. adopted his vision of using all American stock cars with no modifications. He felt that the public could relate to factory stock cars because those cars were available to them. This would help ensure that no type of car would have an advantage over another. Over time safety and speed modifications have been implemented but that single regulation is largely responsible for NASCAR wildly successful.

In the past, entry-level drivers had stock cars that were used on daily basis on and off the track. However NASCAR entry cars of today are a far cry from the cars that factories produce. The only semblance to stock production is the body template. The tires, chassis, carburetor and the running gear of a modified NASCAR racecar is not even a close relative of a vehicle produced as stock in the U.S.

How are modified NASCAR stock cars different from the factory cars? Some examples will help to visually clarify the point.

Ritchie Evans #61 Ford Pinto driven in 1978

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A Ford model almost forgotten, renewed interest has sparked lately, making the Ford Pinto a highly sought after vintage racecar for amateur level racing.

1955 Replica Chrysler c300r

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A significant NASCAR contender in 1955, the engine of the Chrysler c300r was far superior than most of the muscle cars of its day. In spite of its performance, the market did not embrace the Chrysler model.

Jeff Gordons #24 DuPont Chevrolet

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Jeff Gordon drove this Hendrick Motorsports built car to his first road race victory in 1997 at Watkins Glen. This NASCAR modified car is authentic, not restored, and in perfect condition.

Jeff Gordon – Driver Extraordinaire

When someone has a golden touch, trust others to gripe about it. NASCAR #24 driver Jeff Gordon, a relatively quiet racer, has a prowess on the oval that is be rivaled by few. Often criticized, Gordon is adored by many NASCAR fans.

Born Jeffery Michael Gordon on August 4, 1971, he was bitten with the racing bug at the tender age of 5. Before reaching 18, he had already been awarded the USAC Midget Car Racing Rookie for winning three short track races. By 20, he was the youngest driver to win the season championship.

His next major racing achievement was to win the Busch Series Rookie of the Year in 1991. Richard Pettys last race, the 1992 Hooters 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, was Gordons first NASCAR Winston Cup Series race in which he placed 31st. Gordons first career victory came in 1994. NASCARs Jeff Gordon has accumulated four cup victories to date. The only racecar drivers that have won more titles are Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. Both have won seven titles.

Despite Jeff Gordons NASCAR victories, while displaying incredible driving skills, he has faced criticism from inside the NASCAR family. He has had to deal with criticism, innuendo and rumor for a number of years. Most of it has been centered around his quiet, laidback disposition on and off the track. The most debated issue was about his alleged homosexuality that dogged him relentlessly. A clean cut Californian kid that was making himself a force to be reckoned with in a southern sport, his nice clothes, neat appearance and quiet demeanor made Gordon a target by his detractors.

Dale Earnhardts death caused many in the NASCAR community to view Jeff Gordon as NASCARs next iconic figure. Jeff Gordon of NASCAR ranks among NASCARs best drivers and has accumulated a wealth of achievements. Although legends like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt are firmly entrenched in NASCAR history, few doubt Jeff Gordon will eclipse them if he continues to excel in his driving. It is conceivable that Gordons record will become the benchmark for racers achieve in the future.

Snapshot of NASCAR History

In the early days, racing in the US was regional entertainment with races being held on roads and dirt tracks. This terrain was hard on the cars which were modified streetcars meant to outrun the police and revenuers during Prohibition. These roads were rough on original cars. The bootleggers cars were lightened, modified for better handling, and speed. During this era, Daytona Beach becoming the center of stock car land speed records.

Stock car racing was rapidly gaining popularity by 1936. As the cars improved, races became more mainstream and profitable. Because of the victimization of the drivers by some promoters, by the late 1940s a sanctioning body seen to be a necessity. Spearheaded by William France Sr., meetings to hash out the details were held at the Streamline Hotel.

A board of governors was formed with Bill France Sr. as the President. A fellow named Red Boyt was the man who coined the name NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) a critical point in NASCAR history. NASCAR became an entity on February 21, 1948 and the first ever NASCAR race was the week before incorporation, on February 15, 1948 at Daytona Beach. The winner of the first NASCAR sanctioned race was Red Byron.

The main focus of NASCAR was on the entertainment value. In order to succeed, it needed to appeal to the masses. To do this, racers used only factory stock cars, or cars that were not modified.

On June 19, 1949, the first Strictly Stock race was held in Charlotte, N.C. At that time, the rules required that the racecars be American made and the only modification allowed was to the metal plate that protected the right front tire. Thirty-three drivers competed with almost every kind of American made car represented.

More than 13,000 people came out to watch the race. NASCARs goal of making the sport appealing to the average American was wildly successful. Glen Dunaway initially won the race until it was determined that he had modified his rear springs. Jim Roper was subsequently declared the winner.

In 1950, the Strictly Stock division evolved into what become known as the Grand National. This evolved into the Winston Cup in 1971, which in turn changed to the NEXTEL Cup in 2004. The Sprint Cup emerged in 2008 after the merger of NEXTEL and Sprint. it is NASCARs most popular series. Red Byron holds the distinction of being the first Winston Cup winner.

Without the efforts, dedication, and guidance of Bill France Sr., NASCAR racing would likely not have the same face. There have been many memorable moments throughout NASCARs colorful history. The future of NASCAR is bright because of its mass appeal.

The Cars of NASCAR

Have you wondered just what it is that makes NASCAR stock cars different from the standard street stock that we see around? What is hiding behind the body of a NASCAR stock car?

In the beginning, modifications to the cars were not allowed. The cars had to be factory stock. The Strictly Stock division was renamed the Grand National in 1950 and performance and safety modifications were allowed. By the time the mid-1960s rolled around, the cars had the appearance of a stock car but were designed and built for racing.

Over time, NASCAR has mandated and/or allowed modification to factory stock cars to address the need to balance safety and competitive racing. NASCAR is vigilant in checking cars at each race to ensure that modification comply with their standards. NASCAR racing vehicles are custom built with every detail of the frame, engine and car body designed in house.

The design that is always front row center when designing the frame is safety compliance. This cannot be compromised at any point in the design process. The frame is divided into three sections. The front and back clips, or sections, of the frame are constructed of thinner steel tubing than the middle of the frame. This tubing crushes to help to absorb the impact in the event of a crash. The frames middle section, which includes the roll cage, is built using a stronger material and is designed to maintain its structural integrity in a collision. With the safety of the driver always at the forefront, devices such as special seatbelts; roll cages; roof flaps; airbags; fuel cells; and window nets are just some of the mandated customized safety devices. At the speeds that these cars travel, standard equipment is not likely to stand the impact.

Why do these NASCAR vehicles have so much speed? These cars are capable of hitting speeds of 200 mph and more. Large engines packed under the hood are responsible for the high speeds that are achieved without turbochargers. The radical cam profile on the engine allows much more air to flow into the cylinders at high speeds. Carburetors that enable a large volume of fuel and air flow into it are under the hood of a NASCAR racing cars. These cars are not fuel injected. They have ignition systems that allow for the customization of spark timing. Subsystems such as oil, coolant and steering pumps, as well as alternators, are made to be run at high temperatures and high speeds for prolonged periods of time.

NASCARs quality standards are very stringent and NASCAR racing cars need every part to be honed to an exacting tolerance so that the engines will be able to quickly achieve the maximum power it can deliver. In order to have a winning edge, there is no margin for error in the design, machining or assembly.

NASCAR racing cars hold a fascination to fans. The powerful profile, the raw horsepower, their sleek design and their integrated safety features attract NASCAR fans like bees to honey. The next time you attend a NASCAR race, you will have a better understanding of just what these powerful machines are capable of.