43 NASCAR Emileigh

The hosts of the podcast "Ill-Equipped History" discuss the origins of NASCAR and the first-generation of stock car racing. They talk about the tracks used during this time, notable events, and even share some funny stories. They mention that NASCAR was officially established in 1947 and the first race took place in 1948. They also mention the tracks that are still in use today and the evolution of the cars and safety measures over time. Recording, recording. Okay, I am minimizing this, pushing it down here, getting rid of my others. Okay. Welcome to ill-equipped history, where two best friends who are not equipped to tell you about history do it anyway, because we do what we want here. Morgan, how are you? I'm wonderful because we have a guest today, and that guest is my brother, Zach. Hello. You know, I'm sure they're great if they're listening to us. Yeah, yeah. So if you all haven't figured out by the title of today's skit, Morgan, you haven't figured out what we're talking about today, so I'll just tell you. We're going to talk about NASCAR. Three in the sky, and Dale ain't dead, he's a lap ahead. So I brought Zach on because growing up, he loved NASCAR, and he still enjoys it, I'm sure. Yeah, oh, yeah. So what better person to have to talk about it today? Yeah. So, and I'm kind of, yeah, oh, yeah, and I'm kind of making him be part of the skit, Morgan, so this is fun. Yeah. So are you all ready to get into it? Okie dokie. All right. The year is 1993 at the Winston 500 in Talladega. Rusty Wallace is on the track to finish in the top five and is right in front of Dale Earnhardt, also known as the Intimidator. Fans are on the edge of their seats as the final lap of the race unfolds. In the blink of an eye, Dale bumps the tail of Rusty's car, sending him into a spinout. No! Go, Dale! You can have more if you want. Not Rusty! The car turns backwards and sent Wallace airborne. The car does a series of flips and cartwheels, all the while panels and pieces from the car go flying. The car came to a stop finally, upright, and was little more than a roll cage and an engine. He actually said that, by the way. Thankfully, the wreck only resulted in minor injuries and a hand cast for Rusty, and he would go on that season to win ten more races and finish second in points behind no other than the Intimidator himself. This isn't the first incident like this in NASCAR history, and we can guarantee it won't be the last either. Yay, that was it. Yeah. You would know that off the top of your head. Oh, my God. I know. Also, I have a question. I have a question. So while I was researching that skip or, you know, that wreck, they said in the video that he was going to be credited with a sixth finishing position. Why is it because he was purposefully bumped and wrecked? Because it wasn't like his bad driving. He was wrecked. Okay, so now they wouldn't do that. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I mean, I could see, yeah, I could see how you would want to do that because it wasn't his fault, but also I could see the controversy in that because it's like you're racing. Wrecks are going to happen. Mm-hmm. Oh, my God. Well, I mean, he finished. Got sixth on a technicality. Yeah, it is. Just carry a tire with you. So my car crossed. Oh. Sit on just the axle and roll yourself with the two tires. I love this. Okay. So how did we get here? Where did it start? It's a skit. But so let's get into the beginnings of stock car racing. And I mean, before NASCAR was a thing, why are we racing stock cars other than the fact that it's just fun as shit? So it actually had, and I'm sure both of y'all know this, but it had its origins during the time of prohibition when people were running from the cops trying to get their shine places. Yeah. So they would tune and alter these cars to make them faster to evade the law, trying to get their shine everywhere. And later on, they just started racing for fun, and it started to become more popular in the southern states. And that's really the main reason. It has its origins in the south-ish, and most of the tracks nowadays are in the south, the majority of them. So some of the oldest tracks. So the Milwaukee Mile is the oldest continually operating, if I could talk, motor speedway in the world. It opened in 1903. And in 2024, it will host the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the IndyCar Doubleheader weekend. So we're not looking at, like, the Cup Series on that track, but it is considered the oldest. And then Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built before World War I, and that was the first event at the track. The first event at the track was a hot air balloon race. Why? Yeah. Let's race something that doesn't require the ground. Fuck if I know. Yeah. Have you ever seen, like, the baby races where they put babies on one end and another parent on the other? That's how I imagine it would be that much of a clusterfuck. They're just going all over the place. Yeah. Yeah. But in June of 1909 – oh, sorry. Yeah. Their first car race was held in August of 1909. Those poor people were watching for two months. Yeah. It's the old lady from the Titanic. It's been 89 years. Okay, so the Indianapolis 500 started in 1911, but NASCAR did not get that track, did not acquire the track until 1994, and it's still being used in NASCAR races today. So a big notable event. On December the 14th in 1947, Bill France, Sr. organized a meeting at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, and this was the meeting that was put together to discuss the future of stock car racing. So by then, here and there, they kind of had some organization going, but it was nothing official. And this meeting, they put together NASCAR, which stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and that was put together on December 14th of 1947. The first race would take place on February the 15th, so just a couple of months later, in 1948, and at the time of, well, this, it's not February yet, but this episode will air on the anniversary of the first race happening under the NASCAR name. Yeah. I just, no. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And it also always starts in Daytona. Yep. Always. So to keep this pretty consistent because a lot of shit happens, we're going to go by generations. There are seven generations in NASCAR. We are on the seventh, so that is currently happening. But the first generation was considered to be between 1948 and 1966. So what kind of cars did they have? Morgan, I do, and Zach, I have pictures of the cars in the skit, if you just scroll down. So the first generation, literally, they would just take their daily drivers to these dirt racetracks or on the beach, or, I mean, they were just kind of, everywhere. So these people would drive them, they would take the hubcaps, mufflers off, tape up headlights, race the shit out of them, and just go on. Sometimes, if they didn't have enough cars to race, some people from the track would go to, like, a car lot and rent some cars, slap some numbers on them, and have people race them. All right. All right. Like, could you imagine? So go ahead. You can clearly see, yeah, the number on the side. See what it happened was. And at this time, it was only recommended that you wear a helmet. And the helmets were just, like, leather. They looked like leather football helmets. Like, buddy, that ain't going to do shit. But before I get into notable events from this time, the tracks that we still use that were open during the first generation were North Wilkesboro Speedway, and that was in 1947. And it has hosted at least one race in every cup since 1949, except its doors were closed between 1996 and 2002. It is now back in the rotation. We've got Martinsville Speedway in 1947, Darlington Raceway in 1950, and that was NASCAR's first super speedway. And we've got the Daytona International Speedway in 1959, and that one is significant because Bill France wanted a track that could take the cars to the next level, so that's when we start seeing the 30-degree banking on the sides. And it's two and a half miles, so for it to be a super speedway, I believe, tell me if I'm wrong, Zach, it has to be longer than a mile? Mm-hmm. Okay. Okay. Okay. Oh. Got it. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I think it was just barely over a mile when I was looking at it. So we've also got Charlotte Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway were both built in 1960, and then Bristol Motor Speedway in 1961. So some notable events that happened in this first generation, like I said on February 15th, so that was the first race in Daytona Beach, and it was at the Beach Road Course. So obviously the International Speedway had not been built yet, but it was on the Beach Road Course. And Red Byron won in his Ford. And on June 19th of 1949 was the first NASCAR strictly stock race, so that is currently the Cup Series. And it was held at the Charlotte Fairground Speedway, and that was only .75 miles. And in that race, Jim Roper won the race, Bob Flock won the first pole, and Sarah Christian, who finished 14th, is credited as the first woman to race in NASCAR's premier division. I did not know. Yeah, I did not know that. So Jim Roper competed in a borrowed Lincoln Coupe that he drove from his home in Kansas all the way to Charlotte. And then he won. He borrowed it, drove it from Kansas. He's like, yeah, I need to borrow the car. Do you want to hear the worst one? Lee Petty rolled his borrowed Buick in the race, and then they had to – him and his family had to hitchhike home. They're just fucking about out there. Just out there. Oh, my God. Mm-hmm. I think I've bought your Buick. I'm giving you the money right now. Where is it? Don't worry about it. It's a Buick. I've never seen a Buick in my life. I don't know how to drive. Okay, so on October the 16th of 1949, Red Byron won the first NASCAR Strictly Stock Championship. That is what the cup is now. Morgan, you're going to fucking love this story. In the 1953 series or season, Tim Flock, he – at this point we're getting into, like, owner-driver situations. So Tim Flock drove for the owner of the car, and the owner had a pet monkey named Jocko Flocko. And Jocko Flocko rode in the car for eight races. They gave him a little outfit that matched. They made him a harness, and he would wave at other drivers. I don't know. Yeah. I don't know. Apparently the monkey would laugh at the other drivers, like, ha, ha, ha. And during one race, Jocko somehow got his harness off, and then he, like, opened the little panel that I guess Tim Flock would, like, check to see how his tires are doing or something like that. It was like – it just looked at the ground. And Jocko opened it up, got hit in the face with a pebble, freaked the fuck out, and was, like, getting all up in his face while he's trying to race. So he's just panicking. He's not, like, hurting him. So Tim whips it into the pit stop, hands the monkey out the window to the pit crew, and then just speeds off. So the monkey's like, what the fuck? And they kept him hidden from, like, the NASCAR officials. And Tim Flock won that year because the monkey kept distracting the other drivers. He won the cup. They were just doing shit, like, let's just see what we can get away with. It's so cute. Jocko Flocko. Hold on, I forgot to put a picture of him, and I want you to see his little outfit. Oh, God. Where's the – okay, just Google Jocko Flocko and then hit images, and you'll see little – he's in the number 91 car. He's so little. He's just hanging out. Oh, yeah. There's a whole video of that. It's in the sources. So, y'all, if you want to watch it, it's in our sources in the show notes. It says something like Jocko Flocko video. But, yeah, he was just hanging out, and apparently he had a good time. He was enjoying himself. Yeah. No. So, okay, back on track. So moving on. I know, look at him. I knew that was going to be your favorite part of this whole thing. So another significant event in 1959, Jim France, son of Bill France, Sr., joined the staff at International Speedway Corporation, or ISC. And he worked in all phases of operation in the early years of the company, moved up to vice chairman and – sorry, vice chairman slash executive vice president of NASCAR before ultimately being named chairman. So there's another France family member in here, and you'll see that a lot, that it's actually a very family-run organization. I don't know. I just – how do you feel about it, Zach? Yeah. Okay. Okay. Well, yeah, we'll definitely get into that later. See, that's why we have that, because I don't know. So on February 22nd of 1959 is when Daytona International Speedway hosts its first Daytona 500. Is it 500 laps or is it 500 miles? So whatever the – got it. Okay. Got it. So more than 41,000 fans attended this event. The winner wasn't decided until 61 hours after the checker flag flies because of the photo finish. We could not decide who it was. Lee Petty was declared the winner by two feet after conclusive evidence from the newsreel. Two feet. Yeah. Oh, my God. Get out of my head. We do this all the time, Zach. We always have, like, the same kind of topics. Yeah, we're melded completely. I love this. This is my favorite about us. Oh, my gosh. Yay, racing. So on December 1st of 1963, Wendell Scott becomes the first black driver to win a race in NASCAR's premier series, beating Buck Baker at Jacksonville Speedway. So go, Wendell Scott. So on to Generation 2. And this is between 1967 and 1980. And this is when we start seeing – sorry. I got to move again. This is when we start seeing more changes in the cars and they're becoming less stock. So we're not under any illusion anymore. These are not stock cars, at least. Yeah. No. No, no. I mean, Morgan, if you scroll down to the second picture, you'll see. This does not look like a stock car at all. And so they did start mandating full roll cages that were welded onto the frame. So this is when they're starting to worry about safety. Starting to. Yeah, this is not a suggested helmet wearing. Please put on your helmet, sir. And the cars started to not have opening doors. So this is when you start seeing the drivers go through the window. I thought this happened way later, but I don't know. Zach, why do they not have opening doors? Fair. Okay. Okay. Yeah, valid. Valid. I didn't know if it all had to do with, like, lessening the weight or maybe stability or roll cage. Yeah. I mean. Yeah. Okay. Nope. That makes total sense. And they also started doing other modifications. And as you can see in the picture, these are big, heavy, like, powerful muscle cars. They are focused on muscle. I want it to go fast. So they're not caring about aerodynamics. They're not caring about anything like that. They just want to make the fastest car possible. And so most crew chiefs on the team also knew how to build engines and knew how to work. And they were doing things, like, in garages. And, I mean, I'm sure some of the people who had more money had better setups, but we're still not completely away from its roots of, like, anyone can drive here. And they just knew how to make it faster. And they also had less emphasis on handling as well. So tracks that were built during the second generation were Michigan International Speedway in 1968, Dover Motor Speedway in 69, Talladega in 69, and Pocono Raceway in 1971. Talladega had a really fun, fun, in quotation marks, history behind it. Apparently they built it. It was supposed to be, I think, in one of the Carolinas, but they wouldn't, like, the state at the time wouldn't allow races to happen on Sunday because it being a holy day. So they were like, fuck you, fine, we'll go to Alabama. Alabama. Alabama. So they got this, like, old air base or something like that and built the track on it. And they finished building this track literal days before, like, the first races would start. And the racers came and they drove on the track and they realized that the track was absolutely shredding their tires. I mean, they would make it just a few laps around and they were just, I mean, basically exploding these tires. And the two tire companies, I believe it was what, Firestone and Goodyear? I think it's Goodyear and Firestone were the two competitors. And Firestone was like, look, we cannot get you a tire that's going to handle that in time. We're out. You guys race on whatever tire you want to race on. And Goodyear was like, no, we think we can do it. And a lot of the racers were like, we're not going to race because we like to live. We do enjoy the breathing thing. So, like, at the last minute, all these racers boycotted Talladega. They were like, we're not racing in this. And they left. It was like three NASCAR racers that actually stayed. And in the last minute, Goodyear came through, gave them the tires that actually held up surprisingly well. But the problem was they only had three drivers. They only had three cars. That's not a race. So they took, they went out to another, like, division. And just were like, hey, y'all want to come race today? So we had, like, these three, like, official NASCAR drivers and cars. And all these other people, random people. We got NASCAR and Jim Bob from around the corner racing. And this is, Morgan, this is giving, like, Olympics of 1908 vibes for sure. But they finished the race. The tires held up well. And the fans loved it. And they were afraid that people wouldn't come and watch the race. So they were like, hey, if you come and watch Talladega, if you come to this inaugural race in Talladega, we'll give you free tickets to another race. Because the builder was in debt to his eyeballs. And he was like, I need people to buy tickets to this race so I can pay for the fucking racetrack. It was a mess. No, people came in droves because they're like, two races for the price of one? Hell yeah. Done. Yeah, no, absolutely not. They charge you double for the audacity of the idea. We'll give you a one-for-two event, bitch. So some notable events that happened in the second generation. So in November of 1966 was the first race of the 1967 season, and it was raced in Augusta, Georgia, where Richard Petty won his first of a single season record 27 races. So he won 27 races out of I believe it was like 48? That's a lot. Jesus Christ. Yeah, that's like half of them. Uh-huh. My God. Okay. Yeah, I think the Petty family had like four generations of racers for a while. Probably. He's like itching for more. Daddy, when are we going to go race? Yeah. Good God. Oh, my God. Well, I mean, he is known as the king, so yeah. Okay. So in 1970, Lisa France Kennedy, so that's the daughter of Bill France, Jr., joins the staff at International Speedway Corporation and is instrumental in the growth of ISC and the advancement of the motorsport. So she moved up, served as vice chairman of NASCAR and vice chairperson of the board of directors for ISC. So more family. Yay. So on January the 10th of 1972, the founder of NASCAR, Bill France, Sr., hands over the reins of leadership to Bill France, Jr., who becomes the second president in NASCAR history. So in the second generation is when we start seeing the emergence of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. I am going to get into his life. I couldn't get into the life of every important NASCAR racer out there. I wish I could. Dale's my favorite, so we're going to talk about him today. So Dale made his debut race in May of 1975 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and he finished 22nd. And it would be several more years before he was dubbed the title of the Intimidator. But let's get into his early life. So he was born in 1951 in North Carolina, and he is the son of another successful race car driver and mechanic, Ralph Earnhardt. And I did not know this, but he dropped out of school in the ninth grade and just held odd and end jobs while he was attending to get his career off the ground. Wow. In his personal life, he had four kids, two sons, Dale, Jr., and Carrie, both of whom would become drivers themselves, and then two daughters, Kelly and Taylor. In his racing career, so, okay, so he eventually caught the eye of Rod Osterlund, and Rod Osterlund was a race sponsor based in California. And he was signed to his first Winston Cup contract in the 1979 year. So he did race for four years before he was brought on by a big sponsor. And that was really significant because I'm sure it's still like this, but money is everything. If you don't have a big sponsor, if you don't have the money, you don't have the access to the things that can make you a successful driver, you can only go as fast as the car goes. So the sponsor was big for him. And in that year, in the 1979 season, he won the rookie of the year award. And the following year, he won the Winston Cup. He just won it all, making him the first driver ever to win the rookie of the year and then the Winston Cup in back-to-back seasons. Is he the only one to do that, Zach? Okay. Yeah. Cool. So in 1981, Osterlund sold the team to J.D. Stacey, and apparently Dale and Stacey did not get along. So Dale signed with Richard Childress that year. And then after that year, spent the next two years with Bud Moore, who just had more opportunities for him. But then when Childress' race team got the funds and got themselves off their feet, Dale went back and raced for Childress in the 1984 series, and that's where he stayed. So he won four races in 1985, then won five races in the Winston Cup in 1986, and then in 1987, he won the Winston Cup for a third time, winning 11 races and finishing within the top five in 21 out of 29 races. Just fucking killing it. Right. Is there a reason they did that? Oh, it just costs? Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, I was watching a video, and I think in one of the later generations they mentioned, they're like, oh, well, this is a, you know, they're thinking about cost savings. We're going to run this car 16 times this race. And I don't think it really, like, dawned on me that they're not racing the whole, like, the same car the entire season. Like, the cars are just going to give out on them at some point. And the fact that they were bragging about being able to use it in 16 races was just mind-blowing to me. What's, yeah. Jesus Christ. Do they get it back the next year? Wow. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, no. Oh, no. I could just see, like, in the middle of the night trying to switch out the cars. Yeah, but you never could. You start that thing, and it's going to alert three neighborhoods down. Like. Yeah. I'm going to take that. Thank you. Yeah, it's the crown jewel. Damn. It's like, oh, my God. I can't imagine just being the driver and being like, you do know I need that, right? Like, what do you want me to do, fucking run? Like, oh, my God. You know that's a borrowed car, right? Like, I need that. I need to give it back. Okay. So around this time, what year are we in again? Around 87. Late 80s, early 90s. He started to become known as the intimidator because he was known for bumping drivers and being just downright aggressive. And he was like, well, you know, kind of like bumping's racing kind of attitude, but the president wasn't very happy, and he had to stop doing that so much. I mean, obviously by our skit, he was still doing that shit, but he didn't care. He just did it sneakier. Just like, my bad. Yeah. I mean, could you imagine if you knew, like, how he raced and you look in your, like, rear view mirror and he's, like, right there, you're like, fuck. Oh, fuck. Yeah. Yeah. My bad. Just like, I was just goofing. I was just goofing. I was just goofing. Oh, my God. Okay. So Dale won his fourth Winston Cup in 1990, earning him $3.8 million. He won again in 91, 93, and 94, and that put him at the same amount of career titles as Richard Petty. And remember, he's driving less. Now that I know that, that's more significant. He's driving less races. Damn. So in 1996, he became the third driver to start 500 consecutive Winston Cup races. And consecutive Winston Cup races. So over his career, he started in 500 races that were involved in the Winston Cup. One of only three. Consecutively. Yep. So he made $30 million in career earnings in 1997. Yes. 500 in a row. Yes. So, yeah. Listen, that man was not missing a race, damn it. He wasn't doing it. And this is about the time, while you're doing that, this is about the time that they switched to the black car, and they did the black paint job because they were like, man, Darth Vader's really fucking cool. You know what would be really intimidating? A black car. Literally, they took inspiration from Darth Vader. I do too. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Jesus Christ. Yeah. Just kept racing. Was it like his left leg? So, like, wait. Wait. I was about to say, are they automatic or are they not? Oh, no. You know what? Good for you, Dale. Good for you. Yeah. He started in, what year was it, 75. 75, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, everything, yeah, he started all of the ones that were racing. So, all through that time, he still hadn't won a Daytona 500, which, again, is the crown jewel of the cup races. So, he had come close multiple times but had, like, bad luck during the race. So, like, mechanical failures, hitting something on the track, things like that would just stop him. And he won. What the fuck? Oh, my God. That sounds like that time, Zach, we were driving down the road and a squirrel fell out of the tree and hit the windshield. Do you remember that? Yeah. Some fucking shit. The wildlife needs to fuck off. So. Was the seagull deaf? Because I can't imagine a seagull willingly going into something that makes that much noise. He was just confused. Oh, my God. That did not come up, and I'm so glad you told me that. So, he finally won, where there were no seagulls, in 1998. And in 1997, there was a very, very bad crash. And they were like, you good? And he's like, sure. Yeah, he was fine. But they didn't think he was okay for a while. But he did win in 98. And that year, he would finish in the top ten, giving him 20 seasons of finishing in the top ten out of 22 years of racing. Yeah. He was just killing it out there. So, this is when it gets really sad. Listen, I told ZytecZak when I was watching this video, I watched a video about Dale Earnhardt, and by the end, I'm crying. So, that's where we're at. In the last lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001, he was in third place. And he was protecting the front two positions, which were Dale Jr., his son, and his teammate, Michael Waltrip. And he was clipped from behind. Zak, do you remember who clipped him? Okay. Oh. That's right. That's right. You're still doing good. Yeah. Right, right. Unfortunately, when he was clipped from behind, he went straight into the wall. And like in the 1997 season, people are like, oh, well, he survived worse. That 1997 crash was a lot more dramatic. But because he went straight into the wall, he wasn't wearing a Hans device, which is a head and neck support. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He was killed on impact because he wasn't wearing a Hans device, which there were a few good things that came out of that incident, and that being that the Hans device was mandated after that. Just weeks later, they're like, if it can happen to Dale, it can literally happen to anybody. So, wow. Good. Yeah. And his death was actually the last death of a NASCAR driver to happen, like, on track. And that was in 2001. So, we've come leaps and bounds in 23 years, which is wonderful. We hate that it happened to Dale. And it was devastating to everyone. It's still devastating. Because, I mean, he did only run, what, 676 races? But, I mean, he wasn't done. Lord knows what we missed out on. But it did make the sport safer in the future. So, he won 76 out of those 676 starts and ended with seven Cup Series championships over his career. Some quotes from him. Two of my favorite things are my searing wheel and my Remington rifle. Another one was, I got in the ambulance, and I looked back over there, and I said, man, the wheels ain't knocked off that car yet. Get out. I got to go. He's like, I'm going. Yeah, I think I got it. Yeah. He was also quoted saying, when I came into Winston Cup, I didn't have nothing. And he had everything at the end. And the last one I'll have for now is, quote, the only thing I think about is winning, races and the championship. It's like hunting and fishing. You can't catch the most fish or shoot the most ducks with the least shells. You don't want to be standing there with a whole pile of shells on the ground and one duck, which is fair. Yeah. Son, I'm going to need you to kill two ducks with one bullet there. So, we're going to back it up, if I quit moving my fucking chair. Okay, we're going to back it up. Back to 1977. I just wanted to get in Dale Earnhardt's life because it needed to be said. So, we're still in the second generation of cars. So, on February 20th of 1977, Janet Guthrie becomes the first woman to compete in the Daytona 500. She qualifies 39th and finishes 12th. Zach, please explain qualifying and then, like, racing and how that applies. Mm-hmm. Okay. Okay. Okay. So, she started – she qualified at 39th and she finished 12th. So, that's – that's awesome. Cool. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, hey, good for her. Damn, that was in 1977. So, February 18th of 1979, CBS prevents the first live flag-to-flag coverage of a 500-mile NASCAR event with the Daytona 500. So, a lot of firsts are happening at Daytona. This is funny as shit. So, at this race, Richard Petty avoids an incident between Cale Yarbrough and Donnie Allison on the last lap of the race. So, Cale and Donnie get into an accident. Richard Petty is able to get around and wins the race. While Richard Petty is actively winning the race, Yarbrough and Allison and then Bobby Allison get out of their cars and start fighting in the infield around turns three and four. I just – I love that so much. I'm going to win this fucker. Oh, my God. Imagine this being on the first live coverage of the race. Oh, my God. Yeah. Who's going to win this? Richard Petty just pulls off. Listen. Fuck this race. I've got to back up Donnie. That's the best moment ever. Okay. So, November 18th of 1979, Richard Petty wins his record-setting seventh series championship. So, he wins his seventh series championship in the same season that, for reference, Dale Earnhardt gets his first sponsorship. That's when that happens. I know we kind of went forward and then back. So, on to the third generation. This is between 1981 and 1991. Significant car changes in this generation. So, the wheelbase went from 115 to 110. So, that made the cars a little smaller. Bigger emphasis on handling and aerodynamics, and that's when we're starting to see more of, like, the modern look of the NASCAR cars. So – oh, actually, we skipped one. So, it's the 28, number 28 one. And then people with more money really started to excel in this sport, and they started to become more like race cars and less like stock car looking. And then – yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And they started to do more aftermarket and specialty-built components to replace the stock ones. No one's under the impression that these are stock anymore. We're just keeping stock in the name of NASCAR because I think any other letter would sound stupid. So – wait. National. Stock. You could do just, instead of stock, race cars. NARCAR. NARCAR. NARCAR. You can't say that without a southern accent either. NARCAR. NARCAR. NARCAR. Oh, my God. So, tracks that were built in the third generation were Richmond Raceway and the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and that was in 1988 and 1990, respectively. And then on July the 4th of 1984, Richard Petty earns his 200th win in the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway and setting a mark that has yet to be challenged. That's – yeah. Unless you're an old man driving these race cars. Wait. Wait. A 200 – or, like, a scooter that goes, like, how fast do those cars go? 200-mile-an-hour scooter. Oh, my God. Okay. So that's pretty much all that happens in the third generation. We're going on. Zach, am I forgetting anything between 81 and 91? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, this is, like, peak. And this is, again, the timeframe that Dale Earnhardt is starting to really get into his stride and start winning these championships. So – and he was popular. I think he was, at one point, ranked, like, third or fourth richest athlete at the time. I forgot what year. I think it was the early 90s. But he was very popular, so that means the sport was very popular. I mean, yeah, that tracks. It just feels right. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, like, on their jerseys or whatever. Wow. Damn. Yeah. It says stay in school. Okay. Can we get a Krispy Kreme sponsor? Krispy Kreme, sponsor the podcast. Please, I'm begging you. I'll sell out for donuts. Oh, God, what was I going to say? I was going to say something. Ah, it'll probably come back to me. Okay, so fourth generation. And this is a quote from the NASCAR website. It says, quote, by the time the fourth, by the generation four cars came into NASCAR, it was obvious that there was no longer anything stock about stock cars. Yeah, so we did just talk about that. But the car changes, and this was, again, mostly towards the end, the big changes started happening after Dale's death was the safety things. But also the gen four car bodies looked, still looked like production cars, but changed a little bit. But they started, they earned an unofficial nickname of, like, Twisted Sisters because the bodies were, like, stretched and bent for aerodynamics. So they were starting to get away from stock cars even more than they already had. And then, yeah, the Hans device was required, which was the head and neck systems, different seats and harnesses, safer walls at the tracks. Zach, can you elaborate on the safer walls? What did they change about them? Do you know? Brother. Okay, good. You're good. Okay. Mm-hmm. Okay. Okay. Okay. That's very smart. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Wow. That makes so much sense. Yeah. Okay. I can't wait to get to your stories, honestly. Okay. So also, every time that a car was wrecked, they would take that car and look it over and find the weak spot so they would know how to improve it going forward. And then the roof flaps were a really big improvement, and that prevented the car, when it spun, the flaps on the roof go up, and it would, what, cause some down force and make sure the car doesn't go airborne. Uh-huh. Genius. Such a simple change. Yeah. And it doesn't have to take, it's just the wind that opens them up. It's not like anything mechanical or complicated. It's just a simple thing. So now, at this point, I mean, drivers can take like a 20G hit and just get up and walk away from it, which is incredible. Yeah. Holy shit. Oh, it's like rubber. Wow. So one source says that some drivers are actually more likely to put their car where it doesn't belong because they know they can get away with it. They're like, ah, it'll be all right. And since Dale's death, you know, we said that no one has died. Literally, it's just like they're worried about concussions at this point. That's it. Which is just incredible. So during the fourth generation, we see a lot of tracks popping up, and this is probably thanks to the momentum from the third generation coming in. So we see Homestead Miami Speedway was built in 95, Texas Motor Speedway and the Worldwide Technology Raceway was in 97, Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 98, Nashville Super Speedway in 2001. It was closed in 2011 and has reopened in 2021. Again, it is back on the schedule. The Kansas Super Speedway in 01 and the Iowa Speedway in 06. So on November 15th of 1992, one of the most significant races in NASCAR history was the 1992 season finale at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. This was Richard Petty's last race and Jeff Gordon's first in the NASCAR Premier Series competition. So five drivers were eligible to win the title as the race began. So I'm assuming, Zach, that you could have like five, because it's like a point thing at the end of the cup. So what you're saying is that, is it possible for someone to win that last race and not win the cup? Or, sorry, to not win that last race but win the cup? Wow. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, man. Someone get that man a bottle of wine or something. Pour some champagne on him, too. So in this race with the five eligible winners, the driver owner, Alan Kulwicki, did I say that right, Zach? Alan Kulwicki ends up leading one more lap than Bill Elliott to turn the five-point bonus for leading the most laps, and then won the championship by ten points. Is that a lot or is that just very little? Oh, my God. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Also, I want to point out that a driver owner is not uncommon in the sport. I know a lot of other sports, they have owners and then they have players, and they're two completely different entities. But here you could just own your own racing company and still be the driver, and I think that's really cool. Yeah. And also Dale Earnhardt never raced for his own company. Yeah. I love that so much. So on August 6th of 1994, the series schedule expanded to include the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Jeff Gordon claimed that win in the first Brickyard 400. And then October 23rd of 1994, Dale Earnhardt joined Richard Petty as the second driver in series history to have seven NASCAR championships. And January of 2003, NASCAR unveils the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina. And in 2004, NASCAR begins its first season under the banner of Nextel, which with the series becoming known as the NASCAR Nextel Cup. Is it still that? What? Okay, cool. What's Nextel? Oh, got it. Okay. Yes. What the fuck? Could you imagine racing on? I'm just imagining driving on a cobblestone road, and that's what I feel like it would be like. Yes. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go. Oh, no. They're just fucking about back then. Rick. Yeah. Nobody pay attention down here. Look to the skies. Okay, so fifth generation, 2007 to 2012. The car changes, and Zach and I were talking about this yesterday, the least favorite car. It's called the Car of Tomorrow, or the C.O.T., and it was only run for 16 races, while the following 20 races were raced in the Gen 4 cars, because everyone hated them so much. They're like, we're not fucking racing these cars. Okay. Put, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There were significant safety advancements, but at what cost? The fans hated it so much that they started to stop watching the races. They're like, we're not watching this shit. Yeah. Yeah. But, yeah, they are. Okay. It looks awkward. Yeah. Yeah. Also, the winner of the first C.O.T. race was at Bristol Motor Speedway, and it was the C.O.T. race. So, yeah. It looks awkward. Yeah. Yeah. Also, the winner of the first C.O.T. race was at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2007, and Kyle Busch won that. And he said, he was, like, complaining about the handling of the car after he won the race. He's like, this is shit. I hate this car. I know I won, but I hate it. Yeah. Fuck this car. So, yeah, it didn't last very long. They were like, we're going back to the old cars. There were no tracks built during this generation. And on May 29th of 2010, the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class was inducted in Charlotte, North Carolina. Bill France, Sr., Bill France, Jr., Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Junior Johnson were all included in that first round of Hall of Famers. Anything to add to these shit cars, Zach? Yeah. One of the videos that I was watching, they said, well, the car of tomorrow didn't go quite as we had planned. I was like, yeah, no shit. Yeah. Is this, I know you were talking about the different point systems. Is this about the time that the different point systems started to come into effect, or was that later? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Well, that's really weird. I don't know if I like that, because I feel like that doesn't give other drivers the opportunity for that last-minute heroics. Like, I don't know if I like that, because I feel like that doesn't give other drivers the opportunity for that last-minute heroics. Like, I don't know if I like that, because I feel like that doesn't give other drivers the opportunity for that last-minute heroics. Like, uh, yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. That's ridiculous. I don't. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I don't feel like those rules translate very well into NASCAR. No. Mm-hmm. No, you shouldn't force it. You shouldn't force it. Yeah. Oh, God bless it. Okay, sixth generation, which is 2013 to 2021, so more modern times. So the car changes, which I found this really interesting that Chevy, Toyota, and Ford actually got together to help design the sixth gen car. Who would have thought? Right? I just thought it was really interesting that they worked together on it instead of just being like, no, I'm going to do my own shit. But, oh, they had to. They were like, oh, my God. So this resulted in better safety features and cars that actually once again looked like their production counterparts. So you could go to the car lot and look at the car and then look at NASCAR and be like, yep, those are the same kind of car. I mean, obviously they're not the same, but they're the same style. So this is the, yeah, much. So it's a, no, no, go ahead. It doesn't, yeah, it looks like, it doesn't look stupid. So this, basically, so this is when the arms race really got going, where prices on these car parts started to become super astronomical. Like one of the sources said that, like, an upper control arm would cost, like, $3,800. And I don't really have a reference for that, so I looked up what, like, a 2024 Chevelle upper control arm would be, and they're only, like, $800 for, like, a regular car. So insane uppricing on things like that. Every piece was, like, custom made to give, like, the slightest edge. And it made for great viewing because, you know, the car started looking better again, and it made things more fun for the fan. But it was making it to where other people didn't have access to other things. So it was basically just, like, if you had the most money, you were going to win. Yeah. Yeah. No. Yeah. Yeah. They did build a couple more tracks during this time, and that's the Circuits of America and the Chicago Street Course, which are both that aren't just left turns. They are more squiggly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I love ñ I know Nick and I were talking the other day about, like, the Grand Prix and then that ñ just NASCAR decided we're just going to race in the Grand Prix. Oh, yeah, yeah. That's what I meant. Yeah. Yeah. And it's the funniest picture I've ever seen in my life, and it was like, can you pick out the American? And it's all these nice, slick, like, beautiful, low-profile light cars, and then America, big old muscle car just in the middle. Yeah. Yeah. Nick listened to an interview with some of the, like, the people that were there, the fans, and they were like, yeah, because this race lasts a long-ass time. Yeah, 24 hours. And they were like, yeah, it was really easy to, like, stay awake because every, you know, couple minutes we had, like, an American alarm clock blaring past our heads to wake us up. They're very swoopy. Yeah. And, you know, it's the loudest thing I've ever seen in my life. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, it's the loudest thing out there. Mm-hmm. They just want to see what it could do. Right. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Oh, my God. It ended up being, like, one of the top cars, didn't it? I mean. Yeah. You know what? I bet it hurt a lot of butts out there. Yeah. A lot of people butt hurt about it. Oh, yeah. American. And it's screaming the whole time, just, whoa! Yeah. Should have put, like, an American Eagle, like, call out the side of the street. Call! What the heck? Oh, my God. That warms my heart. We love you, France, but y'all do be looking down on us a lot. So, yeah. Yeah. So, back to 2013. So, February 17th, Danica Patrick makes history by winning the Bush Poll Award for the 2013 Daytona 500, becoming the first female to win a poll in NASCAR Premier Series history. What's a poll? Got it. Hey, that's, damn, good for her. Well, that sucks. So, January 30th of 2014, the chairman, Brian France, another family member, announces the championship format change. So, yes. Yeah, what we just talked about. Guaranteeing the birth of the NASCAR playoffs. Key changes among them is the championship four finale, where the highest finisher among the four eligible drivers at Homestead Miami Speedway would be crowned champion. So, November 20th of 2016, Jimmy Johnson makes history with his record, tying seventh NASCAR Premier Series title. He is also up there in the seven wins. Joining, of course, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. December 1st of 2016, NASCAR and Monster Energy announced that a multi-year agreement for the Premier Series, as well as the NASCAR All-Star race. So, Monster Energy began its tenure in 2017 and is only the third company to serve as the entitlement sponsor for NASCAR. So, typically it's just like we're calling it NASCAR, but they were only the third to have their name on something like that. So, in 2017, they introduced the three-stage format, like Zach had mentioned earlier. And what exactly is the three stages? Is it just like sections of like how you finish? Okay. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Oh, yeah. Mm-hmm. Okay. It just complicates things. Yeah. Yeah, and like a strategy, too. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. It's like hockey. You're looking for the fight. Yeah. No, that doesn't sound bad at all. Yeah. I haven't. Yeah. I think I was more into NASCAR in the video game version, Zach, growing up. I'm still – yeah. Listen, I'm still on the high from spinning you out on that last lap, that one time I beat you fair and square. I'm still on that high. 20 years later, I'm like, I beat you once. Listen, I was drafting you and then I – bumping's racing, Zach. Get over it. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I mean, his car is touching the wall and he's flooring it. His car is scraping the wall and he's just passing person after person after person on the outside. Everyone who's passing him, they like showed a clip of their reaction. They're like, what the fuck? The funniest shit. Yeah. I mean, what did he have to lose? He had to lose nothing. Huge. Absolutely. Oh, my God. Yes. Yeah. I mean, what's the worst that could happen? He not win? I mean, he didn't win, but like, fuck it. So, he did. He did. So, in April 27th of 2018, NASCAR makes a move designed to, like, take you back to the old days. So, they announced that they purchased the Automobile Racing Club of America, or the ARCA, ARCA. They have a lot of history between the two, but they just kind of like, they're doing it kind of the old school way, more in, I believe, the Midwest area. Yeah, yeah. And so, more recently, the series has provided a valuable platform for drivers looking to get into NASCAR. It's kind of like a stepping stone if they want to be seen, I guess. So, Jim France, another family member, he joined the ISC in 1959, but he, in 2018, assumed the role of the NASCAR chairman and CEO. Is he still the CEO? Okay. And he, a little bit about him, he was elected in the ISC board in 1970, served as the company's secretary, assistant treasurer, vice president, chief operating officer, executive vice president, and president. So, he did work his way up through the ranks. He grew up in the early years of the stock car time, and he is the son of Bill France, Sr., the founder of NASCAR. So, seventh generation, 2022 to current times. We are in the seventh generation. Now, the cars that we're looking at now, honestly, they're cool as shit. I ain't going to lie. They look really good. Yes. Yeah. That's a Camaro. And so, they were taking a step back and trying to make them look as close to street cars as they could. Their wheels are larger, they are lower profile, things like that I don't quite understand. No. Transaxle, so they don't have a transmission. Do you know what that means, Zach? Oh. Got it. Okay. Right. Go. They go fast as fuck, boy. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, he's immorified, he was still fine. So, yeah. Yeah, they just do it on their own instead of you doing it. Yes. I don't see that. Instead of having three different things doing three different things, you have one thing doing three different things. Got it. Got it. Yeah. Yeah. Right. So, what the source that I found said was that this new car somehow doesn't it's less of like an arms race. I guess it's the parts of it are more accessible to everybody. And you just have to drive better. Just be better. Just get good. Damn. I don't know exactly how that works, but just get good. Right. Exactly. And that's what I like. I want to see your talent. I don't want to see how much money you throw at this car to make it fast. I know that that helps. But, like, be good. Are you a good driver? Do you have a good car? Like, I want you to be a good driver. Okay. Thanks. No tracks have been built of late as of late of recently. And February 6, 2022, after, of course, the initial delay, thanks to COVID, next-gen car officially takes to the track for the first time. And, yeah, so that's where we're at. Now, Zach, what do you think we'll – I'm skipping ahead a little bit, Zach. What do you think the future holds for NASCAR? I know that we talked – we mentioned a little bit about fans being able to, like, drive simulators and race along with them, which I think is fucking awesome. Yeah, so, like, while a race is happening, you can, like, be on the track with them, like, virtually. Yeah, it's super cool. Oh, really? I'll never watch it. I'm sorry. I want to tell you I will, but I won't. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Eventually, yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and that's easier and harder to do because we are so tuned in to, like, social media and online presence is. It's easier to get it out there, but you have to find a way that would make them want to do it. So. Okay. So let's get into some of the three more of the top drivers in NASCAR. So, of course, Richard Petty. I think it's funny that Richard Petty, in one of the videos I watched, he quoted, he's like, who knows what the future holds. We might be racing to the moon next. I don't know. And he was also like, I didn't care if it was a dirt track or a track or just the beach or whatever. I just liked racing. I'll race on anything. He was just out there winning. So he did finish his career of 200 wins, and he had 1,184 starts. And he is one of only three drivers to have a 27 race win in one season. And he is the king, is what they called him. So we've got Jeff Gordon. He finished his career with 93 wins in 805 starts, four cup series championship wins, so 95, 97, 98 in 2001. And Zach, you might be able to make this make sense. He led 24,936 laps in his cup series career. So he was in first for that many laps in his career. Damn. Damn. So that ranks him fifth best of all time. Yeah. And there's only, like, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and even Jimmy Johnson. I'm very familiar with Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty, all those names. I was like, oh, well, I know all these people, and I don't actually watch NASCAR. So that's saying something, that these names are reaching the people that don't actually watch NASCAR. Basically, they're just ingrained in you. It's like Peyton Manning. Everybody knows who Peyton Manning is. So Jimmy Johnson also, he's a seven-time champion, including five in a row. He won five years in a row. Yeah. Yeah. So he's won Daytona 500 twice, finished 83 wins in 686 starts. Yeah. Yeah. And he was the first ballot inductee in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2023. So he was the first person. Yeah, they. No. Wow. Yep. I think they said that he got, like, 93% of the votes in that year. And what's interesting is I've put these in order. So by a source that I found, it was, like, the top ten racers of all time. So Dale Earnhardt's life was cut drastically short. So we've got Richard Petty in fourth, Jeff Gordon in third, Dale in second, and he's been past for 20 years. And then Jimmy Johnson is the only one to bypass Dale in what this source said stats-wise. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Right. Yeah. I figured with me just finding one source, like, I'm sure that there's some, like, personal bias for whoever's writing this. So I'm just going to say them all. But I just think it's really interesting that all these names, you just know who they are. So just some funny quotes because quotes are funny. Chad Noss said to Jimmy Johnson during the final race of the 2006 chase, quote, drive it like you stole it, homie. Oh, is that how you say it? Okay. Oh, got it. Canals. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, my God. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's hilarious. Buddy Baker once said, quote, he ran out of talent about halfway through the corner. Dale Earnhardt said, in what other sport do you get a 15-second break every hour? Yep. Bill France was asked why there were so many deaths in auto racing and why they were six times more common than football. And he said, quote, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Dale Earnhardt said, quote, you win some, you lose some, and you wreck some. Dale said his crew chief was telling him that he needed to conserve his tires, and Dale said, well, I'll apologize to them after they get me up to the front. And he said, quote, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Dale said, well, I'll apologize to them after they get me up to the front. And to conclude the episode, Ernest Hemingway was quoted saying, auto racing, bullfighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports. All others are games. Thank you. I didn't know that Ernest Hemingway was such a fan of racing. He's a fan of bullfighting and mountain climbing as well. But, yeah, you know, racing. So, yeah. Yeah. Oh, my God. I'm sorry. Can you imagine Ernest Hemingway just being just at a modern NASCAR race and everyone's like, yay! Like. It would. Oh, my God, it would. Oh, God. There we go. Morgan, I'm going to try to send you a TikTok on this because I need you to watch it real quick. Oh, my God. Okay, make it stop. I've already seen it. Tell your story. Yes. Tell us. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Okay. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Right. Unless they hear this podcast and they're like, that motherfucker lied to me. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, my God. Right. Right. Yeah. Right. Oh, God. Right. Oh, my God. Yeah. Yeah. Not giving a single fuck. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Thousands of people were just watching you, This one guy, quick create a hole. Hot. Yeah. No. Someone get the mustard. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, poor David. Yeah. You're still good. You're still good. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Right. Oh, my God. There. Damn. Yeah. Oh, my God. Oh, so it was like drunk, like slapping each other almost. Yeah. Well, that actually tracks, because Morgan, pull up this TikTok video. It just that's on brand. That's all I got to say. It's on brand for because, like, the whole vibe is. Just drink alcohol. Watch racing. So watch the video. Oh, probably. Okay. It is. Okay. Hey, just open our TikTok because I sent it to Drona yesterday. And look in our, like, inbox. And go down to, like, mini. You'll see Drona's picture there. And it's one that I sent to her. I think you muted yourself. Doop doop doop doop. Oh, wait. I'm back. Yeah. What happened? I couldn't hear anybody. Oh, okay. I don't know what happened. But wasn't that funny? They're going real fast and real left. I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're welcome. You're very welcome. They're going real fast and real left, son. I am going to put this link in the show notes, too, because everyone needs to watch this. If you want to know what the vibe of a NASCAR race is, it's that. I love it. Yeah. Welcome. All are welcome. Okay. Well, this was great. Thanks for joining us, Zach. This was, yeah. Yeah. Instead of just Googling it and have to, yeah. No, you absolutely knew what you were talking about. We're over here just like, and this happened in 1965. Yeah. I mean, we are ill-equipped. So I feel more equipped today with Zach. Less ill-equipped. Semi-equipped, yeah, slightly. Okay. Well, we'll probably have Zach on later for other things. Hope y'all liked him, audience. Yes, much. I feel like that runs in our family where, like, you just say something and somebody in the family is like, oh, well, in 1876 this happened or that happened. It's like, where does all this knowledge come from? No one knows. Yeah. Yeah, just random, random. Yep. That's okay. That's all the documentaries we watched with dad, I think. Yeah. Yeah, the history channel. We know too much. Okay. Well, Morgan, I guess we should get into socials. You can find us on Facebook in a group and page. Instagram. TikTok. Gmail. And Patreon. Yes, and we've got a good bonus episode this month about coffee and tea and the history of all that. It's real fun, especially if you're addicted to coffee like I am. And I guess, you know, just remember bumping's racing. If you're not first, you're last. And raise hell. Yeah, and raise hell, praise hell. Zach, any last words, parting words? Well, on that note, okay, bye. It's a square button.