| In order to understand the culture of the redneck | | | | it is today. |
| man, it is necessary to understand the most | | | | Today's NASCAR, industrialized and streamlined |
| Southern of sports: NASCAR. It's more than just | | | | and watered down for general consumption, is |
| cars driving in circles at high speed, punctuated by | | | | only a pale imitation of the free-for-all madness |
| the occasional crash; it is an integral part of the | | | | our bootlegging ancestors first drove. |
| modern South. In order to really understand both, | | | | NASCAR Rules |
| you must know where NASCAR came from and | | | | While the first NASCAR stock cars were |
| why it exists. | | | | completely unmodified stock cars, the same ones |
| History of NASCAR | | | | you'd buy off the lot, today's cars are modified |
| NASCAR (the National Association for Stock Car | | | | according to strict safety and performance rules. |
| Auto Racing) really started back just before | | | | The rules in NASCAR are both simple and |
| Prohibition, when hillbilly moonshiners up in the | | | | complex. Drivers in the top 43 of each race |
| Appalachians found out that the revenuers' cars | | | | accumulate points according to a set system. |
| were fast enough to get the jump on them. Illegal | | | | Cups are awarded according to who has |
| stills started getting busted, and shine makers | | | | accumulated the most points in a set group of |
| started going to jail. Instead of buckling, | | | | races. The Sprint Cup (usually just called the Cup, |
| moonshiners moved their stills further back into | | | | as it was previously the R.J. Reynolds and the |
| the woods and down in the hollers, and they | | | | Nextel Cup) is the big prize, and is awarded after |
| started using cars. | | | | a set of 36 races. Other smaller cups are |
| When Prohibition came into effect in 1920, | | | | awarded for other groups of races, and each |
| moonshiners started looking beyond outwitting the | | | | major race has around $4 million total in prize |
| tax-collecting revenuers and toward shipping 'shine | | | | money awarded for that race alone. |
| to the cities for real profit. Gangsters - Pretty | | | | Points in the major races (but not all NASCAR |
| Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, Capone - started | | | | races) are awarded not only to the race winner |
| making contact with these good ol' boys to see if | | | | but to each lap leader. If you've led at least one |
| they could get a steady supply of alcohol for their | | | | lap, you automatically get five bonus points; if you |
| speakeasies and other businesses. And young | | | | lead the most laps, you get an extra five, for ten |
| men, usually the sons or nephews of established | | | | bonus points total. Points go to the driver who |
| moonshiners, started working with stock cars to | | | | started the race (replacement drivers get nothing) |
| get the 'shine to town as fast as possible. | | | | and to the car owner. Races are generally |
| These, our redneck forefathers, modified the cars | | | | prefaced either by qualifying trials or by heats, |
| they ordered from magazines or purchased from | | | | small races that get the crowd warmed up but |
| fledgling dealers in towns to run faster, harder, on | | | | don't count toward prizes. Starting order is |
| rough and smooth surfaces. They experimented | | | | determined by qualifying time. |
| with using 'shine as a fuel for a boost in speed, | | | | The track, once started, is slowed down by |
| and invented many of the tricks used today in | | | | yellow caution flags for fender benders, spills, etc.; |
| NASCAR. Junior Johnson, one of NASCAR's | | | | if something catastrophic happens, the red flag will |
| earliest legends, spent years running 'shine for his | | | | come down to stop the race until wreckage can |
| father using scampish tricks later mimicked by | | | | be cleared. Green flag means everything is fine. |
| Burt Reynolds characters and the Dukes of | | | | And in most NASCAR races, you'll see drivers pull |
| Hazzard. He invented the famous bootleg turn, | | | | off for at least one pit stop; the pit crew works |
| the 180-degree spinout sending you careening in | | | | fast to fuel, check, condition, and change tires |
| the opposite direction, that is used in nearly every | | | | because the time in pit counts against your time |
| movie car chase today, and later as a NASCAR | | | | on the track. |
| champ discovered how to "draft" another driver | | | | A NASCAR Date |
| to increase his own speed and reduce fuel | | | | So now you have that redneck sweetheart and |
| consumption. | | | | you really want to impress him? Set up a date |
| NASCAR was officially born in 1948, a merging of | | | | for one of the smaller NASCAR races, with |
| this wild redneck tradition with the more upscale | | | | barbecue and and chips for your refreshments. |
| Grand Prix racing imported from Europe, in which | | | | Beer is a must, and for that special touch, ask |
| mostly concept cars and special sports cars were | | | | your liquor store for some 'shine, which should be |
| raced. William France, a racing mechanic, had a | | | | drunk straight but in moderation. Dress any old |
| notion that stock cars would draw crowds in | | | | way you want, park him on the couch, and let |
| America, and he incorporated NASCAR in | | | | him explain all the finer points of the race to you |
| Daytona, from which it quickly grew to the giant | | | | while you both enjoy the race. |