NASCAR Then and Now - Ben White [10]
Before NASCAR began to take full advantage of its licensing opportunities in the late 1970s, handmade trinkets, silk- screen T-shirts, and license plates were often available around racetracks. But the lack of any official licensing agreements meant these items were of inconsistent quality. The fact that NASCAR, the teams, drivers, and sponsors were not earning royalties from such merchandise meant that things would eventually change.
Around this time, NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt began to explore the idea of licensing his name and likeness to manufacturers. Any merchandising deal he signed included the expectation that the product would be made of top quality material. Through the years, other drivers and teams followed, creating a niche business worth hundreds of millions of dollars each year throughout the 1990s and beyond.
The two photos shown here demonstrate how far the NASCAR merchandising industry has grown in recent decades. Compare how the number of items offered at the entire souvenir stand at Darlington in the late 1970s (left) is matched, if not exceeded, by the number of items dedicated solely to Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Camping Out
Football fans have tailgating, but the NASCAR faithful take the idea several steps further. One of the many benefits of oval-track racing is that it gives fans the opportunity to camp out in the track infield, a tradition that dates back to the earliest days of NASCAR. Forget about trips back and forth to the local hotel: From the camp stoves, sleeping bags, and tents of yester- year to the luxurious motorhomes of today, there’s no better way to make the most of a race weekend than by spending the whole time at the track with thousands of other race fans.
This was a common scene before campers and motorhomes became all the rage. It’s the weekend of the 1957 Southern 500, and eight friends have gathered under a tent to pose for the camera. Note the fry pan and coffee pot ready to go on the camp stove.
Sporting a night cap stylish for the times, this race fan probably wasn’t expecting anyone to snap a picture of her while she slept away the early morning hours of race day at Darlington in 1968. A couple of pillows and an outstretched tarp are all that’s needed for a good night’s sleep on the hard steel bed of the family El Camino.
Gray skies above can’t dampen the mood of this Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan. Today’s motorhomes offer all the comforts and amenities of home, including a restroom, kitchen, comfortable beds, satellite television, and plenty of storage space to haul your memorabilia.
In the Infield
There is nothing quite like watching a NASCAR race from the infield. Not only does it offer fans the freedom to mill around and catch the action from a variety of vantage points, it also creates a sense of being part of a small community. The most dedicated members of the traveling NASCAR caravan usually arrive early in the week in order to stake out the best spots for watching the race. By the time race weekend arrives, the infield is jam- packed with campers and motorhomes, with thousands of fans watching the races, completely surrounded by the greatest background noise in the world: several dozen roaring V-8 engines.
Carpentry skills came in handy for this group who showed up in their Hudson Hornet to watch the inaugural run of the Southern 500 in 1950. Such improvisation wouldn’t be allowed today on the grounds of safety, but give these fans credit for their ingenuity.
The 2005 Coca-Cola 600 is about to begin at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, and fans in the packed infield are settling in to watch the weekend’s main event. In addition to motorhomes large and small, several converted school buses can be seen, each equipped with railings on the roof that allow a few dozen spectators to safely watch the race from high above ground. The ingenuity continues.
In the Bleachers
To truly experience the excitement of NASCAR racing, you have to attend an event. Listening to a race on the radio or watching one on television only conveys a fraction of the overall sensation of