Nascar isn’t your standard motorsport, and its origins are a little unusual. The sport was actually inspired by the radio show “The Grand Tour,” which debuted in 1933 and was hosted by Charles Lindbergh (the “Long-Boarded Captain”). Lindbergh was an early pioneer of civilian aviation, and his exploits made for exciting storytelling during the golden era of radio. After the show was revamped in 1950, it was retitled “The Lindbergh Fantasy” and focused on automobiles rather than air travel.
The new show gained popularity and prompted the creation of other automobiles-focused competitions, including the Indianapolis 500 (which debuted in 1950). The rest, as they say, is history.
The Birth Of The Grand National Series
In 1927, Lindbergh was joined by Jack Robinson, and the two began a racing team. They had a difficult time getting cars because the Great Depression had put a stop to all other forms of motorized transportation. It wasn’t until 1935 that they finally managed to purchase an old Cadillac, which they rebuilt with added sheet metal and wooden wings. This creation, known as the “Spirit of ’76,” was a forerunner to the Grand National series.
During this time, Jack Robinson came up with the idea for a national tour of racing that would start and end in his home state of Indiana. He wanted to create something that would allow him to showcase the best cars and drivers in one tournament, and he named the tour after the Lindbergh-owned “Cadillac National Speedway” (which still exists today). The first annual Grand National ended up attracting around 100,000 fans, and it established Nascar as we know it today.
The Early Years
As noted, Nascar wasn’t around in its current form until the early 1930s. The sport was actually started as a modification of existing sports like golf and motorcycle racing, which had origins in the late 1910s. The first Nascar race was held in 1921 at Columbus, Ohio’s Clippinger Farms Speedway, and it was won by Guy Lombardo (a famous New York City bandleader who also happened to be an entrant in the race).
Before long, other tracks had adopted the Nascar format, and it became popularized during the Great Depression, when many people had time on their hands and wanted to spend it in the fashion of their favorite cars instead of shopping or taking part in other activies.
The Evolution Of The Sport
Although Nascar isn’t your standard motorsport, it maintains a special place in the hearts of many Americans. Some of the most recognizable cars in American History are associated with the sport, including the Ford Model T, the Chevrolet Corvette, and the Chrysler New Yorker. The most iconic driver of all time is often referred to as “the father of modern motorsport,” and his name is Benny Parsons.
Parsons was a NASCAR pioneer who won the first two Indy 500s, in 1911 and 1912. At the time, he was the only driver who had won both the Indy 500 and the Vanderbilt Cup (which was considered at the time to be the “super-guzzler” because of its massive 10.5-litre engine). In addition to winning the Indy 500, he also helped found the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909 and was its president until his death in 1934.
The evolution of Nascar is interesting because of its parallels to American society during the 20th century. The sport went from being seen as a “rich man’s hobby” to being popularized by the working class during the Great Depression. However, it also remained a vehicle for the upper classes, and the fact that it was founded by and is still owned by members of the Lindbergh family shows that.
The Present Situation
Today, Nascar is one of the more popular sports in the United States. Interest in the sport increased after the 2009 season, when the economy took a serious turn for the worse. Many team owners, including legendary Fred Leeman (an owner of the now-defunct Leland Racing Team), lost a great deal of money, and they decided to resurrect the sport, rebranding the existing teams and creating new ones focused on selling vehicles. The revived sport currently comprises three categories: Regular Season (which is split into two series, the Sprint Cup and the Nationwide Series), the Camping World Truck Series, and the Monster Energy Cup Series (a new category for the 2018 season).
The original “Cadillac National Speedway,” which was used for the first annual Grand National, still exists today and is operated by the Hulman-George Family Foundation. It has been preserved as a historic monument and is considered one of the most important racetracks in North America. The track was last renovated in the 1950s and features a grandstand that was built in 1927.
The original “Cadillac National Speedway” is most important because it established Nascar as we know it. Even more importantly, it was the first step toward turning the sport into the “national pastime” that it is today.