Beginning of the modern era
NASCAR made major changes in its
structure in the early
1970s. The
top series found sponsorship from R.J. Reynolds
tobacco (tobacco companies had been banned from
television advertising and were looking for a
promotional outlet). The "Winston Cup" became the
top competitive series, with a new points system and
some significant cash benefits to competing for
championship points. The next division down, called
Late Model Sportsman, gained the "Grand National"
title passed down from the top division and soon
found a sponsor in Busch Beer. In the mid-1970s
some races began to get partial television coverage,
frequently on the
ABC sports
variety show,
Wide World of Sports.
Finally, in 1979, the Daytona 500 became the first stock car race that was nationally televised from flag to flag. The leaders going into the last lap, Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison, wrecked on the backstretch while dicing for the lead, and Richard Petty passed to win. Immediately, Yarborough, Allison, and Allison's brother Bobby were engaged in a fistfight -- on national television. This underlined the drama and emotion of the sport and increased its broadcast marketability. |