From Bootlegging to Nascar

Bootlegging, the illegal activity of getting outlawed moonshine (distilled high octane liquor) through the backwoods of the south without being stopped by the Revenuers (federal tax collectors) was a tough and dangerous job. The shiner’s wanted to sell their hooch without paying taxes and the government wanted their money – the two did not see eye to eye on the arrangement. Started in the Prohibition days but continued afterwards because people wanted their ‘shine’ and the feds wanted the tax for that wanting.

That'd be Hooch in the trunk - Officer

It was also exciting fun to be driving stripped down muscle cars along dark lonely roads at all hours wondering where the feds would be waiting. Here and there suddenly a police cruiser would pick up chase and it was up to the guts and skills of the moonshiner to make their daring escape. With large uncorked engines (horsepower maxed to the limit), gutted auto bodies (all non-essential parts taken out to lessen the weight) and with the skill of race car drivers the moonshiners raced away from the pursuer leaving them in the proverbial dust. Even to this day the war between the revenuers and the moonshiners continues in the south east portion of the United States – doubt it – check out ‘Moonshiners’ on the Discovery Channel. The past is the present with these folks wanting to make their ‘shine’ while the federal government tries weekly to close down the stills. Who will win – watch the reality television show and learn on your own.

The damn blog - now I remember.

But back to the blog.

Eluding the authorities was way too much fun and after a couple of decades someone decided to try having this sort of excitement on permanent tracks. No one could watch the routine chase scenes taking place in the hinterlands so why not bring the drivers and spectators together in one venue.

Catch me if you can, Coppers!

There were already race tracks throughout the south but each had their own rules and regulations which was confusing and also often times didn’t account for the real money being taken in by the races with winners earning nothing. It was a very corrupt way to run any contest.

Races but not fair purses for the drivers.

There needed to be a hero to get this all right. A person who would stand up for the bootleggers who wanted to go straight and earn lots of cash.

And that's where Billy France comes into the scene.

William (Bill) France Sr. moved to Daytona Beach in 1935 and realized the potential for a racing phenomena. In December of 1947 he met with well-known racers who would run their stripped down street vehicles with supped up engines around tracks trying to earn enough to rebuild their vehicles. Prize money wasn’t much to write home about in the early days of car racing. 

But on February 21, 1948 NASCAR was born with clear regulations, rules and static prize money for winners and losers. The National Association for Stock Car Racing (NASCAR) proved to be a boon for Bill France Sr. and the other investors starting so small in 1948 and expanding into the mega-business it is today.

NASCAR is broadcast in over 150 countries worldwide and Fortune 500 companies sponsor NASCAR more than any other motor sport on the planet. Compared to other sports NASCAR has the record of holding the top 17 out of 20 single-day sporting events internationally by spectator. The sport is still growing competing in more and more countries each year and soon will be racing in Japan as it is Canada and Mexico.

Large and loud crowds!

From the days of ‘shiners’ outrunning law enforcement to a guy coming up with a good idea in Dayton Beach, Florida – world headquarters for NASCAR – to a multi-billion dollar enterprise has been the history of this sport from down south.

Danika Patrick - a woman with a dream - she crashed though.

A dreamer had a dream and that dream turned into pure enjoyment for fans who love to do nothing but watch race cars speeding around an oval track at over two hundred miles per hour, eat greasy and fried food, drink beer, and be with their friends.

Sometimes there is a little smoke.

Today, as stated, NASCAR is a huge sport that includes people from all walks of life from around the world. Interesting when one looks into the history of something that started so small, but profitable, on the wrong side of the law turns out to be such a huge success.

People like chances, they like speed, they like fancy painted cars, and they really love those that sit cramped behind break-away steering wheels with their foot to the metal. The drivers give it all for the audience who give it their all - it is truly a synergistic relationship.

Sounds pretty thrilling to J and L and the between 40 to 50 million fans of the sport from around the globe.

NASCAR is nothing but Patriotic!

And sometimes a goofy hat is just right.

Racing Like the Wind

But then again  it is fast!

When out and about the thought of getting into a fast little go cart seems the right thing to do – or perhaps not for everyone.

Well it was for J and L – perhaps there had been some pre-planning ahead of time by their daughters and son-in-laws but if they had been out and about they may just . . .

A very Patriotic sort of raceway - nice touch

A day at the tracks driving a Honda-powered 200cc cart trying to be careful while pursuing first place with no regards for safety, perhaps a bit, meant a lot of fun. It was just another place to explore locally and take advantage of what was in our own backyard – almost since it was only a short half hour drive to Fast Lap in Ontario.

Fast Lap with, at this writing, has an indoor facility in Ontario, California and Las Vegas, Nevada offering some pretty thrilling moments behind the wheel of these four stroke speedsters. Some of the ‘karts’ can go up to 50 mph but most have been throttled down to 25 to 30 mph for the safety of the customers.

These go-carts are not for the faint at heart

No, this is not an advertisement but just a blog about getting out and seeing what there is to do with friends and family nearby that is exciting and thrilling.

With some imagination the driver feels as though they are at the Indianapolis 500. Okay, perhaps not but there is something to be said about being strapped into a vehicle so  low to the ground it can be reached by simply dropping one’s hand to the cement track. Recommendation here – don’t do that while tooling around the track trying to get a head of the other drivers – good way to lose a finger.

Researching this indoor racing track brought a many things to light: no license is needed but children under 18 years old must have an adult supervisor, drivers must be 51 inches or taller and weigh no more than 350 pounds, no open toed shoes can be worn, helmets must be worn at all times, no intentionally running into other cars (duh – really but it has to be spelled out for some drivers), watch for flags on the track (yellow to slow, red to stop, white and black striped race over and green meaning ‘smash the gas pedal’).

Who is that Blur?

Whenever traveling even to a locale nearby research is important – as listed above simple things like wearing flip-flops (sandals, huaraches, or whatever isn’t allowed) would have ruined the days since the concept of racing would have been a no-no according to Fast Lap. Research isn’t only for faraway lands but those things that also happen near your abode.

With the green flag twelve drivers took off trying desperately to get ahead of each other with but with the curving twenty foot wide track lined with large rubber tires for protection obtaining first place on the first lap was with difficulty. Right, left, right, straight at speeds from zero to more than twenty-five tested each driver’s mettle as they concentrated not only on the track but those speeding around them. After a couple of laps it was easier to judge distances both in gassing the carts and braking allowing sophisticated driving to occur – okay, perhaps it was just trying not to bump into the carts and trying with all your might to pull ahead of the cart in front of you without ramming head on into the wall of tires.

L and J looking oh so sexy

Of course, attention must be paid for the slower drivers – those who are simply out for Sunday drive instead of understanding the competition of RACING! Carts are meant to be sped in not coast in – drive, pivot, fly in and out of traffic, snarl, growl, and get into first place.

There are individual timers on each cart so at the end of the race the driver could see their time but we all realize that a true champion only races against themselves. Not! You gotta beat the other drivers to the checkered flag.

Waiting for the Green and then gun it for all its worth

You just gotta!

You're next, and this time I mean it!

Three fifteen or so minute races went by way too quickly but luckily between each race there was a cooling down period for the drivers – Adrenalin was pumping through the veins and everyone needed a breather. One on and one off is the normal for Fast Lap unless there are no crowds which is hardly the case since the place seems to be always hopping.

Helmets and driving suits – yes just like the big adults in the racing world – then donning the gloves awaiting the next round of races only built the excitement that was to come.

Antici --- pa ---tion

The engines were started by the Fast Lap crew and then the flag was dropped again – smell of gasoline mixed with oil was in the air – refreshing to say the least considering the entire venue is enclosed in a mammoth building. Luckily these tracks have huge exhaust systems that change the air in the building every 4 or 5 minutes which is needed or they’d be having nothing but a bunch of coughing and hacking drivers making way toward the exits.

Two hours and three races later – it was crowded and sometimes the wait between races can be a half hour or more but it was worth it. A few sore ribs from bashing into a rubber wall left J in pain but smiling nonetheless.

Donning the racing gear

Who be the speed demon out there?

A day with family in a nearby entertainment facility is what is called for sometimes.