Sunday 15th February 1948

A week before the organisation was officially incorporated, NASCAR held its first race for modified stock cars on a 3.2 mile-course at Daytona Beach. In the 150-mile race that featured almost exclusively pre-war Fords, Red Byron edged Marshall Teague to become NASCAR’s first champion. Stock car racing would become a tradition at Daytona, but pre-war Fords would not. By 1949 the Olds 88 had become NASCAR’s dominant vehicle.