Monday, June 19, 2017

On This Day

 

The very first “Strictly Stock” race took place at Charlotte Speedway, June 19, 1949, in a 150-mile race on the three-quarter mile speedway, which was located about 20 minutes down I-85 from the current Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Bill France decided to make the move in 1949 to outlaw the “modifieds” and run strictly stock cars so that fans could relate to the cars and drivers.
Most of the cars were driven to the track and it was set to have the fastest 33 drivers enter the race, an ode to the Indianapolis 500 field.
The track was mainly in a residential area. There were lots of complaints about the noise and the dust in the neighborhood,” Overton Jr. said. “There was an overflow crowd, so we found a weeping willow tree on a high bank over turn three. There was just a board fence around the track in those days. So we watched the race and ate dirt from up there, and that was my first real NASCAR exposure.”
And so you have it, on this day, 68yrs. ago..........It is said Petty, made his start!

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