They Called It Stock Car Racing For A Reason. Once Upon A Time
The term originally didn’t mean you raced a car right from the dealer, although many did until the cops showed up. But it did mean you took a “stock” car and modified it for racing. It’s what the SC in NASCAR means — used to mean.
It was glorious, then. Shed tinkerers united with moonshine delivery boys to go as fast they could for as long as they dared. Now it’s all clerks, and their cars are frauds – plastic skins stretched over nothing that has to do with a real car. And they have to put on a governer to keep it from going too fast.
From a time when there was no such thing as too fast.
(For reader and commenter Misterarthur)
One thought on “They Called It Stock Car Racing For A Reason. Once Upon A Time”
It’s all about the dollars.
I am a purist. I loved the old NASCAR when they put a slightly modified stock car on the track.
I can tell you I wouldn’t spend much to see a FWD Malibu battle a Focus for 500 miles. I’d rather have my eyes glued open through a 3 hour political debate on the merits of adding a sixth member to the school board.
The Daytona Charger, the Talledega Torino and the Ford Lightning were roadable cars, built to comply with NASCAR rules about each car on the track had to have a 500 car production run.
Were that still the case, would we still have a front engine, rear wheel drive Caprice and Crown Vic in the showrooms?
How about a ‘Classic’ NASCAR, where the as-you-buy-it cars do battle it out?
Imagine a 400 HP Mustang going toe-to-toe with a 350 HP Camaro for 500 miles; each basically bone stock, except for mandated safety equipment.
Win on Sunday sell on Monday…
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