NASCAR's deep history is surprisingly not very well known, even for avid fans; This article is meant to get fans in the know of the most notable NASCAR news that happened throughout this week.
August 13th, 1950 - It is announced that the starting field for the Southern 500 will be expanded from 45 to 75 cars. Twenty-one-year-old Fireball Roberts becomes NASCAR's youngest winner by claiming a victory at Occoneechee Speedway, N.C.
August 8th, 1961 - NASCAR president Bill France announces that no known member of the Teamsters Union can compete in a NASCAR event. At this time most drivers were in the Teamsters Union.
August 13th, 1961 - The Western North Carolina 500 is shortened to 258 laps due to the track's poor condition; Junior Johnson is declared the winner. After the race was called, the drivers and team owners were trapped and held hostage for 4 hours in the infield by almost 4,000 angry spectators.
August 11th, 1974 - More than 24 cars in the garage are tampered with at night by an unknown invader. Richard Petty wins the Talladega 500.
August 10th, 1986 - Tim Richmond narrowly wins over Darrell Waltrip in the 219-mile race at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series' first return to Watkins Glen International since 1965.
August 11th, 1991 - Ernie Irvan dominates the 218-mile race at Watkins Glen. NASCAR veteran J.D. McDuffie is killed instantly when he crashes into a steel retaining barrier.
August 13th, 1995 - Mark Martin crosses the finish line to take his third consecutive win at the twisting Watkins Glen International road course.
August 11th, 1996 - Geoff Bodine wins on his home-town track in Watkins Glen, N.Y., ending a two-year losing streak. Dale Earnhardt wins the pole and finishes sixth, despite driving with a fractured collarbone and a broken sternum.
August 13th, 2000 - Steve Park notches his first NASCAR Winston Cup Series career win at Watkins Glen International after top road racers Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart are removed from contention due to a first lap tangle-up.
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