Editing NASCAR (section)

===Significant people===

====William France Sr.====
{{Main|Bill France Sr.}}

Mechanic [[Bill France Sr.|William France Sr.]], moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, from Washington, D.C., in 1935 to escape the [[Great Depression]]. He was familiar with the history of the area from the land speed record attempts. France entered the 1936 Daytona event, finishing fifth. He took over running the course in 1938. He promoted a few races before World War II.

France had the notion that people would enjoy watching [[Stock car racing|stock cars]] race. Drivers were frequently victimized by unscrupulous promoters who would leave events with all the money before drivers were paid.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Id0bHVBYEsC&pg=PA94 |page=94 |title=Nascar |author=Nigel Kinrade, Steve Casper |publisher=MotorBooks International |year=2007|isbn=9781616730611 }}</ref> On December 14, 1947, France began talks with other influential racers and promoters at the Ebony Bar at the [[Streamline Hotel]] in [[Daytona Beach, Florida]], that ended with the formation of NASCAR on February 21, 1948.<ref name=AHOF-France>[http://automotivehalloffame.org/honors/index.php?cmd=view&id=676&type=inductees Induction in the Automotive Hall of Fame] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175838/http://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honors/index.php?cmd=view&id=676&type=inductees |date=March 3, 2016 }}. Retrieved April 18, 2009.</ref>

====Erwin "Cannonball" Baker====
{{Main|Erwin Baker}}

The first [[NASCAR National Commissioner|Commissioner of NASCAR]] was Erwin "Cannonball" Baker, a former stock car, motorcycle, and [[Open-wheel car|open-wheel]] racer who competed in the [[Indianapolis 500]] and set over one hundred land speed records. Baker earned most of his fame for his transcontinental speed runs and would prove a car's worth by driving it from New York to Los Angeles. After his death, the famous transcontinental race the '[[Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash|Cannonball Run]]' and the film that was inspired by it were both named in his honor.
Baker is enshrined in the [[Automotive Hall of Fame]], the [[Motorcycle Hall of Fame]], and the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]] Hall of Fame. This level of honor and success in each diverse racing association earned Baker the title of "King of the Road".<ref name="goracin">[http://www.goracin.com/list.cfm?listid=9&item=20 Lap No. 1 How Barky Got Started RACING] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929011450/http://www.goracin.com/list.cfm?listid=9&item=20 |date=September 29, 2007 }}, Davis Motorsports, reminiscence by Bob Barkhimer, former race driver and Business Manager for BCRA (Bay Cities Racing Association) and NASCAR co-founder</ref>

====Bob "Barky" Barkhimer====
{{Main|Bob Barkhimer}}
In the early 1950s, the [[United States Navy]] stationed [[Bill France Jr.]], at the [[Moffett Field|Moffett Federal Airfield]] in northern California. His father asked him to look up Bob Barkhimer in [[San Jose, California]]. Barkhimer was a star of [[midget car racing]] from the World War II era, and later ran about 22 different speedways as the head of the California Stock Car Racing Association. Young Bill developed a relationship with Bob Barkhimer and his partner, Margo Burke. He went to events with them, stayed weekends with them and generally became very familiar with racing on the west coast. "Barky", as he was called by his friends, journeyed to Daytona Beach and met with Bill France Sr. In the spring of 1954, NASCAR became a stock car sanctioning body on the [[West Coast of the United States|Pacific Coast]] under Barky.

====Wendell Scott====
{{Main|Wendell Scott}}
[[Wendell Scott]] was the first African-American to win a race in the Grand National Series, NASCAR's highest level. He was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], January 30, 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.afro.com/first-african-american-to-win-nascar-premier-series-trophy-inducted-into-hall-of-fame/#sthash.1iSEf7gb.dpuf|title=First African American to Win NASCAR Premier Series Trophy Inducted into Hall of Fame|others=Price, Zenitha Prince (Senior AFRO Correspondent)|date=February 6, 2015|access-date=February 7, 2015|archive-date=February 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207204047/http://www.afro.com/first-african-american-to-win-nascar-premier-series-trophy-inducted-into-hall-of-fame/#sthash.1iSEf7gb.dpuf|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:NASCAR.svg|thumb|Logo used from 1976 to 2016]]