This Week in NASCAR History: January 1st - 8th

    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 history that happened throughout this week.

January 1947 - It is announced that Bill France will oversee a stock car racing series beginning in 1947, under the name National Champion Stock Car Circuit; the slogan for the NCSCC series will be "NCSCC; Where the Fastest that Run, Run the Fastest."

January 1950 - Approaching the second season for NASCAR's Strictly Stock late-model series, Bill France announces that the division will be renamed the 'Grand National' series, due to France's thinking, "Grand National indicates superior qualities."

January 1st, 1965 - A new NASCAR regulation goes into effect, eliminating any Plymouth and Dodge models that were used in 1964, along with eradicating the Chrysler Hemi engine: Chrysler declares that it will be boycotting all NASCAR events in 1965.

January 5th, 1965 - 34-year-old Billy Wade is killed during a tire test at Daytona; Wade had become the first driver to win four consecutive Grand National events.

January 3rd, 1974 - Due to energy shortages, NASCAR announces that the length for all races will be decreased 10 percent to cut back on fuel usage. On top of that, NASCAR reduces the starting fields and limits practice sessions.

January 1979 - For the first time in history, the Daytona 500 is to be televised live on CBS News, marking the first time an entire 500-mile NASCAR Winston Cup Grand National race is televised by a major network.

January 8th, 1987 - Team owner Rick Hendrick announces that Benny Parsons will replace Tim Richmond for the first part of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, due to Richmond struggling with an illness that he calls "double pneumonia".