Today In NASCAR History

Spread the love

1949: Red Byron takes control after the halfway point to win the first race for NASCAR’s premier series at Martinsville Speedway. Byron surged past Fonty Flock in the 104th lap and led the rest of the 200-lap main event to become NASCAR’s first two-time winner. Lee Petty finished second with Ray Erickson third, both three laps behind Byron, who went on to claim the first NASCAR Strictly Stock (now Sprint Cup) championship.

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.