NASCAR's First Cup Series Race

The NASCAR Cup series boasts nearly 3,000 races, over 200 winners, and 36 champions across its prominent 75-year history. However, the race that started it remains under-explored. Held on June 19th, 1949, in Charlotte, North Carolina, this pioneering event laid the groundwork for seven and a half decades of stock car racing in the United States. Amidst fascinating characters, interesting stories, and a significant controversy, the first race was the dawn of a new era in American motorsports. Join me as we dive into NASCAR's first ever Cup Series race.
Turn notifications on and SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss a video! Also leave a comment letting me know your favorite part or how I can improve! Thanks for watching!
For Business Inquiries: [e-mail]
Twitter: / nascarfan4888jj
I do not own any of the footage in this video, all credit goes to the respective owners: NASCAR, NASCAR Media Group, Fox, NBC, NBC Sports, ESPN.
NASCAR's First Cup Series Race

[@SuperNASCARrocks]

The start of one of the most exciting sports ever. 75 years and it’s still going strong.

[@bradsanders407]

"Strong" lol

[@cartooncatboy3009]

@@bradsanders407🙄

[@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT]

The Modified Series deserves more recognition and respect! It’s the best series to watch and it gave birth NASCAR Racing in 1948!

[@senecacreative]

Agreed! Love watching the Modifieds.

[@joeshelton1077]

75 years in the making of NASCAR, and it's still going.

[@tamtam21801]

in one of the 9 races in 49, a driver named Jim Roper won his first and only race.

[@MetalMania3DTV-TAS-AUS]

The days of race Sunday buy Monday 😢 miss them sweet video, even though I'm from Australia, I was always involved in motorsports my whole life, I used to listen to tapes and audio books back in the day, and channels like this bring back awesome memories ❤🍻🍻🍻🇦🇺🤝🇺🇲😊😎👊👍

[@stonemanson4884]

My aunt was a race car driver. She’ll be 88 on Saturday. She lived in Bristol near Langhorne Pa

[@valutaatoaofunknownelement197]

What division of racing did she drive it?
Also: What a badass auntie you have!

[@stonemanson4884]

@@valutaatoaofunknownelement197 rally car is all I remember

[@danielfoster3642]

Amazing to see how much NASCAR has changed from then to today.

[@johnvandeventer8668]

For me, it’s crazy to believe that the first ever NASCAR race was not a cup series race. The first ever NASCAR race was at February 15, 1948, which was a modified race

[@MetalMania3DTV-TAS-AUS]

Is this why they have daytona around this date and time?? Every year?

[@lazarbro]

That's why the NASCAR 75 was so weird to me. I guess it was the 75th season fo the cup series and also the 75th anniversary of NASCAR itself

[@MetalMania3DTV-TAS-AUS]

@lazarbro ok got ya Cheers 🍻 🇦🇺😊

[@MetalMania3DTV-TAS-AUS]

7:22 dirt track big wooden fence, how dangerous, these guys where the die-hard race car drivers of the day, it just takes you back there seeing this, my first Speedway dirt track car, the track had wooden sleeprs as the wall 😊

[@bradsanders407]

How anyone sitting in those first 10 rows didnt show any apprehension about the "retaining wall" is simply amazing.

[@alrad5686]

Thanks for sharing the history.

[@RealisticFisHed]

I didn't know there were that many people who showed up to the first Cup Series race, considering NASCAR already had a similar series going I didn't think that people would've thought much of it at the time. Also it makes sense that Roper wouldn't have heard that he was the actual winner until much later, considering there was no reason for him to hang around after the race once he got the new engine put in, with no post-race interviews or anything like that

[@EnochTheFirstProphet]

Video suggestion: the inaugural race at North Wilkesboro

[@chinny18]

Sarah Christian is what media wanted to see on Danica Patrick but any NASCAR fan knows why she didn't succeed much on the top level apart from being heavily sponsored. If Christian had the media attention Danica had, I'm sure she'll be a darling.

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

now we have another Danica in ARCA and she's Danica Dart.

[@jabber1990]

Where is this track? i've heard rumors that its near Douglas Airport, or on the airport proper

[@JamesStewart-lx5wb]

It stood where I 85 was built at Little Rock Road. The airport hotels around that area are built directly on the remains of the track. And there's a historical marker that stands on the road where the track was. And for the record, I looked all this up. I have never been to the Douglas Airport or even North Carolina at all.

[@anncase8673]

It kinda makes sense that the first official NASCAR Cup race was controversial

[@JmarcusKmart28]

And no Jim Roper is not related to Dean Roper or Tony Roper

[@gregmerryman7939]

That 11 minutes of footage was 100 times more interesting than a whole race these days.

[@NASCARFAN93100]

Fast Forward 76 Years and It's The Best Sport in The USA