­­Born in the days of Prohibition, stock car racing soon proved to be popular with the masses. It began to spread in the 1920s and by the late '40s was a common source of entertainment. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) formed in 1948 to give congruency to the many leagues that had sprung up around the country.

Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing run on oval tracks and road courses measuring approximately 0.25 to 2.66 miles (0.4 to 4.3 km). It originally used production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifically built for racing.