NASCAR became a popular car racing event in the United States that inspired the making of the animated film Cars. At the beginning of its existence, NASCAR actually had a dark history
Have you seen the animated movie “Cars” produced by Disney Pixar?
If so, you must not forget the scene at the pit stop in every race and the presence of the car “Michael Schumacher” as a guest star at the end of the first film of the series.
Seeing a little of the iconic scenes, you might think, this series is inspired by the legendary Formula One aka F1 car racing event. But it’s not.
The film series “Cars”, which tells the life of racing cars and a number of characters in it, was inspired by the NASCAR Cup Series racing event.
One of the most popular characters is Doctor Hudson Hornet who is more often called Doc in this series.
Doc was inspired by the legendary NASCAR car of the same name, the Hudson Hornet, which was often driven by Marshall Teague.
Not only the name, shape of the car and the sponsor writing on the Hudson Hornet car in the movie “Cars” is also exactly this original car in the past.
One more thing, just like in the series, the car that was famous for winning a number of NASCAR racing series in a row, also suffered a tragic accident.
Ordinary cars and unusual risks
What is NASCAR itself? Yep, for some people, NASCAR might be unfamiliar with this name.
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, commonly abbreviated as NASCAR, is a company that organizes the largest car racing series in the United States.
There are at least three NASCAR Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Truck Series.
There is a stark difference between every NASCAR race and F1, Indycars, or any other auto racing event in general.
If usually in other racing events every vehicle is designed with The Shape of a race car specifically, in NASCAR racing events, cars are not designed with The Shape of a race car.
NASCAR cars are the product of top brands in the United States market, such as Dodge, Chevrolet, and Ford, with a general car form.
Modifications were made only to the engine and sponsor decorations. Uniquely, the drivers of this event are allowed to buy their own racing cars from NASCAR. The company will provide cars designed with the best materials according to the wishes of the racers.
Not only the shape of the car is fairly common, the NASCAR Series race track is also fairly monotonous for some people.
Because most of the track shape is only oval alias only has a bend to the left, although now some NASCAR tracks have also begun to vary in shape.
However, make no mistake, the oval shape of the NASCAR track is boring for some people, it is the key to pulling this event.
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You see, the audience is so difficult to guess who will come out as the winner because everyone has the same chance, because it relies on elements of drafting and slipstream.
Intense competition makes the distance, between drivers can be very close together in certain moments of the race.
This condition is not without risk. Not once or twice has there been an accident involving multiple cars in a single NASCAR race. The number can be up to half of the total cars participating in the race.
So often, this kind of big accident even has its own nickname in NASCAR, namely “the Big One.”
“The Big One ” is what can make NASCAR competition more exciting. Therefore, mass accidents involving many cars, can change the constellation of the race.
The champion candidate who had been predicted by the public that season could be one of the victims who could not continue the match AKA Did not Finish (DNF).
The loss of points of the prospective champion due to an accident, can certainly affect the ongoing competition map.
Liquor
Behind the excitement of NASCAR to be enjoyed by the audience, as well as how this event inspired an animation worked on by a famous film studio, in fact, NASCAR’s early history is arguably dark. A culture that comes into contact with criminality is precisely the forerunner of this event.
At that time, in the 1920s, liquor entrepreneurs were looking for creative ways to distribute their products. Finally, the step was chosen to smuggle the drinks into the vehicle.
Not just any, the car that became a means of smuggling has first modified its engine in order to race at maximum speed, but remains stable when passing through the hills and when pursued by the police.
In this condition, entrepreneurs are even lured to compete and prove to each other, it is their company cars and racers who can run the fastest.
However, history tells its own story. In 1933 a law was issued prohibiting the distribution of liquor. In fact, the liquor entrepreneurs have kadung modify their cars. The drivers were already avid and wanted to continue to race.
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In a few years, the entrepreneurs are looking for ways so that what they have done so far is not in vain. Until finally, in the early 1940s, car modifications were again carried out in order to run a small race event with prize money.
As expected, this race was successful in attracting spectators and became a trend in the southern region of the United States at that time. Similar races continued in the next few years.
William France Sr., see the potential of this racing event to unite the vision of the driver who suddenly became the racer. Finally in December 1947, the man who was familiarly called Bill held a meeting with a number of businessmen and racers at the Streamline Hotel, Daytona, United States.
After meeting after meeting, under the initiative of Bill France, NASCAR officially became a racing organization on February 21, 1948 with the help of the drivers. There are no complicated systems or methods in running the game. The point system, in fact, is simply written on a hotel bar napkin.
However, from that simple race, it all began. NASCAR continues to grow and transform into a leading auto racing event in its own land and its own trademark as well.